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I absolutely wish I had done this surgery when I was younger. For me the weight gain was medication induced and I was not overweight at 23 but at 28 or 30…I wish I had done it then. You can get the weight off BEFORE it has a chance to take a huge Toll on your joints and wreak havoc on the rest of your body. And Huge bonus is your skin is more likely to bounce back on its own. If you are truly ready to make the commitments to change at this point In your life I say go for it.

My 15 year old neighbor had sleeve surgery after years of therapy, "fat camps" and depression. Three months after surgery and a pretty significant weight loss, I actually saw her smile for the first time! She began walking, working out and would actually engage in lengthy conversations. Fast forward 5 years...…she's in college, enjoys hiking, is in a serious relationships and looks wonderful. Her parents had to go through a lot of family counseling and do a lot of research to find a surgeon who performed bariatric procedures on children. But they knew it was in the best interest of their child to set her up for a healthy adult life. So in answer to your question, you should have the surgery when you are mentally ready to commit to a healthy future. Sleeve surgery only works in the long term if you make the necessary life style changes in that first year after surgery. If not, the weight gain will put you right back where you are now. So I would suggest that age isn't as important as attitude. Good luck with whatever decision you make!

I had surgery two and a half years ago. I, too, had an extremely traumatic childhood, part of which involved being frequently left home alone without food. That obviously led to a host of eating/food issues and a considerable weight gain in adulthood. I've lived with a fear of starvation since childhood, so was also concerned about whether I could go through the various eating stages for the surgery. What really bolstered my confidence was when I was able to severely restrict my food intake a few weeks *before* the surgery, paring down my calories to about 800/day, which is what I would live on for the year after surgery. After the initial fear wore off, it actually became easy. I was really shocked at how easy it was. Plus, I was lucky to have weekly therapy to discuss my progress and concerns. The surgery resulted in my losing my lifelong fear of starvation. My brain now knows that there is always food available to eat, that I won't be threatened with hunger, etc. It has been really uplifting. I hope this happens for you, too, whatever your childhood issues were.

I was downing carbonated drinks very early on, I had no specific prohibition. Probably week four? I drink several cans of diet sodas a day, it’s how I get my water intake needs met. never had an issue with bubbles or cravings or weight gain or blood sugar levels etc. ymmv and your doctor may not approve…

There is a lot of conflicting stories & advice out there about whether you can drink carbonated drinks after WLS, but apparently there’s little scientific evidence to support either the yes or no position. The only evidence is that drinking carbonated drinks increases weight gain. There’s also information coming out that artificial sweeteners are just as bad if you go down that route. (Basically they trick the body into thinking it’s getting sugar but isn’t so it stores more fat to compensate for the perceived reduction of glucose - which the body does need.) Plus artificial sweeteners continue to feed your craving for sugar. As with many things after surgery, some can & some can’t. It’s really your choice if you can & it works for you. Personally, I gave up carbonated drinks years ago because they aggravated my reflux & gave me horrendous hiccups. I only had bubbles in a gin & tonic & champagne but too many of them & urrgh! So no change for me (though I drink less alcohol & drink it less frequently now).

Oh Megan, you're not alone! My experience is EXACTLY the same. I gave up even trying to eat breakfast a long time ago, and lunch is very small and either Soup or crackers. But evenings, I could eat a massive amount of food! I was living like this for a long time, and not losing weight because I was eating too much at night (and/or eating junk). So, I just got another fill. Now I feel like my restriction level is great--I still don't eat breakfast (just slowly sip tea with some soy milk), and lunch is tiny. But my evening eating is now nicely restricted, so I feel quite full after just a small amount of food. I feel like the level is perfect, but guess what? Now I have major heartburn and am waking up every night with acid reflux (sometimes I even vomit). So, obviously that's no good. I'll probably end up having to get the fill removed if this doesn't get better. And then I'll be right back to where I was, with not much restriction at all in the evenings. Anyway, just so you know, you're not the only one in that boat. And I struggle with making poor choices, and being hungry, and cravings, etc. If I didn't have issues with food, I wouldn't have needed the band in the first place! I've only lost 40 lbs in 10 months. I'm ok with that, though. The way I see it, this is a learning process. I am tweaking my restriction till I find what works best for me overall, and then learning to work with life at that level of restriction. Don't be too hard on yourself! In my opinion, that kind of thinking can actually lead to behaviour that causes weight gain. As long as you've lost weight, that's good. Just keep heading in that direction--it's a heck of a lot better than gaining!

