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Thanks for writing this ladies. In many ways its similar you your stories. In a nut shell: 1 year. slow but steady with a butt load of stalls thrown in for good measure. did not quite get to goal. 2 year. Get to within 5 pounds of goal, then lost my way and gained to 22 pounds above goal. HUGE sad face! I took my eye off the ball... I started acting "normal" (eating without being accountable) I had a big eating vacation, to NOLA, I had an injury that kept me down for a few months, I had my mom in law visit for 10 weeks with happy hour every single day. 3 year. Tried several methods to get the 22 pounds off and reach goal. Georgia turned me onto the 5:2, and I managed to get to goal in year 3. Took up birdwatching, walking, kayaking and continued bellydancing... loving a more active lifestyle. Really enjoying dressing up. Half way through year 3, mom got sick, and a pile of not so nice things moved into my life, job, home, relationships, sick and old dear dog.. then mom died. I fell back off the wagon, and just hung on the best I could. My weight started going up again.... and emotional eating and the holidays collided. I finally managed to get the weight gain to slow down and stop.. I started getting the good habits back on track... put my fitbit back on, started using myfitnesspal every day, every meal, every bite.... and started fasting two days a week again regularly. Still a few things I could tighten up... but not to bad. Unfortunately, the behavior that got me through the last push goal do not seem to be working the same way they did the first time.. but I am only 7 pounds from the high end of my goal range, so really thats not TOO bad all in all. My skinny jeans are tight. My cholesterol is up. My Dr says lose the weight, but its going really slow. I know stalls all too well and its not putting me off my task, but its a chore. I consider myself a success. Peoples eyes still bug out when they see me... even after 4 years. I hope I can go the rest of my life this close to goal... I really don't know how easy that will be. If it gets much harder than it is now, I don't know if I can pull it off, but so far so good (without saying it was easy) I just had my 4 year surgeversary on Jan 19th 2015.

I agree it is a lifetime project, but I would also like to point out that for many normal weight people it is also a life time project....people who have NEVER had weight problems also gain weight, they notice it, they cut back, they get to the gym, they pay attention to how their clothes fit, they take care of that 2 or 3 or 5 lb weight gain that happens when you live your life! They may not have had to lose 50-100 or more lbs like we all did, but the fact is, WE DID and we are right there with them now because this surgery gave us that opportunity. So now, with the support of everyone here, we can say, OK then....I'm up a few lbs and I have lots of choices of how to get rid of those (5:2, th3 5 Day Pouch Test, more exercise, cutting out eating at night for a week or so, fill in the blank for the right choice for YOU. And remind yourself that what ever you decide to do, it isn't for a full month, or a full year, that finally this is NOT overwhelming and at least for me, before this surgery, whatever the diet choice of the month was, I just knew I would fail....now I know I won't!!!! I also have old habits creep in, so you know what? I indulge them, but in small amounts and I also do the 5:2. And when I'm not perfect on the 5:2, I at least always have two days a week that are NO WINE/NO COOKIE days...(because those are my two downfalls). And at 3.5 years post of and 61 years old, I am at goal and I feel great. Just say NO to pity parties because we have all come way too far and we are closer to our healthier selves than we are to our old selves....

Hello, My name is Wisteria and I have gone through all of the necessary steps to get lap-band surgery; I am just waiting for approval from my insurance company. I am 34 years old and have been majorly overweight for about 10 years now and I cannot get it off! So here I am! I weigh 211.5, my BMI is 41%, and height 5'0". I am pre-diabetic on medication so that is a MAJOR part of my decision. Also of course heart attack and heart disease are both in my family. I have asthma since gaining all of the weight as well as back issues. Had surgery on my back and gained A LOT of weight since then (MAJOR part of my weight gain by the way). Also have sleep apnea and acid reflux. Take several meds and need to sleep with a mask at night. I am just not healthy. I exercise, but it is so hard to when you are big. I have hiked, biked, kayaked, ran, walked, jogged, etc... And I end up quitting after a few months. It is just so hard... especially walking/hiking up a hill! All this weight is killing me... literally! Nice to meet all of you. Glad I am here. I cannot wait for surgery. All the best to you all on your journeys.

