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wow, what a letter, packed with questions, and realizations and guilt and everything in between. Welcome!!! I think in AA thats what they call the first step! I am less than 2 weeks post op and already, even after 2 weeks of liquids and major surgery I would not change a thing. Only regret is that this was not available to me in my 30's. I am now 52 and Thank God it's available now. This is a life changing TOOL that will help you get to a healthy weight. If your dr. doesn't agree, change Dr's! The older you get, the faster the co-morbidity issues come up. The one thing my lap band group was adament about was smoking, they will not treat you if you are a smoker, they feel it does nothing but hinder recovery. I quit a year and a half ago, and never regret doing so. I used a "magic Pill" called Chantix, that from day one was a miracle for myself and my husband. We both were 30+ year smokers, we have both quit and never looked back. I did gain weight, but that weight gain was what brought me to the lap band surgery in the first place. If I were still a smoker I wouldn't have felt I needed to loose weight, that 25 lbs I gained put me over the edge and I felt I needed help to loose. (does that make sense??) Where in upstate NY are you? I am in the Rochester area....are you close to me? I wish you luck, I hope you make that first phone call and get the ball rolling, keep up that determination and all else will fall into place. Carol

OMG, that woman was totally out of line. You should report her you know what as soon as you can. I had been made to feel like a failure many years ago after a small weight gain--it totaly derailed my progress. Now, looking back, older and wiser--i wish I never gave that power away. That PA is a liability to that doctor's practice and he should know about it. And i hope you are finding a way to recover from the experience. We are all unique and on unique journeys. My progress the second time around is much slower than the first--but it is happening, slowly but surely. Stay focused on how much better you feel, and how much better you will feel in the future, however long it takes to get there. Best of luck to you.

I apologize in advance for what is about to become a novel. So, some of you may have seen on other posts where I am/was having issues with my insurance company and the uncertainty of when I could actually have my surgery due to odd verbiage in my policy. I called UHC tonight to get names and dates of when I called back in October for my HR rep who has been working with our UHC rep to find out the specifics. That was the ONLY purpose in my call tonight. While on the phone with Patricia, my new best friend, she told me that she wanted to call Clinical Services just to check on the status of my file that I thought SHOULD have been submitted this week. I waited for a few minutes for her to return to the line. When she came back, she made a statement and told me to write a Case # down, so I did as I was instructed. And paused. After a few seconds of silence, she asked if I was still there. Once my mind wrapped around what she said, I asked "Did you just tell me that I was approved for surgery? I am approved to have the Gastric Bypass? That case # you just read to me is my proof of approval?" To which she responded with "Yes!" Of course, this then prompted the flood gates to swing wide open and allow the tears to fall. A little back story to help you better understand where I am coming from- I would have to say that my life (27 years young) has been challenging. I don't want pity, because as tough as the trials have been, they truly have made me stronger. They have made me ME! And I'm grateful. My sister was killed in a car accident when I was 8. There was an 18 year gap between us as she was from my father's first marriage. But my mom was basically her mom and played a huge role in her growing up. I never viewed her as a half sibling. She was a single mom of a 3 year old at the time. So, we adopted her son the day she left this Earth and I went from being the baby and 1 of 2 girls out of 3 children, to the middle child and only girl. It was a huge adjustment that I struggled with. My grandfather passed that same year a long with my father having his first heart attack months after. Fast forward a few years, I became involved with a guy who was emotionally, mentally AND sexually (yes- it's possible even if you're in a relationship with the person) abusive. I was 14 and truly believed that the behavior I received from him was due to my own mistakes. I was brainwashed and blind to the severity of the situation. Throw in two more heart attacks for my daddy and open heart surgery for 5 bypasses during this time as well. Children are very impressionable at that age, and it has taken me 13 years to forgive myself for sticking with him for 2 1/2 years. From that relationship, I dove into another one with a guy who was great at first. And then the physical abuse presented. I loved him. I NEEDED him..or so I thought. After all, he was the one who helped me move past my previous relationship. Finally, after a year and a half of hell with him, things ended. These two relationships, all before I was 19 did a huge number on my self confidence and damaged me emotionally. And then I met my husband. My saving grace. We have been married for 8 years. Things have been tough. We have experienced every hardship imaginable with the exception of infidelity. The biggest challenge being our inability to conceive due to my PCOS. I have wanted to be a mommy for so long and this surgery is my last hope at becoming one. But the straw that broke the camel's back and contributed to my weight gain began back in 2011 when my daddy was diagnosed with Bladder Cancer. We quickly learned that his diagnosis and prognosis were not promising as the cancer had already metastasized to his bones and his spine/ribcage/shoulder blades were covered in cancer. I literally watched him wither away for an entire year before he passed. I helped Mama as we became his caretakers when he became too weak to care for himself. He passed away 10 days shy of his 1 year anniversary from being diagnosed. On January 18th 2012, I lost my safe haven. And a part of myself. I have ALWAYS been a daddy's girl and did not handle his death very well. So I tell you that all, to tell you this- I truly did not expect to receive approval. Not on the first attempt or without having to put up a fight first. I have had the cards stacked against me what seems like majority of my life, and believed this would be a similar situation. To hear Patricia confirm my approval....I am in utter shock. I have read a multitude of post on here where people are posting their approvals and surgery dates and while I have been so happy for them, a part of me felt envy. Because I didn't think I was ever going to be THAT person. THIS person. I am so stinkin excited that I don't even know what to do with myself!!

