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Well I'm glad to hear that. [emoji846][emoji1490][emoji1490][emoji1490] Awesome decision on making that sleeved stomach work. As I was reading your response, it made me think about my own journey. We are our own health problems. When I first got my band, I was soooo excited and happy. I made sure I did EVERYTHING right. However, it kept slipping throughout the years because of MY BAD CHEWING HABITS. Meaning, I would sometimes forget to chew my food to mush and then would have to drink a lot of water to either help the food go down, or throw it back up. That has been my main problem. Then, I became lackadaisical about 4 years after having my band. While I continued to keep my weight down, it slowly began to increase because I was including foods that I know weren't good for me. Then my arthritis started getting worse even though I was at the smallest I had been since junior high school. After being put on meds to help control the pain, unfortunately, my weight gain continued to slowly increase, but it wasn't until this year (which is 8 yrs. postop), that I have gained the most of my weight. I gained 18 pounds in just two months because I was bedridden. Not able to move around like you used to really does make a difference. I was hospitalized back in February of this year, and the doctor opened my band because it had slipped yet again. So, suffice it to say, yes, we cause our own problems a lot of the time. Continued success on your journey. [emoji846] Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

I told him about my weight history and that I started to get depressed right after I got pregnant because of all the weight I was gaining and after I gave birth I started to gain more weight and couldn't lose the weight and that I asked my gynecologist to see if she would give me a referral to see a psychologist but I never went to see one because she gave me anti depressants (I never took them) maybe that's why he asked to see me again :/ but I told him about this app how it helped me understand the things that can happen post op like stalls, weight gain, my nut told me if you overeat all the time it can stretch ,I'm aware of all the risk and honestly I just want to be healthy I'm a low risk of becoming diabetic and I don't want that to happen. I hope everything changes after I see him again

I had a lot of problems with the band. It did get me to goal and then some. I worked really hard for my goal weight but after I hit goal I had complications and had to have it removed. I knew that removing my band meant weight gain so I revised to a sleeve for maintenance. I had esophageal spasms, esophageal motility issues, stoma spasms, reflux, periodic gastritis, port pain from rubbing against my jeans, etc. I finally threw in the towel and revised.

Thanks Cheri. I know from prior posts that you were a slow looser and that slow does not mean unsuccessful. I understand the frustration of hearing people complain that they have only lost 30 pounds in the first three weeks after surgery LOL! I am 5'1" and shooting for 130. Like I said, I suspect I have 10+ pounds of skin. Right now I wear a size 6 comfortably. I was trying on pants last week and noticed that if it weren't for the panni, I could easily wear a size 4. I forgot that I have no hips. I am constantly having to pull my pasts up as they slide over the non-existent hips and get stopped by the lower stomach skin. My surgeon's goal for me is 110. I think he's nuts. I would be a size 0 or less. No thanks! I will try the strength training. I have equipment at home for that. All I need to do is pick it up. No extra money for a gym. It's funny, but when I do exercise there is a weight gain that accompanies it at first no matter what the calorie deficit is. Connie and Aussie: One week? Nahhh. Two weeks is a little more frustrating, but they can last 1-2 months despite the fact that you are doing the same thing you had been doing when you were losing. Both Cheri and ButtertheBean and others have posted detailed explanations on stalls. The simplistic explanation is that your body needs time to readjust after a weight loss both in chemical terms and physical inches. I sometimes think that the body is actually redistributing flesh. If you are doing everything right and not losing pounds, do not over-worry. Keep with it and you will lose. There are some that say changing up or playing with the numbers (protein, fat, carbs, exercise, etc.) will shock your body, but my experience up to now has been to wait it out. This may have changed for me since I'm close to goal. Cheri knows what she is talking about. I am with a few pounds of what I was just before Christmas. This morning I tried on a pair of pants that were super tight that I have not worn since then and I am swimming in them. The lose skin that I did not think was so bad a couple months ago is more noticeable now. I mentioned in another post that I actually have loose skin on my fingers. Don't let that scare you BTW. I'm 47 and had a 46 or 47 BMI when I started. It's so much better than the fat. Cheri - Keep us posted on that baby of yours! Named yet? I named my daughter when she was 3 weeks old - I mean 3 weeks from conception I was calling her by name. Yes, I'm weird, but she was long wanted and I have to plan EVERYTHING is advance :-P

