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I am a grazer so I never ate huge portions. I actually envy non grazers because it's more dangerous (weight gain wise). I wish I ate big meals although now that I'm reading this it's clear we all have a cross to bear. My NUT told me that nearly everyone has a moment of regret but she also said in nearly everyone it passes and they move to elation. I hope that's what happens for you. 9 days till surgery for me. I'm having all kinds of nerves.

Congrats to you,you're doing that thing! I too noticed a weight gain after 2yrs RNY, was down but now getting my life back with exercise and more mindful eating! Congrats again! Sent from my LM-T600 using BariatricPal mobile app

I've been on a variety of antidepressants/anti-anxiety meds for 20 years and if I go off one for some reason or another I have terrible withdrawal symptoms unless I'm switching to another drug at the same time. I don't really feel dizzy but feel like there are weird "brain sparks" going on in my head which is very uncomfortable and hard to describe to someone whose never had them before. I'm still trying to get my drugs straight since my conversion to RNY and now take my Cymbalta at a lower dose but twice a day and that seems to be working. I belive it's considered one of the drugs that would cause the least amount of weight gain but that didn't help me when I was on the band. Wish everyone luck with their situations as it's not always easy to deal with, take care Nancy.

I think you had a unique situation because you needed to get off a drug because of bad side effects and having withdrawal symptoms that were not helped with the paxil. I've been on both drugs and have had good results with both. Of course one size does not fit all. I've totally gone off my meds before to go on Meridia and I remember how uncomforable the withdrawal phase was and then the un-med phase was just as bad or worse. Dizzy is one way to describe it although it's a different kind of dizzy. I also got what I call "brain sparks" which happened over a course of a couple of weeks and that is really awful. Even today if I miss a dose by 12 hours I'll get them, it's a little reminder of sorts I suppose. Recently I was researching on line because I was having those "brain sparks" and found all sorts of blogs from people describing issues they had going off effexor, so that must be one of those drugs that a lot of people have had probs with during withdrawal. Now a days if I'm going off an antidepressant I'm usually switching so depending on which drugs they are it can be done at the same time, lower dose of the first drug and adding the new one. My doctor usually informs me of the proper way to do it and I usually have no probs. I'm kind of surprised that a doctor wouldn't know about side effects on withdrawals from these types of meds. I have been on those "zombie" type drugs but mainly they were anti-anxiety types. Forgive me if I ask or re-ask if you're seeing a psych doctor or a regular doctor. Have you been diagnosed with something in particular? I think sometimes a lot of people don't like taking these types of drugs because they don't like the feeling like they're losing control of themselves. When I was first seeing my psych I believe I was crying at almost every visit in the beginning, my emotions were running rampant and I also had a very agitated side that was not good. Once she put me on my first antidepressant, sorry don't remember the name as it was a long time ago, those tears dried up and the lashing outs, diarrhea (yes that too) and the vulnerable feelings I was having disappeared. It's not to say that I don't ever cry but I cry when I'm supposed to, not all day long! I admit the loss of sex drive, plus I'm perimenopausal so could also contribute and weight gain are things that do bother me but I could not live without my meds anymore. Your doctor has to find the right diagnosis for you and the right combo of therapy and meds and of course the right combo of meds. Some people being misdiagnosed can be a problem, for example people who are bipolar and put on antidepressants. Not all bipolar people are alike. You typically think of manic highs and lows but some never have the highs only the lows so it can be tricky and if they're put on antidepressants it's not going to help and could do harm. Plus it takes awhile for you to get the full effects of the drug once you start. I went from Cymbalta to Pristiq but they are very similar in drug class and I've had the Cymbalta in my system for years but when you start it's a different situation. For some people they may have a bad reaction and need to stop like you did on effexor but there's no reason not to try another one. Some people do feel good right away and some it may take awhile. Anyway my big mouth has rambled on enough, lol. But I do hope you can find the right help for yourself and the right med that will help you feel better soon, nanook:smile:

