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Hello All, I had band slippage about a year ago now. At the time all fluid was removed and luckily things fell back in place but over the course of the year I regained about 50lbs due to my surgeon being concerned about a reoccurrence; which I have to agree with. I am back up to a pretty good fill level and have stopped and started to reverse the weight gain but have to admit it really got me down. Overall I started at 545lbs (ouch) and reached a low of 269lbs and felt outstanding. Due to my work am overseas all the time and not with my family so support is not readily available. guess I am venting a bit but is there anyone else out there that has faced a similar problem and have some insight on get over feeling sorry for myself and get on with it? Thanks for letting me vent....

Got on the scale today and I am up 4 pounds from last week!!! CRAP!!!! Is this normal, does this happen, how can I not freak out about this?? ???? My brain is going crazy with a million thoughts. Did I stretch my pouch, can I eat more than I should, is this my fault from eating something a little too calorie high? Did I not exercise enough? I feel like I want to cry

I've been reading a lot about food addiction, and I'm trying to honestly assess myself. I have a huge passion for good food, but I don't eat a lot of junk or processed food. I haven't eaten fast food in probably 2 years. My husband has a candy habit, but I don't eat much of it. I love to cook, but my cooking style tends to be more Mediterranean than homestyle. I'm not much of a baker, so I don't make cakes or Cookies very often. When I get stressed or upset, I tend to cook and eat less than when I'm feeling good. I can get a little obsessive over food, but it tends to be more about individual ingredients. For instance, I'm always looking for new olive oils to try, and over the last few months I've probably bought a dozen types of sea salt. I have 2 lbs of French green lentils in the pantry that I'm excited to try. I'm looking forward to figuring out ways to up the Protein in everything I make post-op. Of course, I didn't get to this weight without over-enjoying a whole lot of great food. In my case, bad knee issues made it very hard to exercise, which just exacerbated the weight gain. But, I know I think about food a lot. I read cookbooks, watch a lot of cooking shows, and search out food blogs. I know that I will face head hunger and the challenges of all the life changes post-op. But how do you tell the difference between food passion and food addiction?

It could be something more serious if you're gaining weight without a diet change. Perhaps a serious medical, hormonal or prescription issue? You said you moved too, maybe stress/depression; it plays a HUGE roll on weight gain/loss. Definitely be persistent in getting in touch with your doctors. I'm sorry they've been so difficult to deal with. Try to do an elimination diet, maybe the shakes aren't taking well to your body now after some time. I know when something works for me (even in a positive way) I find my body builds a tolerance for it and it never works the same way! I'm unsure if you can have two procedures entirely different from one another, but I'm sure it is possible. I can't imagine it being terribly healthy or wise though, I'm sure your surgeon would have a better understanding of your body.

Hello all. I am still doing my two week post op liquid diet and I read some people say they gained weight after getting back on solid foods. Is this a common thing? I have lost ten pounds and am so scared to gain it back once off liquids. Have some people just kept losing during the transition?

Sashimi is usually cut thin. The block of fish is the piece the counterman cuts the slices from. I'm sure though, if you ask for thin sliced sashimi, they will do it for you. I was also going to recommend sashimi. The fish alone, without the rice or sauce or other toppings is very low in fat and calories and is a healthy option as long as you stay away from the soy sauce...or cut the soy sauce with Water. This is what I do and I find that I don't have much water weight gain from the sodium content. Enjoy!

About a year ago I went through the process and was denied because my comorbidities weren't severe enough. So I tried diet, excercise and to at least maintain. However I've gained about 15 pounds which puts me at the low end of being 200% over. Lack of energy, lack of self esteem, joint pain and GERD has of course gotten worse with the weight gain. I go in one week from today to reweigh and update H&P and resubmit. I'm currently on prednisolone for an allergic reaction, so hopefully that weight gain will come into play before my appt. Tuesday. Wish me luck!

