Search the Community

I am still pretty nervous about the whole thing in general. I am a nurse, so a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Surgery always seemed like such a sell out for me, personally. My sister had gastric bypass and looks horrendous. Hair loss, skin sagging and generally unhealthy. On the flipside, my sister in law had the LB and looks phenomenal. I don't even know if my insurance will pay for this procedure, so that is another subject. The one thing that seems to bother me is the lump that you can feel just under the skin (the port?). My sister in law let me feel it, and I have to admit, it creeps me out a bit. I would be excited to put weight gain behind me once and for all. I am so frustrated with yo yo dieting, and all the strenuous psychological and physical work that I have put in over the years.

I am hoping to be ready to start maintianing my weight by fall and would like to hear if any of you have a maintenance plan and if so what it is. I discussed this with my Dr. at my last appointment and we decided that we would start removing small amounts of fill until I was maintaining. This is what I wanted to do but I am having second thoughts. I don't think this will happen for a few more months. Even though I am close historically it has taken me a while to loose the last 20-25 pounds so it is not like it is going to happen tomorrow. I am just trying to think ahead because I have gone to my goal weight twice before in the last 12 years and managed to gain it back. The first time I maintained well for one year and then gained about 12 lbs. per year for the next three and then gained 25 lbs. the fifth year. Lost 61 pounds, but managed to gain back that 61 + another 25 before I stated looking into the lapband. The second time I started gaining it back as soon as I stopped "dieting." I am determined not to do this again so maintenance is on my mind these days. The thing is I don't diet at all with the band. I eat whatever I want; I do Protein first so I get full and don't ever want much else. I don't count calories and I don't use fat-free or low-fat, etc. Two things that were likely big issues to my weight gain in the past were 1) alcohol and 2) Dr. Pepper. I haven't had a Dr. Pepper or any soda for that matter since I was banded on 8-11-2005. The alcohol is another story, right now all I can say is that it is much better.

