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You are far, far from alone. You've found a great place to hang out and bounce thoughts and ideas around with folks that have been where you are. It absolutely sucks to not have family support. That is something that is beyond your span of control. Right now it's time to rally and focus. Don't worry about things that you have no direct control over. Simply take care of the details that you can.....such as getting all your ducks in a row leading up to surgery.....following your eating plan and getting your mind wrapped firmly about the changes that you're making to claim your health. Any type of surgery has risks. I've heard the spiel each time I went under for repairs to my knees, ankle, hernia repairs and etc. Each time I woke up feeling relieved that it was over and all that was left was to heal and recover. I'm a special kind of stupid, though, in that I'm always tearing something up in some misadventure or another. Oh well......having fun has it's risks, too. Nothing is as risky as living at the weight I was last year, though. The Grim Reaper's shadow was creeping over me. Stroke, heart attack or worse was a real threat. Now......nothing could be further from my mind. The sleeve was a gift. The benefits it has delivered have been rolling in ever since. It starts with small things....scale moving in a great direction, clothes getting loose, aches and pains subsiding.......then it leads to other events.......having blood pressure go into normal range, after falling into "low" range briefly....lol at those low bp feels....never before had I experienced it. I was at Best Buy reaching down to get a CD from the lower shelf and I almost.....almost blacked out. It took a huge effort to get upright and breathing. Turns out my bp meds and the 3 week post-sleeve weight loss had joined forces bigtime. Funny stuff. I will wager this for you...........Those unsupportive folks will change their tune once they see your resolve. They will see that you aren't waiting around for a miracle, but taking steps and applying your effort and focus to make this happen. They can't help but be impressed by your dedication and work. It takes dedication and effort on your part of the sleeve to work. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. The stuff about being able to eat anything the first year and still lose lots of weight is bullcrap. It may apply to some.....but not to everyone. Eating the right foods is the crucial part for me. Sugars and starches will cause my losing to stop and weight gain to occur. I know this because I've had it happen last month. No.....losing weight takes effort on your part.....with or without wls. Once your family sees you putting forth this effort every single day.....and your weight coming off......they will most likely come around to supporting you. Don't hold your breath, though......just do your thing. Get healthy and reap the benefits of getting there. You'll find your stride and never look back. I have nothing but respect for you making this change. You are young and have a great life waiting for you. Don't sweat the pre-op diet and post-op first weeks......simply stick with the plan and work through it. It's a brief phase and you'll get on to losing very quickly if you stick with it. Go buy a full length mirror and get ready to see the progress....take lots of pictures along the way so you'll never forget what happens if you don't stay with the plan......and then look back and see how far you came and how good you feel. You've got this. Your new life is waiting......

What a great article.!! Makes me feel a little better knowing there are so many factors that may contribute to weight gain. I'm looking forward to my "fizz" scan next week. At least I'll finally know what the problem is with my 6 month weight stall. I have to learn to stop focusing on the negatives & get my mind in a more positive frame of mind! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I am 5 weeks post op and have been going up and down a few ounces to a pound..because of a stall...this morning I weighed in and gained 3 pounds... wth is this???? Anyone else have this happen???

Hi! I am 3 years out from my lap-band surgery. About 7 months ago, I started having a bit of discomfort under my left breast when I would bend over to pick something up. When I would be sitting down, I would lean back to avoid this feeling. I had my surgery in California, but have subsequently moved to PA and am followed by a surgeon in Pittsburgh. Over the phone twice (it is a 2-hour drive), they told me that it did not sound like anything band-related, perhaps, just some inflammation. It went completely away after a couple of months. Four months ago, I went to the ER with severe abdominal pain. After x-rays and a CT scan with contrast, they diagnosed me with constipation. Okay. I took some meds and did get rid of my constipation (!), BUT since then have had chronic diarrhea (sometimes just water). In the interim, as part of the workup to determine the cause of my diarrhea, weight loss, extreme fatigue, I had a colonoscopy and EGD. Last week, the EGD showed that my band has eroded into my stomach. Now, I obviously have been in contact with my surgeon in the city, and am scheduled for an upper GI series and interview, etc. next week. On the phone, however, they tell me that none of my symptoms have to do with my band. My PCP here says that he doesn't see how it could be anything but my band. I have even found an undissolved pill in my stool. Interestingly, one of the symptoms of erosion is supposed to be weight gain because of loss of restriction, but I have lost 25 pounds in these past few months and have very little appetite and still have lots of restriction. On films, my band is pretty far into my stomach; it is not a minor erosion. I come here wondering if anyone else has experienced these types of symptoms with erosion. Because if this hypermotility is not band-associated, I'm wondering what my next step will be. Oh, in case you're wondering, I have lost 75 pounds. :confused: Thanks, Kelli