My surgery is April 27th with Dr. Garcia in Tijuana and I'm ecstatic!!! Do ya hear me?? Ecstatic I say!!! lol And even a little nervous, but not about the surgery itself, but what my body will look like in the aftermath. I've been over weight since I was 11 will be 30 this month and I've grown so accustomed to my plus size body. I know how to best cover up this roll or how to squeeze and tuck this or that in. I know what clothes to wear that flatters me best. Yes, I said flatter. Even at 340 lbs flattery can be found lol. Basically my being overweight has turned me into a control freak. And I don't know what this new body's going to be like. I know that I'll be happier and healthier because of the weight loss. But physically I'm without a clue. I have to become confident and accepting of my body all over again. This took me so long to do in the first place. Maybe I'm over thinking it? I don't know. Either way this surgery has been a long time coming,12yrs in fact and I will embrace it the best way possible. I need this. I need to become healthy and have some semblance of a life again and to give myself a fighting chance. Right now I'm 340.2 lbs as of this morning but my highest has been 350+ The plus? I have no Idea. The Dr's scale didn't go beyond that... frightening. So I thought it best to post in this group. I would like to get down to 140-150 lbs but I would be fine with 160 lbs. I know 140 lbs seems low, but I'd like to give myself a bit of a cushion in case of weight gain. Okay so here's my stats. 5'6 HW: 350+ CW: 340.2 GW: 140-160 LBS

I'm considering getting banded (yay me!) But my body can be very frustrating some times, most recent example was gaining 8+ lbs in the span of 3 days (not it's not Water weight.) So it sparked the thought - I'm not sure how I'll handle GAINING weight after being banded. I'm curious if anyone gained a significant amount of weight in the first year and how much? Did you get it back off again? Thanks for any feedback!

thant is not what I needed to hear pizzicato,if mine get any heavier I will have to miss work 5 days everymonth. My girlfriend had by-pass done in June/07 and she said she skipped a couple of periods that is what I am hoping for. The pill was the beginning of my yrs. of weight gain. I gained 20pds like overnight with the pill. I got off of them about 6 yrs. ago thought that would help but the damage was done I was on them approx.14 yrs.

I just researched some of the medicine I am still on and the say they cause weight gain. I am 3 weeks post op and now scared to death these meds are going to slow me down in my weight loss journey.My goal is to be off all my meds as the weight comes off but until then is it sabotaging my weight loss? Does anyone else have this concern?

The other rule is no drinking with meals. There are lots of post on that topic. Drinking at least 10 minutes before meals and you'll feel full faster. If you eat with your meal., you will wash your food out of your stomach and experience hunger shortly thereafter.. then you'll eat more, there by adding calories and eventually stop your weight loss and even go to weight gain. Many surgeons and NUTS give varying advice bot most are consistent with following a high protein and low carb way of eating for life. Low sugar often relates to low junk food, sweets, desserts which of course will add to weight gain. Protein helps weight loss ( I forget why but I'm pretty sure it helps ). There are usually reasons for the guidelines. ONce you reach your goal weight you eating lifestyle will be what works for you. Be sure its still a healthy way of eating or you will gain weight and that is not a sleeve myth.. that is a sleeve fact. Good Luck with your journey.

