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I was low BMI when I started and my insurance company denied me the first time through. Don't be surprised if you get denied as I think many insurance companies automatically deny anyone who isn't Iron clad with the requirements. Be prepared to appeal and if you don't get through on the first try, you likely will on the appeal. Save the weight gain as a last resort, but it would probably work too. I have offered my appeal letters up many times on this site and have shared them with many people with 100% success. If you end up needing an appeal, I'd be happy to send you what I have for a sample. Good luck to you and let us know how it turns out!

It's a bang on article for me, my depression and weight gain came hand in hand.

With the limited information you provided, would say yes, the increased calories has led to weight gain. The further we are out from surgery, it seems it becomes easier to gain, too. Medications can also cause weight gain, but since you didn't mention that, I'm assuming that's not it. Try decreasing back to 1200 to lose the weight, then gradually increase to see how many calories you can eat to maintain your desired weight. The other factor is activity. Try increasing activity and see what sort of impact that has, too. One last thing, I agree, it is very alarming to watch the pounds pile on when there has been a slight change (or even none) in your diet. I always say there is a reason I was so obese, and it has to do with a body that wanted it that way! However, we can beat this with hard work and diligence.

I am desperate and sad. Seeking advice, help or words of wisdom… Like many of you my weight journey started a very long time ago – almost thirty years ago. I grew up with three older sisters and a single mother. My father died when I was seven years old. That was the end of family dinners. My sisters were 14, 17 and 18 – and my mother was 41 (my age right now). You can imagine the dieting / body image / food dysfunction that a household of five single women was a breeding ground for. Of course my mom made sure I was fed- there were frozen dinners (Lean Cuisine), but otherwise, there was not a lot of food in the house as my sisters/mom were always dieting. Having struggled with her weight for many years, my mom did not want me to suffer her same fate. However, when I went to my best friend’s house, that was another story….a panacea of forbidden food and treats – even a cookie jar (so blatant, so open, so tempting) which I so distinctly remember raiding daily. These memories are in no way to blame anyone – it is what it is, but it serves to concretize the all or nothing thinking that let me to my binge-like behavior. The craziness never caught up to me until age 14. I’m not sure if it was the academic stress of my high school or puberty, but I gained 30 pounds in one year – not a normal weight gain for a 14 year-old girl. At the end of that year I begged and pleaded to my mother to send me to weight watchers camp. She finally conceded probably thinking she help me would get this under control early on. I lost weight, I gained weight. I lost weight, I gained weight. Times this experience by five thousand and perhaps you have an idea of the number of attempts I have made in my life…Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, diet pills, Atkins, boot camp, hypnosis, intuitive eating, life coaches, therapists, etc. There is no end to the torture I have felt and put myself through. Somehow the only thing that soothed the pain was the very thing causing it. My identity and sense of self-worth is so intricately involved with my weight – it’s near impossible to separate the two. And no matter how much insight I have into the craziness and the chaos, I have been unsuccessful at pulling myself out of it. -The desperation and the self-loathing getting stronger with every failed attempt. On occasions when I was able to lose weight and maintain for a while – it was truly a blissful feeling. Not because I felt so good about my appearance or ever felt skinny. But because it was such freedom from the obsessive thinking that has plagued me forever. It has been a very long time since I have experienced that – as for the past decade or so, the ‘fat me’ has won. Don’t get me wrong, despite the occasional self-deprecating remark, this is my own private hell. I am a productive member of society – often helping others emerge from their own psychic pain. Friends think I am carefree and bubbly. Though I have not had to purchase an extra airline seat, I feel the pain of being over weight so deeply. I understand feeling invisible and the experience that people judge and do not take you seriously. There is shame and guilt and self-loathing that is difficult for anyone to understand who has not been there themselves. I know I am in a safe place to share this and unfortunately many of you have experienced this pain as well. I had heard something about plication this past summer and I excitedly began researching options for surgery for lower BMI. Plication was definitely not the answer but I began to feel more and more certain that Veritical Sleeve Gastrectomy was the answer. There was no crazy bypassing of anything – just what