I have had a weight problem for over 10 years. It started out with just 20-30 pounds over weight but I grew older and stressed I ate more and more. I would lose weight but I never maintained the loss. The biggest gain for me started about 3 years ago when I made the decision to move away from my family for my career. At first I was okay no weight gain but as I began missing my family the more I pulled away from the life I had created away from home and dwell on how much I missed home. That's when I started eating more and more. Before I knew it I was 70 lbs heavier. I tried Zumba and walking to get the weight off but somehow I ended up with a cyst on my knee. Walking or even bending my knees have become painful. In Jan 2013 I made the decision to change careers and move back home. I started getting interview quickly and was able to obtain a job doing exactly what I wanted for a great company. So that brings me to now. I'm happy again but now I have all this weight that is still here. My blood pressure is only maintained with medicine. I received a call from True Results to check to see if I qualified for insurance to cover it. (I had tried once before but didn't have a high enough BMI). On July 30th I went in to my appointment expecting to go home disappointed but I left with the goal of an early September surgery date. Insurance approved my surgery late August for September 18th. I am not sure my goal weight yet I would like to be down to 140 from 269 but I'm not sure if that's too much. I am now 6 days from surgery day and I am getting excited. I have lost 7lbs since I started the pre-op diet. I have struggled with not eating and snacking but I have cut my portions down drastically. I have finally found some ways to make my protien shakes taste better. At first I thought this was going to be a hard time because no matter what I did I could only taste the protein in the skake but now I actually enjoy drinking a few of the flavors.

This right here. I shouldn't have even posted but I do feel like we need to be honest with each other. Yes I have yo-yo'd and all the things with increasingly more weight gained. Yadda yadda yadda. But surgery is a very traumatic experience.

Hi there, hope you're doing well. I don't know what to tell you about your long time of depression. Mine came on in my mid 30's after a a very sad , difficult personal issue. Im usually a very upbeat, outgoing happy person, but depression kicked. my. rear ! Its horrible to be sad, depressed and angry 24/7, add the slowing down metabolism and weight gain, and sleep problems! Well as you know, its NOT pretty... A friend reccommended a product called Plus, from Mannatech. (google Mannatech for more info) I started pounding down Plus 4 pills , 3x a day. 12 days later it was like someone lifted a layer of sadness off of me ! I got better and better, stayed on it = depression gone. Both my husband and I take several Mannatech products daily, what a difference ! ( He' s diabetic, no weight probs). (I am NOT a Dr. so discuss with your Dr before taking taking anything ) Hope this helps, I wish you well ! Keep us posted !

All of the above dialogue was very encouraging. I have been away from this site for a while, but am back. I could use the lift from folks who understand. I have recommitted to the journey and am looking to the future in a more positive manner. I have had several ups and downs with fills/unfills, slippage and weight gain. My mind is on the mend, therefore I anticipate seeing better weight loss until I reach my goal! Thanks everybody for your comments!!

My daughter also has PCOS. It is very likely to cause weight gain and is a common factor. Also, forcing her weight back down via WLS will help with the PCOS. My wife went to Dr. Aceves. She is getting ready for her regular food. It is EXTREMELY important with a sleeve to stick to the post op diet. With a band it could cause problems down the road to not follow the post op diet, with the sleeve you can create horrible immediate complications or even death. Just be sure she understands the post op diet is NOT optional in any way shape or form, and it will be mentally difficult.