You probably just have excess Fluid weight gain. Your weight will drop off as Bandista said. Best of luck, tr to clam down. Back away from the scale!!You are in the healing process! Best wishes for your healing! Karen...aka..kll724

No one tells us that weight loss after surgery is not always fast. It may be slower than the average person on a diet. You may have intermittent weight gain despite sticking with your program. That's how it was for me. It took 17 months to loose 97lbs. I did everything "right". I exercised to my level of tolerance daily as I've done since my teens. The surgeon called me metabolism challenged while the nutty nutritionist assumed I was a liar. Fortunately my surgeon had been where we are. Over six years post op I'm maintaining in size 0-4 at shops like GAP & Old Navy. I still struggle with sudden weight gain & metabolic issues but I work my program for life anyway. You will lose the weight over time. We've been deprived of what some call that honeymoon period when the fat easily melts away. Don't sweat it. Persistence pays off. At under a pound a week on average I still lost it. You can and you will as well.

Many smart women struggle with their weight and many busy, successful professional women resort to food to cope with the stress, uncertainty, and other emotions that occur in a full, high-pressure life. Unfortunately, for many, these battles with food become vicious cycles that look something like this: “Fresh starts” and plans that don’t work or don’t last, followed by feelings of defeat and inadequacy, followed by overeating and a period of trying to generate motivation (again), followed by another “fresh start.” This vicious cycle leaves women feeling bad about themselves and ineffective. It also often leads to weight gain instead of weight loss. If you are a high-achiever—a woman who is successful in many areas of her life who finds herself stuck in this cycle—there is a way out. Here are three tips to start breaking the yo-yo diet emotional eating cycle: Let go of the belief that you are alone and the only one struggling like this. If you are caught in this cycle with food and overeating, you’re in some great company. One of the most self-defeating actions you can take is to continue to struggle alone, heaping on self-blame and even shame. Find someone to talk to. Open your eyes to the possibility of support. Ask other women what they do when they struggle. Consider investing in yourself the same way you invest in your career and your family and your home and pursuing emotional eating solutions that can help you. Take control of perfectionism. You’re human and you’ll never be perfect. Perfectionism or all-or-nothing thinking is common among women who expect a lot of themselves. It can get you stuck in a pattern where making a poor choice is interpreted as “blowing it.” Women trying to lose weight fall for this all the time. Instead of continuing forward and allowing the next choice to be a better one, the tendency is to cash in all your chips and start down a road of overeating because you’re upset with yourself and you “failed.” Plan for imperfection. Train your mind to notice your progress and not just your missteps. Stop relying on willpower. This is a biggie. You are a high-achiever. You probably have a lot of willpower and stick-to-it-ness in other areas of your life. You may be lost in a mindset of beating yourself up over this cycle you are stuck in. If so, you probably tell yourself things like: “What’s wrong with me that I can’t get a grip on this?” “This should be easy.” “I’m just not trying hard enough.” “This is an embarrassment and I need to stop being lazy and just take a tough line with myself.” If you are still feeling stuck, read my first two tips again. The truth is that you’re stuck because your method isn’t effective. You’re missing something. Start with compassion for yourself for how big and deep and exhausting this struggle is. Try holding yourself in the same positive mental light that you’d hold a dear friend. Take a deep breath and allow yourself to treat this issue as a legitimate problem. Allow yourself to respect that you are in a tough spot. Instead of blaming yourself, give yourself permission to take the situation seriously. Now ask yourself what you need that you don’t have that could help. You may be tempted to choose some kind of judgment (“I’m lazy”), but instead, focus on identifying the outside resource or concept that could help (“I'm overloaded and I'm at a loss about how to feel better without overeating. I need some new tools.”). I find that high-achievers who are stuck in this overeating cycle hesitate (or don’t even think to) ask for: Help with finding motivation Help with creating time for themselves Help with accountability Help developing new skills and strategies Help with getting to the root of what’s triggering their overeating Help. Period. Approaching the problem with respect and allowing yourself the resources you need to be effective can make a world of difference. Are you stuck? Are you tired of spinning your wheels and feeling like you are wasting your energy? What small change could you start making today? Leave a comment and share your thoughts