seems like a completely rational reduction of a stomach that did not need to be so large – no major physical overhaul, less risks. Though I would have qualified in the states, my insurance would not have covered this. Despite my initial trepidation about Mexico, the more I researched it, the more excited I got about it. These doctors have done more VSGs than most any in the states. When I happened upon vertical sleeve talk, I felt like I discovered a whole new world – excitement took over me as I knew I had found an answer to a torture that had darkly clouded much of my world. I spent countless hours reading thousands upon thousands of posts. Weighing out the good, the bad and the ugly. This was not advertisement. These were not scholarly journals. This forum was filled with hundreds of people, just like myself, who have been through the pain and suffering and have emerged on the other side – grateful, free and loving their new life. What began as a pipe dream eventually became a reality. I was scheduled for the week between Christmas and New Years. I told my mother and not another soul. I had a few concerns… obviously fear that something would go terribly wrong as I was by myself in Tijuana, and also how I was going to explain this drastic weight loss to anyone who might notice. But overall, I had a strange confidence that I would be okay a sense of calm about the decision. The process of VSG in Mexico, at least the company that I went with, is like a well-oiled machine. I had no major complaints and the staff were very kind. I read enough of the forum members’ very detailed accounts, that I felt pretty familiar with the whole process. Thank GOD!!! The surgery went off without a hitch. I did not vomit, I had no complications. I was able to eat without any negative consequences. I had gained about 15 pounds between the process of deciding to get this surgery – lost a little before surgery date. In the two weeks following I lost 14 pounds total. That was two months ago. Herein lies the problem. I have not lost any weight in the two months since then. SO I am basically where I began. Or, let me clarify – I will lose 2 or 3 and gain it right back. I have a smaller stomach, I get fuller a little more quickly than before the surgery……BUT IN NO WAY do I have the restriction that any other person on this forum has. I mentioned I was lower BMI. Because of this, my surgeon informed me he decided to remove less than of the stomach than normal. I now read this forum with tears in my eyes and resentment in my heart. How could this not have worked? My appetite is the same and there is very little restriction. So I am at this place where this has been the same failure as any other diet. How can this surgery which has been so life changing to so many hundreds and hundreds of people not even have had a slight impact on my situation? I get it. I know I am the one who is supposed to make healthier choices, and eat less and exercise more. I have always known that. So have each of you. People on this forum lose weight not because of a purposeful massive overhaul on their thinking – yes, of course that plays into it, as it has for every diet we have all tried. People here lose the weight because their stomachs no longer allow them to eat how they used to. Either the food does not agree with them, or the restriction is drastically decreasing the amount of food eaten. Changes that occur with thinking and behavior absolutely do occur – but they occur as the RESULT of the physical changes. Otherwise, there is no way to explain the collective thousands of failed diet attempts. According to many articles the success rate of losing weight and keeping it off is 5%! Do I talk to the surgeon again, or just let it go? I doubt he can do another surgery and feel like he will say ,“It was only a tool.” Am I truly the only person for whom this surgery did not work? The only thing that I am grateful for in all of this is, 1) That I did not die as a result of the surgery and am not suffering serious side effects and, 2) that this surgery did help so many who have been through this same suffering as I. I would still recommend someone have this done, as it has worked miracles for so many. I am trying to finish being angry that it did not work on me – which is one of the reasons I am writing this letter. I am at a place now where I am dieting. I have started a four-day quasi-starvation diet today with the hopes that it will motivate me. I plan to try to stick with Atkins-type diet following that. But I am dieting and living as I always have – with obsessive thoughts (now mixed with disbelief of this failing) and a heavy heart. My pre-surgery bundle of emotions including: excitement, fear, relief, exuberance, etc. Have been replaced by feelings of confusion, sadness and desperation. I am sorry if my feelings of anger come off as offensive to anyone. Any words of wisdom are welcome.

It is very common to be denied because of weight gain as a pre op. They're wanting you to lose weight for two reasons usually. One is to gauge whether you are willing and able to make lifestyle changes regarding diet and exercise. The other is to shrink your liver, as it has to be moved out of the way during surgery. You have reason for concern.