Help Center -Department of Managed Care This I my appeal letter to ask that you reconsider and approve the Sleeve Gastrectomy Weight Loss Surgery that was denied by Anthem Blue Cross because they consider the procedure investigational. I believe this surgery is exactly the tool I need to improve my health and the quality of the rest of my life. I have been told by several of Anthem Blue Cross customer service representatives that 43775 is a covered procedure and that as long as my HMO approved they would pay for the surgery. This is not what I am being told now. I have been getting the runaround on this for two months. I received a letter from my HMO dated 2/6/10(copy enclosed) stating this is not a denial of service but Anthem considers this procedure experimental and has to go to the Utilization Dept for a decision. The number to call this department was on the letter. I called this Dept. a minimum of 5 times and was told they don’t know what I am talking about, this dept. doesn’t handle HMO. So I call my HMO and they say “oh you have to appeal” so I send my appeal letter to Anthem on 2/16 and wait the 30 days for a decision. On the 28th day they inform me that I cannot appeal because I haven’t been denied, oh and the people in the Utilization Dept. don’t know that their department handles this?? So they send it back to the Utilization Dept and now I have officially been denied. This part of this process has taken two months, very frustrating. I. PATIENT BACKGROUND My name is Jeani Xxxxxxx and I am insured under group plan xxxxxxxxxx. My member ID # xxxxxxxxxxxxx. I am now 59 years old. I am 5/5 tall and at this time I weigh 233 lbs. I am seeking approval for weight loss surgery. I have been overweight to one degree or another since I was a young child and was advised by my pediatrician to diet at age 10. I have made numerous efforts at weight loss throughout my teenage years and adult life. I dieted frequently as a teenager and young adult. Numerous times I have lost 40-80 pounds or more but eventually the weight returns. Weight loss programs I tried include juice fasts, traditional calorie counting on quite a few occasions, Weight Watchers, Slim Fast, Nurti-system, the Atkins diet, Cabbage soup, Mayo Clinic diet, the Zone, gym membership, lap swimming, weight training, water aerobics, walking programs, various buddy-system diets and individual, self hypnosis, ”Think yourself Thin” “ Think yourself Thin Automatically, tape you listen to in the car” Dexatrim, Metabalite, Hoodia, Green Tea Extract, and numerous other fad diets. In all cases I lost weight but each time the weight crept back, usually with a little more. Eventually I realized that traditional dieting seemed to actually cause weight gain due to increased hunger that seems to occur after significant weight loss. I believe science is only now beginning to understand the reasons for this phenomenon which is consistently reported by clinically obese people. Studies also show that genetics plays a larger role than once thought and there are morbidly obese people in my family as well as slim people. My co-morbidities include high blood pressure, high triglycerides, low good cholesterol, have had abnormal EKGs, borderline diabetes, and osteoarthritis in my hip, which my doctor said weight loss would help significantly. I have also had sever back pain most of my life. I take hydrochlorothiazide and verapamil for high blood pressure which is effective. I take medicine, Niacin for high triglycerides. I have a family history of cancer as well as strokes, heart disease and severe arthritis. I take nabumetone almost daily and ibuprofen to help with severe leg pain related to arthritis in my hip. I have taken ibuprofin for back pain that i have had most of my life even when I was not overweight. I believe I will need NSAIDS even after WLS which is why I need the sleeve as this is the only WLS that you can still take anti-inflammatory medications. I buy over the counter ibuprofen as I can get 500-200mg pills for $10.00 which last over 6 months, whereas when getting prescription I only get 30 -800 milligrams for a co-payment of $10 which only last a month. My excess weight and other health issues makes everyday activities difficult including housework, shopping, standing, walking significant distances, working and recreation. It effectively makes my world smaller limiting the number of things I can do each day. I have lived with obesity for years and strongly wish to change this aspect of my life. I fear the consequences of my high triglycerides especially considering the family history i have of heart disease. Many members of my family died of heart attack and stroke. I was stunned to learn that my weight is in the obese category but heartened to learn of this newer treatment with fewer side effects and shorter recovery. I am highly motivated to succeed with VSG and understand that food intake will be significantly limited for the rest of my life and that I must continue to exercise to be successful. Before I found out about the arthritis, which is the result of a subtle fracture at some point in my life that affected the curvature and angle of my right hip bone (this was found by an MRI that was done after pain medication didn’t help and physical therapy made the pain worst), I used to walk a minimum of 30-60 minutes a day at least 5 days a week. Since this pain in my leg as a result of the hip arthritis I no longer can do that and I am afraid that the weight will just continue to creep up on me. My particular problem is in volume eating. I eat good food, lots of chicken and turkey, lots of fruits and vegetables, the thing is I am always hungry and I eat until I am full. Having a smaller stomach and feeling full sooner seems like exactly the kind of help I need. I had given up on traditional dieting as it always resulted in failure and am pleased to have found the VSG surgical option which appears to be the only tool offering a realistic possibility of lifelong weight control for me. I believe VSG is the best surgery for me because it offers restriction like the lap-band and the RNY but without the malabsorption of the RNY. The RNY is not an option because I very much need regular doses of nabumetone and ibuprofen for the leg pain related to my hip pain and even once I lose the weight believe I will still need ibuprofen for my back pain which I have suffered with most of my adult life. Tylenol is not effective for me. I am allergic to codeine, vicodin, any pain medication of that type I cannot take. Narcotic pain relievers make my head seem fuzzy but do not help with pain. I have the same concern about the lap band. I also understand that as many as 27 percent of lap band patients require band removal and weight