I having been watching your post, and waiting to see replies. I have basically gained back all but 5 pounds of my pre-surgery weight. I spoke with the MD about my weight gain, since I have been filled and unfilled. He said if we couldn't get weight off with the band, he would recommend bypass. I was banded in May 07, and had lost a max of 59 pounds.

Everyone pretty much answered what I was thinking! In addition to their comment, I see you're on Seroquel. Did your dr explain to you than you can gain weight with that drug? When going over my options for a med to help me sleep, he brought up Seroquel. I siad let's try it. Then my psychiatrist adds "it'll probably put 10 more pounds on you", I said no. Has something to do with messing up your blood sugar. I've sinced learned from several docs that Seroquel causes weight gain. However, if that med is working for you, don't stop taking it because I said you'd gain weight - I'm just giving you facts about it. Google it. I hope things start going better for you, sweety! It was about 5 mths before I started losing anything also. I'm now at 8 mths - 36 lbs - it'll start for you too! Marci

Recently, I was reading the back of a Special K® Protein cereal box and saw a statement that lack of sleep can increase the feeling of hunger by 25 percent. Since I’m in a profession that is science based, I did some research on the National Library of Medicine website to verify this. I didn’t find the study that supported detailed that 25 percent increase in hunger when you don’t sleep enough. However, there were several areas where researchers are linking poor sleep and weight gain. If you are tired, you usually don’t feel like exercising. You move less, so you burn fewer calories. Being tired makes you more likely to choose a food like cake instead of salad. There were a couple of studies that did find an increase in ghrelin after poor sleep. Ghrelin is the gut hormone that makes you hungry. Sounds like the perfect storm for weight gain, right? You produce less ghrelin after surgery, which leads to less food intake. Part of weight loss after surgery is that you produce less ghrelin, which leads to less food intake. If eating more healthfully is a challenge for you, it may be that you need to start with better sleeping habits. By the way, that Special K protein cereal is a great add-in to light Greek yogurt. This is a great snack before surgery and about two months after surgery. Happy Zzzz’s!

I dont. I've been camera shy the past few years because of the weight gain. So I dont have an insta. But yes. That stuff really rewlly works. Its funny because my boyfriend thinks I have powers because everything I want i usually get. When I put my mind to it. Lol. Maybe we will be July surgery buddies!

Hey @@alishams86, I too have the nexplanon implant (this year in November will be my 3 year mark), but I was wondering if you have been noticing significant weight loss with it? I'm losing weight but not as fast as I thought being a bypass patient (and compared to others). I also felt like the implant had alot to do with my weight gain prior to surgery and after having my first child, but I have kept it because I like it's convenience and I just said I would work at trying to eat better and being more active. With that being said, have you noticed any weight changes or are you losing weight at a slower pace, or is it just me? Sent from my SM-G920V using the BariatricPal App

@@anthonyb It also depends on what you are eating. If you go from 1200 low carb calories to 1600-1800 carby calories, you are going to gain weight, just because your liver is going to be larger. Are you drinking alcohol? Did you exercise and stop? Are you going through a stressful time in your life? There are so many factors to weight gain.