I gained 6 pounds between Jan 3 and Jan 17 (surgery was Dec 23).... 4 things to consider for ME... I'm girl and it's "that time"...which brings weight gain due to Water retention I started working out hard-core last week, which can make muscles swell...swelling = water retention = weight gain With the total calories I'm eating, it's IMPOSSIBLE for the weight gain to be fat (you have to eat 3500 calories ABOVE what you are burning just by being alive and doing things in order to gain fat...I'm eating 900-1300 calories a day plus working out for the first time in years...it's not possible it's fat) Not enough calories consumed, possibly causing a kick into starvation mode. (I should be getting 1200 calories a day. Sometimes I get there, sometimes I don't) Sodium....if I eat higher sodium foods, there could be additional water retention (canned Soups can be really high in sodium, and my ankles are extra puffy lately, a sure sign of water retention for me). As of this morning...all 6 lbs are gone and I'm back to my scale low weight. Weight fluctuates...especially bad in women at different times during the month. Maybe your fiance will recognize some of the above things as possibilities for her weight gain. Good luck! Becki

Your welcome. I had exactly the same thing happen, only I tried to live through it for the weight loss. My doctor INSISTED it was not the lad band and that I would have had reflux with or without it and it must just be me. I got down to 158, but basically from starving and dehydration. I could not keep anything down and would throw up constantly so I just stopped eating. I wound up in the hospital on IV and having to have an EGD etc. to figure out what was happening. Again, the doctors looked for every other explanation, pancreatic tumor, celiac, etc. I kept suggesting the band, but was dismissed. I went to a totally different doctor for an unfill. Within minutes I felt better, go figure. They weight loss was nice, but the cost was not. The weight gain is frustrating, but my health and well being is more important. It sounds crazy, but I used to joke that I would do anything to lose weight and if I wound up in a coffin at least I would be thin. IT IS NOT WORTH IT. Go slow, and at least periodically get fills using floroscope. That's the best advice I have. Good luck!

Karen, First, I am so sorry for the pain you are feeling after your surgery. Back pain is never easy. I certainly hope that it can be resolved. Next, please don't let yourself feel "guilty" about gaining some weight. Managing your weight while you are in pain has got to be very tough. Most of us got to be obese by self medicating with food. That has to be very tempting for you now. Last, please get to your band doctor and have him/her get you to restriciton. You shouldn't have to go through this alone. Your band doctor should be understanding of your situation and should NOT make you feel guilty. Don't be ashamed to ask for help when you fall down. What's important is what you do from this day forward. Forget about any weight gain and start fresh today. Best of luck!!

absolutely not. My LBL was the WORST decision I have EVER made. I have said so many times that I wish I could go back in time. I am seven years out. The scar is horrifying. All weight gain went to upper body and I feel like a linebacker.