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

i knew in my head that the weight wouldn't fall off immediately, but i did kinda expect that when you go from eating 2500 or how ever many calories you eat when you're not dieting... to less than 600 a day, i did expect to lose more weight in the pre-op/post-op stage before i started adding solid food to my diet. Some people do, i didn't. i'm still struggling... i was banded march 30, 2009 and only lost 7lbs pre-op and have only lost another 10 or so since then... it's very frustrating for me. I got on the scale last night at support group -- that I was a speaker at, and had actually gained 2lbs... this journey is very hard for me right now. it's hard for me to stay motivated when i'm not seeing any weight loss or in the case of last night, a weight gain. i knew it was going to take a long time to lose the weight, i just wasn't prepared for the reality of the slowness. i hope that soon, i will start losing consistently and i hope that when you have the surgery, you lose in a constant manner.

Congratulations! and welcome to The Losers Bench! It is a great feeling. Glad to hear that you aren't having a lot of pain. If the Iso Pure is bothering you, try a diffferent kind. I like Unjury in the chocolate flavor. It tastes just like chocolate milk to me (I mix it with milk!). Take care of yourself. Get lots of rest. And don't be discouraged by the weight gain. The fluid will be gone soon and you will start to notice the weight loss! Again. Congratulations! Kathy D

I haven't done anything other than regular diet and exercise and HCG, but like I said-they won't accept hcg since it isn't fda approved for weight loss. My PCM documented conventional dieting and exercise as well as my hcg, but that was it. I won't go back to my PCM because he laughed at me for my weight gain (Talked about it in another post). He was a new PCM and I just got him to send the referral to the bariatric center and I will switch pcms when this process is over.

Thanks so much! Had a really rough night last night and just confirmed - Can't live like this. I am gonna call the doctor (sorta locally - 2 1/2 hours away) and see if he can't get me in soon. What really scares me is 1st: getting a complete unfill and possibly gaining weight and 2nd: having the band completely removed (even temporarily) until any slippage can be "fixed" and the weight gain. This has become my lifesaver and the thought of not having it leaves me insanely panicked!! I would rather give up an arm than gain my weight back. Does anyone know, if it is slippage, does that always need to be removed and replaced? This sounds dumb but can't it laproscopicly be repositioned? Scared - Jody:scared2:

I second @@James Marusek on the walking and caffeine. I did both and it helped immensely. I actually was so terrified of going through caffeine withdrawal after surgery that I gave up my 25+ year Diet Coke Habit before I even had my first appointment with the NUT! I did it slowly, taking a full month, weening myself off a little at a time. First I drank less, then I drank smaller containers. Until I stopped. I still had another 2 weeks of headaches, but now I am great. As far as messing up, liquids are hard. You messed up. Its good that you feel bad because it means you really are trying, but let's face it, we have lots of issues to overcome and slipping up is going to happen. The only thing you can do is acknowledge your goof, IMMEDIATELY get back up and get back on track. The longer we wait to get back on track, the harder it becomes and that's what causes weight gain after surgery. "well I've already messed up so I'll just X." Don't beat yourself up, just get back into the plan. Mistakes happen. Its how you recover that is the measure of success. Good luck, pam

I totally agree that everyone should share whatever they want. I just have to clarify...you are exactly 17 days post op..right? You say you were on liquids for 2 weeks right? You had invasive surgery less than 3 weeks ago right? Without any further research would it be reasonable to surmise that the weight gain would be from surgery and a full liquid diet? I believe so. Your doctor SHOULD have given you realistic expectations but by your anger and comments it is CLEAR the/he did not. Well, now you know. How you choose to proceed is completely up to you. I would be upset as well if my doctor didn't give me detailed information..but I also did MONTHS of research for myself before making such a HUGE risk of surgery..and everything everywhere states pretty clearly what the expectation with the band is. I find that many people just take what their doctor has to say and runs with it...NOT ME!!! Not to sound rude..but your expectations are not going to be fulfilled as you had thought..I would regroup, educate myself and start again with a positive and fresh mindset. No need to dwell on what cannot be changed in my opinon..best of luck!!!