According to this story, the gastric bypass surgery was done in 2007 and supposedly performed by an expert. I underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2013 and this story doesn't make much sense from my perspective. Before and after surgery, I underwent many steps. Firstly I had to undergo a psychiatric evaluation to see if I was qualified for the surgery, if there were underlying psychiatric issue that drove the weight gain, they had to be remediated prior to approval for surgery. In order to qualify for the surgery, my insurance required that I undergo a six month program of weight loss and exercise. I had to attend monthly support group meetings. Then there were a variety of medical tests that were performed to detect any medical conditions that may affect the outcome. So over a year went by since I started the process before I had the surgery. I also underwent a day of classroom training prior to the surgery that included very detailed information covering almost every aspect of the surgery and what was to follow and given a 1 inch binder of material to constantly refer to. After the surgery, I lost 120 pounds over the first 7 months. It was difficult because of the extent of the requirements (food types, food volumes, vitamin, etc.) But overall I was please with the surgery. Then there was yearly follow-ups. Gastric bypass surgery requires that the individual must take many types of vitamins for the rest of their lives. If someone fails to take those, their bodies will experience Vitamin deficiencies which caused damage in multiple organs. That is known up front. Every year for the first 5 years, I underwent extensive blood work. These test measured my various vitamin levels and allowed my doctor to fine tweak the vitamin levels. Also there was a mechanism in place for a psychologist in the event that psychological problems arose post surgery. There are many people involved in this process, not just the surgeon. They included nutritionist, psychologist, support group meetings etc. In order for this surgery to work effectively, it depends upon the compliance of the patient to follow the guidelines given and seek help when problems arise.

Welcome back, nice to see you! I'm right at 2 years, too, so I know how easily that snacking/grazing urge can kind of creep in. And life has also been pretty shitty for me this 2nd year out. One thing that has worked for me, to stop weight gain, drop of few extra pounds and get my head back in the game is to go back to basics. At first just switching to strict Protein and veggies after a particularly carb heavy weekend or holiday did the trick. But then I discovered simply going back to my liquid preop diet was even more effective. If I feel out of control of my eating habits or if I pop even 1 pound above my bounce range, I go back to the beginning. I stay on the strict liquids until I drop back to the bottom of my bounce range. Sticking with liquid Protein shakes and broth for a couple days helps in 3 ways.....clears the carb cravings, kind of tightens up my sleeve's restriction, and shows me I still have to willpower to do this. I find it empowering. A lot of people seem to get the same results with the formal 5 day pouch test. In fact I just did a couple days of liquids (still getting 60-80g protein/70-80oz fluids every day) so I am headed into the holidays at my lowest weight ever. I will snack and eat sweets guilt free next week! The other thing is your gallbladder. After 2 years I finally had mine taken out. Full of stones. Other than 4 seriously painful attacks, I didn't really have any symptoms in between the attacks. But it turns out I was having low grade acid issues because of it. Didn't realize how uncomfortable I was until I wasn't anymore. And I find myself not as "snacky" in the evenings. Good luck with whatever you end up doing!

I'm certainly no expert but if you went from 1200 cal to 1600-1800 cal and gained weight then maybe that WOULD explain the gain... I'm no doctor or anything but the addition of calories and the weight gain seem to be linked,... Perhaps a trip to the nutritionist might be in order... Good luck mate...

definitely get on top of that ASAP. It'll be a lot easier to lose 10 lbs than 50! If you're not still weighing, measuring, and logging your food, I'd start there. do keep in mind, though, that a 10-20 lb rebound weight gain is very common in year 3. It's just your body settling into whatever weight it wants to be. That's not to say you're stuck there - you CAN lose it - but if this your body's new "set point", just be aware that it's going to take some work to get down to - and maintain - a lower weight.