I been paranoid about complaining.. but if I dont make the thread, it doesnt count.. lol A note about whining... I have a ton of possitive stiff I could write about.... but, its the crappy stuff that I feel compelled to write about because I am working through it, I am figuring stuff out, I am LETTING IT all out, ..... I think it helps me. I am sorry if anyone feels cruddy over it. This is not how I feel all the time or in total... BUT feel free to say anything you want to me... I am not looking for attention, but I welcome it. Dont ever feel like you have to hold back. I hate to think of that happeneing.. anyway. ................. Dont mind the highlighting, i did that for my notes... sorry. BAD times. I have lost about 100 pounds. I have alot of mixed emotions. I am not myself. I didnt exspect myself to change mentally as much as I have. (I wont go into all of that now) I have this crappy mood. I KNOW I have lost 100 pounds and thats a good thing, and I should be celebrating and trying my new bod out.... But, instead... I have stopped dating. (I had a blast, BTW. I am single, and happily) I have stopped going out. ( I am down 95% of my normal outside time) I have stopped trying to look nice. (I wear my old pants, so baggy they fall off, that used to be something I would never tolerate, now I dont care) I hate my body. (and I thought I hated it before!) I feel discusting. It was just fat, now its nasty blobing deformation. I dont like my picture taken like I did when I first got the band. I dont even get naked in front of my kids anymore. (tub, changing, ect..and thats crazy cuz I WOULD never have self consciousness with my children in the normal frame of mind as I see it as real real low.. IT is NOT cuz I cant handle all the new things.... blah blah I have not experienced anything yet. I hide in my old clothes. I dont talk about my process much at all (embarrassed how slow I am loosing due to all the complications and $ troubles) I Dont want to say "I lost 100 pounds" and have so little to show for it. Its simply cuz I feel I look discustingly ugly.... I feel worse now about my looks than I did before I lost the weight. Plus I am dissapointed too. Plus I am worried about what will happen to my mood when I loose the next 100 pounds.. (making me a 200 pound fatso) I got used to my body. It was 400 pounds and It wasnt pretty. I did not look good by any means. BUT I was used to my body and I had accepted it and did the best I could with it. I was extremely self conscious, constantly 'fixing' myself. (But I hid it, lol) The things I had to worry about were: My skin was very white and streachmarks everywhere, I think I might have let the fattness go,l but the white streachmarks were really bad. I could not tan (didnt work) and self tanning stank and make me sweat. I didnt go fully naked ever. I had things to cover me up, just as much as needed. It took alot to show my legs, only to good frineds cuz they were very blobby, huge blobs... I wore capris that just hid the bloobs, always worried about them riding up. My ankles were normal thank goodness. My upper arms are deformed. They always have been the worst thing that happened to me with my weight gain. One of them has this ridge thats seriously abnormal, and sleeves never fit. I am poor, or else I would never wear anything but long or 3/4 sleeves... But I had to make the best of it, It was a constant thing worrying about if my arm fat was hanging out in a gross way. I mean there are certain levels of FATTNESS that should be contained! It was my duty to the world. GAWD MY upper arms have tortured me for so long.. My lower arms are normal as can be, (making them look even weirder!) My back, butt, fathump... So I dont have a butt, my actual buttcheeks are the size of the palm of my hands. I have what we call the 'fat hump'.. its a hump above my butt below my back, that HURTS like heck to be touched.. and I have the extra set of boobs on my back, literally big Double D boobies... Its all I can do to keep my bra strap covering them so they are as little as possible, it rides up unable to contain the boobies in back, but that didnt stop me from adjusting myself every five minutes, my back boobs so embarrassing. I hide them at all cost on important occassions.. other times, I HAVE always been shocked, never got used to how I looked when I caught my reflection sitting, By back as big as by front.. Double chin, when I went from 350 pounds to 400 pounds, THAT was a real noticeable change, no matter what I did, I could not hide it... It was too much, my face engorged all the time.. It really bothered me, alot. ok........ all that stuff, I got used to. Yeah, I hated it, obsessed over it, but It wasnt a big deal.. I call it FATTIE maintenence, its just what I did.. I didnt seem like a big ordeal at all.. ITS NOT that I want that body back.!!!!!!!!!!!! ITS not that I want to be 400 pounds instead of 300 pounds.. I DONT. I would never want to go back, NOT at all.. This is my body now, and I am NOT used to it.. I dont know what to do with it... but hate. It was surpose to be great. I HAVE LOST 100 pounds, HELLO.. I never thought it would happen, I dreamed of it for so long.. (I do have lots of possitives, but I am not in that place rightnow) ...My skin is still white and streachmarked.. But it is also, brown in spots, puckered, wrinkled, pock marked, blotchy and red pores all over. The pores and pocks and such used to be streached out I guess loooking like my actual skin, now they arent and parts of my body are corroded looking (they are not corroded, nothing could be done about it, its mostly pores from years and years of being clogged and cleaned, just like a face.. YUCK) This is mostly happening in my thighs and butt area. It all hangs, but not down so much as inward. When i sit, there it all is, my inner things squishing up inbetween my legs.. I have this 'cool' (lol) way of sitting, Its hard to explain..but it was my best way to 'hang out' 'look ok' 'relax'.... And now when i do it, all I do is expose all the blobulating fat in all its glory.. (this makes me LOOK, and feel FATTER.. BTW) Also, I have this really nice swim dress for the ymca, and it covered me just enough so that I didnt need to wear capris like I always used to... NOW, I hang below the swim dress.. I can feel it swinging back and forth and giggling all over.. IT looks like a massive vagina (the lips) inbetween my legs.. the swim dress still covers it I HOPE.. I cant enjoy my suit. (plus its too