loss is often unsatisfactory (I think the number is even higher now). Most importantly, the VSG removal of a large portion of the stomach removes many of the cells that produce the hormone ghrelin which is known to cause hunger and appetite. The RNY and lap band don’t have this advantage. At age 59 I am concerned about the side effects of the RNY and do not want to spend 6 or more months with dumping syndrome and feeling rotten. I also worry about the ability to take and absorb other medications I might need in the future as I age. The VSG appears to offer the fastest recovery, weight loss similar to the RNY and the least amount of side effects. One recent publication, “The Best Bariatric Operation for Older Patients “ by Drs Lee, Cirangle, Taller, Feng and Jossart, 2005, concludes that “These data suggest that the best bariatric operation for older patients may be the laparoscopic VG because it achieves the greatest weight loss with the shortest operative time and the fewest complications”. I have investigated this procedure very thoroughly including attending support groups and talking with others who have had it. I have completed most of the preoperative testing and strongly believe this is the best procedure for my circumstances II. THE VSG SHOULD NO LONGER BE CONSIDERED INVESTIGATIONAL The only stated reason for denying approval for the VSG is that it is investigational and …” current available medical studies do not show that this service improves health outcomes, is as good as or better than standard alternatives, or shows improvement outside the research setting”. It is respectfully submitted that this conclusion is incorrect. The conclusion ignores the 36 studies now available on the effectiveness of VSG which indicate that excess weight loss is similar to the RNY and that complications from surgery are actually lower than RNY. It also ignores the fact that the VSG is now widely performed and is routine for many bariatric surgeons and has long been performed outside the research setting. Anthem’s policy on Surgery for Clinically Severe Obesity is set forth in a document with an effective date of April 22, 2009. This document reviews the various forms of bariatric surgery and explains when weight loss surgery is considered medically necessary. VSG is excluded from ever being medically necessary because it is designated as investigational and that “…there is insufficient convincing evidence in the peer reviewed medical literature, in terms of safety, to support the use of …sleeve gastrectomy…other than biliopancreatic bypass with duodenal switch, in individuals with clinically severe obesity.”. Nevertheless, the lap band and Realize band procedures are approved as medically necessary in this same document based upon what appears to be two three year studies involving 219 and 352 patients respectively. There is now a considerable body of data and studies supporting the safety and effectiveness of the VSG as a primary procedure for weight loss. The June 2009 Supplement to Bariatric Times reporting on the Second International Consensus Summit on Sleeve Gastrectomy (available at www.bariatrictimes.com) includes 10 papers pertaining to the safety and effectiveness of the VSG presented by leading bariatric surgeons. In Reducing Risk in Bariatric Surgery: Rational for Sleeve Gastrectomy, Dr. Eric J. DeMaria concludes that “A growing body of evidence suggests sleeve gastrectomy may be an appropriate primary bariatric surgical procedure primarily due to low risk and ease of surgical revision when required.” In the paper presented by Drs Jossart and Cirangle, four years of data showed a 68% excess weight loss by VSG patients, a figure not largely different than RNY patients of the same time range. Most significantly, in Debates and Consensus: a Summary by Dr. Michael Gagner, important questions concerning the VSG were debated and conclusions reached by the 400 conference participants. Question 6 was as follows: “Question 6: In your opinion, is there currently enough published data to support the sleeve gastrectomy as a primary procedure to treat morbid obesity on par with adjustable gastric banding and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass? Several groups presented cohorts of patients with follow-up periods of 4 to 8 years the day before. Jossart and colleagues in San Francisco presented eight years’ experience including 1,200 cases, whereas at more than four years, weight loss resulted in a similar curve to gastric bypass. At higher BMI (greater than 55kg/m2) a plateau of nearly 40kg/m2 demanded a second stage, but below a BMI of 55, the operation was terrific. Schauer and colleagues assessed the literature from 35 reports, studied more than 3,000 published sleeve gastrectomy cases, and found an extremely low mortality rate (near 0.12%). Results have shown excellent weight loss and co morbidity reduction that is comparable to or exceeds other bariatric operations and that the sleeve gastrectomy is safe and efficacious. Himpens of Belgium analyzed his patients from 2001 through 2002(sic) to attain six-year follow-up. Sixty-five percent of 46 patients were considered a “success” (%EWL greater than 50 ) at two years. At six years the success rate was maintained at 59 percent. Weiner from Frankfurt and MacMahon of Leeds, who started in 2000, also had similar results. *** Certainly, the audience thought there was enough evidence published to support the sleeve gastrectomy as a primary procedure to treat morbid obesity on par with adjustable gastric banding and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass with a yes vote of 77 percent. This is perhaps the strongest contribution to this second consensus conference.” A review article entitled “Systematic Review of Sleeve Gastrectomy as Staging and Primary Bariatric Procedure” was recently posted on the web site of the American Society of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgeons dated May 26, 2009. The authors are Drs Brethaur and Schaur and Jeffrey Hammel M.S. of the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute of the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio. Thirty-six studies involving 2570 patients who had the VSG procedure were analyzed. Their conclusion was: “From the current evidence, including 36 studies and 2570 patients, LSG is an effective weight loss procedure that can be performed safely as a first stage or primary procedure. From this large volume of case series data, a matched cohort analysis and 2 randomized trials, LSG results in excellent weight loss and co-morbidity reductions that exceeds , or is comparable to, that of other accepted bariatric procedures. The postoperative major complication rates and mortality rates have been