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Is your doctor concerend that you can still drink liquids at 3.5cc's. I'm at 2cc's and if the liquid is too cold or too thick I cant drink it. I can not imagine what I would be like at 3.5..probably all closed up. 2cc's is hard enough. Does he do your fills under fluoro? Do you drink the barium so he can see your restriction? That makes a big difference for me to be able to see it for myself , to know he hit my port and to see the barium trickling down through the band... The Wellbutrin will help like the prozac did but without the weight gain, be careful, you may feel nauseas the first week or so and with the band you do not want to be throwing up. I took wellbutrin( pre band) but the nausea was so bad the first 10 days I had to stop taking it, I knew it was going to get better as it got into my system but I could not hang on for that too happen. I had no appetite what so ever..I'm glad I was able to make you feel a little better..hang in there!

Hey Sultana don't get down..getting off the Prozac will help. I was on Paxil for a year and a half and gained 65 pounds. I weaned myself off it after my doctor told me a side affect was weight gain and that it slows down your metabolic rate ( wish he would of told me this before he prescribed it for me) Once the prozac is completely out of your system you will notice a huge difference. You are not a faliure.. losing 30 pounds the first year is better then gaining 30 pounds ...would you have lost the 30 pounds without the help of your band? I'm sure the answer is NO or you would of never gotten the band right? You're doing great! The way I see it...any weight loss is better then any weight gain! Keep it up and try not to get discouraged

Aha! You, too, have been on the weight gain train. I needed to lose 130-150 pounds. Twenty or thirty came along with a very early surgically-related menopause. And then there were Prednisone pounds...about forty of those. And then there were Prozac pounds, p'rolly around thirty, and then there were the twenty or thirty from the Effexor/Paxil/Zoloft months. Which explains the lion's share of my weight gain. PLEASE, PLEASE tell me how the Wellbutrin works.

I have been very very good about logging all my intake of food, my activities, and my weight every day (Note: I know a lot of people don't like to weigh every day. However, I find that I get very attentive to those .6 and .8 pound fluctuations and it keeps me in line better, rather than adjusting to seeing 1+ pound weight fluctuations over a week or so...my theory being that if you get used to the "pound-plus" on the scales you are more likely to backslide into 2-3-4 pound fluctuations....just my own philosophy). I have noticed a definite correlation between the days I "overeat" (over 950 cal) and the subsequent weight upswing within about 2-3 days. I was out on the web looking for guidance on just how long it takes before the "bad days" turn to noticeable weight gain. I found this interesting.... Temporary weight gain could appear quickly after a large meal or two, but that does not mean that if you've overdone it, you're doomed. After all, daily weight fluctuations are normal. Generally speaking though, if you keep your calories burned in line with your calories consumed over a week's time, you shouldn't gain -- 3,500 calories is equal to one pound. If you do have a surplus of 3,500 calories by the end of one week, most people will be up a pound from the prior week. The most worrisome is the gradual weight gain that people experience, which is more likely to represent new pounds that you truly gain over time. Keep a food diary to try and help combat this gradual weight gain and (you knew this was coming) exercise regularly!

Concerning long term weight management, daily weighing does help. This is from the study, "Consistent self-monitoring of weight: a key component of successful weight loss maintenance" found on US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health website. Consistent self-weighing may help individuals maintain their successful weight loss by allowing them to catch weight gains before they escalate and make behavior changes to prevent additional weight gain. While change in self-weighing frequency is a marker for changes in other parameters of weight control, decreasing self-weighing frequency is also independently associated with greater weight gain.