big, lol) OK, along with all of that... I have folds and creases with their own folds qnd creases.. It started out with one, and I proudly showed it off.. I use cleansing wipes when I go to the bathroom aslways, and it was my little ritual to use to wipe and clean my new blobs crease cuz It needed more cleaning than my regular bathing...... So, NOW.... I cannot afford that many wipes (they are a luxery as it is) and they smell and a few times now have developed rashes and they make me want to vomit to feel them. I Dont even know where they are all anymore. I have stopped paying attention, I dont look.. I cant imagine anyone touching me with all these creases in the way... THESE creases and folds make me feel fatter than EVER! My double chin is still there.. BUt theres something worse than a double chin.. its this droopy look to my face, especially around my cheeks and mouth.. that looks so off.. No one else can notice it, but I'm in the mirror enough to know its wierd looking.. I look older, I think it will get even worse. I STILL want to look like me. Everyone says I would be brittney spears if I was thin.... NOT (I never thought so).. everyone will FINALLY see what I have been saying all along, I AM UGLY! (FAT AND ugly) MY UPPER ARMS... I dreamed of the days I got some normalcy back in my upper arms, not to have to constantly worry whats hanging out my sleeves. .............. Oooooooooops, i didnt think about how worse it would be to wear sleeves, how all the fat has sagged downward instead of a big bunched up ball... so, I feel worse all the time.. it looks alot worse, it makes me feel fatter! iT MAKES ME look fatter too. One thing I like is to hold my arms up and let the fat sag to my arm pit (a fold or two here) ONLY then can I look at my arms and happy that the huge bunched up deforemed balls are GONE.. I am glad about that.. I love to giggle my LEDGE thats a slope now... My back... IS awesome.. ... WOW WOW WOW.. My back boobies have sagged into my sides, under my arms.... My bra easily holds everything in and doesnt ride up and the nightmear of adjusting constantly is over.. I walk by the mirror and look at my backside and think.. WOW, I am Skinny.. lol If I had one of those support back bra things, I could easily look as if I never had boobies on my back! The only other time I can think this is looking at my wrists and ankles. They are tiny.. way noticeable.. BUT, there is my stomach... OMG.. of course I never liked my stomach, but this is feeling like a deal breaker. In its tranformation, It only makes me look and feel fatter than ever. To look at me, or for myself to look down at me... its just a mass of fat all over the place, add my back boobies under my arms, my arms larger than ever, and my inner thighs with no where to go but my lap.. My lower stomach sits on my lap like a foot lower.. I swear it will end up at my knees.. plus it hangs over the sides of my legs too, in all its creases. It feels wrong, parts of my legs I always had access to, are covered in tummy and moist and need releif by lifting my tummy. One thing I didnt have to do much was lift my tummy, IT doesnt feel right and I have an aversion to it. I had this really tiny upper stomach that sat just under my boobies and was maybe a couple inches a roll.. my lower tummy held it there. NOW, it has not only dropped way below my breast line into "tummy area" but it has seperated into two parts and is traveling to the left.. I do sleep that way, so I guess thats why.. I am totally lopsided gravity not for me.. Oh, the bloobs on my legs.. have gotton smaller.. BUT they are drooping and I can no longer contain them nicely in capri's... THAT make me happy, to manage capri pants.. I dont want that luxery to have to end. OH.. and damn my boobs.. I have always hated them, always wanted a reduction.. always dreamed of little titties..... I was DD at age 12. For years they been deflating.. BUT now I cant maintain clevage.... they are wrinkled too.. suddenly I care about boobs! I wish i had appreciated them all those years! Whats a fat chic with out clevage??? ................HUmmmmm, is that all.........?? NO... BUt I bet no one has even read this much of my drivil.. Oh well, its for me anyway... ..... So, thats how and why I Do not feel as good as I had hoped to after loosing 100 pounds.. Also it was a big mistake to think I would be like I was before at 300 pounds.... I was 18 yrs old.......... DUH, it wont be the same.. And YES, I KNEW my body would sag and bag.. I know how people need plastic surgery ecspecially when starting out at 400 pounds.. I thought I was prepared for it.. I ALWAYS said "I will never look good" "I will look hideaous" "I will never be 150 pounds due to flab skin alone"........... BUT THAT WAS OK, anything is better than being over 200 pounds overweight... I am surprised at how I feel. I didnt know I was so vain. I knew I would never look good. I was being realistic I thought. Being able to get back surgery, and better health is GOOD enough. I will never have the funds for plastic surgery (unless I marry a guy who has some credit, a morgage?? something..,.. but thats unlikelly) Imight get my tummy done medically nessesary (I HOPE) (I have the whole rashes thing,, (everytime I get one I take a picture and file it on my computer, I can get rid of it in two days, but I wanna be prepared to show evidence.. Also I am more and more incontinent, I guess from the hanging belly) and Maybe my legs... I cant imagine the mess if I lose another 100 pounds, it would be medically needed for sure.. I WANT MY ARMS DONE!!! wahhhhh anyone know of a reason medically necesary for flabby arms.. (back pain??) and my boobs of course (a dream) I saw a pic of a butt.. hanging flab after 250 pounds lost, she didnt care to get it done, IT WAS SOOOOOOOOOO GROSS.. and I KNOW it will happen to me.. yuck. NO one will call that needed. I cant even imagine my Fupa's problems.. god I wish it would just shrink! I am on goverment medical so its unlikely, but I plan to do medical transcription or a call center after my back surgery.. so MAYBE some kind of insurence will cover it... ????? I have serious doubts about loosing another 100 pounds anyway.... I have a bad feeling my band is good for this 100 is all... I hope I am wrong.. I think my whole bad attitude would change for the better AFTER another 100 pounds... I hope.. I just cant trust my self these days... it does NO good to KNOW yourself so well, if your gonna go and change! lol ..........

