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I am 5 weeks post-op, and twice now I have experienced 3-5 lb weight GAINS. The first time was random, and it really upset me. The second time was after I hurt my back and was basically immobile for 3 days as well as taking (liquid) pain meds (hydrocodone). It is very frustrating, especially when I think that I have only lost 20 lbs (+/-) total since surgery, at a time where I thought my numbers would be much higher. Is this typical?? Right now, I just got down to 1 lb BELOW the last 5 lb gain (so I lost 6 lbs, verrry slowly) and now I'm up almost 2 lbs. IT'S SO FRUSTRATING!! Especially when I don't know if anyone has ever experienced such a strange phenomena. I can't call my regular doc since they are closed for the holidays. I have to admit, I am not exercising (because of my back issues, in tandem with the stress of the holidays), and I'm hoping that this, in conjunction with my choosing high carb items (baked potato Soup, cheese soup, noodles, etc) has something to do with it. Please tell me that this is actually what the problem is, so that I can begin that rapid downward scoop that I was looking for pre-surgery!! Or, am I just expecting too much, and should I be happy with my weight loss to date? I began at 245 which is comparatively low for GSS patients, in general (I'm told). Could that be it?? I'm just stumped, and frustrated.

it’s true! many of us bounce back from surgery, had no complications, lose weight and keep it off. It seems that new people are not getting a balance look at weight loss surgery. I would love to hear all the positive stories. People with no complications. Many people gravitate to the negative experiences. It will fuel your surgery anxiety. Your surgeon gave you the statistics and risk facts about weight loss surgery. Read some positives to give yourself perspective. Before and afters https://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/297668-i-want-to-see-before-after-pics-contd/ Success Stories https://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/1298-weight-loss-surgery-success-stories/ NSV's https://www.bariatricpal.com/search/?q=nsv SIDE NOTE: This site is not an accurate representation. Many are maintaining and have not had a weight gain. They no longer need this site. The people here are, Looking into WLS, in weight loss mode, had a gain, had complications and a handful of vets.

No it's not causing weight gain for me..but I stopped losing for a long time now and about junk food I noticed that I can eat more of it easier than other food ..still the sleeve stops me at some point ofcourse..thats why I really need to be more careful..I started to write down everything I have during the day,something like food diary..hope it'll help..

I'm having a heck of a time figuring this out. I've never been on any form of birth control, DH is the only man I've been with that way and we've only gotten pregnant once, this past July and then I miscarried. Well, the social worker at my surgeon's office said I have to wait 18 months before TTC again after I get the band. :faint:I HATE that, but I'll do it just so everything turns out healthy. I can't figure out what to do. pills will NOT work for me - I'm terrible at remembering that stuff and I know I'll get pregnant if remembering everyday is up to me. I've been looking into the Nuvaring, but I'm really nervous to take any kind of birth control because of the weight-gain thing. Does anybody have the Nuva Ring and is still losing weight? I hate this kind of stuff. I haven't even seen a regular gyno since 2004 when I got fed up with all the infertility testing and quit going. I'm sorry if this is in the wrong forum - I wasn't sure where to put it.

One thing I try to be really conscious of is avoiding "dieting". I believe fad diets, eating too little, etc... can destroy your metabolism and I think that was part of my problem pre-surgery. Years of yo-yo diets meant my metabolism (aka Calories Out) was destroyed. I am really trying to not do that this time around. I did have a little weight gain over the holidays and am trying to eat around 1700 a day with working out and the little I gained is slowly coming off in what I hope is a healthy way.

Firstly u wont have ruined anything by drinking tomato soup, I had never heard of clear liquids only here in the UK .. our post-op is liquids i drank my weight watchers tomato soup from day 5 i think it was .. i was on liquids 4 weeks post op, then mushies 4 weeks then normal food, just dont do any liquids that have lumps in or u couldnt drink with a straw( not literally) , thats a liquid then As for comtrolling mothers.. did u think maybe your relationship with her was responsinble for your weight gain or some of it, it might well be u have to change your contact with your mum in order to cope with making the band a success for you. If she tells your doctor about the tomato soup he would probably laugh at her so dont worry about it, but start thinking about what is best for you and what u need, u have to come first till u have lost the weight u need to