acceptably low. Long-term data are limited but the 3- and 5- year follow up data have demonstrated the durability of the SG procedure. “ To date ten thousand patients have had the VSG surgery with good success. Many are going to Mexico or other foreign countries because their insurers refuse to pay for the VSG even though it is less expensive than the RNY procedure, the so called “gold standard” of weight loss surgery which takes several hours and requires a hospital stay of 3 or 4 days. The VSG can be completed in one hour by a skilled surgeon and most patients stay only one night in the hospital. While there is certainly follow up care, the repeated fill and unfill procedures required by gastric banding are unneeded for the VSG. Nutritional supplements are much less of a problem than with the RNY. Many insurance companies are recognizing the value and cost effectiveness of the VSG and have approved the VSG for at least some patients, including BSBC Federal, Tri-west Tri-care Prime, United Healthcare, the Veterans Administration, Aetna, Blue Care Network HMO, Healthnet, Anthem BC of Connecticut, Definity Health/United Healthcare, PPO, Empire Blue Cross Anthem, and UHC. The VSG sleeve gastrectomy is now routinely offered by Kaiser Permanente to all patients that qualify for Weight Loss Surgery and would not do so if this surgery was not proven to work. I don’t think it is fair that if you have five people, one with Kaiser, one with United, one with Aetna, one with Cigna and me with Anthem Blue Cross of California, the other four will be offered the sleeve and I will not. The California Department of Insurance has recognized that VSG is widely accepted by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery as a standard procedure at medical centers for excellence. In Decision #EI09-9645 the physician reviewers reversed the health plan’s denial of the patient’s VSG request and concluded that VSG was the most appropriate option for the patient. The same conclusion was also reached in EI06-5882 though the patient had significantly more co-morbidities. That decision noted the important fact that the VSG is nothing more than the first part of the duodenal switch operation which includes the second step of intestinal modification and as such, the VSG portion has been performed for many years as part of the DS procedure. Some patients have the VSG first as part of a two stage procedure and find that they do not need the second stage. Thus, the VSG is not as new and investigational as Anthem’s conclusions seem to imply. Anthem does cover the DS procedure which includes the VSG as one part. According to an article published in the Detroit Free Press on August 17, 2009, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, in conjunction with the University of Michigan, has been compiling a large detailed data base on bariatric surgery in order to improve surgical outcomes and provide cost savings. In three years of data collection, it appears that the VSG now accounts for as much as 12% of all bariatric procedures. This percentage indicates that the procedure is far beyond investigational status. This data base indicates that 10,000 VSG procedures are known to have been performed. My Anthem group policy excludes investigational procedures and defines that term as procedures: “ 1) that have progressed to limited use on humans, but which are not generally accepted as proven and effective procedures within the organized medical community; or 2) that do not have final approval from the appropriate governmental regulatory body; or 3) that are not supported by scientific evidence which permits conclusions concerning the effect of the service, drug or device on health outcomes; or 4) that do not improve the health outcome of the patient treated; or 5) that are not as beneficial as any established alternative; or 6) whose results outside the investigational setting cannot be demonstrated or duplicated; or 7) that are not generally approved or used by Physicians in the medical community. It appears that the VSG, based upon the articles cited above, has been performed on thousands of patients, has been accepted by a consensus of participating members of an international conference devoted to this subject, is widely accepted by the ASMBS, does not require FDA or similar government approval, is in fact supported by at least 36 studies analyzed by highly respected physicians, is as effective as the RNY and more effective than gastric banding in terms of percentage of excess weight loss, has fewer complications than the RNY, has as good or better reduction of co morbidities as other procedures, and has results that are similar in studies by both United States and foreign physicians. The VSG therefore no longer falls within the definition of investigational procedures excluded from coverage. The conclusions stated in the previously cited Anthem Policy on Surgery for Clinically Severe Obesity are simply no longer correct and that policy should be updated to include VSG coverage or disregarded. With the VSG patients lose about 68% of excess weight and lower BMI patients like me often do much better. Weight loss will most certainly help my back and hip pain and improve ability to exercise. High triglycerides, high blood pressure, and borderline diabetes are corrected in about 76 percent of WLS cases and I am hoping for this result. It is therefore highly likely that my health will be improved by this procedure and I respectfully ask for your reversal of this denial. I am a mother and soon to be a Grandmother and I want to improve the quality of my life so that I will be healthier and able to help raise my grandchildren and be able to take an active role in their life.Thank you for your review of this matter. I greatly appreciate the fact that the state of California has a procedure to help insured patients who find themselves in disagreement with their insurance companies. I strongly believe this decision will greatly affect the quality of the rest of my life. Thank you for your time. I eagerly await your decision regarding this. I can be reached as indicated below if further information is needed. Enclosed is a copy of my denial letter from Anthem Blue Cross My HMO is Healthcare Partners Primary Care Provider is xxxxxxxxxxxxx Gastric Surgeon xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sports Medicine xxxxxxxxxxxx who ordered MRI and diagnosed arthritis Cardiologist xxxxxxxxxxxxx did my last EKG and stress test All these doctors agree Weight Loss Surgery is a good option for me. Respectfully yours, Jeani Anderson xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (xxx) xxx-xxxx Work info: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx CA 91101 (xxx)xxx-xxxx ext. 244