I also have no food addictions or medical reasons to have gotten to 243 at 5'3". My weight gain was caused by making poor choices at nearly every opportunity. French fries or steamed veggies, vinaigrette or ranch, etc., etc.. I simply made the tastier choice because my mindset was, "this one meal isn't going to make a difference" This was compounded by going from a physical job to a sedentary job in my mid twenties. Then my weight gain accelerated when I began traveling and entertaining for business.

Have you been to a seminar yet? At our seminar, the surgeon went through each one and which one was best suited for which situation. The lap band or realize bands he said were good for about 60-70lbs but more than that it wasn't going to cut a significant amount of weight and did have issues with long term loss. Like people learned how to eat around it I guess. then he showed us the sleeve and said it's good for 100+lbs weightloss, but a lot of times again, people find ways around it's usefulness and end up with a weight gain and eventually if they have a significant weight to lose will have it switched over to a bypass. It also tends to come with GERD/acid reflux and it can be very painful to deal with that. The bypass he referred to as his "gold standard" in weightloss because it has shown to work long term, the weight loss experienced is quite dramatic and fast and for the most part, a person with bypass can expect to lose 70% for their excess weight in the first year and maintain that loss or improve over the next 5 yrs without slipping backwards. He also cover plication and some new battery operated thing that shocks the vagus nerves causing them to not send the message of being hungry. I forget what it was called, but it was neat. It's not really good for someone in my situation though, I think it was comparable to the lap band in weightloss. I went into the seminar thinking sleeve seemed the way to go because I didn't want anyone fiddling with my intestines and dumping sounds REALLY painful, but by the time we left, I had really committed in my heart to the roux en y because I really don't want to do this again. I want to do 1 surgery and be good for life. I find out for certain what the surgeon thinks is our best plan of attack Fri. I'm pretty sure he's going to suggest the bypass though. At my weight and with my history, I'd be shocked if he didn't.

I was on it before surgery and continued on it after surgery. You are talking about celexa correct? That's generic drugs's name. I know it can cause weight gain so they will be monitoring me as I get further out. Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

After trying many antidepressants for medication-resistant depression, I've been taking Wellbutrin 200 mg. and Prozac 20 mg. It seems to be pretty much working. My weight is stable, (no gain) but no loss either. I believe that is because I'm in need of a fill, but really haven't been eating that much. The last med. I took was Paxil, which was disasterous weight-wise. I know some people have switched to Cymbalta from Wellbutrin because of weight gain. If weight gain was the only reason you switched, do you find that the relief from depression is comparable? If you are comfortable doing so, please share your experience with antidepressants and weight gain/loss. Thank you.

I only weigh every couple of weeks. It was so discouraging to get on the scale every day and see weight gain instead of loss. I finally threw out my scales. I pay really close attention to how my clothes "feel". I know I'm loosing because I go down a size a month, on average. I started at a tight 28 and am now in a "loose" size 12. Just remember that the weight didn't just get on your body overnight and it won't come off overnight. Seems like during the weight loss journey, even little weight gains can be discouraging and it is hard not to focus on the gains and let it start controlling your mind. As you loose weight, you will feel more like getting out and exercising. Remember that with exercise, fat turns to muscle. Muscle weighs more. People tend to forget this when they climb on the scale and get discouraged. You are loosing inches but "putting on weight" due to increased muscle mass. Keep your eye on the prize and don't fall into the trap of letting the scales sabatoge you. You are gonna do great!!!!!!