I'm only three months post-op, so I can't speak to the long-term life of a gastric bypass patient, but based on what I've seen of my experiences and what others have said on here, most people live a fairly "normal" life after gastric bypass. As The Greater Fool said, not everybody gets dumping syndrome, and a lot of the people who do see it as a benefit of surgery because it deters them from eating certain foods. I don't even know if I get dumping syndrome because I haven't tried eating anything that would cause it (I was told to stay under 15 grams of sugar and 15 grams of fat in any meal to avoid dumping). If you are someone who gets dumping syndrome, it's not something that happens every day; you can control it by not eating the foods that cause it -- which are often the same types of foods that cause weight gain. Hunger varies a lot from one person to the next. "Head hunger" is a thing for any type of WLS, and you may already know about that from your lapband. Most gastric bypass patients maintain some amount of restriction for life, and most say that if they eat the foods they're supposed to eat (focusing on lean protein and veggies) and follow the rules about not drinking with or right after meals, they get full with a much smaller amount than they used to. There are certain foods that people call "slider foods" because they go down easily in larger quantities, and you have to be careful with those because they can cause weight gain. I don't think "accidents" are all that common. "Accidents" are associated with dumping syndrome, so if you eat the wrong things (foods with too much sugar and/or fat), it can happen, but again, for most people, it's not something that happens all the time. The opposite problem is actually much more common. Drinking can be an issue. Alcohol has a stronger effect on gastric bypass patients, so we can't drink much, and drinking at all is generally not recommended (especially in the first year). After the first year, you probably could have a glass of wine, but you'd need to be really careful not to drink too much. I just had family visit and they don't know about my gastric bypass surgery. I was able to serve "normal" meals all week and eat small amounts, and my family didn't seem to suspect a thing (maybe they did and just didn't say anything, I don't know -- but they raved about the food I served). Omelets and low-fat chicken sausage for breakfast. Grilled chicken salad for lunch. BBQ chicken and ribs (with sugar-free BBQ sauce on mine) for dinner. There are some things a gastric bypass patient probably won't be able to eat, like fried foods or bread, but there's lots of "normal" food that we can eat. All that being said, your weight is relatively low. I don't know your BMI since you didn't enter your height, but my highest weight was 341 pounds and my weight the day of surgery was 270, so I had a lot more weight to lose than you. On the other hand, GERD seems to be a big factor for you that wasn't an issue for me. Only you can decide if it's worth the risks for you based on your own situation. Even at my high weight, it was a hard decision for me that took a long time to make. Maybe you could have the band removed and see how you do on your own before you make that decision?

Thank you for sharing. I am not a physician but consider myself literate and pretty well educated, but I too had trouble following much of what he was trying to say (and I have read up on the study/studies? he seems to be relying on). For instance "gaining the weight". Does he mean gaining weight? Gaining some weight? Gaining more weight? I could go on... Another big piece that is missing is how the medical community in general treats obese patients. There is a recent thread on BariatricPal that has some real horror stories. Unfortunately, they seem to be more common than not. I agree that General Practitioners and other MDs need a great deal of education about obesity, weight loss surgery, and post-surgery care, however far after surgery. You are spot on when you note that too many post-op patients are thrown to the wolves post-op when it comes to mental health issues. I will definitely have to think about this to see what additional response I could provide.

@PolahBeou Sorry that you are having issues. At 5'5" and 114Lbs. Your BMI is 19.0 Low end of normal. One more pound will be underweight. You said "So far, every doctor I've visited has recommended more exercise and protein. " Wow, exercise contradicts weight gain. Who are these Dr's? Seek new Dr.s and pressure them. Advocate for yourself until you get the help you need. Suggestions (not medical professional advice) Sop exercising. You are burning calories that your body needs. If your surgery restriction is tight, Eat small meals all day to stop weight loss and gain weight. The only way you gain weight is eating extra calories. (High carb and fat) Try a medical grade weight gaining shake and a Liquid/powdered carbohydrates. look on Amazon or GNC

Today is my 4 month surgiversary. I can't believe how time flies. I am down 47 pounds as of today and need to lose another 28 pounds to get to my goal. I am very happy with my sleeve, it is a great tool to weight loss. The only thing I wish is that I was more of a fast loser. This last month, I have only lost 6 pounds. I would be happier with 10 pounds a month loss. But I will take any loss over the weight gain I used to experience. I am very thankful to God for this opportunity to make my health, life and happiness sooooo much better. I feel sooooo good. Thank You everyone for all of the sharing in this forum it has truly made my journey much easier.