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Happy Halloween! It’s a fun time and the beginning of the holiday season. We’re celebrating a lot here at BariatricPal, and we’re super excited to share it with you! Here’s what’s in this newsletter. The BariatricPal Store: Grand Opening! Your Ready for the Holidays? Thanks for your support and for making it possible for BariatricPal continue to grow. There’s no way we could do it without you. Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Grand Opening of The BariatricPal Store! We are so excited to announce the grand opening of The BariatricPal Store! We know, The BariatricPal Store doesn’t fit into a Halloween newsletter because it’s anything but spooky, but we just can’t stop talking about it! That’s why we’re offering 10% off all orders with coupon code SPOOKY10 just for you! Your Source for Bariatric Protein, Meals, Snacks, and supplements Weight loss surgery changes everything, especially your diet. You need to get enough protein without too many calories; eat a nutritious diet while keeping portions in check; and get your Vitamins and minerals without fail. It can be overwhelming and time-consuming…unless you have help. The BariatricPal Store can give you the help you need. We have the protein supplements, meals, snacks, and vitamins to help you lose weight and get healthy. Protein bars, shakes, and powders. Low-calorie, high-protein snacks, Entrees and breakfasts. Bariatric vitamins and Fiber supplements. Make Weight Loss Shopping Easy We know you need the top products, and they need to be healthy, nutritionist-approved, and convenient. We have all that! We also have: Tons of BariatricPal brand products. Product packages so you can pick up a bundle at once for a discounted price. meal plans for the pre-op and post-op diets, plus maintenance and back-on-track diets, so you can easily pick up the foods you need to stay on track. Sampler packs of different items so you can try different varieties to see which you like best. Other Reasons to Shop The BariatricPal Store We truly believe we’re number one. Here are just a few more reasons why. Subscribe and Save options on every product so you can get automatic re-delivery, 5% discounts, and free shipping on each order. Lowest prices – guaranteed. Free shipping on orders over $69. Save money with sales and discounts plus our Refer-A-Friend program. For help, you can look at the FAQs, give us a call at 855 WLS-BPAL (855 957-725), or use our live chat with a customer service specialist during business hours. Visit store.bariatricpal.com often to see current specials, and check out our blog for updates on promotions and new products. We can’t wait to take this next step in helping you reach your weight loss and health goals! Your Healthy Halloween Plan Halloween is about costumes, haunted houses, and scares. Unfortunately, some of the “scares” are the ones that show up on the scale if you eat too many Halloween treats, or the “scares” that come from feeling sick from too much sugar. You don’t have to experience the bad scares this Halloween, though. The trick? Plan ahead! Here are a few things to think about as Halloween approaches. Trick-Or-Treating Almost everyone is affected by trick-or-treating. If you have kids, you’ll probably find one or several big bags of Halloween candy showing up at your home when they come back from trick-or-treating. Your best defense here is to have a healthy dinner before taking them out. Then, focus on anything other than candy – you might fix your children’s costumes, be the flashlight holder, or designate yourself as the neighborhood crossing guard to keep kids safe. If you don’t have children, you may be the one handing out candy to the neighborhood children, which probably means buying a bunch of candy to give out. If that’s the case, you’re best off choosing candy that you don’t like that much, so you’re less tempted to eat it. Again, have a healthy dinner, and focus on other things besides candy for the evening. You might work on answering the door in a scary way, or taking photos of the cute costumes you see to share with the kids’ parents tomorrow. The Aftermath No matter what happens on your weight loss surgery journey, there’s always tomorrow. After Halloween, “tomorrow” is November 1. Take inventory. See what’s in your home that shouldn’t be there. Get rid of the extra candy. If you must keep some candy in your house because of your kids, make sure it’s not tempting you. You can always ask them to hide it away in their rooms. You can also make a game out of it: have them label each piece so they and you will both know if you “steal” some. Go for a walk. There’s nothing like a walk to clear your head and get you ready to go back to healthy eating patterns. Halloween’s scary, but it shouldn’t be scary because of the weight gain. It should be scary because of the fun things you get to do. With a little planning, that’s exactly how your Halloween can be. Healthy Halloween Tips Did you know there are tons of fun things you can do to get into the Halloween spirit without touching a piece of candy? Here are a few ideas! Go for a Walk It’s true…walking is really quite a good answer to most questions. How to burn off a few extra calories before Halloween? Go for a walk. How to enjoy the Halloween decorations in your neighborhood? Go for a walk. How to let your kids show off their Halloween costumes to all the neighbors? Go for a walk. Get the point? Get moving! Volunteer That’s right. You may think that volunteering is just asking for trouble, since you may be faced with a lot of candy. In truth, it’s a chance to be surrounded by the Halloween spirit while being so busy you don’t have time to grab a treat. Volunteering at a local school, homeless shelter, or retirement home can be the perfect way to immerse yourself in Halloween. Help decorate for a party, serve treats, clean up afterwards, or help make costumes. You’ll be appreciated, and you’ll get to be a part of the holiday in a way that’s healthy for your body and soul. Make Healthy Treats It’s true…treats make Halloween so much better. But you can do better than chocolate, candy corn, and decorated Cookies and cupcakes. Here are a few ideas. Greek yogurt popsicles: Use a little sweetener and keep them white for ghosts, or add some pumpkin and cinnamon and shape them into pumpkin shapes. Then you can decorate them like jack-o-lanterns! Jack-o-lantern orange protein cups: hollow out oranges to leave the peel mostly intact. You can “carve” a face in the peel shell to make it look like a jack-o-lantern, and fill it with cottage cheese or fruit. Greek yogurt “eyes:” freeze circular spoonfuls of Greek yogurt with blueberries for eyes. A happy, safe, and healthy Halloween however you choose to Celebrate it. Don’t forget to come talk about yours on the boards at BariatricPal! See you there!