First off, Thank you to all the well wishers. I didn't have that hard of a fight. I met 2 out of the three items for their criteria. I'm just glad I have finally been approved. I know my life is going to change for the healthier. As far as the weight gain goes, yes, I do have to gain back what I busted my butt to lose. And to answer the question yes it is for insurance. 43.9 is not the same as 45 as far as BMI is concerned in their book, so I need to maintain 45 or better. I will keep all of you posted, thanks again for the congrats and the well wishes!!! Mike

Well, I have been pretty vocal about my slow weight loss. Im 3 months out and have only lost about 37 lbs. Some days the restriction is full on, other days, like today, I barely feel anything. I dont know why some days are more restricted than others. Most times, more often then not, Im crying over slow weight loss and other days.. well, Im happy about things so far. HIT OR MISS..What helped me was looking at pics of me prior to my weight loss and pics of me now. I had 80lbs to go and I am half way there in three months. Well, not to bad all things considered, but I wanted to lose at least 15 per month so in my opinion, im behind about 8 lbs. But, at least there is loss. I remember for years one month turning into the next, no loss and in fact weight gain. Im done with being negative because whats done is done.. Cant go back.. just gonna think positive and DO MY PART, MEANING Water AND EXERCISE. I realized way in the first few weeks, this really is ONLY TOOL. I watch what I eat more now than ever. Still, I would have to say, no regrets.. In no way, absolutely no way do i feel like a lab rat. Hell, I remember in 2001 wanting and researching LapBand. People didnt have long term clinical studies and it was considered experimental then. Soooo... at the least I am a LAB DIVA!

Averaging 800 calories a day at eight weeks out, any weight gain is most likely Water and will quickly disappear. Walking will almost certainly increase your weight loss and reduce the time it takes. It also will help you maintain your goal weight. Lots of options - early morning, late evening, lunch time, neighborhood, treadmill, nearby park, mall - whatever fits with your schedule and your preferences. Start slow and work your way up over time. Even 20 minutes will make a big difference. Set a goal of at least three times a week, four is even better. If you stick with it, you may find that it quickly becomes addictive!

Not banded yet June 20 my date I know how I was in the past before the weight gain so I can just imagine afterwards. A lot of people I know who got banded got pregnant less than a year after being banded