I agree with what the others say but also have a different point if view to share. I had RNY in 2005. I have now gained almost all my weight back. My weight gain didn't start till 4 years later when I started eating whatever I wanted. I can eat anything now and it took a very short time for me to get to that point. I still have dumping and had my gallbladder removed 11months after RNY. FYI my god awful gallstone attack was after eating one blueberry muffin. I am not one to tell you what to do since I messed up but I would be concerned if you are already doing this so soon after surgery.

I was also on depo for about 7 years, but weight gain is a big side effect with it, so I decided to switch after being banded. I'm on Yasmin now and haven't had any side effects.

Hi Cindy, I love chocolate too and although I hate sugar added to foods and drinks,chocolate is another matter...I have only been banded 11 days but today had to have chocolate and then felt quite sick! My breakfast was always cereal and toast but now I have a Swedish crispread(it is a large triangular shape)with a scrape of butter and marmalade as I used to have on my toast. I have yoghourt instead of cereal and have felt O.K. with that up to now. I have also been on anti-depressants most of my life and am also on hormones but HRT as I had a hysterectomy and opherectomy 8 years ago. I thought these medications may be responsible for my weight gain but it seems not. I also had repeated blood tests for hormonal imbalance but it didn't show anything major. I think with me it is all more emotional and just a love of chocolate like so many of the rest of the world! There has been loads of good advice like substituting with low calorie/low sugar bars and having a little of what you like rather than depriving yourself etc. I am sure you will continue and do well after all you have lost over 50 lbs! I can't imagine being that far on but am hoping I can. I hope you feel better about things soon and put your mind at rest by having all the blood tests etc.

Must go and live life today.. Including getting blood tests to show everything is good and in track But I wanted to put this out there.. This is me. I'm doing well, but this is me I have OCD and it may make things a little more challenging at times.. Thank you for indulging me Compulsive overeating, also sometimes called food addiction, is characterized by the compulsive eating of food. Professionals address this with either a behavior therapy model or a food-addiction model.[1] An individual suffering from compulsive overeating engages in frequent episodes of uncontrolled eating, or binge eating, during which she or he may feel frenzied or out of control, often consuming food past the point of being comfortably full. Bingeing in this way is generally followed by feelings of guilt and depression. Unlike individuals with bulimia, compulsive overeaters do not attempt to compensate for their bingeing with purging behaviors such as fasting, laxative use, or vomiting. Compulsive overeaters will typically eat when they are not hungry. Their obsession is demonstrated in that they spend excessive amounts of time and thought devoted to food, and secretly plan or fantasize about eating alone. Compulsive overeating usually leads to weight gain and obesity, but is not the only cause of obesity. While compulsive overeaters tend to be overweight or obese, persons of normal or average weight can also be affected. In addition to binge eating, compulsive overeaters can also engage in grazing behavior, during which they return to pick at food throughout the day. These things result in a large overall number of calories consumed even if the quantities eaten at any one time may be small. When a compulsive eater overeats primarily through bingeing, he or she can be said to have binge eating disorder. Signs and symptoms Binge eating, or eating uncontrollably even when not physically hungry Eating much more rapidly than normal Eating alone due to shame and embarrassment Feelings of guilt due to overeating Preoccupation with body weight Depression or mood swings Awareness that eating patterns are abnormal Rapid weight gain or sudden onset of obesity Significantly decreased mobility due to weight gain History of weight fluctuations Withdrawal from activities because of embarrassment about weight History of many different unsuccessful diets Eating little in public, but maintaining a high body weight Very low self-esteem and feeling need to eat greater and greater amounts. Addiction During binges, compulsive overeaters may consume from 5,000 to 15,000 food calories daily, resulting in a temporary release from psychological stress through an addictive high not unlike that experienced through drug abuse. In bulimics, this high may be intensified by the act of purging. Researchers have speculated there is an abnormality of endorphin metabolism in the brain of binge eaters that triggers the addictive process. This is in line with other theories of addiction that attribute it not to avoidance of withdrawal symptoms, but to a primary problem in the reward centers of the brain. For the compulsive overeater, the ingestion of trigger foods causes release of the neurotransmitter, serotonin. This could be another sign of neurobiological factors contributing to the addictive process. Abstinence from addictive food and food eating processes causes withdrawal symptoms in those with eating disorders. There may be higher levels of depression and anxiety due to the decreased levels of serotonin in the individual.[2] There are complexities with the biology of compulsive eating that separate it from a pure substance abuse analogy. Food is a complex mixture of chemicals that can affect the body in multiple ways, which is magnified by stomach-brain communication. In some ways, it may be much more difficult for compulsive overeaters to recover than drug addicts. There is an anecdotal saying among Overeaters Anonymous members that "when you are addicted to drugs you put the tiger in the cage to recover; when you are addicted to food you put the tiger in the cage, but take it out three times a day for a walk."[2] The physical explanation of compulsive overeating may be attributed to an overeaters' increased tendency to secrete insulin at the sight and smell of food, though medical evidence supporting this is controversial.[3] Research has found a link between the sugar and fat content of foods and bingeing behaviors.[4]