Hi everyone. I weighed myself a few days after surgery and went from 238 to 221, but I weighed myself today, ten days after surgery, and I'm up to 226. I'm barely eating anything, mostly on the liquid diet, so I don't know if there's another reason for the weight gain. Thank you.

Sorry Kat, I should have written that. Having it that long I just assume (wrongly)everyone else must know. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) It affect a woman’s menstrual cycle, fertility, hormones, insulin production, heart, blood vessels, and appearance (hair growth). Women with PCOS have these characteristics: high levels of male hormones, also called androgens an irregular or no menstrual cycle may or may not have many small cysts in their ovaries. Cysts are fluid-filled sacs. PCOS is the most common hormonal reproductive problem in women of childbearing age. An estimated five to 10 percent of women of childbearing age have PCOS. No one knows the exact cause of PCOS. Women with PCOS frequently have a mother or sister with PCOS. But there is not yet enough evidence to say there is a genetic link to this disorder. Many women with PCOS have a weight problem. So researchers are looking at the relationship between PCOS and the body’s ability to make insulin. Insulin is a hormone that regulates the change of sugar, starches, and other food into energy for the body’s use or for storage. Since some women with PCOS make too much insulin, it’s possible that the ovaries react by making too many male hormones, called androgens. This can lead to acne, excessive hair growth, weight gain, and ovulation problems.