I think this thread goes on this forum, not wher I posted before... Hi all! Tomorrow marks my fourth month post surgery. What has this journey been like? Well... 1. No leakage or any other serious complication- thank God! 2. I never expected the post surgery experience I had. Anxiety and depression, like I've never witnessed in myself or anyone else. kicked in about two weeks post. Uncontrollable, snowballing, unexplainable, irrational fear, sadness, and regret. I went on tranquilizers, developed a mild dependecy on the benzo, had to follow a tapering process, but all ended well. This experience is unforgettable to me and my family! Everyone entering this surgery process should be aware that this is a possible reaction to surgery. I'm not sure if only to this type of surgery, or all. The more the time passes, the more I see posts that relate to my experience. So far I've contacted six people with less, exact, or worse anxiety and depression after the sleeve. Be aware of this possibility. Know that it can debiliate you, thus you need a safety net. However, also be aware that it passes. Thank God, all that is in the past. But the experience I don't think I will ever forget. 3. Because of #2, an improved appreciation for God, life and for all my loved ones. 4. Weight loss: forty pounds down- yay! 5. Besides #2, the most impacting part of this experience is accepting the fact that the surgery did not rid my addiction to food, nor my unhealthy eating habits. I completed a mandated five month program before surgery. The instructor endlessly stressed to start working on our eating patterns and habits before surgery, to ease the transition and have more success with the procedure. As much as this was emphasized, I didn't do it. It was also emphasized that the surgery didn't cure our addiction and relationships to food, this too I ignored. To me, surgery would cure my addiction to food, would for ever change my eating patterns, and never again would I experience the vicious cycle of binging, guilt, shame, weight gain, etc. etc. etc. In my mind I figured I'd be forced to change because my body wouldn't tolerate overeating. I ached for a change, and surgery would force the change on me....problem solved! I awaited surgery with glee and faith. Well, the story goes otherwise. I have changed some of my eating patterns and you will find plenty healthy veggies and fruits, plus lean meats in my fridge. I joined the gym for the first time in my life, and through therapy am trying to sort out my relationship with food. However, surgery hasn't forced a change on me. You know those stories of having to induce vomit (or it naturally occuring) due to overeating? NEVER happens to me, NEVER! I cannot eat as much as before, but defenitley more than I expected. I can eat a full cup of spaghetti with cheese and sour cream in one sitting. I'll finish it, feel full, and stop eating. But thirty minutes later my pouch has made room, and I can take some more in. This especially happens when I eat out and we usually sit around chatting for a while. Time passes and I'll start nibling at my food again. I can eat about half a cup more--without being hungry. Why do I do it? I'm working on understanding it. Those stories of no longer tolerating fatty, sugary, lactose, or other foods- not I. I can eat EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING. Dumping syndrome? I don't even know what that is. Having to chew food to mushy consistency- not I. I chew, but never to the consistency I thought I'd have to. Taste buds change post surgery- not mine. Not one of the billions of taste buds have changed- at all! Bottom line, this surgery didn't force any change on me. I have gone up and down in weight, and can't seem to break the 40 pounds mark. It's been this way for the past five weeks. I still experience the disappointment in myself over food choices and behavior. The shame and guilt sneak up, and soon I'm angry and feel defeated. All the emotions, habits, and challenges I faced with food and weight pre surgery I face now too. I thought I'd be facing these issues two years after surgery when my pouch has relaxed and expanded a bit, and many regain the weight. I thought that by that time my life would be extraordinarily wonderful- that I'd never regain the weight and give up my success and joy. Well, it's only been four months and I'm facing reality already. Everyone considering surgery needs to know this. I think those who've had success with the sleeve have had it because they've made changes that have yielded the success. The sleeve itself will not yield it. Maybe everyone already knows this, but I have been known to be a late bloomer. Do I regret having had surgery? Honestly, there is nothing to regret. I had (and pray that it continues) zero complications, I still enjoy food, have a very active social life, have gone down a size in clothes, and experience no pain, vomit, nausea, or anything of the sort. I feel blessed that my surgery has gone so smooth, pain free, and complication free. I pray that it continues to do so. I prefer to deal with my current issues, than any physical complication. There really is nothing to regret. On the contrary, I believe this surgery has a higher purpose in my life. It isn't yielding the weight success I imagined, but it is forcing me to look deep into myself and work with what is out of balance. I can't run away from it anymore. I refuse to have gone through this experience and continue on the road of addiction, caught in that endless dark cycle. This is the change my sleeve had brought to my life. My progress comes in baby steps, but I'll get there. God bless you all!

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 :-)

Sooooo it's been a long road, I have lost weight gained it and then finally decided to get the sleeve, I am extremely nervous, I've never had surgery before so the feeling of not having control of my body is freakin me out!!! But I trust everything will come out well and im excited! I read on some forums that most had to do a 2 week liquid diet, my surgeon only advised me to do a liquid diet the day before I hope all will be well! But tomorrow 730am is the time!!! ???????????????? I look forward to starting a healthy lifestyle as a new sleever!! ✊