:girl_hug: I 'm not banded yet and have many questions. Some people who have had gastric bypass do not change their eating. They strech out their pouch, and regain their weight. Is this possible with a lap band? I know that if it is removed there is danger of weight gain, but is it possible to gain weight with a band?

I lost 31 lbs. within 5 months after surgery. I gained a few of those back around Thanksgiving and Christmas. On January 1, 2006, I started having dizzy spells that lasted for literally weeks. I am still undergoing testing to determine the reason for the dizziness and vomiting. At the end of January of early February, I had a total unfill because I was afraid of slipping my band. It still might have happened though. I have gained all but 11 of those 31 lbs. back. I am fighting the weight gain, but unfortunately, when you're dizzy, you can't even walk let alone exercise. My band doctor won't event think of refilling me until they find out what I have. Unfortunately, food is my only comfort right now. Tricia H

From an article on www.mayoclinic.com: A few studies indicate that large amounts of caffeine — the equivalent of six cups of coffee a day — may slightly enhance weight loss in people who exercise and maintain a low-fat diet. But no studies indicate that weight loss from large amounts of caffeine is significant or permanent. There's also no evidence that increasing caffeine intake alone has any effect on weight loss. Is caffeine an appetite suppressant? Yes, but this effect lasts only a very brief period — not long enough to lead to significant weight loss. Does caffeine increase your body's ability to burn calories? Maybe, but again, probably not enough to result in significant weight loss. Caffeine does act as a diuretic, which means it causes an increase in the amount of urine you excrete. This Water loss may decrease your body weight. But it doesn't decrease body fat. Also, keep in mind that caffeine is a stimulant that can increase your heart rate and blood pressure, interrupt your sleep, and cause nervousness and irritability. Also, many caffeinated beverages are high in calories, which can contribute to unwanted weight gain. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also, I recommend this article to everyone. It explains why water is so important and it discussed caffeine as well. http://www.inch-aweigh.com/water.html

Hi. I also developed this post GB removal, which was a few years before my band was placed. It is certainly life changing. I struggled everyday with it and avoided eating at work because I work the assembly line for GM. And the more anxious you get the worse it gets. Forget trying to travel, unless you bring a portapotty with you. Then I pigged out when I got home and could "go" when I needed to. I think this "helped" with alot of the weight gain in the last few years before the band. I think the band helped a little bit. It could have been simply because I was eating alot less and healthier food. The band doesn't change your system at all, except the banded part so I don't think it helped me more than a little bit. What did help me was medication. I had an anxiety disorder which made the IBS much worse. I think I was on Clonazapam. I think. What has almost cured my IBS? My Duodenal switch bypass I got when I had my band removed after 3 years. I go 2 -3 times first thing in the morning depending on what I ate the day before (if I stay low fat 1 time) and don't have an issue at all for the rest of the day. I can eat at any time. I no longer have to search out the bathroom as soon as I arrive somewhere, or determine if I can go somewhere depending on if they have a bathroom or if I will have to stand in line. (which as you know sometimes is NOT an option.) Ok. That's my experience, for what it's worth. I feel for you. I know how it is.