If metabolic syndrome is the cause of your weight gain, a diet that is low to moderate in calories coupled with an exercise plan may not be enough to lose the weight. And if you continue to eat the wrong foods, exercise and diet may not help at all. In the late 1970s the government mandated we get the fat out of our food. The food industry responded by putting in more sugar. And that, we see by historical data, correlates to the time when America’s obesity epidemic began. Read my article, “Cause and Cure of Obesity in America.” In the New York Times best seller Fat Chance: Beating the Odds against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity and Disease, author Dr. Robert H. Lustig, a renown expert on obesity, points out that “a calorie is not a calorie.” Not all calories are equal. Whether the calorie comes from fructose, glucose, protein or fat is important to its metabolic effect and how much fat that calorie accounts for. Fructose and glucose — just two of the many names that sugar goes by — and even protein are said to be the culprits behind insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome are two primary causes of obesity in both adults and children. If you are struggling with the problem of an overgrown waistline, aka “belly fat,” this may be an indicator of these health conditions. Read my article, “Belly Fat is a Danger for All People.” If metabolic syndrome is the cause of your weight gain, a diet that is low to moderate in calories coupled with an exercise plan may not be enough to lose the weight. And if you continue to eat the wrong foods, exercise and diet may not help at all. What are the Wrong Foods? Sugar goes by a variety of names, about 52 in all, including glucose, maltose, sucrose, and fructose. The result has been an altering of our biochemistry that has driven our eating out of control, according to Dr. Lustig. Dr. Lustig further states that so-called healthy sugars such as agave, coconut and palm sugars are all “crap.” Checkout this HealthCentral sugar infographic named Sugar is to Blame: http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/380545/179644/sugar-blame-infographic/ Dr. Andrew Weil, a well-known guru for holistic health and integrative medicine, agrees on this point. Dr. Weil warns that sugar is toxic, and coupled with modern industrial food, has disastrous effects on the hormones that control hunger, satiety, and weight. Both Dr. Lustig and Dr. Ron Rosedale, author of The Rosedale Diet, advise that branch chain amino acids (BCAAs) and protein contribute to insulin resistance and obesity. I’ve been eating a high-protein diet and taking BCAAs because I thought I was doing my body good. Whey protein, which I and the majority of bariatric patients have been conditioned to consume, is one of the worst foods for releasing insulin in the body according to Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt, a Swedish medical doctor and specialist in family medicine. Dr. Eenfeldt, commonly known on the web as the “Diet Doctor,” interviews Dr. Lustig on the "Causes of Obesity" in the video below (or watch it on ). The Bottom Line If you think metabolic syndrome may be the cause of your weight gain, then eating a traditional “healthy diet” combined with exercise may result in failure to lose weight. Talk to your nutritionist. Further, you may wish to explore three diets for metabolic syndrome from Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Robert H. Lustig, and Dr. Andrew Weil in my article, “Metabolic Syndrome and Weight Loss.” Living larger than ever, My Bariatric Life

Thank you so much . I'm glad to inspire someone but I just feel I am doing average. I want to do way more and be that girl who defeated all the statistics about heart disease, sleep apnea, joint pain, liver issues, edema in extremities, chest pain and generalized depression due to weight gain ( because that is so real whether or not docs acknowledge it or not it is real). Everyday that God gives me strength, I am doing my best to make a difference in my life and I want to be a blessing to others as well. I truly thank everyone here because whether or not you all know it, you have been my source of strength and inspiration throughout this journey and even before I started the journey. So I thank everyone who has commented on a post or sent me a private message to encourage me. I am forever in your debt.

Wow, I just posted something similiar in my 1 yr bandaversary thread. very similiar stories. Dh and I got together after one of my starvation modes. I was thin all of 5 mins, but it was in that 5mins I met him. It took me about 6 mths to slowly work my way back up to the huge weight I was before and the poor guy didnt know what hit him. With the weight gain came all my fears and demons again. It was a terrible 4 years or so before I was banded, I dont know how we survived, but we did. I wish you all the best and I truely know how you feel. hugs

My surgery was on the 17th took under an hour and was perfect. No gas! However I woke up dry heaving which lasted 28 hours turns out I am allergic to hydrocodone. Two days and 3 anti nausea medicines and I was home. My drain site was the only tender spot. Today I am four days post op and feel like myself. Still have occasional stomach spasms which are decreasing and I was able to get 46 oz of water down. I have transitioned to clears which was a great change from broth and jello. I had amazing tomato soup! I couldn't finish it but it was great. I did have one issue. The steri strips peeled off today my incisions look great one is bruised where the stomach came out and the site where my drain was is ugly but the problem is I am apparently allergic to the tape. Skin came off with the tape so I have beautiful incisions and ugly raw spots all around them. Doc said put neosporin and band aids just on the sores not the incisions so I used 12 band aids and look ridiculous. Today I took my daughter to the doctor and she asked when my surgery was. When I told her it was 4 days ago she was amazed how great I was doing. So many have complained about weight gain from the hospital I weighted at home and was the same when I went in two days later I am down 8 lbs. good luck to everyone waiting! See you in the losers bench!

