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Thank you so much Smith.99. This is exactly why this particular forum was started. We really appreciate you coming back and sharing your experiences with us honestly. There have been many on this forum and others who have been trying to decide which weight loss procedure or surgery would be best for them. I am sure you researched as much as everyone else did before deciding and people in these forums were probably the best source of information because they have been through it and can give you a real life account. Your honesty is so valuable to all of us in the planning stages. Please continue to update us on your ups and downs for your own accountability and to help us get through our stalls and setbacks. As for your discouragement I think you need to look at it in a different way. Think of where you would be at this time of year without your esg procedure. After Thanksgiving and Christmas is when the most weight gain occurs usually. If you have only seen a 1 pound fluctuation without exercise then I would honestly call this a victory. This seems to be a common theme among esgers throughout the various forums— the weight loss is slow and steady not as rapid as the more invasive methods. Please continue to focus on the positives and don’t give up hope that this procedure will finally help you maintain a healthier weight. You’ve already taken the first step in committing to a your health. You just need to continue to post and not be discouraged. Best of luck in 2018!!

Welcome back! The veteran’s forum is not very active because many veterans don't stick around. Life goes on after goal. My surgeon told me a 15 to 20-pound bounce is normal. It was easy to maintain for my first two years. I freaked out with a weight gain my third year. I came back to the site and had great support. It took work to get it back down. Years out, I gain quickly, and I lose at a snail’s pace.

Hi. I am new to posting on this site, but not browsing LOL! Anyway, I also have UHC, and I checked online to see that my insurance does allow gastric bypass surgery so I'm assuming that they allow the lap band. Anyway, like others, mine says I have to have a BMI of 40, but I only have a BMI of 37. I know I am getting on up in there into high cholesterol and I believe I have some form of sleap apnea. I have not been to the doctor in over a year, but the doctor I used to go to was trying to help me lose weight with pills. I did loose about 30 lbs. but gained it all back. I don't think it's been 5 years since I had been seeing that dr. but it would be close. I am wondering if there is any chance I could be approved or should I not waste my time. I know I will probably try anyway, I just hate to be shot down. I want to stop the weight gain before I get too big. I know I'm big now, but I also know it can get a lot worse.

Want to get back on track and lose the weight. Any help, advice etc is appreciated. I find that I don't even remember how I was eating when I lost weight. I would like to know how others manage their diet. Sent from my SM-N950U using BariatricPal mobile app

Thanks everyone for the avatar compliments! Here I am once again, up way too late and I have an early appointment with the boob smushing doctor . Nothing serious - just the 6 month follow up appt from the last mammogram to make sure nothing has changed. Kat, you're not a bad grandma! Who here hasn't complained about a cranky little one before realizing they're sick? It's no surprise that she wanted to come home with you. I hope she's feeling better soon. Pat, good luck with the boob consult. You're going to feel soooooo much better once you get the girls under control! I for one know that I will need a tummy tuck (since I practically kick my stomach when I walk), and I hate the idea of more surgery, but I look at it this way: a few scary minutes and a few weeks of discomfort for something that will make your whole life better. Cindy, I wish I could give you some great advise about keeping a house neat once you're a stay at home mom, but I can never seem to keep up with it myself. If the kitchen is clean and the dinner isn't pizza I feel like mother of the year. :biggrin1: And congrats on the weightloss!! Eilene, I've never heard that about rawhide. Fortunately, I don't usually buy it because my dog prefers pigs ears (and whatever he can dig out of the trash). I'll stay away from it now though! Darcy, I was just thinking today about joining WW. The weight came off a little after this last fill but now it's stabilized. I need something to motivate me to get the next 20 lbs off because I'm really feeling the weight gain in my back. Not good. Sherry, take heart - it's Friday! I hope your next week isn't quite so stressful. The only thing worse than not being able to eat is not being able to eat when the scale isn't moving for you. (((HUGS))) Mandy, any luck finding your pup? I will keep him in my prayers for a safe journey home. Dianne, I really admire your commitment to exercise. What's your secret? Wait? You mean I have to get my butt out of the chair? Hmmmmmm... Betty, Mary, Beanie, Donna, NatesMommy and anyone else that I may have forgotten - What's up? (((HUGS))) I have to head off to bed now. Have a great Friday everyone.