Here is how I feel about the depression, Vitamin, and minerals deal post-op. Due to the PCOS & weight gain my body felt like a living hell, I had no periods then all of a sudden 3 months later I would bleed to the point I felt anemic, I had to stay home several times not even medical pads could hold, then there was the SUPER elevated testosterone levels and you want to talk about anxiety...the sex drive of a horse...breakouts...unsatiable appetite-THAT was depressing. If you were to ask a general family practice physician what obese patients have in common i can assure you they will point to labs, one thing being low B12 and D, they don't know why but EVEN before any procedure there is already that issue lurking the waters. On to the subject of depression, if you have a history of depression I don't think the surgery will mask it or take it away, if you are new to depression post-op you have to look at the root cause, I think blaming the surgery is a cop-out, if I thought of all the negative things being overweight brought into my life that would be depression enough to make me want to go into a cave but it's a mind set that's how you see happy fat people and nobody can understand it. Sure my hormones are changing, I know that through many things on my day to day life and as I look back at life pre-op I cannot understand HOW I wasn't medicated because what I see through the rear view mirror was someone completely out of control. Most people in this country who are not obese have vitamim deficiencies mostly due to the crap that is being called "food" out there sponsored by all the hormones and chemicals they've managed to give lab rats and turned out to be a success and they decided to feed us the same way, the obese have more than one issue at hand, you don't see a lot of obese people going to tanning beds or even direct sunlight for too long that's my observation it could be a lot of reasons, but obviously the obese also don't get all the Vitamins and minerals they need because they don't spend all day eating the way they should, I know I wasn't is I had been I would not have needed the operation. If my stored estrogen is being released I am glad because I don't need all these fat cells hanging around, if you take a look at what the fat cells are actually doing then you will see they release a toxin which is why overweight people have an increased chance in developing cancer and other things. Though I never took meds for anxiety I know I had it and post-op I feel calmer, maybe too calm but I like it because when it's time to open the fridge and choose, I am clear headed. By no means am I saying here my life is perfect or that there is nothing that irritates me, what I am saying is that it's not due to the surgery. I'l' have my labs drawn in April and will let you guys know if anything is off meanwhile I am going to take a good book out to the backyard for a little sun time. Can't cry over spilled milk or cut out stomach gotta keep eye on what I can control and make the best of my new life everyday. The video below though about the MGB talks about the estrogen drop which applies to us too: 1 2

My family and a few others know I' had the lapband in 2007. Of course they noticed I lost weight (75lbs) but never got to goal. They never said anything negative and I was happy being 75 lbs down amd not really stressing about weight loss anymore....just coasting. 18 months ago starting to have problems...had upper GI and Endo 3 months ago and found....dilation of esophagus, prolasp of my stomach through the band. Port had flipped because of adhesions...my symptoms were extreme weight loss for 3 months then weight gain with nausea. And just feeling...not right. None of my family knew any of this except my husband. Now ..I'm telling some of my family since I'm having surgery to let them know....we're a close family. I'm really having a hard time explaining why I'm having the band out and going to a sleeve...since nothing really shows on the outside except I'm gaining weight because I can't keep solid Protein down and eat more slider foods. My siblings are asking why I don't just see if I can unfill and let it all go back like before...and they say surgery is dangerous. I'm just second guessing myself all over again. Maybe I want someone to tell me I can wait and everything will be fine....then I wonder how much damage waiting longer will do. I'm soooo feeakimg confused and scared of making the wrong decision like I did with the band..even though I thought amd was told it was the best thing out there for PERMANENT weight loss. My surgery date is Feb. 28th, 2013. Thanks for listening to my crazy ramblimgs.

Lizonaplane, My daughter may be atypical, but she is bipolar and had a RNY bypass over 10 years ago. She was on three meds; antidepressant, psychotic and anxiety. They tried crushing the tablets which made her throw up, so they changed her to Epilim as it was a liquid. Part of her weight gain had been the bipolar drugs. After her surgery she started to lose a lot of weight. Unknown to me, she weaned herself off the drugs, going cold turkey with the anti anxiety meds, because she started running. She found the endorphins from running made her feel good and moderated her condition. At her peak running she was doing 2 marathons per weekend many weeks. She is highly unusual as a Bypass patient in being able to do this! She injured her hip, and couldn’t run, so now she lifts weights. She was determined to take control of her life in every way. She has been drug free for years and is fit, healthy and active. I wanted to share because her psychiatrist at the time said the Bypass would not help her with her mental health, and refused to sanction the op. We paid a psychiatrist to assess her and they concluded she was sane enough to make her mind up. As a person who had previously attempted suicide on more than one occasion, she is an example of the positive outcome possible from gastric surgery. It saved her life, literally, and has given me my daughter back. I wish you all the best.