I am a former LapBand patient. I unfortunately had to have the LapBand removed in February of 2009 because of complications that my surgeon didn't catch early on. Because of the complications (the band slipped, causing an extra pouch above my stomach and severe scarring on my stomach), I cannot get another band put on. I recently heard of the VSG on TV and have been contemplating this surgery. When I had the band removed, I was told my only option was a gastric bypass, but I have not met one person that hasn't had to be re-hospitalized because of severe complications with the bypass - so that just isn't an option for me - scares me a little too much. So, I am wondering if this surgery would be a better fit. Through the different forums I have read throughout this web-site, it does seem like there are a lot of similarities in the side-effects with the 2 surgeries. So, I guess I am wondering if there is anyone out there that also had the LapBand removed and had this surgery done? Or, if anyone that has had this surgery done, can you tell me a little bit about your experience -- how the weight loss has gone, how much you are eating, etc. I have gained 85 of the 120 I lost and it really is depressing. Especially when I try my hardest to eat healthy and exercise. I really want to run with my kids again and have the energy back that I have lost with this weight gain. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this and any information you could provide -- that would just wonderful!!!

Get more than one opinion regarding the bipolar thing. I have been in 12 step programs for close to 20 years and then with the weight gain I started having back pain which resulted in me being on Vicodin for extended periods of time (along with several rounds of physical therapy). It is hard taking meds when a person has an addictive personality. Its like having to eat to live when you are addicted to food. I always feel mood swings when I am coming off the vicodin. I usally ask for different pain meds even if they don't work as well just to keep off the same med (of any type) too long. It is difficult. Also, how old are you. I started feeling major mood swings and funk at the end of my thirties only to find out I was already entering menopause. We are at the tail end of this obesity thing. We are in THE SOLUTION. When I get discouraged after catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror and feeling shocked, I just remind myself that it is getting better each day and I am on my way out of this obesity hell I have been in for way to long. My bones and joints aren't working as hard as they did last week. It will only get better from here on out but we must be patient. Writing is so therapeutic. Journaling is a great idea and posting to the caring people on this wonderful site it too.

I'm here to have a support system and to try to see if any of you are having similar problems that I'm experiencing. I'm 1 year post-op and have lost 80 pounds. It's wonderful. My suregeon was Dr. Felix Spiegel in Houston, TX. I did the surgery without anyone knowing... including my own husband! I know that sounds unreal, but I guess I was somewhat ashamed to have needed to go to such extremes to curb my eating and weight gain. But, I'm thrilled that I did it! I'm back to "normal" size again and can purchase Size 12 clothes for the first time in years. I feel tons better, too. I look forward to exploring the forums and overcoming this battle with my weight once and for all! :ohmy:

I still have to disagree with you. There is a cure for obesity: lose weight. The basic definition of obesity or obese it being extremely overweight or having an extreme amount of excess body fat. How do you get rid of an extreme amount of excess body fat? You remove it. Once you remove it, you're cured of your excess body fat. Most of my family is overweight except my little sister. My little sister is 14 and in a size 4. I was probably in a size 20 at 14. My little sister doesn't eat a lot. I think she only eats when she's hungry. Yes, she does eat junk food, but she doesn't over eat it. For example, she she can have a cookie and be okay with it. However, if I eat a cookie I'll want another one and another one and another one. That is why I don't eat Cookies anymore. I think there is a lot of excuses that people make to justify their obesity. I use to weigh 327 pounds. I use to blame my family and my genes, but it was mostly my behavior. My genes didn't make me go to McDonalds and they certainly didn't make me eat 12 chocolate chip cookies. I believe I was already depressed before I ate those 12 cookies. Yes, depression does get worse with weight gain, but I do think it is a major cause of weight gain. (HOWEVER, depression can be a major cause of weight LOSS. Many people who become depress stop eating and lose weight. It's amazing...) It's all about attitude. If you think you won't ever get healthy or you aren't meant to be healthy (which is probably the stupidest thing I've ever herad) then you won't become healthy because you set yourself up for failure. Those "I can't" attitudes are what brings people to failure. Simply, people need to stop making excuses and do something like getting weight loss surgery, a therapist, a nutritionist, a doctor, etc. You CAN lose weight. It's about wanting to do it and realizing it's going to take awhile. You certainly didn't get this way overnight.