Don't blame the holidays for weight gain, you were probably fat in August too!

Enjoy your babies and your new body. I have 3. Gained and lost 80 with all 3. Then gradually came back to gain 80 because of stress causing me to not care anymore about food coming into my body. Although I ate healthy- salads protein healthy carbs- my portions were huge. ( plus had to go back to work full time for financial reasons- so no time to exercise like I used to. ) that’s how I gained weight. Gained weight. I also was never thin to begin with so before 80 pounds weight gain I was a Sz 12 looking voluptuous and quite happy- but at + 80 I was a cow! Too tired to wake up at 5:30 am to work out before job- then family stuff after work day. Now that I’ve lost over 60 pounds I have more energy to exercise and energy to wake up early. But kids are hard- always food around. Always cooking baking and packing lunches. I have def shared a bite here and there and even a slice of pizza at times. I try to do the best most of the time but do like to feel normal. Since I’m not a binge eater nor do I have food issues- just enjoy food and had a big appetite- the sleeve is working well for me as my portions are so much smaller and I don’t get sick with any foods so I do w joy food. ( except Chinese - which I don’t enjoy anyway). Im thinking you are similar to me so wanted to reassure you that it sounds like you are back on the right track again! You can do it! HW. 289 SW. 284 Height. 5’8

Okay so after having maybe 2 light periods a year for the last 7 years thanks to the weight gain and PCOS, I have had a period the last 3 months. First month was pretty 'normal', last month was SUPER heavy, and this month has been pretty heavy as well. I've noticed last month and this month that I'm very, VERY drained and tired, and very spacey. I feel very out of it, and like I'm a walking zombie. My blood tests have all been normal since surgery (the last were done 5 months ago, though, so I ordered new ones). I'm fearing that I'm now experiencing iron-deficiency anemia due to these heavy periods. While yes I'm going to speak with my doctor about it and have the blood tests done, I want to know if anyone else has experienced this? If so, other than supplements (I will happily add the Iron patch vitamin if I need to), what have you found to help in the moment when you're feeling super sluggish because of it? I know even when I had a regular period as a teenager (I didn't start showing signs of PCOS/lose my period until I was 20, and I'll be 27 soon), that I was never this rundown and tired. This feels like something is wrong. That's the only reason I started questioning it and researching.

My highest recorded weight was 270lbs(morning of my lapband surgery), standing 5'2" short. The day of my revision from band to VSG, I weighed in at 263lbs. My BMI was just shy of 50 when I revised from the band. I did not work out at all for the first 4 months. At 4 months post-op, I started strength training 3-4 days a week, and doing cardio with a primary focus on my ab/core area one day per week via Hip Hop Abs. That only lasted 4 months and then I had gallbladder surgery with an exploratory surgery of my abdominal cavity because I was having random pain. My surgeon removed hoards of scar tissue and adhesions from my liver to colon. I was on restricted activity for 8 long weeks, and since I hate working out, I never got back into exercising formally. I was one of the skinniest, unfit chicks you'd meet. Now after pregnancy weight gain, losing all but 10 pounds of the weight, and now pregnant again, I'm not even attempting to diet/exercise. Unfortunately, my body has been through hell and back in less than 3 years. I have a least another year before I'll be able to get back to where I was before pregnancy. Working out not only helps with weight loss, but it helps with overall heart, mind and bone health.