This is a thread that should be read by band doctors (if there any out there that are still putting in bands!). Like the OP, I'm convinced that once an unfill is performed, it is unlikely that a refill back to the same level of original fill will provide the bandster with the same, good level of restriction and feeling of satiety. My sense is that you have to go up and over the original fill level to find, if it is even possible, the green zone again. So many on this board never find a sustainable green zone again after an unfill. What all pre ops should know, and what all banding surgeons should tell them, is to take the utmost care of their bands, working them to the max in the first year of banding. That's where we all see the most weight loss...motivation is at its highest, and the band and the banded area is pristine. Barring a surgery screw-up or medical issue, no unfills should have to happen in the first year if the patient is compliant with the post op way of eating. There are a couple of well-known bandster bloggers who just had unfills followed by refills and are now struggling with weight gain (small, but gains nonetheless). Anyone read Chronicles from Bandland or Lapband Gal? Both are star bloggers, longtime bandsters with perfect track records for compliance. Both lost massive amounts of weight and got to goal in their first year. Now, five years out (more or less) both have had issues and have had to get slight unfills. LBG got refilled but her weight is up a bit, and CfB has gained a bit and can't get it off, even with restricted calories and lots of sport. The minute the band gets tinkered with, weight will seek to return...even if we are eating the same amount of calories as before. It's an area that really should be studied but of course won't be because you can't control the study unless you lock up the patients and control their caloric intake. But damn I wish a medical team would look at this and figure out why it happens! And then find a way to stop it from happening!

Thanks for your input B-52. You sound like you are truly listening to what your body and band want and disciplined enough to follow through with that. I think the majority of people who diet and lose and gain is because there is lack of discipline..desire is there, but our bodies tell us to eat when we KNOW we should restrict our diets. This is why diets fail and why we all got banded..but the same patterns of behavior are there that got us and kept us fat!! There are folks who successfully could lose weight on WW, Jenny, diet book of the day, etc etc and keep it off because they had that discipline. I like the idea of giving the pouch and esophagus a rest. I will incorporate that. DEFINITELY will be more mindful of what I eat and how much. My motivation to stay at my weight was all about leather! A one piece very unforgiving of even a few lbs weight gain motorcycle track suit. I love to do track days and it has been depressing to have had to miss out because this extra weight prevented me from fitting in that suit. I was gifted a suit form track friends in a larger size and had it altered a bit, but I told the leather guy that by the time next track season starts, I am hoping I fit back into my old one OR he has to alter the larger one down. I stare at my closet full of clothes that no longer fit, but also look at pics of me and want THAT person back again..the one that felt better in her body, achy joints back, not feeling like a lead balloon hauling around an extra 40+lbs. I think I will keep these size 14 work pants out when I get back into my usual 8's as a reminder to never go through this again! Tomorrow is the day for the journey to refills.. keep you all posted on how it goes! Green Zone here I come!

Just read through this whole post and I am just in the beginning of this journey. So, I haven't had surgery yet. I'm still going through the appointments and consults. However, this story grabbed my attention because this is one of my fears of having this surgery. I don't ever want to go back to old ways. I've already given up a lot of things because of being diabetic. The older I get, the more difficult the diabetes is to control. I take insulin and the insulin causes weight gain. I quit eating carbs and did really well with giving up carbs and sugar stuff. However about almost a year ago my blood sugar numbers started going all kind of whacky. I have not been able to get control back since. I quit smoking over 1-1/2 years ago because of the diabetes as well. I'm so tired of giving things up and nothing changing for the better. This story grabbed me because I don't want to have this dilemma after going through all the appointments, surgery, and the whole liquid to pureed to solid food diet following surgery. I just want to be healthy. I think you are doing wonderful, but my only suggestion would be to quit buying popcorn and chocolate and keeping it available to eat. Keep only the healthy foods and put them in single serve sizes. I try to keep all bad food out of my house. If we host a party or picnic, I will have the foods here for that occasion, but at the end if someone doesn't take the leftovers, they get trashed. I cannot afford to have bad stuff hanging around the house, because if its there, I'll eat it. Hope that helps. Good Luck!