There are a lot of variables to consider. IMO, BMI is flawed....the formula is based on an average body composition. It does not take in consideration frame size, bone mass, muscle mass, large breasted vs small breasted (boobs are heavy!), body shape (ectomorph, mesomorph & endomorph). If you were overweight in your youth and/or the majority of your life, your bones had to accommodate more weight so therefore are most likely larger and heavier than someone who has been slim most of their lives. Thirty years ago, the general rule for women was a baseline of 100 pounds for a 5 foot woman and 5 pounds for each additional inch. That is an average, but for me at 5'5", I am chubby at 125, where as; my daughter at 2 inches shorter, looks amazing at 135. Before the weight gain in 2012, my natural shape was hourglass (metomorph) with broad shoulders, heavy chested, small waist and slim legs on a small/medium frame. My daughter is rectangular (ectomorph) with broad shoulders, heavy chested, thick waisted, narrow hipped and thicker legs on a medium/large frame. My best weight is 112 to 117 but my daughter, even though she is 2 inches shorter, looks best at 132 to 138. Weight is a personal matter. You have to find where you are comfortable and a weight that can be easily maintained. Listen to your body and listen to your doctor but don't let others get into your head.

You are awesome. The weight gain could be a combination of muscle gain and inflammation from using all those muscles that you have not been using for so long. Did you get yourself any kind of walking stick/hiking pole/cane? Not only will it help with balance but it will transfer the impact and strain of walking to your upper body muscles so your lower body muscles (and joints) will not get so fatigued. I noticed that even Walmart is selling the hiking poles now. They are right next to the tents in the sporting goods section. I am a firm believer in them. I don't hike without them. Keep up the great work. You are definitely my inspiration. I don't tell my wife much about what I read here on this forum but I have kept her up to date on this thread. It's a great story.

I was banded on Thursday. The whole time I was in the hospital, I felt great! Just sore from the band area and incision site. When I got home? Not so much. I've been having a tough time with pain, also a hard time getting liquids in. Forced down 2 Protein shakes over the course of the day yesterday in very tiny sips. Took 2 hours to drink one. I am having chest pain when I swallow, and I think it's just because it's so tight in there from the swelling. As for the 10 lb weight gain, I weighed myself when I got home too and it said I weighed 6 lbs more. I weighed again this morning, and it's back to what I weighed the morning of my surgery. I think it's Water weight from the IV... they really keep you "juiced up" in the hospital so you don't dehydrate. Give it a couple days and weigh again. You KNOW you didn't gain weight during that time... just let the swelling go down and you'll be fine! Good luck!

I didn't feel so hot after either. And the weight gain is because of the IV. It took about a week and the scale really started to move down. If you are worried check with you doc. It might help you rest easier.

Yeah, I have to do all the standard things like 6 months of supervised weight loss visits, nutritionists, psych, etc... I just thought the weight clause was particularly cruel. I'll be taking @summerseeker advice and putting heavy things in my pockets. LOL I can't even tell what stage my cycle is in to make sure I go in with the period bloat (hysterectomy) so that's super annoying. @SleeveToBypass2023 I don't get an option about which insurance plan we have, this is through my partner's workplace. It costs too much to go with someone else. But I'm glad you didn't have to fight as hard to get your surgeries, BCBS was good when we had them! @New To This23 That sounds like a nightmare! I am so sorry you are going through that! I am worried about this scenario because my body is given to weird spurts of weight gain that have nothing to do with what I'm eating or how I'm exercising. I did 18 months with a nutritionist and lost 10 lbs, which was really due to the Ozempic I started. LOL I've never been able to lose more than 15-20 lbs, my body is just wicked stubborn. I will keep my fingers and toes crossed that you make that weigh in with room to spare!! Keep us posted!