Hi all! I want to share my story because I feel like things are "hopeless" again like they did all of those years I had been dieting prior to having my gastric sleeve. I was sleeved in September of 2010 by Dr. Aceves in Mexicali. I had a wonderful experience there and would do it again in a heartbeat. In fact, I feel like I may need to do it again since the weight gain has started. I started at 240 lbs and the lowest weight I got to, which was last year at this same time, was 150 lbs. At that time, I stuidly felt like I was losing too much weight, as I wanted to stay curvy, so a friend of mine who has had the lap band, suggested I find something high calorie to substitute my daily intake with so I was getting enough calories to not lose any more weight. Being an emotional eater, this should have been a huge red flag for me, but here was an excuse for me to overindulge, so I took it. cheese was what worked for me. I ate a lot of cheese.. sometimes, nothing but cheese once I figured out it would go down easy. After that I moved onto processed crackers and Cookies, again, things that go down easily without getting full and without getting the sick feeling. I weighed myself yesterday and I'm back up to 167 lbs. Two months ago I was at 163 lbs, so i'm rapidly climbing back up the scale. I do go to the gym, was twice a week, but in the last two weeks i've bumped it up to 3 times a week. I do strength training with weights and cardio. I am fairly active on the weekends, as I am fortunate enough to live in an area where everything is either walking or biking distance. The problem is, and i'm suspecting this will be most of our problem here on this site, is that we are emotional eaters. And it was great at first with the sleeve because you literally could not eat anything.. .or you were so afraid to eat anything that you just wouldn't eat it in fear of getting "that feeling" (you all know what i'm talking about). I can take the literature and read it over and over... my doctor can send me emails and tell me what to do (eat your Protein first, dont snack, etc). In a perfect world, if I could do that, then I wouldn't have needed to have weight loss surgery in the first place. My brain tells me to eat for comfort, eat when you're happy, eat when you're sad, eat to Celebrate.... and the hard part is, now that I've figured out what I can eat with the sleeve, its becoming more and more difficult to overcome this feeling. I have been in therapy for about 8 years trying to overcome this emotional eating issue, but its so easy to go back to what we know, rather than change it. Not making excuses... i'm just reaching out to others who may have the same feelings and eating disorder as I do... and maybe if we can get rid of that shame we feel by sharing with each other, we can overcome this need to eat to stuff our emotions. Because I do feel very shameful that I paid all of this money, risked my life in Mexico to have this surgery done... and now i'm sabotaging myself and undoing the very thing that I've wanted my entire life... to be thin and "normal". Whatever normal is... If you haven't had the sleeve yet, please, make sure you get in tune with yourself with regard to the emotional eating, becuase although the first year or so of the weight loss is great! If you dont get your disorder under control, it will all come back, eventually. I said at the beginning of this post that I feel hopeless, but by letting me share here, I do feel a little more hopeful than I did when I started writing this. Thank you for listening. Nikki

OMG! This thread was written for me! I am currently experiencing weight gain and am sooooo depressed! I recently had a TT and I have done nothing but consistently put on weight. I am up 5lbs since my TT and have no excuses. I eat like a pig and can't seem to stop myself! My daughter and BF keep telling me to stop and slow down and the more I am aware of what I'm doing the more I want to keep eating! I can't seem to figure out what is bothering me and why I am obsessed and DEMAND to sabotage myself! I'm screaming out for help but I know I am the only one that can stop this insanity but I just can't seem to do it. Because of this thread I am going to start tracking my food again on myfitnesspal.com and I am going to start walking for exercise again. Thanks to everyone for the inspiration and insight!

While the nuts and a few other things have carbs I have to agree with misty-if I wanted to gain 5# I would start with Pasta,potatoes,bread and fruit. Those are all relatively healthy foods that pack weight on me. Add Peanut Butter, trail mix and a little ice cream for dessert(not healthy but even small quantities does wonders in terms of weight gain) and I would be gaining. Prior to my plastics I often did 4-8hour activities like hiking or riding my horse through the mountains etc. and my"survived the Irish famines genes" kick in and make me hungry and metabolicly efficient. As in,did not make me lose too much weight. I would love to have the bmr testing done but assume it is too costly given I don't really need to know. Good luck at finding a good balance. I commend you for focusing on ideal health and living an active life -this is why we did the surgery!