Majority of us falls of the track for whatever reason. Just pick yourself up and think about what you were doing to lose weight. Lapband is only a tool and you have to let the tool work for you. This is not easy and it's definitely not a magic band. Keep your head up, don't be discouraged, and have faith in yourself that you can do it. Please don't harp on the weight gain, it sets you up for a downward spiral.

Hi all, New here I got surgery around 1 year and 3 months ago. Lost 59 pounds. Starting weight was 240. Current weight was 180 I gained 4 pounds and have been stalled for 3 months. It’s been a rough three months especially with this weight gain I’ve felt so unmotivated and was hoping joining this forum would help get me back on track. Hoping to break the stall and just feel motivated again. Thanks !

Thanks for the posts. I had surgery July 11th and lost pretty good the first week and a little the second week. By the third week, my period came on and I had water weight gain. My surgeon totally freaked me out. He berated me and made me feel like such a failure. I have followed all the recommendations and even went down a size. Now that my period is off, my weight has dropped a few pounds. I am doing drinking protein shakes, water, and taking about 6000 steps about five times a week. I know this is a process but I am literally scared to death to go back to my surgeon and not lost like he wants me to. You all have confirm that these things happen, but I am so afraid to return to his office in three weeks without a huge amount of weight loss.

Ditto with all the comments above. How many calories are you taking in daily? I, too, had no issues drinking, and I also had a lot of water weight gain due to the IV for a few weeks. It is normal.

hey guys! im not sure if any veterans still get on here or not but some of you may remember me from my horror experience with my leak. if you never heard of me, you can go to the complications section of this site & read the post "i definitely regret surgery..... so far!" well, let me start off by saying that i no longer regret surgery! took me almost 2yrs to be able to say that but its true! i was sleeved dec 20th, 2011 this surgery almost took my life but at the sametime, its given me life & now im able to give life to my beautiful baby girl. i wouldve never conceived had i not lost all the weight. i started off at 273lbs & im only 5'1. before pregnancy, i went down to 130lbs. i am now 145lbs & very happy, comfortable & secure with gaining the weight. if anything, i felt way too small at 130lbs so i was excited about some of the weight gain. baby girl is due 03.18.14 & i cant wait to hold my baby in my arms. <3

Pro-tip inbound here: Do NOT eat the wedding cake. That stuff causes sever weight gain and laziness. At least it did for me when I ate some on my wedding night.................

:focus: I said in my first entry I would post about my second marriage and how some of the things that we went through contributed to my depression and my weight gain. So here I go. As I said in my first entry, I met my husband via the internet. We met in a social chat room. A friend of mine wanted to have penpals to write her via snail mail and I put an advertisement (for lack of a better word) on this social chat room for her. This was way back before everyone had a computer (or 3) in their homes. My husband is one of the people who responded to my advert, and I put him in touch with my friend. While he was writing her, I also wrote to him wanting to have a penpal. So, when my friend received letters from him, she allowed me to read them and started to really like him. We became friends. And as I said before, it grew from there. We set our first meeting for March 1995. He was flying to Oklahoma to meet me in person. He stayed at my apartment with me and my daughter. We had a fantastic time although we both became sick towards the end. We then set a new date for a meeting in May 1995 where I was flying up to visit him in Canada. It was a big deal for me as I had never been on an airplane before and never been out of the USA before. I flew into Seattle and he drove down from Vancouver to pick me up. We had a nice drive back to Vancouver and we stayed the night with his parents. We continued our visit and I left to come home. We talked and wrote and missed each other for another 7 months before we saw each other again. He flew back to Oklahoma to spend Christmas with me and my family. My birthdate is on New Years eve and that is when he proposed to me. On my birthday 4 seconds to midnight. I was so sad when he had to go back home. But we made arrangements for me to then drive up to Canada in April 1996 and begin our lives together and that is what we did. On Sept 7, 1996 we were married and then the fun began. My daughter was then 10 years old. At first she liked my husband. They got along quite well, and did things together. Then the hormones hit. And well, lets just say things went down hill quickly. We were dealing with many challenges, here is a list of the things we had to contend with in the first 7 years of marriage: 1. becoming a resident in Canada - cost $3000 2. husband father dying 3. daughter acting out as a teenage, drinking, staying out all night, and getting pregnant at the age of 13 then hiding an abortion from me (which is legal in Canada). 4. husband learning he had a brain tumor and needed surgery 5. my mother dying 6. me learning I had Endometrial cancer and needed surgery 7. daughter moving out of the house at age 16 (legal in Canada) We had quite a time in those 7 years. And most people, it would have pulled them apart and broke their marriage. Luckily, my husband and I were brought closer. We have been able to develop a great communication between us and can talk out anything. But as you can see, I went through quite a lot of emotional ups and downs, and when you are already depressed, it causes you to go deeper into it. I went to visit my family doctor one day and I could not tell you why I was there. Before she could ask me anything I burst into tears, told her I wished I was dead because I just could not take all this stress and unhappiness. She recognized what I was going through, chemical depression, and immediately placed me on anti-depressants. I was on them for 18 months while my brain chemicals realigned themselves. Although I was no longer technically depressed I was still eating to help hide the pain. And I gained up to 302. That is when things started to scare me. That is when I began looking at options. I began going to therapy, I began looking at WLS, I began taking seminars for WLS, and l learned that I can do it. I have the support of my husband and my God. I know I can do it. Well, that is my story. From now on I am going to write only about what is going on with my WL journey and the feelings, apprehensions, joys, highs and low I experience. S