Hi, I am 5 months post op from my gastric sleeve surgery! I weigh myself every Saturday morning once a week. Since the Gastric Sleeve surgery I had lost 59 lbs. Got on the scale and it said I gaine 3.7 lbs. in 1 week since last weigh in...anyone have did happen? I did not deviate from my diet seems odd. Out of 22 weeks I have gained weight in only 4 weeks usually lose between .5 - 2 lbs per week! thanks, Rob

I am having a really hard time and just wanted to express how I was feeling to people that understand. I'm almost 6 weeks pregnant and couldn't be happier, except for the weight gain thing. I haven't finished losing my weight and right now I'm terrified. I had to get completely unfilled, no morning sickness, but it's as if the moment I conceived my band became too tight. I was getting stuck with EVERYTHING I ate. I have already gained 4 pounds. I know that doesn't sound like a lot, but I'm freaking out. I have been so hungry, I wake up needing to eat something. his morning I had an anxiety attack and I can't do this, it's not healthy for me (or the baby)to be so stressed about my weight. I'm trying to relax and calm down.... How did you guys accept this, or did you? :smile2:

You're not alone! It's hard, even when you KNOW that it's healthy to gain some weight. I'm at 27 weeks and have managed to keep my weight gain to about 13 pounds so far. That said, my doc's visit yesterday was the first where I saw a big jump-- 5 pounds in a month. It was hard. I'm also looming up on 250, which is another mental block. I started at 322, so I KNOW I'm still WAY thinner than I was. For me, it helped to continue to plan meals and menus and workout as my body allows (starting to run into limitations there.) I don't obsessively count calories, though I check periodically to see that I'm not WAY off base. I've stuck to a moderately bandster friendly diet and have intentionally enjoyed some non-bandster favorites that don't work when my band is tight. HOWEVER, I'm eating more things like big leafy salads (light on the dressing) and raw veggies that I have trouble with otherwise. I'm enjoying a few more whole grain breads and other HEALTHY options that would otherwise give me trouble. My latest obsession is a broccoli coleslaw recipe from an online blog--I eat it by the bowl, sometimes as lunch itself. By enjoying the healthy stuff that doesn't work with the band, I feel like I'm getting a treat in exchange for the weight gain. The sugary/fatty stuff doesn't make me feel good, so I avoid it. It's hard. And depressing. And crazy-making. You're not at ALL unreasonable for finding the prospect of weight gain terrifying. But you DID THE RIGHT THING by getting the unfill! Don't forget that a good 20-25 pounds of pregnancy weight gain is baby-related, NOT counting maternal fat gain! That doesn't mean you'll be 20 pounds lighter the day after babe is born, but you'll be on your way. AND you have your band. It WILL work after baby is here! Good luck to you. There are lots of successful bandsters who have had babies, lost the weight, and gone on to reach goals. You can be one too!

Generally they want to know if there are any underlying psychological issues behind your weight gain and whether you have the fortitude to stay with the program.

You have done a great thing for yourself. If your mom is like mine, maybe she did something like tell everyone to not mention it. People just do the weirdest things sometimes. But you have done a great thing for yourself, and I guess people don't know how to react. It is like they are waiting for the regain....I get a lot of those lap band stories b/c people do not know the difference between surgeries. At least we grow up and get to have husbands that appreciate it, heh? I had a funeral to go to yesterday and it was awkward b/c there were a lot of people that haven't seen me in years and they didn't know what to say. They knew I had surgery I'd imagine. But I just said that I'd been fat for 20 years and figured it was time for a change. Or I said I decided to lose my pregnancy weight gain after 12 years - kind of made a joke. The worst part was b/c my clothes are all falling off I had nothing cute in black so had to wear a bright pink suit so I really stuck out at the funeral. Simply b/c I had nothing to wear like a skirt or dress. It was sorta funny b/c I hadn't thought no one else would wear a summer color, and they didn't. I was like a light bulb. I laughed it off. They probably thought I planned that, but I just didn't have any dressy clothes in my size. haha