I just wanted to chime in on the 'too-young' comment. I am 23, and banded shortly after turning 23... And I wish I had done it earlier!! Just because we're young, doesn't mean we haven't been there and done that. I've been fat since I came outta my momma. At 8 years old I cried about having to pick up the golf ball out of the hole because it hurt my back too much. At 19-20 I had crippling.. and not ow it hurts, but crippling back pain. I could not walk anymore. I was too proud, my doc told me to start using those scooters when I go in public. I wasn't going to be caught dead doing that, I was only 20... that shouldn't happen to me!! So I just didn't go anywhere. And I was gaining weight even more rapidly from not doing anything. My great-grandmother was diabetic. Looking at pictures of she and I at the same age, we looked identical. By 30 she was bed-ridden and weighing 700+lbs. At 35 she died in her bed, and was one of those people that became a spectacle when her body was removed from the home. I did WW and failed. I did Atkins, lost a lot of weight, gained it all back + some. Atkins was the best success I had, until the band. I officially passed my Atkins success a month ago. I now have no back problems when I walk. I feel like I have been given a new life, I feel youthful (FINALLY). So.. as for being too young, if I 'just tried dieting some more', I might have ended up like my g'gma.

I strictly avoid processed sugars. I have a sweet tooth and that is one of the major causes that contributed to my weight gain over my lifetime. I limit myself to artificial sweeteners (such as Splenda and sugar alcohols), to natural low calorie sweeteners (such as Stevia) and to the natural sugars found in fruits and milk. I had diabetes. That went into remission when I left the hospital two days after surgery and I have not taken any diabetic medicine ever since and my blood sugar levels are good. I test my blood sugar levels periodically. I read the labels of all food that I consume. I look at the grams of sugar per serving. If it is above 5 grams, I look at the ingredients. The ingredients are listed in order by highest percentage, and if the first 5 ingredients contain processed sugar (in any of its many forms), then I avoid this food, like a plague.

Hi Oceanblue. What a pretty name. You bring back a lot of memories. It has ALSO been a long time since I have been on this site, and, quite frankly, I have been avoiding it. I started this topic of "looking for October friends" way back in October, 2011 before my Sleeve Operation (one day before your operation) and well, "petered out" in my posts to this site after I had lost close to 100 pounds in just about 6 months! It was really wonderful way back then -- losing all that weight. But, like you, that wonderful fast downhill journey didn't last for all that long. I have a lot of your same problems with craving carbs (especially sweets) and being hungry. Weight started creeping up slowly. I started at 309 pounds and went down to 209 pounds with a goal of 160. I, also, remember those first 10 pounds gained. But I was not so lucky to stop at that. You are doing much better than me. I managed to add another 16 pounds to that and am now at around 235. So I am pretty concerned as well. I started to see a psychologist and continued going to the Weight Loss Center at Mass General Hospital to see the people there for support, but have been in constant struggle for this past year. I remember feeling SO THIN after I lost the 100 pounds, and NOW I feel fat! It is so funny how we see ourselves. So I was actually happy to see your entry on this website even though I hardly even recognize this website anymore. I think I will need to start using it again and, like you, start reaching out for support. I don't know what this "5 day pouch test" is, but it doesn't sound good to me. It sounds too much like a diet and for me, diets ALWAYS means weight gain afterwards. The only cure, I think, is learning how to cut down on the carbs and sweets. Sugar is the real culprit. I have made a couple of efforts at curbing my sugar cravings by substituting fruit, which actually worked for awhile, but I somehow fell into my emotional eating pattern again, and the sweets came back. I wish I could offer you some help or advice now, but I am in your same position, only with more weight gained since my operation. I will have to look for help for the "old-timers" who have maintained their sleeved weight for a long time. But for now, I just want to tell you that I totally understand and perhaps we can support each other in overcoming this road-block to our weight loss and health goals! All the best wishes for a happy Thanksgiving and a little turkey and veggies and tiny dessert! I like to remember that Thanksgiving is only a one-day event! Let me know how you are doing. Hopefulspirit

My wife and I are taking a three-week European trip this winter and will likely run into situations where much food will be foisted on us and it will be considered very rude of me to eat only what the band will allow me to eat. Has anyone had their band emptied so they can eat more when traveling and then refilled when they return? Are there any repercussions of a complete unfill followed by a refill several weeks later (besides the likely weight gain)?