Here's the thing, studies show drinking carbonation post of is correlates with weight gain and/or failure to lose. That is, they have shown people who drink soda aren't as successful statistically. Is it because it stretches the sleeve? Is it because people who will break that "rule" break others as well? Who knows. Do you want to risk it? Also many many people have a lot of pain with the gas it introduces. Again, do you want to risk it? My doctor allows for flat soda. I haven't had any or any carbonation since about a month before my sleeve in December. I used to do 5 or so diet coke or Pepsi a day. Now I can take or leave it and with the risks I chose to leave it. Will I ever try it again? Maybe, I don't know. But for now I stay away. With so so many chemicals in it it's better I never go back to my five a day so I don't open the door. Bright spot is I got my kids to give it up too!

I think they would. I have to keep my protein high because of the protein absorption issue - hence the dietary change to counter the increase in calories from the increased protein. I hate protein shakes & I can taste even the flavourless protein powders making going back to a low calorie diet using shakes challenging. Plus the med is hormonal & my weight gain was always strongly linked to my hormones. I actually did reduce my calories initially to try to lose the kgs but it didn’t do anything. Sounds like what happened most of my life - ha! When I see my GP in a couple of weeks, I’m going to see if I can go back to a lower dose HRT & see if that helps. I’m actually experiencing more hot flushes & acne - boo - on the higher dose. Of course the gain could just have been my body settling again. It is only 2kg & I’ve been stable at this weight for 9 months.

I'm pre op but I have pcos and have been on all types of BC? Started with pills but had to stop when I went on blood pressure meds, did depo for years, loved it but the weight gain was over 60 pounds. I have a mirena IUD put in last year, have had maybe 10 days of cycle in the 10 months I've had it. Love that I don't have to think about it, but it really doesn't do much for my hormone level fluctuations. I can't get pregnant so I don't worry about that, it's more to control bad bleeds for me. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Nina, You've had a rough time. I'll bet it is the stress that put the extra weight on. I was thin (a bit anorexic thin) before and after surgery. Years later did some minor yo yo dieting. 8 years ago I filed for divorce from an abusive man, married 37 yrs before divorce became final. It was surely the divorce from hell. It's lasted 8 years and still lingers on. It cost me $100,000.00 and left me so poor that I'm on Medicaid. He wanted to hurt me anyway he could as a way of punishing me for divorce. That was all major stress. I began at 125 pounds and began gaining in 2001. I got up to 198 but am now 179.5 and a long way to go. It was the stress that caused the weight gain. I've been reading about it and this type of stress (kind I have and kind you have) causes weight gain especially in the abdomen.

I'm so glad to read that you're recovered and doing much better!! I started out really interesting in the band but the maintenance and fills wasn't for me because I'm paying everything out of pocket. Then I started reading complications and weight gain when issues. I found about the sleeve and researched the crap out of it and have made my decision. I'm traveling out of state for it and when I first spoke to my surgeon out there, he told me he won't even do the lap band to anyone not in his area due to complications that arise. My brothers gf has a band so I just hope and pray it continues to work for her!

I'd I spell that right? I'm curious. Have any of you used these during the early stage when the surgery weight was bloating you? It's not on my " never use" list and I was thinking it might help eliminate the bulk and pain in my midsection (from below the breast to the top of my legs) . I feel and look like a starving baby from those commercials that I always turn off cuz they break my heart. I know it's swelling and Water weight gain from 22 days on ivs in hospital, but it's fairly not comfy..I feel 15 months pregnant!

At 8 months the weight loss stopped. I was stalled for 4 months. Weight gain started around 13 months. I just re did the math and I am 16 months out now. My wife and I have a baby mid July and I have put on 20 pounds since then. I am sure some of it is stress eating, but that is no excuse. Most of it is due to poor choices and lack of exercise.