Congratulations @@feelinggood! Your not alone, I so cried when my surgeon was speaking to me right before they wheeled me into the or. I have been speaking to numerous people who've gone thru either sleeve or bypass and the concensus is this: initially we are making these crazy drastic changes. Doing so much good for our body. Getting it healthy so we can correct our initial mistakes of more than likely overindulgence. When we reach our points of what makes us feel great, energetic, beautiful or handsome we can then introduce in extreme modification those little thimgs we once enjoyed. I've began to understand carbonation will absolutely ruin your ability to completely maintain as it is a main trigger for weight gain bc it slowly allows you to stretch your pouch and not allow you to feel the restriction of maybe one or two Hershey's kisses and suddenly you've had twelve... I love sprite. It's absolutely delish to me, but when I began this journey I said if I want this bad enough this is what will ruin me and set me up to fail so I can give you up! I'm glad your doing well. Three weeks out is great. I imagine you still on your moist, soft proteins, you can't go eat everything right?

I wouldn't tell anyone before. You'll get negative Nancys (including my cardiologist for my pre-check who said that I wasn't super heavy and should just diet). I've started to tell folks afterwards, one, because they were worried about me, and perhaps more importantly for accountability. As the motivational speaker Zig Zigler said, you want to share your "Give Up" goals with the as many people as possible to keep you honest. I'm only 2 weeks into this sleeve, and I'm already pretty sure that I know how to beat it with milkshakes and ice cream if I wanted to (thankfully I don't have those cravings). But I think that by telling more people, I'll have more support. I told my boss over the weekend and he was EXTREMELY supportive, since he had started razzing me about my weight gain. I'm not sure that he would have been as supportive beforehand. But after it's done, you can't go back!

Thanks for sharing your personal stories everyone. I have a slippage and am angry right now. I started having problems at the end of last summer. I couldn't eat anything and was throwing up everyday. I had a upper GI fluoroscopy and was told I was fine. I wanted all the liquid taken out for a few months to let my system recover, but said no that I should just have some liquid taken out. I listen to my doctor for fear of gaining weight (which he said would happen guarantee) and only had 1 cc taken out. He's a doctor and I'm not, he should know best. However, I made it clear I had stomach aches and something didn't feel right with a list of my symptoms. I have been to 3-4 visits these past few months and each time is i was unfilled a little bit, so I felt better. Now my band is in the middle of my stomach instead of at the top it has been slipping slowly for the last 9 months. I should have listen to my gut instinct. My timeline: -2 1/2 years with the band (lost 70 lbs total) -First 6 months not much weightless, higher filled each doctor visit -6 to 17 months lost weight -1.5 years with the band had my first problem -Went through a year of lower adjustments and now need surgery -This past year no major weight loss or weight gain (3-9 lbs up and down) Whoever is reading this, I'm not pro or anti-band right now... I am angry and scared. I don't want to have another surgery. I have less than a week to make up my mind and don't know if I should have the band removed or repositioned. I have no answers or insights just questions. Good luck to all who are having problems and hope we each come to the conclusion that is best for each one of us. Any more info, studies or advise, please keep sharing.