Don't you feel the world is attacking obese people this week? It seems each day a new article comes out with another poke at obesity. Now, they are saying that being obese is linked to mental illness and that the fat aren't jolly? True, I am an emotional eater, who added two hundred pounds following the deaths of my mother and my boyfriend --- BUT I have always been FAT AND JOLLY!! I never denied myself anything that gave pleasure, and food gave pleasure. Also, I am a people person, so sharing good company and good food -- with a lot of laughter -- was common in my life. Though I am learning smarter ways to manage my weight, I certainly don't want to lose the laughter and friends. Joyce Here's the AP article... Study says obesity, depression linked By LINDSEY TANNER The Associated Press CHICAGO — Obesity is strongly linked with depression and other mood disorders, according to a new study by Group Health Cooperative. Whether obesity might cause these problems or is the result of them is not certain, but there are theories to support both arguments. Depression often causes people to abandon activities, and some medications used to treat mental illness can cause weight gain. On the other hand, obesity is often seen as a stigma, and overweight people often are subject to teasing and other hurtful behavior. The study of more than 9,000 adults found that mood and anxiety disorders, including depression, were about 25 percent more common in the obese people studied than in the nonobese. Substance abuse was an exception; obese people were about 25 percent less likely to abuse drugs or alcohol than slimmer participants. The results appear in the July issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, released Monday. The lead author was Dr. Gregory Simon, a researcher with Group Health in Seattle. The results "suggest that the cultural stereotype of the jolly fat person is more a figment of our imagination than a reality," said Dr. Wayne Fenton of the National Institute of Mental Health, which funded the study. "The take-home message for doctors is to be on the lookout for depression among their patients who are overweight," Fenton said. Both conditions are quite common. About one-third of U.S. adults are obese, and depression affects about 10 percent of the population, or nearly 21 million U.S. adults in a given year. Previous studies produced conflicting results on whether obesity is linked with mental illness, although a growing body of research suggests there is an association. The latest study helps resolve the question, said Dr. Susan McElroy, editor of a textbook on obesity and mental disorders. "This is a state-of-the-art psychiatric epidemiology study that really confirms that there is, in fact, a relationship," she said. The study was based on an analysis of a national survey of 9,125 adults who were interviewed to assess mental state. Obesity status was determined using participants' self-reported weight and height. About one-fourth of all participants were obese. Twenty-two percent of obese participants had experienced a mood disorder, compared with 18 percent of the nonobese.

I thought that the relationship between losing weight/appetite level/clothing size was straight forward, but now I'm confused and need perspective. As a 3-month post-op, I only had 1 fill so far and I wanted to get my second fill since it took me 1 week just to lose 1 pound, and then I remained the same weight for another week. My surgeon said I should come in for another fill once my weight loss stalls. I am feeling hungrier, but I still only eat once or twice a day. When I'm hungry I try ignore the sensation as long as possible. Part of me feels that if I get a second fill it just might be too tight for me to eat anything, or it'll take away the hunger sensation like I felt in the first post-op month. Since last week I also had NSV. When I went to buy work uniforms the salesperson took out size M when I asked for L, and it fit! Even in highschool (before the weight gain of my mid 20s) I always wore size L, but the number on the scale doesn't seem to match this newer clothing size. I'm still 41 pounds over my goal weight. My bra band size is also down another 2 inches since the measurement was taken. (I can't exactly remember my previous waist size measurement, I need to write this stuff down!) I'm also moving to a new place soon that's a 4.5 hours drive away, so I'd like your input on whether I should go ahead and squeeze in an appointment for a second fill or just wait longer once there's no other noticeable NSV.

Hi ! I am Bonnie, 59 years old and live in IOWA. Married 41 years with two daughters and 4 grandchildren.They are everything they are cracked up to be. I had a Realize band 8/24/2010 and have lost 62 pounds to date. I am at a weight standstill for a couple weeks and getting frustrated. I had a fill about two weeks ago and am pretty tight at 8cc in 11cc band. I really really need to eat slowly and chew. I can get "stuck" on yogurt in the am, but loser in pm. We have two golden retrievers, treated like children. I work three days a week, I am an RN and manage a medical office. I started at 266 and a size 22 and now able to wear a 14W. We are going scuba diving in May in Florida, something I have not done in 8 years due to a big weight gain during stress. Nice to meet you folks. I know I come to this sight daily for help and inspiration.

interesting concept there motherof4. . never thought about doing that. . maybe i'll try it next time a craving hits and i'm not really hungry. . .retraining really sucks. . . i struggle with it every day. . before surgery i thought it wouldn't be all that hard, damn it's hard! tomorrow i start my 5 day pouch test to get back on track. . .no weight gain yet, but it could happen any time soon huh?????? that would be a tragedy!