I often tell patients, “The surgery does what the surgery does.” What I mean by this is that weight loss surgery almost certainly will affect how much food you can eat, but may do little to change what you eat. Weight loss surgery does not make you suddenly crave healthier and less caloric food. You have to make those choices for yourself. Additionally, while losing weight may make it easier for you to adopt a more active lifestyle, surgery itself will not make you suddenly fall in love with exercise. So making health behavior changes in addition to having surgery remains critical. So what specific health behavior changes have been shown to improve outcome? 1. Document what you eat – Many people strongly dislike writing down what they eat but there is evidence that this helps people after weight loss surgery as it does with non-surgical approaches. The reason is likely that documenting what you eat gives you valuable information about your behavior and allows you to make changes when necessary. Consider that your actual weight is the end product of what you eat, so weighing yourself gives you the results, but not the information necessary to make changes. For many, weighing themselves is a pass-fail exam. Either I’m a good boy or a bad boy. Consider that you can’t actually change your weight…you change what you eat and/or exercise, and that is what helps change your weight. Many people seem to have little or no objection to weighing themselves so why do so many people despise writing down what they eat? Writing down what you eat is the truth teller. It forces you to acknowledge what you are doing. To avoid seeing the truth, you can either change what you eat or stop writing it down. Unfortunately, many people choose the latter. The good news is that in the smartphone era, there are literally dozens of apps and other technological devices that can make documenting your food and activity level extremely easy. If you do a little research you can find one that is right for you. 2. Exercise – You probably saw this one coming as well because it makes sense. Regular exercise is a way of burning calories and losing weight that does not involve changing what you eat. Given how difficult it is to lose weight and keep it off, it would be silly not to take advantage of one of the few methods known to work. Ironically, it might not work the way you would expect. Many people who lose weight through exercise notice that it helps them not just by burning off calories, but also by affecting their food choices. In other words, when you discover how difficult it is to burn off 250 calories on a treadmill, you may think twice before having that chocolate bar afterwards. Not everyone finds this effect, but for those who do, it can make a big difference. When deciding what form of exercise to do, consider that you don’t need to become an Olympiad or a marathon runner. Many of the positive effects of exercise have been documented with just walking 30 minutes 3-4 times per week. If rigorous exercise is enjoyable for you, that’s great. But any time spent engaged in activity is beneficial...especially if you would otherwise be sitting on the couch watching all of those tempting food advertisements on television! 3. Stress Reduction – An increasing amount of research has documented a relationship between stress and weight gain. The obvious connection is that many people use food as a means of comforting themselves from distress, commonly called “emotional eating.” An interesting new discovery is that is that some people who report high levels of stress gain weight even when their calorie intake is unchanged. How is that possible? There is the suggestion that stress hormones and other chemicals may affect how our body metabolizes food and stores food. So even if you’re eating the same foods and the same number of calories, what your body does with those calories can vary. If you’re going to be successful in reducing stress, you need to begin by discovering what “pushes your buttons” and take steps to change. One first step could be to document the things that you find to be stressful. Sometimes just writing down your problems makes them less frightening now that they’re just words on a page. For other people, writing their sources of stress naturally leads them to write what they might do about them. Another good idea is to investigate some simple stress management techniques. Many refer to them as relaxation or meditation exercises. As discussed earlier, there are a number of excellent smartphone apps and other technology-based methods of relaxation that you can explore. No one is better than the rest so just find one that works for you and begin to incorporate relaxation/meditation into your daily routine. If reducing your stress requires more than practicing relaxation techniques, consider speaking to a psychologist or other mental health professional to get the help you need. 4. Get some sleep – Here’s another suggestion that you’ve probably seen in the media recently. There is growing consensus of an obesity-sleep connection. Like exercise, the benefits of sleep are more than meets the eye. The obvious connection is that if you’re up longer, you become hungrier and are likely to eat late at night. This interpretation is not wrong, however, new research suggests that people who get 7 or more hours of sleep tend to maintain lower weights even when people with fewer hours of sleep consume the same amount of calories. How is that possible? Again, it’s not just how many calories we eat…but what our bodies do with those calories. Unfortunately, an increasing number of people are so busy between their work and social lives (not to mention all those tempting television shows) that sleep is not a priority. Just know that making sleep the last priority comes at a cost. Consider how we train children to sleep. We create a nighttime ritual to ease kids to bed. There’s dinner, wind down time, then bath time, maybe reading a story or two in bed, and then lights out. Many adults however have a terrible routine. Eat a big dinner at 9pm, catch up on emails and pay bills, watch television for an hour or so and then fall asleep on the couch and stumble into bed at 2AM only to have to wake up three or four hours later. Try to change your sleep habits by changing your nighttime ritual. Eat an earlier dinner. Try to pay bills and check your emails at another time. Use the evening as wind down time. Rather than fall asleep on the couch, watch a set amount of television or Internet time and then turn it off and “put yourself to bed.” Begin by trying to go into bed a half-hour early every night for a week and see how you feel. If you notice some improvements in your level of energy, mood, appetite or other factors, see if you can make it permanent. 5. Join a Support Group – Some research has demonstrated that patients who participate in support groups lose and maintain more weight than those who don’t. Of course it may depend on the content of the group and who attends, but adding a social element to your weight loss and weight maintenance goals seems to help. This may relate to the accountability factor discussed earlier. If “we’re all in it together,” there may be more of a commitment to stick to your goals to help out the group. Or perhaps it motivates you not to be the one group member who is falling behind. Either way, participating in support groups seems to have benefits both in terms of weight loss as well as emotional well being after surgery. There are other suggestions of course, such as improving your diet by reducing carbohydrates in favor of lean protein and a more plant-based diet. However, for many people, changing their diet can push all of those emotional “diet” buttons; so before you make those changes (or in addition to making those changes), strongly consider some of the changes recommended above. There is evidence that the benefits are additive. For example, many people find that when they exercise, they sleep better and in turn these changes help them manage stress better. The key is to acknowledge whether or not some of the factors above are problem areas for you and to begin making small changes. Sometimes small changes can lead to big results!