I am struggling to find anyone else for support who is in a similar situation - whether it is because I am a rarity or that those of us with this issue don't frequent the support forum... I am not sure. I am getting frustrated over time and tired of working hard not to lose weight. I would never have expected this to be a problem! I had my surgery in May 2012 at 255 lbs and have been at goal for a bit over a year. I am currently struggling with a recurrence of depression, so the energy that I have typically been putting into getting all of my calories and exercise is flagging - I am getting treatment for the depression but it takes some time. I have worked very hard not to lose weight during this time and to keep my calories up. Typically I am very, very active. I expect that within a few weeks I will be feeling enough better to be back to exercising more. I usually exercise about 15 hours per week, taking one or two days off. Usually at least one day per week I get four to six hours of exercise, even as much as eight hours. I am an avid cyclist, hiker, skier, etc. My problem seems to be that I have a very high BMR of 2,000. So, I need at least that many calories on days with no exercise. Then, add exercise and I have days where I need 5,000 and even up to 7,000 calories in order to maintain my weight. Obviously those super high calorie days are rare, but I regularly have 3,000+ calorie days. Typically I am using lots of whole milk (at least 750 calories of whole milk per day) and on days when my weight has dropped below my comfort zone I start adding heavy cream or half and half. I also eat avocados, nuts, olive oil, butter, premier Protein shakes, etc. I also make green shakes - blended Protein powder, Greek yogurt, fruits, veggies. I use chocolate on days when I am desperate for more calories but don't have more room for real food - it's a total slider. I probably get minimum 1,000-1,300 calories from liquids and the rest from solid food. I have to choose the highest calorie foods out there - looking at a menu I will intentionally choose whatever has the most possible calories. My goal is to maintain at 130 when not working out and up to 135 if I am working out a lot. I was at lower weights initially (down to 123 at 5'6") and looked way too thin. At the lower weight I had too little muscle, was a size 0, and was told that I looked like a victim of weight loss. It wasn't a kind thing for someone to say but was accurate - at just a slightly higher weight I look far healthier and more proportionate. I am on the mobile app and have not updated my ticker from my lowest weight probably - but that is where I am at today and what I have decided is healthiest for me. It took a lot of effort to add muscle weight. When I was obese I didn't exercise and I am sure my metabolism wasn't this high. But now that I have lost the weight I worry that I will be thinner, fit, and set myself up for the same health problems by eating unhealthy foods in order to maintain my weight. I hear that weight gain is common at the 3 year mark. I also worry that the way I have to eat now in order to maintain my weight could set me up for problems later on. I currently weight myself regularly to make sure I am not losing weight rather than to make sure not to gain, though. I think if the depression would improve I would have more energy to pursue healthier high calorie food options. Looking for suggestions and other people in the same boat...

@@LowBMISleever "My comment was for the OP, but I don't take anything I said back. If it offends you that alcoholic beverages are empty calories that cause weight gain, then there's not a lot I can say. It's factual information. On a side note, I rescue dogs and your name implies you do too. I support that :)" You were complaining about the entire conversation and it not being 'supportive' to you. I know alcoholic beverages are empty calories and that's not something that's 'offensive' to me...I'm just not a huge believer in demonizing something that is allowed on our plans (most everyone here is allowed alcohol at some point) and something that I know is going to become a part of my long-term life. I don't like being nannied by strangers, and it seems I particularly dislike it when that stranger is calling people out for being non-supportive of HER dislike of alcohol use in a thread titled 'alcohol'. That's all. And yes, I'm a big rescue supporter and I'm glad you are, too. I've got two awful little rescues running around right now, barking their fool heads off and making my heart feel full <3 All of us have something in common at the end of all of our differences, don't we? Peace

Enjoy your alcohol. It definitely makes a ton of sense for morbidly obese adults trying to lose weight to drink empty calories that additionally impairs their judgement. cheers! I liked this app because everyone was so supportive pre-op and answered my questions honestly. Not sure I belong here anymore. I understand why the veterans don't stay. @@ShelterDog64 My final thought, we have all allowed ourselves to eat and drink ourselves obese - it's gluttony and addiction. That's why we are here. We deserve to be scolded when we go off plan, just like anyone else with an addiction would be scolded for going back to their drug of choice (mine is Pasta & wine). I understand that YOU are not going off plan for YOUR program. My comment was for the OP, but I don't take anything I said back. If it offends you that alcoholic beverages are empty calories that cause weight gain, then there's not a lot I can say. It's factual information. On a side note, I rescue dogs and your name implies you do too. I support that Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

The weight gain is said to be for the long-term users. Unless it's a "end of life/cancer " issue and w/ seeing the impact opioids is now having, I'd rather not see it used long term.

morphine will probably hinder your weight loss efforts LESS than Vicodin/Percocet, because there is no acetametaphin in it. from a study on the LiverTox website: "There have been no convincing cases of idiosyncratic acute, clinically apparent liver injury attributed to morphine. Morphine and other opiates have little hepatic metabolism and they are generally excreted unchanged in the urine, perhaps accounting for their relative lack of hepatotoxicity." the weight gain (or slowing of weight loss) from Vicodin/Percocet comes because the liver has to process all that acetametophin. if your liver is doing that, it can't process your food and your body fat. it slows the whole works down. your liver needs to be at optimal performance for optimal weight loss.