Hey everyone -- At the risk of boring those of you who know my story: I was banded in 2003. Slipped in 2004. Had it repaired in 2005. Slipped again in 2006 and had it removed in March! With the exception of some weight gain(s) when I had no fill, I was down about 70 pounds from my high on my 3/13/06 removal date. Since then, I've increased my exercise...more frequently, longer periods of time and greater intensity. I try eating better -- less junk, more fruit, etc. But like most of us, I am far from perfect. My calorie intake would suggest small, slow loss or at the very least, maintaining my current weight -- not weight gain. And Yes, my head drives most of my eating. Despite my efforts, I keep slowly gaining. First three pounds...then another three...then another three... and I just feel so out of control that it will be only a matter of time that I'm back to my all time high (257). As of today, I've regained 15 pounds in almost three months. My BMI now is 35. My insurance now excludes bariatric surgery, but I feel so panicked and desperate that I would find a way to cash-pay. I don't want to do the band again. But I feel like since I failed, I might not be successful with something that would be irreversible! I don't know if slips were my fault or fills that were too tight -- my money is on me -- overeating and then vomiting. So I'm actually looking into other options...Optifast (great if I want a guarantee to gain any weight lost back), RNY or DS. Would a Doctor even perform it if I'm only about 50-60 pounds overweight now, as opposed to the 100 when band was first placed? Geezer Sue, if you care to weigh in (pardon the pun), I'd love to hear your thoughts. And, I'm accepting any encouragement that's out there. It's sooooo frustrating when I feel I'm doing enough that the scale should show some maintenance in weight at least, not the constant $$%%^%^& gaining. Thanks, as always. Elizabeth:scalesno: :cry

The positive is that I have lost 40 pounds. My ankles no longer swell up so much that I can't wear shoes and my pain level is a lot less. My feet have shrunk (yeah!) and my clothes are loose. I can fit in a restaurant booth. Man, for about 3 weeks there I had bad head hunger, but I have now overcome it and lost 7 pounds this week, after I was staying the same or even gaining. Before I had the band I was on a steady weight gain and miserable. Now for the first time I am losing weight! I can't eat bread (it's a blessing, probably), but I eat all the veggies I want, moist meats, fish, string cheese, and soft foods. I can eat most fruits. I forget to chew enough sometimes, but I get a "quick" reminder. (ouch!) So am I starving? No. Can I eat lots of healthy food? Yes. Can I eat my beloved bread products? No. But who the heck cares when I am on my way to being a normal person. I just spent the last 3 weeks barfing daily, in pain from eating the wrong stuff and feeling lousy. When I saw that I gained 2 pounds I told my husband that I should never have gotten the band. Then I realized that the band was working, I had ceased to work at it. I gave myself a pep talk, went to the gym and was a good girl. And I lost 7 pounds in a week. Now this sounds stupid, but I made my family fried potatoes last night for dinner. I wasn't going to have any. Then I tasted one. It was like heaven. There were a few slices left over and I picked them up to eat them. I realized that I was starting down a "slppery slope" and would eat all night if I put those salty, fatty slices of pure heaven in my mouth. When I turned to physically toss the potatoes back onto the plate, my innards literally panged really painfully for about 2 seconds. They wanted those potates but I said NO! That shows how head hunger can cause a physical response. For me to not listen to my gut and to do the right thing is a tremendous victory. :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

My feet are shrinking too -- I thought it was just the width from weight loss, but when I got out my sandals from last year -- you know how you can see the footprint -- (gross but true) Well the actual length of my foot is shorter. I was in a 10 and now I'm a 9! I was an 8.5 before kids & weight gain maybe I'll get there again!