Hey! I am Pre-sleeve. I have been with my hubby for 12 years (high school sweetheart) and I was really chubby then. I am now 70-80 pounds heavier and have had two children and he loves me just as much or more. A few years ago I was thinking 'what if I was a healthy weight..Would we have gotten together? Is there anyone else out there that would want me? Did I settle for the first guy who liked me?' But honestly he has NEVER made any reference to my weight gain. Makes me feel special at any size. He really thinks I'm the sexiest thing ever. He is just a genuinely carling and loving man. And I think our relationship is just going to get better post-sleeve. I'm sure it will be tough the first few months because I'm going to be a hungry, crazy, emotional disaster until I find that balance and routine. But I will be more comfortable with MYSELF which in turn will allow me to be more comfortable with him. I'm not doing this for him, I'm doing it for me. So I can have a better quality of life and be a better remodel for my young children. We are all going to benefit from it and Mike and I will be able to grow old together! <3 Sheena :-)

Green Have you tried to switch from risperdal to geodon? it works basically the same without the weight gain. My son gained 120 lbs in less then 1 yr on risperdal we took him off of that and put him on geodon and topomax and the weight came off and he had wonderful control. Have seen terrific control with other patients as well. Just a suggestion for you and that may help you to get rid of more weight and keep your psych issues under control.

What the heck is "mindful eating" anyway? It might sound like some hippie thing, but it backed by real science. You'll be losing weight and feeling great again, all while enjoying food to the fullest. Check it out here! Mindfulness basically just means paying attention to something - without judgment. Mindful eating is paying attention to your food, and to your appetite cues - again, without judgment (that's the hard part!). Dieting vs. Mindful Eating: Diet = Weight gain: 95% of people who diet will regain the weight they lost within 5 years. 2/3 of those people will regain more than they lost, ultimately resulting in overall weight gain. All about willpower and rigidity. Relies on external cues. Restrictive and depriving. Food & body are the enemy. Mindful Eating = Weight loss: Studies show that mindful eating programs result in weight loss, fewer calories consumed, lower fat intake and increased self-confidence (Timmerman et al., 2012) All about trust and acceptance. Relies on internal appetite cues. Permissive and satisfying. Food & body are the ally. Which would you prefer? For me, I'd much rather give mindful eating a shot. Especially since dieting was what led up to most people having bariatric surgery in the first place. Step-by-step how to eat mindfully: Pick a calm and quiet place to sit down and eat. Check in with your hunger. Are you physically hungry? If not, wait until later when you are hungry. The food will be much more satisfying if you enter the experience hungry. Choose a food that will be satisfying. Give yourself permission to eat that food without judgment (toward the food or yourself) or guilt. Use all of your senses - look at the food, touch the food, smell the food, taste the food, feel it in your mouth, move it around and notice the way the texture and taste changes as you chew. Chew slowly and thoroughly. As you swallow, feel the food going down your esophagus and into your stomach. Notice how the food feels in your stomach. Ask yourself if you want more. If so, take another bite and repeat until you feel satisfied. At the end, take a moment to express gratitude for the experience, for the food, and for your body. Carry the awareness of mindful attention to other areas of your life - you'll be shocked at what a big difference this makes! Be patient with yourself. The practice of mindful eating is just that - a practice. Your mind and attention will wander, you will inevitably catch yourself judging yourself or the food. That's ok - it's normal. Just notice it, and return your attention to the experience. Practice this as often as you are able. Of course, it's not possible to eat mindfully 100% of the time, so don't be rigid with it. As you get more skilled at mindful eating, it will become more effortless and second nature. See, I told you this wasn't just for hippies! Mindful eating is very doable for all of us. We just have to make the conscious decision to do it. Paying attention to our food and our bodies allows us to get infinite more pleasure out of life. Give it a shot and let me know what you think. Share your experience in the comments below. What was it like to pay close attention to the taste and texture of the food? What was it like to refrain from judgment about yourself for eating the food? What surprised you about mindful eating?