I am 13 months out from surgery (at goal weight) and frequent the BP boards for the exact reasons you stated. I agree that it is way too easy to become relaxed once you are at maintenance and let old habits creep in. I find "checking in" daily helps me with accountability and even though reading the same posts over and over again from the newbies about hair loss, Protein intake, incision care, the best Protein drinks to buy, Vitamins making them sick, etc. gets really boring after awhile, I'm also reminded of the rules over and over again that I should be following that I sometimes have become relaxed on! Reading these posts and sharing my experience helps keep me on track! I help them to help me! Sadly, it becomes all too common for those of us farther out from surgery to abandon the support of these boards. I think that is a BIG MISTAKE. The reality is there IS truth to a honeymoon phase. There will come a time were you will stop losing weight. There will come a time where you can eat whatever you want. I chuckle every time I read a post from someone who just had surgery worried that they can hardly eat anything. Now with that being said, I can now sit in a restaurant and eat like a "normal" person but my new normal is far from where I was pre-surgery. I know how big my new tummy is and I don't try and eat beyond it's capability. I still get a full feeling after eating 3/4-1 cup of food. Certain foods now make me feel sick (sandwiches) so I avoid them. I didn't come into this process with food addiction issues (PCOS contributed to my weight gain) so I had one less thing to make the process difficult. With that being said, I even find old habits starting to creep in. My tendency not to plan meals ahead of time and eat on the go was a biggie for me. I was finding myself eating out more than a few times this past week. These extra calories will add up over time. I'm being extra vigilant planning meals ahead of time this week. We all need to take a look at what contributed to our weight gain. Especially those dealing with food addiction issues. It is common to substitute one addiction for another. What I can say, is losing weight has been the easy part in this process for me. I was able to get to my goal weight without issue. What I wasn't prepared for was the process I would go through in accepting my new body. I still view my body with a fat lens at times and its only when I see myself in photographs that I realize how much weight I've lost! Anyway.... Welcome back! There's no judging here. The fact that you came back and made your post shows how committed you are. I applaud you for sharing your experience with others. Let the newbies learn from our mistakes. We will continue to pick ourselves up and carry on. This is a ongoing journey that never ends. We are all here to support you. ????

Bandiva: four pounds in three weeks is a healthy weight loss. Losing weight too quickly can stress out the body and can lead to an equally quick weight gain further down the road. In fact this seems to be why many diets fail: the weight comes off quickly without the body having a chance to adjust to a lower set-point and then when we ingest a few extra calories those are converted instantaneously into unwanted fat!! The end result is that your metabolism becomes even more efficient at turning anything you eat into personal lard. Remember that 4 lbs in 3 weeks is 8 lbs in 6 weeks and that they say that this biz of getting to your target weight the lapband way is a two-year project. IMHO you are doing very well, grrl!

Obesity is a disease in of itself, and a lot of us don't have a food addiction. I didn't. I was diagnosed with PCOS two years ago, but I have probably had it for years. In 2014, before my diagnosis, I gained 50 lbs from May to August with no negative changes in my diet. Matter of fact, I changed my diet to no avail. The weight gain was due to the PCOS, not my diet. I'm having gastric bypass surgery after doing a lot of research. I still need my brain and hormones reset in order to lose weight and keep it off. I also did not have a weight problem when I was a child. I only started to have weight issues after I had my daughter. I couldn't lose the weight and keep it off. My point is there are many reasons why people need wls. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I would honestly say avoid Fast food places-too much temptation in the beginning. Also, fast food is frozen, or soaked in salt. My brother runs a chicken chain, my boys both work in fast food and I come from a family of restaurant owners. Good ol' home cooking is best for weight loss! If you must, stick to the fresh items...like salads-thnigs that are raw. The chili's and other items have a tonne of sodium and preservatives. Preservatives are linked to causing weight gain...http://www.organicliaison.com/blog/2010/09/09/why-preservatives-additives-and-other-chemicals-cause-weight-gain/ ...and I would be soooo tempted to order "just a side" of fries! I went dining out with friends last night and ordered musself in wine sauce and passed my side of fries around the table-it was awsome-soft Protein, 7 cals a mussel and no guilt. If possible, make your own fast food at night for lunch-grill a bunch of chicken breasts and make a honey garlic dip or use a low fat dressing, and toss a big salad....I just have no willpower with fast food restaurants! Old habits die hard

Imaducky, What do you know of certain astrological signs and weight issues. I've read that Taurus and Cancer have issues with weight gain, do you know anything about that? brandyII, (:smile:not looking for another excuse)

Eating out a lot for me always causes weight gain or no loss even though I am careful with my selections. Restaurants add a lot of salt, butter, oils and who knows what else to make the food taste really good and there is a tendency to eat just a little more of it then I would if eating at home. You might try checking out menus online to you know in advance what you are going to order along with the calories and nutritional value. At least you will know how much you are really consuming. If you are having problems with portion control you can try eating no more than the size of your fist and see if you are satisfied for 3 to 4 hours. If you find you are hungry still or snacking in between you might need a little tweak of a fill. Good luck!