I had surgery nov 13 th, had my first dr visit, down 11 lbs ( even after a 7 lb weight gain in the hospital from the iv) and diabetes gone!! Sugar completely normal already no more diabetes meds or cholesterol meds!!! This was the main reason i went through with this, my health. I backed out once but had the courage to finally do it, and it takes great courage. It was traumatic, although not too much physical pain and it gets a little easier every day. I am on a puréed diet now, trying to get as much fluid and protein as I can. My Dr said it gets easier and the first month is the hardest. All the best.

Hi. New to this community. I’m just about 6 months out. Lost 55lbs. I’m only 4ft 10 inches, so real hard to loose. I’ve been at a stall this month, but no weight gain. Having gallbladder surgery tomorrow. Kind of bummed. Glad to have found this site.

I have had 22 surgeries to date, thus LOTS of incisions. And lots and lots (thousands) of stitches.... One thing I have noticed is that not all wounds heal the same. I have had 3 surgeries through my belly button, and NOT the sleeve (too much scar tissue). I have had holes develop, and I think the reason is the scarring pushing up from underneath makes it look like the "hole" is getting larger, when in fact it is actually healing from underneath. Scar tissue is thicker, denser material than the tissue that was originally there, so misshapen formation is not uncommon, and eventually the scar will smooth out with a little ridging over the area where the scalpel was used. The skin on the body is not necessarily the same in one area that is is in another area. Skin that has been stretched from weight gain will not be of the same thickness necessarily as skin in an area the hasn't been stretched so much. So it seems reasonable that scarring will heal differently and may even look different on different parts of body. One thing to look for as a danger sign would be draining. Redness is common, to a degree, because the skin is angry it has been disrupted and it is in pain. Now it has to heal, and it wasn't planning on that! Just keep an eye on it, it will be painful for awhile, it is a deep scar. Always contact your Dr.s, even if they say the same thing over and over again, if you have concerns - it's what you've paid them for! Good luck to you, And keep us informed!