I'm also waiting to be banded. I really can't believe that I have gotten this big. My weight gain, especially in the last 1 1/2, has been emotional eating at it's worst:cry . I have been fat most of my life but it has been the last five years or so that I've really been defeated by my weight. I too thought that I was one of the few that thought about not wanting to take pictures and be around people. I don't shop at peak hours because I don't want some kid to comment on my weight. I don't like to go out and participate in outdoor activities. That's why I'm so happy that I finally was ready to be banded. I want to take pictures with my family, I want to go swimming. As a matter of a fact next year I turn 40. I'm having family pictures taken with my daughters to celebrate the success that I will have achieved by next year. :clap2: The level of hopelessness that I have felt because of the weight has been overwhelming but now I have hope. Now I know that I will succeed like so many of you. Thanks for the words of encouragement !!! Michele/soon to be banded

Thanks for the birthday wishes! I left town for a day and had a very nice family-centered weekend. Oh...and there was cake. Ugh! The good thing is that going to the gym has stopped the weight gain. Now I need to adjust the diet so there can actually be a loss. Darcy -- sorry about the leg pain. I hope it is getting better. And I hope your doc can tell you something about the heart palps, too. You are doing great with the exercise and I hope you can keep it up. I sure enjoy reading about all of your busy lives. It makes mine feel a little more sane. But it is time for me to hop off to work. Twelve more days of school and then the summer!

Hi I was just wondering how many of you gained weight before your first fill. I was banded in mid Apr and lost consistently until I started solids (and I was still very careful in what I ate AND have been exercising). I've noticed that I've gained 3-4 lbs in the last week!!!!! WTF!!!! I go for my first fill next week. I've heard this can happen but I'm just curious as to how many folks it has happened to. I'm trying not to beat myself up or get discourgaged by it but it is difficult!!

I wouldn't. I love my band and it's worth it for me to lose 130 pounds - but not for 30. The band isn't a miracle diet. All of us on this board are having to work HARD to lose weight. We have to follow rules or suffer consequences which include more than weight gain. The closer a person gets to their goal weight, the harder it becomes to lose. Being only 30 pounds overweight I expect you'd have to work at it just as hard with or without a band. I also think that you'd have a hard time finding a doctor willing to perform surgery on you, even if you went to Mexico or another foreign country. 130 pounds - yes. 30 pounds? Nope.

Hey everyone thanks for ALL of your advice/suggestions and help. My steroid therapy is usually short term (two weeks of prednisone) with months or possibly even years apart from taking it. It all depends on how my joints are acting up -- which is always extremely unpredictable unfortunately. The doctors never said anything about my NSAIDS.. I have read about the dangers of it, but I think they doctors think that my chronic foot and ankle joint inflammation in combination of my weight will cause even more problems before any possible stomach problems. Their goal is to keep me out of a wheelchair. I am too young for joint replacement surgery. especially in the foot, and at two hundred and fifty pounds - ya dig? I think its extremely interesting from what I understand from the responses -- if the challenge is really not the drug, but the drug causing how much one consumes, maybe the band will be helpful -- im definitely willing to take that chance becuase I dont really have any other options. I appreciate all of your stories. Slow weightloss is better than no weight loss or weight gain. I guess I will have to have even more nutritional guidance and support.. maybe even rejoining weight watchers would be helpful. Thanks all

Long tern steroid use makes people prone to water retention and weight gain. I have gotten cortisone injections and take Aleve twice a day but have not taken a course of oral steroids. I have a friend who goes on prednisone for months at a time and she was banded over a year ago. She's lost 100 pounds and has 30 to go to goal. Talk with your surgeon.