Long2bthin...I am preparing myself that I will gain when I have my surgery. I have never been in the hospital that I did not gain. Ticks me off that have to go through it and come out weighing more. Your 8lb weight gain is not unusual and b/4 you know it, it will be gone and you can continue on your weight loss journey.

We dont do thanksgiving in Australia, but Christmas is just around the corner. I've actually never had a problem with celebratory eating, I was a little and often overeater not a massive humungous intake all at once eater and i've never ever liked the sensation of scarfing down Christmas dinner, followed by plum pudding, washed down with four or five wines till you need to undo your pants type eating. I hate it. So I've not really dont it. Likewise in any other situation where weight gain was a threat - holidays and pregnancy mainly - I have an Iron will, I plan ahead of time not to overeat and I dont. its the day to day routine eating where I tend to go off track, just not planning, thinking about it or shopping properly.

I had a history of bulimia prior to getting my band. It had been treated and under control for years. However since having this band it has reared its ugly head again in a very strong way! I have not had good luck with keeping things down since day one. Food and medications get stuck with every meal.When things get stuck.. I am bringing them up. This is happening soo much I have to keep a cup handy to purge in just in case I cannot get to the bathroom. Yes a vomit cup..no house should be without one! ha! [i have to make fun of it or I would cry.] I do not get it! I take my time, take teeny bites and chew till goo! I finaly got so frustrated I resorted to soft foods which has..for me meant weight gain not loss! Everytime I go for a check up they do a Floro and say my band is fine! I have a 4cc band and have 1.8 fill. But the bottom line is I am spending way too much time with my head over the toilet again! The ability to purge so easily based on my history is not a good asset to bring to the table. My old habit is not helping an already very bad sittuation! I am seeing a therapist about my bulimia, so at least you know I consider that a priority. What do you think I need to do? Thanks!

I found doing the calculation below really useful and motivating Weight loss Starting weight 112kgs / 17.6 stone / 246.9lbs Banded 12 Jan 2013 Weight 16th June 2013 90.6kgs / 14.26 stone / 199.7lbs Lost 21.4 kgs / 3.34 stones / 47.2 lbs Lost 57% of target weight in 5 months Target 75kgs / 11.8kg / 165.34 lbs From beginning weight needs to lose 37kgs / 5.8 stone / 81.5lbs 33% reduction in overall body weight From 16th June 2013 need to lose 15.6kgs / 34.39 lbs / 2.4 stone to get to target weight So 5 months in I'm over half way in the aim to reach my target weight. I've gone from a BMI of 38 to 31.6 - very nearly 'fat' rather than overweight. I think that the final weight gain will be the hardest but if I can lose a kg a week (2.2lbs / 0.57 stone ) I could be at my target the 10th Oct - my 46th birthday. It's been far from easy but to go from a waist of 40 inches to 36 inches is really great - extra large to large - it's really good to see such distinguishable changes. So yes I think the final weight gain will mean really tight discipline ( I have a soft spot for crisps, chocolate and red/white wine) and continuing my gym / running but seeing what I've achieved in the past 5 months has made me super motivated.

Protein cookie habit is way better than the apple fritter habit, right? I need to break my energy square habit of 2 every morning. However, it gives me energy and does not cause weight gain, so all is good...