I was banded last Friday and am surprised by the amount of pain I am in - I decided to weigh myself today and found that I had gained 1 1/2 pounds even though I am eating at the most 3 Protein shakes a day and Water. I decided today to stop using the pain medication prescribed by my Dr. I(in case it was increasing my constipation) even though I still feel very sore, especially when I lie down or get up from a lie-down position. I haven't been able to have a bowel movement and am wondering if that is increasing the soreness I am feeling. I started to take Colase (stool softener) and today I took Correctol but still no luck. I'm sort of ranting today - feeling uncertain about what to expect and whether this is normal. All I know is that I hurt, am constipated, have no hunger, but am gaining weight. Oh yeah! The other thing is that I am on an Insulin Pump and I haven't needed to add any insulin since this started which means the pump is giving me about 70 units a day spread out over 24 hours. Prior to getting the banding, I was using about 300 units a day and still had uncontrollable blood sugar levels.

Long time no post...Reason, no weight loss and very busy. Yup. A little frustrated on the no weight losss but pretty excited about the NO WEIGHT gain!!!! Yeah it sounds weird but it's true. I am very excited about another thing. I found a few new snack that are great tasting as well as healthy and full of productive calories not empty ones. My husband and I found Whole Food's Supermarkets. Ok, I would of never went into this place a few months back because it just didn't interest me. plus, I never understood what it was about. Well, guess what... I love it now!!!! i found some Soy rice cakes, some honey roasted soy nuts, dried/baked veggies that really taste yummy. Even my kids loved it. I am so pleased that my kids loved it because no we can all enjoy a healthier lifestyle together!!! I also went to Trader Joe's (also another supermarket) and found some dried fruits and fruit snack that taste like fruit roll ups and only 70 calories!!!! HOLY SH... I can fill my sweet tooth!!!! So a heads up to all those sweet tooths out there...there are other healthier and "allowed" sweets out there, we just need to look for them in the right place!!!!!

Love my band...and have had good success (started at 234 and got down to 167) HOWEVER...I have had some complications with a esophageal distention and needed to have all but 1cc of fluid left in. I've gained 25 lbs from my initial loss and am feeling very discouraged. Vicious cycle..loss=motivation...Complications=weight gain...Weight gain=depression and depression=eating....you get the picture. Anyone else had these sort of ups and downs?

From my own experiences, I know that if I eat carbs from candy or fruit I tend to hold or gain weight and experience sugar cravings. If the same amount of carbs come from beans/vegetables I don't experience weight gain and I don't get sugar cravings. The guidelines I was given said try to have 75% Protein 25% carbs per meal. And by carbs they were referring to fibrous vegetables like greens/beans/squash/eggplant - nothing that could be quickly converted into sugar like fruit or potatoes or Pasta or rice.

Take your scale out back and smash it with a sledge hammer. You are sabotaging yourself. Seriously I never weighed myself throughout my losing process. I never had a stall or a gain. Always happy with the progress because I only got weighed at my doctors office. As long as you are following your doctors plan you will make it. You also have to remember you are still healing. Your body is under attack and it is trying to adjust. You are still flushing out the meds they gave you and your body is also starting to flush out the toxins you stored up. That does not happen over night. That will happen a long the way as well. But you are not in a place right now to worry about a stall or weight gain. As long as you are looking straight ahead and doing what you are suppose to do. You will be who you want to be. Okay hun!

I had my pre-op class today and I have gained 6 lbs. I was told I should lose it as fresh weight gain goes right to the abdomen and takes up the room they need to operate.If there is not enough room for the intruments, they won't do the surgery. Yikes! Also ran through the possibility of having the tube put in BEFORE you go nto surgery. I would defo panci. I hope they take it out before I wake up too.

what contributed to your weight gain? Just curious? Could there be a leak? Or do you think that you just became complacent and not watching what went in your mouth? We all get that way at times? I'm just asking so maybe your experience can help others, can you share a little more on your battle. The good news is like your title states - Your back! We are all battling this thing together. The great news that you do have a little helper called "the Band", its always there ready to help you when your ready to use it. You have proven you can do it, so dont be discouraged and we can do it together!