I have taken numerous antidepressants over the course of many years and have not felt they have affected my weight - although I have had other medications that caused severe weight gain. It is always something to watch for- but you may be pleasantly surprised. Also, your doctor could start you with a medication with a more appropriate side effect profile keeping in mind your specific situation.

I don't think you are trying to be obnoxious. And for many to get down to your goal weight is a major struggle. But one has to remember that the band does not cure your root problem in regards to your weight gain. I know some that go up and down with their weight on the band and thats because the total concept is still not yet in place. For years I was eating the wrong food, not being active enough and doing everything wrong until I was so heavy that I was in a critical mode. The band is a great starting point and for some it will take awhile to let it go. I dont suggest that you walk away from the band but look into many other alternatives that address health and weight loss because the more you go down this road the less you will need the band and the associated problems that can occur. (food get stuck etc...)

Does the reason why any of us have a weight gain matter? Could be many things. Your body settling, medical issues, major life changes or old behaviors creeping back in. It's more important that we recognise a gain and work to get back to healthy. I can relate. I feel the need to control my weight. I have to admit my fear of regain is not a normal level. I felt out of control with food and my weight most of my life. I now over think maintaining. It's a bit obsessive on my part. It's something I'm working on.

Whew! Glad to hear about the weight gain following surgery. I didn't know what was going on!

I would recommend using a calorie tracking program such as Myfitnesspal, or whatever you find easiest to use. It will give you a better picture of your calorie consumption. Using McDonald's medium carmel frappe as an example: 550 cal, 9g Protein, 23g fat, 79g carb (71g is sugar, and you can divide that by 12 to get the equivalent tablespoons), and no Fiber. So, I'm guessing getting diarrhea was more likely due to the 23g of fat and roughly 6 tablespoons of sugar you consumed than drinking through the straw. My guidance is to aim for 25-30g protein in each meal, and 9g just isn't enough. I would highly recommend you find a healthier alternative for these drinks if you are going to have something like this with any regularity. I'm not one to recommend cutting fat and sugar too far, but you are really not doing yourself any favors here. WIth your described weight gain and diet, I would think that your sodium consumption would be an unlikely culprit, you are probably not exceeding the sodium recommendations. Best of luck and congratulations on your weight loss so far!

I have to get my band removed and have opted to get a bypass the same time the band is removed. I have NO fill in my band and I still get food hung constantly and my surgeon says it's not a matter of "if" my stomach totally occluded but a matter of "when". When I got the band 10 years ago United Healthcare paid for the first one. Now I'm on Medicare and the patient coordinator at the first office I consulted with said that Medicare had a strict rule that once you've had a procedure Medicare wouldn't pay for a second one. Well the doctor I'm seeing now said that was ridiculous since Medicare didn't even pay for the first surgery, and now I have to have the band removed through no fault of my own. They are making me meet Medicare's criteria of a three month supervised diet, and the surgeon is hoping I won't occlude before this time is done. I also have to have a BMI of 35 with a comorbidity but since last year I've developed high blood pressure and some maturity onset diabetes and with the weight gain from the failed band no problems there... I just would like something in writing that Medicare WILL cover it...I'd hate to be denied after the fact an be stuck with that bill!

I have been in Pristque for years and did not affect my weight at all. Zoloft did cause some weight gain. Good luck. Pre Op: 298lb / Surgery Day: 288lb / Week 1: 278lbs / Week 2: 267.5lbs / Week4: 263.7lbs.

I was banded March 25th 2013. My first post op visit I was having some vomiting and nausea therefore they chose not to give me a fill( I did not receive a fill during surgery). I weighed in today and they did give me a small fill but they had a hard time accessing my port. I was getting a little frustrated with my weight gain and weight loss but when I went to the doctors they said I was down eight pounds from my last appointment. I can sympathize with you as far as the eating now and the family pushing food my brother in law is seriously a food pusher. After my surgery I was given a card did if I show it to people when I go out to eat it allows me to either order of the children's menu or order smaller portions. I have found for me to keep from snacking I write down every single thing I eat even if it's only just a bite and I only eat at the dining room table. My motto is far as writing down everything is "if you bite it write it" I also keep a journal with me so anytime I feel the urge to snack I will write in it why I feel I need to eat, I also made myself a chart for the bathroom where my scale is it helps me to keep track of my progress. I don't know if any of these options might help you, but I know they have helped me. Good luck to you