I Have PCOS. Sleeved 7/1. My only real issues weight gain and irregular periods. Still no period but I'm not looking forward to it either. I didn't take Metformin consistently therefore i didn't take it. I've lost about 13lbs most of which happened 5-6 days post op. I've stalled since then. I fear that PCOS makes my body recognize weight loss sooner and then my body panics and holds on. Other than that I'm just continuing to do what I'm supposed to and I'm certain things will keep moving right along.

I try to only weigh once a week on the same day each week and to keep the scale in the exact same spot so as not to have too much flucuation... If u weigh urself everyday u are going to see variations due to water weight gain and loss and it can be very discouraging. A friend of mine suggested having my daughter hide the scale from me and only giving it back to me to weigh every couple of weeks... Stay encouraged! This is the raod to lifestyle and eating changes! Good luck!

BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH (yes, I'm screaming.) Same F-ing boat (yes, I'm cussing, too.) Same weight gain. Same everything. This is Day 2 of being good for me, and it sucks. No Snacks, no soda, no diet soda, no nothing. Lettuce with Protein for lunch. Fruit F-ing cup instead of goodies. Blah, blah, blah. My big treat for the day was a chewable Vitamin that left a nasty taste in my mouth. I even felt guilty for that. I got so far off track that eveyone at work is afraid of me now. They are all supportive (except the "Big E") and they know I mean business. I'm friggen flying off the walls from ODing on ice tea with fake poison chemicals. I would lick a dirty foot for a Coke right now. You're not alone.

Nestlé Nutrition online offers "Carnation Instant Breakfast VHC" these are not sold in stores, but are great for weight gain. They are 8oz shakes and are 560 calories. So, 3 of these will add almost 1700calories to your diet.

How do you even GET IN 200 grams of protein and 300 grams of carbs a day? I'm not quite six months post-op, so a bit behind you, but I still can't get in 60 grams of protein a day, let alone 200! I know I should sympathize with you more, but I'm still trying to get over my jealousy at your problem - no offense, but all my life I've dreamed of having a metabolism where I couldn't put on weight no matter what I did! Seriously, as others have posted, you should definitely speak to your doctor and have bloodwork done. There may even be medical reasons for weight loss or lack of weight gain unrelated to the sleeve, which I once found out in a not so pleasant way. So this should be checked out ASAP.

My good friends who have always seen me for me and not focused on my weight gains ( pre-surgery) or weight loss. I did tell them about my surgery.....

HHib

today is my 17th day and I have gained 1.5 lbs!! I am walking drinking my liquids so why this gain.. I am depressed.my body has always resisted to weight loss.now if it resists to sleeve also..oh no.