Hey MominCanada, welcome and thanks for sharing. I had an ESG in November last year in Houston. I checked out Dr. Marvin and was confident in him, you should have a good experience. Stalls, great question, we all have them and there is usually more than one in my experience. It's a large change that our bodies are going though and each body reacts differently, it's not a linear process. I had a stall for 10 days where I didn't lose any weight, gained 1 pound and then afterwards in 2-3 days lost 3 pounds. Difficult for me as an engineer to explain. Water consumption and keeping it high seems to have something to do with it, see several recent posts in ESG forum. A number of us have had stalls, gone back and increased our water intake back >60-80 ounces per day and continued to lose weight. I have a goal >> than 20% weight loss and am about half way there. I would encourage you to discuss your goals clearly with Dr. Marvin and ask his opinion with your specific body size/shape and goal is ESG the best way to go. I had this same discussion with my Dr. and concluded VSG or ESG would work (I did not want something temporary like balloons) and eventually chose ESG due to the simpler procedure and quicker recovery time. My diet is very similar to a ketosis diet (only smaller portions) and when I have my blood checked I am deep into ketosis. Typically eating 2 eggs in AM, 3 ounces of protein at lunch and dinner with 1/4 cup green vegetables and 1/4 cup brown rice or pasta. I will do a yogurt for snack in AM and sugar free chocolate pudding for snack in PM. Total 800-1000 calories/day. When I spoke with the dietician we agreed this was very similar to a keto diet. I have the same approach with sharing, other than my wife not talking about procedure with others. I have told them I'm working with a doctor on a very strict diet, with blood monitoring, etc. Diet is focused on on lean proteins and similar to keto approach. So far so good on that front. Keep the questions coming, we're here to help! Please keep sharing it can help so many others! Tex

I think I win the prize for knowing the most band doctors one-on-one. They all disagree at many levels, but the one thing they agree on completely is that erosion happens. Lopez appears to have the most erosions, but he also has the most patients. She went 1.5 years with no fill because she was doing great. Then the temporary port problem added to the weight gain made her decide to get a fill. Going to Mexico from here is a major ordeal, kill 2 birds with one stone. That's when he did the endoscopy and found erosion. I do know that port infection and erosion are related. She didn't mention that though, but since I'm the Queen of Port infections I happend to know that little diddy. I'm not sure if she's related to the person you're talking about. This is posted on the Vegas Bandster board, so it's not like I'm posting something private. I think we all need to know every thing.

Our American culture is so funny- we often avoid stating the most obvious things! This is not true in other cultures, I'm thinking specifically of America's Deaf culture (think of a culture whose many norms are based on what is seen with the eyes) where it would be considered extremely rude or worrisome if people didn't comment on a noticeable physical change! I'm thinking of the previous post that described the experience of direct comments at the Chinese restaurant, and wonder if that culture has a similar norm. I am being banded in just over a week, and everyone in my small office of 8 knows about it. They have been extremely supportive, and many of them are dealing with their own weight or dietary issues. My best friend is very engaged in this process, since she is overweight herself and curious about the LapBand. Her older sister, a very overweight bully who has never really liked me, knows about what I'm doing and has stated that she is going to do it 'the right way' by eating less and exercising. She views the band in a negative light, and I have to confess that I am really looking forward to showing her just how wrong she is! So many of us already know that losing it is one thing, but keeping it off is another thing altogether. Even my surgeon has confirmed that the physiological component of a body like mine (that makes very efficient use of every single calorie, eager to turn as many as possible to fat) is tough to beat without the additional support of a tool like the LapBand. I have already considered how to respond to the 'how much?' question- I do not plan to give an actual number. For me, that is the painful part, as I hate to acknowledge that I had so much to lose! I am tall enough to hide a fair amount of weight, so my number could elicit the sort of shocked response that I don't want to hear from just anyone. Breezy answers such as 'almost enough!', or 'enough to feel great/need new clothes!' are vague but affirmative enough, when delivered with the right attitude. For people who press, a simple 'why do you want to know/does it really matter to you?' may be required to end that line of questioning. As for folks who may declare that I have 'taken the easy way' (even though that we all know that the LapBand is not exactly that) my response is going to be, 'what is so wrong with that?'. Who wouldn't elect to go an easy route, instead of a hard one? Ever heard of the 'path of least resistance' theory? As far as I'm concerned, I've outgrown the need to suffer and will take whatever ease comes my way. It doesn't mean I'm lazy, it means I am practical! My guess is that I am bound to encounter a variety of caring and cruel remarks along this journey of mine. My in-laws know nothing of what I am doing, and I have no intention of telling them. My DH has promised to keep this secret with me. My FIL always calls me 'skinny', which is far from accurate, and my MIL is always talking about the tiny sizes that she can now fit into as she ages and shrinks. I find that exposure to these comments is toxic, so I avoid it. DH knows, and because they live several hours from us it is easy to keep our distance. I am already practicing my response to their comments when we see them this summer- I don't plan to mention the band at all, but will refer to doing 'lots more walking and careful eating', which will be true! Only those people who I consider truly supportive and considerate will be allowed access to pertinent details, and hopefully this will help alleviate my own embarrassment about my weight gain as I strive to make it a thing of the past. Sorry for the long post, but this thread topic is actually quite thought-provoking for me! thanks to all of you for your posts, and the support that reading them gives me.