One of my docs first questions in his initial survey was, Do you take steroids? From my knowledge and experience doctors will not do the lap band surgery if you are on steroid therapy. You need to research this further, is this long term therapy? short term therapy? You'll have to find a doctor and see what happens. Although, when on steroids weight gain is a huge side effect. Good Luck in your searching. Leah

I have been doing Curves workouts from 5 weeks after my surgery to present....and I attempt to get in 5 hours a week. I'm really working hard to tone up and regain my center/core. Well, I was on the stretch out machine and this average weight women - started chatting up that the circuit really does not "do" anything for weightloss but that doing cardio makes the biggest difference. Well, I cannot completely deny that but I made the comment that I was attempting to build back my core and muscle structure. She asked why....well, I have not been shy about sharing that I had Lapband....so I said, well, I've recently lost 85 lbs due to lapband, nutrition changes, and working out. The woman started sniffling CRYING and asked if I just hated myself to get that big. I was dumbfounded - I've never been asked that, nor seen that reaction! I said that I did not hate myself but that the gain happened slowly over many years due to illness and it just got to a breaking point to want to do the surgery. She said that she could not understand how ANYONE could ever get to that point of weight gain. Has anyone else had this reaction from people?

Hi everyone, I have had four cortisone shots in the past year, am on Naproxen (a popular Nsaid) and have done prednisone for two weeks several months ago. All of this is due to rheumatoid arthritis. I am waiting for the answer from my insurance company currently for the lapband.. and have tried so many things to get my weight under control and to get the scale moving before I get the band. I am young as well (will be twenty one very soon) This is definitely NOT the primary reason for my weight gain, Ive always struggled with it since early childhood, and was successful enough to lose seventy pounds before my diagnoses with chronic illness. Boy was that disappointing when i gained it all back plus some. I am not sure if my weight not budging is because of the prior steroids or not... It could be metabolism issues from lack of mobility. I have no education about them. I was wondering if anyone on this board has been on steroid therapy and have still lost any weight on the lap band? Thanks for your help -cha

You'll be swollen for several weeks so don't worry... it's definitely not weight gain. Focus on healing.

Hi Jules- I was banded on 4/10/06 and I too had a few pounds of post op weight gain 2-3 days after surgery. I attributed it to the many bags of iv's I had during surgery and until I went home. Do not fret-I lost that weight and am continuing to lose. Just rest and heal now, Jess

I didn't experience the post-op weight gain julesings, but I've read about it here on LBT lots of times. Liquids and bloat. Drink lots of water and hopefully it will come back off in no time. Welcome to LapBandTalk! Good luck with your weight loss journey.

Tricia K.....I have always had a tendency to gain weight "easily"I just assumed I had a slow metabolism ( I always managed to stay within a "normal" weight range through starvation and exercise) then when I was 32 my periods became irregular and I started gaining weight. I went to the doctor who did blood tests and told me my testosterone levels were elevated but it was nothing to worry about. Between my 32nd and 38th birthdays I gained 100lbs....I had no idea how, but blamed my inactivity and love of food. So again I went to the doctor who just told me to lose weight and my periods would get back to normal. Then one day I was watching a current affairs show that had a story on "Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome"...a lightbulb went off in my head....I had ALL the symptoms. I went back to the doctor and told him all about PCOS, I had tests and it was confirmed I was one of millions of women with dreaded PCOS! I thought to myself "Hallelujah!.... Now I know why I've gained so much weight, I've got PCOS, I'll have treatment or take a pill and it will go away. I was so excited that there was a "reason" behind my rapid weight gain, lethargy, excess hair growth, irregular periods and moodswings however this feeling of elation soon subsided when I asked my doctor what I should do for treatment for PCOS and he replied "Lose Weight!" AAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!!

Katt - You are feeling the same way that I am sure most of use felt pre-banding. It is a huge leap of faith! I will be praying that you are accepted, you will have no complications, and your Diabetes will disappear with your excess weight. Medications and a Sedentary life style because of physical problems can cause rapid weight gain. This happened to my best friend. She had a very successful Lap Band Surgery April 4th. Despite not being able to exercise and being on Steroids and pain meds, she has lost 24 pounds already. I have faith you can do this too.

Oh my g-d, I thought the same thing, I'll succeed. I totally understand the horror of weight gain, but you do NOT look 20# heavier in the 265# pic than you did in the 245# pic. Seriously. I would bet that your lean-muscle-mass has increased, and your total percentage of body fat decreased overall. So definitely the 20# weight gain is not reflected in the photos we see. And yes there is tons of overall improvement from the pre-op pic, which I'm sure you can see. Happy Band And Life Journeys To All...