Yay!!! Congrats butterfly!! How exciting!! Eh. That 15-25lbs weight gain is for "normal" pregnancies. If I may say... We aren't normal lol. We are modified. My doctor saw no issue with me gaining the 65. She had the bypass years ago and I thank her for recommending the surgery to me!! The surgery is permanent.. We WILL lose the weight, it's just a matter of when! My appetite has already started to go back to the way it was before the pregnancy. What I want to know is....when does it go back to the way it was completely and how does breast feeding facto in? Helpful or hurtful in the weight loss process? Enjoy the pregnancy! hoping someone replies who has had the sleeve and a baby and Is back on track

I'm a revision from lapband to sleeve so a little nervous over leak. Lapband 8 years and no weight loss and no weight gain but 2 partial knees and diabetic now! I'm ready for my sleeve! I'm ready for a healthy tool to assist my body to health! Best wishes to all.

When I was stuck on a plateau, I went back on the liquid diet. The Protein powder that I used has 120 calories in it. I drank 3-4 of those per day and I started losing again. I am still not a fast loser. I have lost 10lbs since August. I see some weight gain coming this week. Thurs. is my birthday. Going out to dinner with friends thurs fri and sat nights. I am sure there will also be some birthday cake involved too. If I gain 5 lbs in one weekend, it will probably take me a month to lose it. :mad: I will do Protein shakes for Breakfast and lunch those days so I can save my calories for dinner and make sure I do a lot of cardio on those days too. I will try to avoid it, but it seems to happen anyway if I go out to eat.

She is a real cutie!!! Congrats and my sincere condolences on the twins. I'm currently 13 weeks pregnant, it was a shocker to me too after being told ill never conceive and having PCOS as well. I'm 6 months post op VSG. 283lbs was my highest and I'm currently 186. I'm still losing at this point and my docs are really discouraging it at this point. I'm not trying to lose, but I still walk and do step aerobics for exercise. She's a healthy active baby but need the weight my docs say so that she can grow. I'm concerned as well about the weight gain but really need to gain for her benefit. I definitely can eat more but don't have any cravings. I finished a sandwhich the other day but was too stuffed to add any veggies or fruits. Best wishes to you all!!! Ill be following the post! I plan to breast feed as well to help with weightloss. Sent from my iPad using VST

Let me tell you something baby girl...it sounfs like you got a hater on your hands. This person was probably jealous of you before your weight gain and now that you are working hars to get back to a size that makes YOU happy they probably feel threatened again. Dont you dare allow the ignorance of others to interfere with your progress and your success. Tell them to kiss your "still fat ass"! Jerks! Sent from my SM-N920C using the BariatricPal App See.....and this just confirmed what I said about them being jealous lol smh Sent from my SM-N920C using the BariatricPal App

Many gals on here are hopeful that breast feeding will help get the weight off. My personal experience... And this could be more due to my boobs being deformed and incapable of making enough milk... But bf made me more hungry and my ppd from not making enough milk along with my metabolism slowing down from no longer working at my active job... It was a horrible combination for me. I gained 60 of the 100 I lost by the time she was 5 months. I have NOT been sleeved so I am not speaking from this spectrum. I am lurking here cuz I'm contemplating having a baby before surgery or waiting till after goal weight post surgery. I'm having a really hard time deciding now after reading these posts. I was leaning toward surgery first but I'd hate to go through weight gain again and what I've read so far has me a lil worried... You gals are doing amazing though! Not sure I would though... Ack!

I hope I'm not alone here, but weighing once a month, I never saw a platau. I'm sure I had them, but I was afraid I would get discouraged if I saw a stall or any weight gain. I knew this journey wasn't going to be a straight line from start to goal, but have ups, downs and plataus, so I didn't weigh very often. So, I never saw stalls, plataus or increases. I was always encouraged. May have had something to do with my success, as I never did feel discouraged and was able to stay motivated with my exercise and eating habits. Option isn't available on the poll, so I couldn't answer ...