Our American culture is so funny- we often avoid stating the most obvious things! This is not true in other cultures, I'm thinking specifically of America's Deaf culture (think of a culture whose many norms are based on what is seen with the eyes) where it would be considered extremely rude or worrisome if people didn't comment on a noticeable physical change! I'm thinking of the previous post that described the experience of direct comments at the Chinese restaurant, and wonder if that culture has a similar norm. I am being banded in just over a week, and everyone in my small office of 8 knows about it. They have been extremely supportive, and many of them are dealing with their own weight or dietary issues. My best friend is very engaged in this process, since she is overweight herself and curious about the LapBand. Her older sister, a very overweight bully who has never really liked me, knows about what I'm doing and has stated that she is going to do it 'the right way' by eating less and exercising. She views the band in a negative light, and I have to confess that I am really looking forward to showing her just how wrong she is! So many of us already know that losing it is one thing, but keeping it off is another thing altogether. Even my surgeon has confirmed that the physiological component of a body like mine (that makes very efficient use of every single calorie, eager to turn as many as possible to fat) is tough to beat without the additional support of a tool like the LapBand. I have already considered how to respond to the 'how much?' question- I do not plan to give an actual number. For me, that is the painful part, as I hate to acknowledge that I had so much to lose! I am tall enough to hide a fair amount of weight, so my number could elicit the sort of shocked response that I don't want to hear from just anyone. Breezy answers such as 'almost enough!', or 'enough to feel great/need new clothes!' are vague but affirmative enough, when delivered with the right attitude. For people who press, a simple 'why do you want to know/does it really matter to you?' may be required to end that line of questioning. As for folks who may declare that I have 'taken the easy way' (even though that we all know that the LapBand is not exactly that) my response is going to be, 'what is so wrong with that?'. Who wouldn't elect to go an easy route, instead of a hard one? Ever heard of the 'path of least resistance' theory? As far as I'm concerned, I've outgrown the need to suffer and will take whatever ease comes my way. It doesn't mean I'm lazy, it means I am practical! My guess is that I am bound to encounter a variety of caring and cruel remarks along this journey of mine. My in-laws know nothing of what I am doing, and I have no intention of telling them. My DH has promised to keep this secret with me. My FIL always calls me 'skinny', which is far from accurate, and my MIL is always talking about the tiny sizes that she can now fit into as she ages and shrinks. I find that exposure to these comments is toxic, so I avoid it. DH knows, and because they live several hours from us it is easy to keep our distance. I am already practicing my response to their comments when we see them this summer- I don't plan to mention the band at all, but will refer to doing 'lots more walking and careful eating', which will be true! Only those people who I consider truly supportive and considerate will be allowed access to pertinent details, and hopefully this will help alleviate my own embarrassment about my weight gain as I strive to make it a thing of the past. Sorry for the long post, but this thread topic is actually quite thought-provoking for me! thanks to all of you for your posts, and the support that reading them gives me.

Donali: You will succeed I am positive to maintain and to even continue to lose. Don't get discouraged if you see a weight gain in the first few months after the removal of your band. I am sure that will be normal but to acknowledge that and stay on track. The only that I might add to your wonderful list is to add a "fasting" day in there. Maybe do one day either a week or every two weeks of a juice fast with Protein Bars or Protein Drinks as supplements. I do that now and it jump starts my weight loss when I hit a wall. It also helps cleanse the system of all the abuse we sometimes throw into it. Keep up the positive attitude and all things are possible. We are all here for you.

Hello fellow weight loss pals, well im in a bit of a dilemma.. to start off I had a gastric banding done in the year 2008. Since then I have lost about 66 pounds. I was happy with the band until last year when I was diagnosed with a hiatus hernia. Now to fix the hiatus the docs here suggest that I have to take out the band else the hiatus can always reoccur. My fear obviously is the weight gain once the band is out, to which the doctors have suggested to do a gastric sleeve. Now my apprehensions for this are: 1) Gastric banding is a reversible procedure however a sleeve is permanent. How does it affect the life in future 2) I don't have any children yet, but would a sleeve be a hindrance if and when I do get pregnant in terms of the diet I need to follow, the nutrition required for the fetus and the quantities???? 3) Is the sleeve same as having a band in terms of eating habits. the reflux?? or is there a difference??? 4) I have read that even with the sleeve there are chances of putting on the weight again?? is that true??? I would really appreciate if someone could throw some light on these issues

I too am a cancer surviver. I didn't do lapband til 2 yrs post surgery removal but those 2 yrs of putting down cigs and having a hysterectomy caused a great deal of my weight gain. I think the best thing out of it all is living.. We survived... I wish you the best..

Hi Mellifrits, you are doing brilliantly, and I am very excited that this operation may help one of my daughters who has inherited mums weight gain propensity, poor lamb. Jane x

Don't weigh yourself every day. The increase in weight could be from your body retaining a little water after you workout. Yes, muscle weighs more than fat however it also burns 2x more calories than fat. The more muscle you have the more calories you'll burn. So I doubt the muscle is causing the weight gain if you are truly sticking to your calories, but you definitely need to make sure you get in enough protein to support the muscle growth.