I first looked into weight loss surgery about 15 years ago. Things were different back then; the sleeve was not a common procedure (and not covered by some insurance companies), and the place where I attended an information session was mainly doing gastric bypass as an open procedure. They would only do laparoscopic surgery on patients with lower BMIs, and I wouldn't have qualified. I didn't go through with it because my family talked me out of it. The risks of complications were higher then. I have been lucky enough to have good health for most of my life. I'm in my late 30s and until the past year, I never went to the doctor or took any prescriptions during my adult lifetime. For all those years, I thought it would be crazy to take the risk of having weight loss surgery when I was perfectly healthy. I was afraid I would lose my good health to complications of weight loss surgery. I looked into it every so often, and when I remembered all the restrictions, I couldn't stand the thought of giving up my diet sodas and pizza and ice cream, letting my pouch rule my life, getting sick if I eat the wrong things, and having to take pills every day for the rest of my life. But aging takes a toll and my good health was starting to slip away. I found out from my work physical that I had high blood pressure, and they urged me to see a doctor. When I went to a doctor, I was diagnosed with hypertension and type 2 diabetes. It's gotten increasingly difficult for me to get around, which became a vicious cycle as I became more sedentary and gained even more weight, and the weight gain continued to decrease my mobility. I had a BMI over 60 at my highest weight. I came to the realization that I had a choice: I could keep going the way I was, keep gaining weight and losing mobility, see my health continue to decline, and probably die of a heart attack or stroke before I turned 50. Or I could have weight loss surgery, because I sure as hell wasn't going to be able to lose that kind of weight on my own. All that stuff I couldn't bear to give up for a chance at losing weight started to look a lot smaller compared to the life I was already giving up more and more every day at that weight, not just health-wise, but in my social life and my career as well. I went into it thinking that I wanted the gastric sleeve. It seemed less extreme, less risky than gastric bypass, My surgeon recommended gastric bypass because my BMI was so high. He said that for lower BMI patients, there's not a big difference in outcomes between sleeve and bypass, but for high BMI patients, the difference can be significant. Both are very safe procedures with low complication rates nowadays. So I ended up getting gastric bypass. I've since read a lot more information that has confirmed in my mind that gastric bypass was the right choice for me. I've seen a lot of people get their sleeves revised to bypass because of GERD and/or unsuccessful weight loss, and I don't want to have to get a revision. I had my surgery on July 16, and it went well. I was discharged from the hospital the next afternoon, and I had surprisingly little pain. I didn't need any pain medication, even Tylenol. The first few days were miserable (mainly due to gas pain from the gas pumped into my abdomen during the surgery), but I healed quickly and went back to work in a week and a half. I've stuck to the post-op progression plan very closely, and not gonna lie, the liquid phase is hell, but it went by quickly and it was much easier once I got to purees and soft foods. I haven't had any issues with anything I've eaten so far other than a feeling of food getting stuck sometimes (which isn't pleasant, but it works its way through after a few minutes). I lost 70 pounds before surgery and 40 pounds so far after surgery, for a total of 110 pounds. And now my BMI is about the same as yours, which is kind of depressing. But I have had great improvements in my health, like my blood pressure in the normal range and my latest A1C was 5.2 (down from 8.1 in February). My mobility is improving. I started out wearing size 26-28 and now I'm wearing 20-22. I still have a long way to go, but I'm getting there. I'm not far enough out yet to know how this is going to work out for me in the long run. Obviously, I'm pleased with my results so far, but from what I've read here, the first year is easy. Here are some of the cons that are not so obvious: I haven't told anybody other than medical professionals about my surgery because people can be very judgmental about it. How many people you tell is a very personal choice that can be difficult. It is really stressful to keep this secret and try to hide this surgery that affects my life so very much! (But also stressful to endure judgment from people who are clueless about WLS.) The fear of regain keeps me up at night. I'm doing well now, but I've seen soooo many people lose a ton of weight and gain most or all of it back. I've yo-yo dieted all my life and I would be absolutely devastated if I went through all of this only to gain the weight back. Food is everywhere. I feel like I'm constantly being bombarded with ads for food and restaurants, seeing decadent recipes on social media, and watching other people eat foods I love but can no longer eat. It's rough going to the grocery store and seeing a great sale on something I love only to remember I can't have it. Maybe you get used to it after a while, but right now, I have these sad moments every day where I miss the food I used to eat. Even if you reach your goal weight, you're still not going to have a great body... unless you go through the pain and expense of plastic surgery. It will still be a heck of a lot better than where you started, but not the same as someone the same height and weight who was never obese. I think it's important to go into this with your eyes wide open, understand what the tradeoffs are, and accept the things you will have to give up or deal with for this shot at changing your life. Most people say it's worth it.

That first drop is so exciting but there is the leveling off and even sometimes a gain prior to getting fill right and adopting to new lifestyle. I lost 10 pre-op, 10 immediately post-op, then another 4-5 which I then regained. Just got that off again following my first fill. I recognize there will be ups and downs, water weight gain and loss, etc., but I know I'm on my way to good health no matter what. You are, too!

I made some poor eating choices 2 weeks ago (about 5 weeks after surgery) and experienced some weight gain. When I went for my fill the doctor was very firm about sticking to the proper food to eat & way to eat them. Also about exercise. It was hard to hear because I was already hard on myself. The fill has really helped & I have had an excellent week of eating well & exercising every day! I did have my first "frothing" episode a few days ago eating cantalope of all things. I think I ate too fast & didn't chew enough. I won't being doing that again!

I thought high levels caused weight gain. But I was thinking cortisol was a stress hormone? I must be thinking of something else because you would want a stress hormone to be low. Good luck on your journey, I bet someone will know the answer and help you out