Greetings everyone, I am a smoker, and I'm thinking about quitting soon. I'm 9 weeks post-op, so I have a long way to go with my weight loss. I'm concerned that: A ) it will be too much of a shock to my already confused body, and B ) that it will halt any further weight loss (or even cause a gain). And while I know the benefits of quitting outweigh any perceived disadvantages, I'm wondering if I should wait until I'm closer to my goal, staying focused on one thing at a time and maximizing this honeymoon period with the sleeve. On the other hand, if the weight loss is easier in these earlier months, maybe that will minimize any potential weight gain from quitting? I have a follow-up with my surgeon on Thursday, so I'm going to ask him, but I'm curious if anyone here has quit smoking in the early (or any) stages of post-op, and what were your results? Be well… D

I was told not to stop drinking before and after food for a number of reasons: 1. Water w/food will make what you eat mushier (sp?) and a "slider food. Similar to drinking a shake or puree 2. Because it is mushy and not dense solid you eventually will be able to eat more, and "eating more" often leads to slowed weight loss or weight gain 3.you will move the food through faster and will not get that full feeling as soon nor as long. I would ask your team too. I had to do it the hard way and not have any beverage on the table at all. by the time I go and fix one it has been about 20 min. I am on pureed foods now so its not as big of a deal now, but will be later. CC

I'm 4/18 also! My surgeon doesn't require any specific diet prior to surgery except Clear liquids 24 hours beforeZ. Encourages some weight loss prior to surgery but mainly do not any weight gain prior to surgery. Thinking about dieting starting tomorrow anyway. Getting super nervous and excited! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I am pretty chunky again at 9 months I have gained 60!!! Two more weeks to go!!! 39 weeks on Wednesday. I really hate this weight gain, but it seems like I have gained the most out of everyone!!! I can eat a lot more...but it doesn't justify 60!!! I will just have to see what happens after she comes out, but I am not stressing about the weight...I have a baby...my first on the way... Ummmmmm that is stressful enough!!!!

I gained 3 lbs one month post op I’m kinda freaking out I was doing so well but I started eating normal! My stomach takes food well 😞 any helpers please 😞

As I said before I had two babies close together. I have four in all, 13, 10 and 1 year old girls and one son, who is 2. The 1 and 2 yr. olds are 14 mos. apart. While I was pregnant with my son, I had a normal weight gain for pregnancy, even though I was over weight at the time (about 220lbs). My previous babies weighed in the 6 lb range and were both born 1 month early. I had a lot of trouble with my son, I started to miscarry at 11 weeks and was put on bedrest. So I lay in bed for about 3 months, and then at 7 months was back on bedrest and meds due to premature labor. I had my son one month early, and he was a whopping 9 lbs. I had been tested for gestational diabetes, but had shown I was 'borderline." He got stuck during delivery, and didn't breathe right away after birth. It was very scary!!! But thank God, he was just fine. Then when he was 9 months old, I found I was pregnant again. I was petrified. This time, I was monitored more closely and did have gest. diabetes. I was able to control it with diet. She was born 7 weeks early, and was only 4 lbs, 8 oz., but she was healthy. I decided that I DID NOT want diabetes, so something had to give. I actually lost weight with my last pregnancy. I began the pregnancy at 232 and ended at 229. I didn't want to eat, I had to force myself to eat. The baby pushing up on my stomach just deadened my appetite. I thought..."If I could only have this feeling without being pregnant!!!" Then I learned about the lap band. I felt like it would simulate the sensation of fullness I had during pregnancy. So this is what I'm hoping for! I decided I liked the lap band because of it's reversibility, and also that my digestive system would stay in tact. I have had some second thoughts, thinking that RNY would be good for losing faster and for discouraging to me to eat sweets (dumping) but really just like the band for it's better (I feel) qualities. good luck in finding a dr! Linda Dr. Bonanni 255/255/150