Thanks Kathy. That makes me feel a bit better knowing someone else in a similar situation. I am curios, Keppra is actually an option I have been discussing with my neurlogist because it doesn't cause the same weight gain that depakote does. I was wary of it because of the emotional side effects. How have you fared with the Keppra?

Hey guys, I need your help! I am a student in an experimental psychology class doing research on weight loss surgery. If you would like to participate please click the link below. Feel free to share the link! / https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CNKNSMB

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.

Congratulations!!!! I also had lots of pain post surgery, but it did fade withing 2 days. Don't worry about the 4 pound weight gain, it could be from the IV fluids they infused during surgery.... Good luck to you!!

On my quest to find another GP. On top of denying me, he prescibed Zoloft, and when I looked up the side effects, number one was weight gain!! Now I don't really feel depressed accept being overweight. So how is putting on more weight going to make me feel? I threw my prescription in the trash! Just hope I don't have to do another 6 months with another doc!

Ahh yes it’s crazh though @Matt Z I intake between 300-500 calories per day and I mean I know I work it off. I’m walking 2 miles a day and 2-4 times hitting up the gym for my cardio. And of course sleeping burns like 700-800 calories😂 i know it’s still early in the game for me but I hit the ground running after my surgery and this little stall and only 1lb per week thing is killing me !!! Maybe your gaining muscle. That has happened to me in the past we’re I was gaining muscle and losing inches. So that little weight gain your having isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

I'm scheduled for surgery on the 12th of July and i want to know everyone's experience after surgery years down the line have y'all kept the weight of and does ur hunger come back is the surgery worth the money Sent from my SM-N900T using the BariatricPal App

Wow! My doctor's office told me that with Aetna weight gain is a huge deal. Even half a pound would get you denied. I was recently told that the time frame is a huge deal too. I was told I had to schedule appts 31-35 days apart, including weekends. If you go out of those date ranges, they will require you to do the 6 months instead of 3. On another forum, I saw where a lady gained and Aetna didn't deny or approve her, they just made her do an extra 2 months and she had to lose weight, not gain or maintain. Sent from my SM-G930V using the BariatricPal App

Received message with the net weight gain photo but doing more research and found out by talking with dr office today and they said I did not gain , I actually lost weight start 6/2015 240lb to 9/2015 at 239.5 so I'm not sure what is going on. Maybe Bec The dr office submitted my paperwork to insurance comp two weeks after the 6 month deadline to schedule my surgery , I have no idea. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hi I'm scheduled for June surgery and I'm reading how some have gained some or all weight back I guess I thought with the Sleeve being that your stomach is much smaller it would be hard for the weight gain -- now I'm scared

So i lost 20lbs by 3-1/2 weeks, by 4 weeks i had gained 3lbs. Is that normal??

I got pregnant two years post sleeve. We did a FET because we had five frozen embryos in storage we wanted to use. That means I was on daily hormone injections for several weeks before conceiving and carried on with them through the first few months. I gained 3 pounds from hormones before the transfer and I gained 32 pounds during my pregnancy. Capacity-wise, eating was not a challenge. Since you'll be more than a year out before you even consider a baby, that should not be an issue. It was roughly around 14-17 months that my ability to eat settled at a nice amount that's about what I can hold now. That said, I was afflicted with food aversions and morning sickness. My lactose intolerance flared up to the point where I couldn't put butter on toast or scramble an egg in it. I couldn't stand meat for several months - I'd sick it up immediately. This meant that most of my calories came from carbs, which in and of itself isn't a huge issue but it did cause me to be concerned about weight gain. If I hadn't been diligent about my choices I could have easily packed on more weight than I did. I also needed additional Iron supplements during pregnancy and had to find a different way to get my prenatal Vitamin in because mine made me sick. Within just a few weeks of delivery I was within ten pounds of my pre-pregnancy weight and wearing my pre-pregnancy jeans (albeit the roomier ones) though it has taken me the last several months to shed those few pounds. My daughter is now three months old and I only just got back under my pre-pregnancy weight. And my unsolicited advice is that you wait a few years after getting married to have kids. I have five stepchildren but they did not live with us. Those four years (three before conceiving) that we had with just the two of us were amazing and incredibly rewarding. Unless you've already been with your fiancee for several years, enjoy learning to be married before becoming parents. Once we had our children life changed - for the better, sure - but it was so nice to have that freedom of daily life without kids for a while before choosing to have them once we really wanted them. Good luck, and congrats on your engagement. I'd say that it's entirely possible to have a child and get back to goal it just takes work and getting back to those same principles you used to lose in the first place. ~Cheri