I'm in the same boat. I didn't gain 20 lbs but did gain and feel terrible about it. I have decided to start from the beginning again. It's frustrating and depressing to see the weight gain but I know I can do this! I just have to get back in the right mind set. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I just gotta throw this out there. These drugs taken for appetite suppressant are not entirely "without serious side effects". Pherntermine is an amphetamine that has very similar effects on your heart and central nervous system as cocaine. Would you take cocaine to lose weight? At the very least, you are getting high each time you take one, and Long term use of appetite suppressants can result in convulsions, heart arrhythmias, heart disease, high BP, and death...even when taken at the prescribed dose. As for the antidepressants, my mom was rushed to the hospital twice for tachycardia and fainting. Turned out it was the anti anxiety medicine they prescribed for her. My younger brother died from a heart arrhythmia that the medical examiner attributed to the Adderall he was taking for ADHD. The amount in his blood stream was normal, therapeutic levels, but after an extensive autopsy and toxicology screen, that was the only plausible finding. He was 42. And, BTW, he was adopted so this is not a "genetic" thing. The other point I'd like to make is that appetite suppressants simply do not work as a long term weight loss solution. We KNOW this or we wouldn't have needed surgery. Sure, you'll feel great (why not, you're stoned) and lose a few pounds. But as soon as you stop taking them you are right back where you started, fighting your appetite and weight gain. Sure, drugs are another "tool" we can use, but all the tools in the world can't build a house without lumber. Our heads and ability to make good choices is the concrete foundation AND the lumber required for our lifetime fight with obesity. That is what we need to work on, not short term, temporary Patches.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I had my bat wings, moobs, and tummy tuck all in one go. I'm now 19 days post-op. I had 6 JP drains. The 2 in my arms and the 2 in my chest came out after a week. The 5th one in my groin got clogged somewhere around 2 weeks, so it was removed. The last one is still draining about 85cc / day of a slightly yellow, mostly clear liquid, so I really doubt it'll come out at today's visit. The day after surgery, they tried to stand me up. I passed out, probably because of low blood volume. Because of that, I spent a total of 3 days in the hospital, but by the end I was doing laps around the nurses' station. I had a button for pain meds & an IV antibiotic while I was in the hospital, plus Norco (hydrocodone + tylenol 5-325). A Norco every 4 hours actually worked better for me than the button, and that's exactly what my doctor prescribed for me to use at home. I also tried 500mg tylenol to see if I could get off the harder stuff sooner, but nope. I went from Norco every 4-6 hours down to just a Norco at night, down to nothing. I've been off all pain meds since day 15. The scale numbers are just plain depressing with all the fluids (and probably weight gain from being out of the gym),. My shirt size is now a men's medium! I was somewhere between a large / XL. I started working from home at day 14. I'll start going back in to the office on a regular basis once this last drain is out. Here's some tips I learned: You need lanyards for the JP drains. The nurses will pin them to your hospital gown, but once you start showering, that does you no good. Amazon sells a box of 25 for under $10. Use Glad Cling-wrap once you've only have a drain or two to keep dry but have otherwise healed up enough to shower. Don't be afraid to cut a hole in the butt of your compression garment for #2. My particular compression garment looks like a men's one-piece swimsuit from the 1920s. It has clasps and a zipper down the front. It also has a hole in the front for #1, but no flap in the back for #2. Especially with drains in your arms, it'll be hard to get in and out of the garment to use the toilet. The compression garment I got tended to roll up my thigh and cut off the flow, so my thighs collected a lot of fluid. A bed wedge or pillow + workout tights under the garment worked wonders for this. I wish I had a tip for getting rid of the glue from all the bandages. Nothing worked. I tried water, soap, ice, oil, and rubbing alcohol. I had to scrape it off with my fingernail.

I am just starting solids and have been terrified to eat much because I don't want to see the scale go in the opposite direction. I have read numerous times that the body is healing and that one should not worry about weight or weight gain. Because I am already losing slow and it would hurt my poor lil feelings if the scale says I gained weight. I am easily discouraged and feel that if I see a gain when I am trying I would be devastated.

Oh woowww..yayyyy.! Congrats!!! Thanks for sharing this info. I was soooo, concerned Bcuz I was thinking it wouldn't work. But, have ur metabolism boosted up since the surgery? And did u experience any weight gain after the surgery