This has been my experience on who to tell? I just had my lapband done May 25th and initially told just immediate family members and two close friends. I was reluctant to tell a sister who quite frankly, has been condescending relative to my weight gain over the past ten years. To my surprise.... my two close friends were more than supportive and did have the capacity and sensitivity to understand the weight struggle (they both have weight issues but are not considered morbidly obese as I am.) My point being, I for one, am glad I chose to take a leap of faith and tell them because I do have thier support and it helps a lot, with one caveat, do not tell people that you know are not supportive or opportunistic in trying to sabatoge your weight loss journey. Just my two cents.

Ouch!! As you said, the weight gain is probably from the bruising. I read the thread initially hoping you had found a way to gain weight, fast. I am continuing to struggle with weight loss and poor appetite - six lbs in a matter of days sounded great, until I read the cause. Feel better! And Happy Birthday!

Just to play devils advocate. My Dr wanted me to do the duodenal switch, but I was adamant I wanted the sleeve. If down the road I decide I'm gaining weight and want to I can do a revision to RNY. I like the fact there is no dumping and no malabsorption. I don't know the statistics on weight gain, but I worked with a girl who had the Rny and she previously weighed 600 lbs, I saw pictures. When I started working with her she weighed 220. By the end of one 1 year she had gained back to 400 lbs. Not sure how this is even possible? So I'm not sure if you can gain with either one? Personally, I don't ever want to he super thin. So, it might be something to think about. If you want to be thin, I think rny offers a better, longer weight loss future. Best wishes. You will do great!

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!

I had a massive (cantaloupe-sized) cyst removed, along with one ovary and the attached fallopian tube, years before being banded. Actually, I think my obesity prevented me from identifying the problem early on; I assumed the newish protrusion was just a symptom of uneven weight gain. I'm sorry to tell you that you won't lose much permanent weight if your cyst is the size of mine or smaller. This surgery was done before I got my band, so I don't have any band-related tales to report. But last year, one year post-band, I had a hysterectomy. The band did not get in the way at all, and in fact the surgeon reported that my recovery would be easier than with the first surgery since I was nearly 70 pounds lighter this time around. I lost about 6-8 pounds in the first weeks after I left the hospital, due not to the weight of the fibroids (etc.) that left my body but to my lack of appetite. That little side effect didn't last long, though. Good luck to you. The surgery is no fun -- band placement is a lot easier on the body -- but you'll feel much better without that grapefruit pressing on your internal organs.

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but no surgery is going to fix head hunger. In the early stages, yes, you're experiencing actual hunger. I've said this a half million times on here, but my example is this: I can eat right before I leave work and feel super full. An hour later when I get home I feel hungry again. Why? Because it's head hunger and old (bad) habits of always eating as soon as I got home from work. No different than my old smoking habits. Got done with a meal. Had to smoke. Didn't matter if I had a smoke five minutes before dinner. I always had to have one right after. It's the habit of it and my brain telling me I "need" it even though I actually don't. Studies will show differently, but on average water in an empty stomach can pass through in 5-15 minutes. Yes, there are a host of things to take into account but the point is people act surprised when they drink and don't feel a full sensation. Grazing is one of the hardest battles to fight. That can easily lead to weight gain and slow down your progress. If you aren't doing a food journal do one. If you aren't actually measuring your food get a scale and measuring cups. The mental side to WLS is something that (IMO) isn't stressed enough to many. My doc's office did a pretty good job of prepping us for it, but it's still difficult when it actually comes time to fight back against old habits.

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....