Reminder: the Importance of Diabetes If you don’t have diabetes, someone in your family might if obesity runs in your family. You may remember a parent, aunt or uncle, or grandparent who had diabetes and suffered from complications. 29 million Americans, or 9.3 percent of the population, have diabetes, or high blood sugar, and most cases are linked to obesity. Type 2 diabetes is the seventh-leading cause of death in the U.S., but it gets worse. It’s a risk factor for heart disease and high blood pressure, stroke, and high cholesterol. Uncontrolled blood sugar can lead to kidney failure, blindness, infections, and amputations. In total, the U.S. spends about $245 billion per year on diabetes. Medications for Diabetes Diabetes medications can help keep your blood sugar in check in various ways. The following are some common types of diabetes medications. Increase insulin sensitivity. Reduce the amount of sugar your liver releases to the bloodstream. Increase insulin production. Prevent the kidney from reabsorbing sugars. Slow down metabolism of sugars and starches. Diabetes medications help, but each type has drawbacks. They can cause weight gain, increase your risk of infections, harm your heart, and lead to nausea and vomiting. Unless you’re on a good health plan, these medications can also be expensive. The Effects of Weight Loss Surgery on Diabetes When considering weight loss surgery, you probably think about the number on the scale, how nice it will be to shop at regular clothes stores, having more energy, and improving your heart health. It turns out that weight loss surgery has a big effect on diabetes, too. People who get weight loss surgery often see their blood sugar levels drop and are able to decrease their medication doses or get off of medications entirely. You’d expect to have improvements in diabetes if you lose a lot of weight after weight loss surgery. After all, your diabetes was probably caused by obesity. Whether or not you get surgery, you’re likely to have better control over your blood sugar levels if you lose a lot of weight. However, it turns out that weight loss surgery has a bigger impact on diabetes than what you’d expect just from losing weight alone. In some studies, patients have had their blood sugars lowered as soon as a few days after surgery! In just a few days, you can’t lose enough weight to explain the drop is blood sugar. There must be another explanation. As it turns out, researchers do have a lot of theories about what causes the health improvements so quickly. It may have something to do with the way your body processes carbohydrates. There could be increases in insulin sensitivity. Multiple hormones are probably involved. Researchers don’t know all of the reasons for sure, but these results are pretty consistent. The gastric bypass is most likely best at resolving diabetes quickly, following be the vertical sleeve gastrectomy. The lap-band isn’t as effective, but lap-band patients do tend to see at least some improvements. Each type of weight loss surgery has its own advantages and disadvantages, so be sure to ask your surgeon for advice. The Weight Loss Surgery Diet and Diabetes Surgery is only part of the solution to controlling diabetes or preventing pre-diabetes from developing into diabetes. If you want maximum benefits and lasting effects, you also need to take a look at your nutrition. For weeks, months, and years after weight loss surgery, your diet will largely determine your weight loss and blood sugar levels. Fortunately, the weight loss surgery diet is also a diet that can lower your blood sugar levels. First, stick to your low-calorie diet. If you’re not counting calories, serve yourself only the portions and types of foods that your surgeon allows. The low-calorie diet lets you lose weight and as you do, you’ll find that your blood sugar is in a healthier range. Next, there’s the protein content. You already know that you need to focus on protein on your weight loss surgery diet. It keeps you full to help you lose weight, and prevents symptoms of protein deficiency. Another benefit is that it doesn’t spike your blood sugar and insulin levels like carbohydrates do. When you eat fewer carbs and more protein, your blood sugar levels will be more stable. There are a few other ways you can plan your weight loss surgery diet to also be healthy for your blood sugar. Better yet, these tips will also make your diet higher in nutrients. Instead of refined grains, select whole grains, such as oatmeal and whole wheat bread and pasta, whenever possible. Eat plenty of vegetables, since they’re filling, low-calorie, and unlikely to spike your blood sugar. Choose unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, instead of saturated fats, such as butter, to promote heart health and better control your blood sugar. Eat high-fiber foods, such as whole grains, vegetables, beans, and fruit, to feel less hungry and to prevent blood sugar spikes. Type 2 diabetes can be an inconvenient disease to manage, and it can cause all kinds of devastating complications. If you have diabetes or prediabetes and are thinking about weight loss surgery, it’s important to know the facts. Weight loss surgery can help resolve your diabetes and get you off medication, but it’s not likely to be too effective without a good diet, too. Just like with weight loss, weight loss surgery is a tool for diabetes management, and you need to follow a healthy nutrition plan to get the maximum results.

You're not a failure. I've never been able to stick to a "diet" unless I was on prescription diet pills. I had already had a six month medically supervised diet 2 years ago and so I didn't have to do that now but I've had a hard time with my food intake too and my NUT appt. is next Tues and I don't want to show any large weight gain. If I'm up a pound or 2 no big deal. So this week I started tyring to just eat clean - chicken breast, veggies. I weighed myself and I'm 5 pds. heavier than my initial appt. with the surgeon. I think I can drop the weight before next Tues. I don't think the insurance will deny you because you are going up & down 1-5 pounds a month - it just shows you need the surgery.