Hi, Jane. I wish you luck on your decision as it is a very personal decision you have to make. I don't know if this will help at all with your decision, but if you'll bear with me, I like to share my story thus far and pre-band. Since I was about 15, I've progessed from chubby, to overweight to heavy, to morbidly obese. Like all of us here on this forum, I've lost weight, gained more weight, cried over my weight and most recently I just simply gave up. I'm 46 years old and at my highest weight 330 lbs! I have hypertension, pre-diabetic, my back hurts after standing or walking for more than 5 minutes, and I'm pulling away from all of my friends and family. I wasn't even trying any more, I lost hope and I've always been an optimist... I've been researching lapband for almost 5 years. It sounded to good to be true, so I never fully beleived it. I considered bypass surgery for a very little while and even went to a seminar that discussed both bypass and lapband. At this particular seminar, they were pushing the bypass as the surgeon has been performing bypass surgery for over 20 years. He felt that lapband was too new and the weight loss was slow. So, he essentially poo poo'd the entire idea. I left the seminar very discouraged and I knew that I would never be able to choose the bypass, it scared me more than being fat. Still I kept researching the lapband, it seemed to make sense to me, but I was still feeling a little lost and hopeless. Recently I had a realization that I want to live and I want to live healthy (physically and mentally). However, I still know that no matter how determined I might feel, I know that am human and the amount of weight I need to loose is just too overwhelming. I can't do this alone or without an aide. I went to another seminar that focused on the lapband procedure. While this surgeon was pro lapband he also discussed the other weight los procedures and noted that, in his opinion, any weight loss surgery, even bypass and it's associated complications and risks, was still a better risk than being obese and suffering from comorbidities. For me the answer was clear. I have no doubt that I need to change my life, but I also need the tool to help me loose the weight and more importanly, keep the weight off. The bypass was still too radical for me and too scary, so I am choosing the lapband. I've begun the process and just awaiting some final medical test results and hope to be banded in the next month or so. I know this won't be an easy journey. I will have to make huge adjustments in my life and I will still have to deal with my emotional eating. The weight may not come off as fast, but slow and steady wins the race. Mostly, I know that I will have to work "with" the lapband and not "against" it. It's a wonderful option and if you are honest with yourself and do what your physician tells you, it works and with less risks than the bypass. I'm full of hope and optimism yet again. :wink2: Again, I wish you luck. And as others have said here, read and research both procedures and maybe even make a list of pros and cons for both procedures...

Mine fit my thumb now!! I'm going to wait til I get to goal to get them resized. I had to resize them because of my weight gain, so I will probably have to get the stones reset instead!!! KInda cool thought, a new band for a new me!!!! ~cheri