Good to hear you are well Kendra, sorry about the weight gain but you have been through an ordeal and getting your health back on track is more important than a few lbs. Hope you're not overdoing it with work and your moderator role. Sounds like fun though. I'm off to work so hopefully I'll see you around more often. Take care!

Shelly513 I'm about 15months and struggling with a weight gain also. I was wondering what you were doing to drop your gained pounds and get back on track? I need help!

I was about where you are 4 days ago, but today is my 15th day post-op and I turned a corner (thankfully)! I feel amazing today, minimal pain and it's the last day I have be on clear liquids. It was also my first day back to work! I'm not sure if you are on clear or full liquids? Clear liquids-drink broth, protein shakes made with water, Isopure, SF/no carb Jello, SF/no-carb popsicles. Full liquids-Drink protein with almond or skim milk (Syntrax nectar is my favorite protein-no carbs, mixes well with water or milks), low-fat creamy soups (such as low fat/low carb butternut squash soup or tomato soup or cream of broccoli soup with the chunks strained out). I use Ideal Protein or Barwise products, but you can also make your own from scratch if you have time. Soft foods phase-eat scrambled eggs or tofu, low-fat cottage cheese, low-fat SF yogurt (use Fage Greek fat free for optimal protein with low carbs). Eat only 2 oz at a time. Do not drink 30 minutes before or after you eat to train yourself to eat slowly and fill on 2 oz. If you drink while you eat, you will eat more than you should and can stretch your stomach which will ultimately lead to slowed or stopped weight loss. Eventually this will become weight gain. Phase 4-lifelong phase is food you can tolerate, only 2 oz at a time, chew/chew/chew! No beverage 30 minutes before and after eating. Set a timer on your phone to help you. Journal everything you eat to hold yourself accountable. Please let me know if you want me to email you my post-op eating plan. All the best to you! It will get better and suddenly you will feel amazing! Thank you so much for all of the information, yes please if you don't mind emailing it to me I would appreciate it.

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! Don't do it girl. You're off the junk, stay off. Aside from the differing opinions of various surgeons-some say it will stretch your sleeve slowly over time (like mine) and some say it doesn't at all. ( I am NOT going to take that chance under any circumstances!)- aside from that- That crap is no earthly good for you. The phosphorus acid will rot your guts and the sweeteners still contribute to weight gain like real sugar. It's just not a nutritionally sound decision. Try to replace that craving with something else. I don't know what, but my opinion is don't do it!! (not that I feel strongly about it or anything

A desk job and an outrageous schedule led to my weight gain more so than a love of food. I say this because I would frequently go a day or more without really eating because I would be too busy to eat. When I did eat, I would eat the wrong things and at the wrong times. My job hasn't changed. I still spend hours at a computer, but I've changed how I do my job. I converted my desk to a standing desk, so I can stand while working instead of sitting. I've also looked into treadmill desks. I feel the standing desk works better for me. I am standing in front of my desk in the profile picture, and I blogged about it when I created it:: http://www.lindasherwood.com/2012/12/06/dream-it-and-it-happens/

Endoscopy revealed hiatus hernia around the band and band cant be filled because hernia causing really bad acid reflux at night. Has anyone solved this problem? Empty band causing weight gain...

Mixers tend to have a ton of carbs.. that has always been my choice too. Some prior post they were worried about carbonation and while that's relevant for gas pains it ignores the effect carbs have in halting weight loss or going the opposite direction and causing weight gain. The very reason many of us are here is due to a lack of self regulating so I hope the people going back to drinks so soon learned this in such a short period of time.. lest we read more threads of people confused as to why they're stalling and gaining while drinking.

Hi! I have Aetna as well and just had my surgery on Monday, make sure you do not gain any weight! Aetna has a new policy about weight gain that my doctor wasn't aware of