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My therapist knew about my weight issues, so he made sure to prescribe me an anti deppressant that would not cause weight gain. I was on Effexor for approximately 1 year. I found it to work excellently. The down side is that it really gets you wired and its difficult to fall asleep at night. For that reason, I was put on Topomax to help me sleep, but I was so tired during the day. The mix was a terrible experience, but the effexor, alone, was awesome. It 'gets the job done' without the weight gain. I actually lost a lot of weight while I was on it. Cymbalta is very similar to that one.

Name, real or screen~ amtfms Age~ 39 Weight on December 1st~ 278 Goal weight for December 29th~268 Dietary goal for December~ eat more protein and veggies Exercise goal for December~ got to the gym at least 3 times a week but work out 5 times a week Personal goal for December~ Go through December without any weight gain and no eating while I am bored Date banded~ 09/13/11 Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 32 One thing that has improved with your health since banding~ more energy and no longer taking medication for reflux.

@@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

Boo, your day is coming (the plateau break). Never you worry -- it's coming. Dawn, you're very welcome and I'm glad you liked it. Kat, no one in the history of time deserved some time away like you and Rick. I'm so glad you got out on the open road. I'm home from Texas. Too much good food, too little exercise, but great times with friends and no weight gain. Tomorrow it's back to the WL grind. Emotionally, it's very hard for me to not be at work right now. I know I'll get attached to the new job once I'm there, but for the moment, I just miss my friends and the connection I felt working there. I feel unplugged. I'm trying not to eat my way through it.

About a year ago I went through the process and was denied because my comorbidities weren't severe enough. So I tried diet, excercise and to at least maintain. However I've gained about 15 pounds which puts me at the low end of being 200% over. Lack of energy, lack of self esteem, joint pain and GERD has of course gotten worse with the weight gain. I go in one week from today to reweigh and update H&P and resubmit. I'm currently on prednisolone for an allergic reaction, so hopefully that weight gain will come into play before my appt. Tuesday. Wish me luck!

It has been 2 1/2 years since I was banded. I got down to size 10 and my lowest weight was 155 lbs. My husband and I were traveling in March to May this year. I got sick with a kidney infection on our drive to Florida. My stomach got upset with my IBS and I was nauseated. My band got really tight in the middle of all that and the end result was MILKSHAKES! My stomach was so upset and my band so tight that I was living on very little food but could drink milk and milkshakes felt very comforting. They settled my stomach and filled me up. I got antibiotics when I got to Orlando but they made my stomach more upset. I was throwing up a lot and had terrible heartburn, throwing up if I laid down. I spent most nights sleeping sitting up. I was in misery. It was not caused by my band but my band got into the middle of everything. I needed a defill but was out of my country. I tried everything - bland foods, eating mushy or liquids, using antacids constantly. Nothing helped. We got home from our trip to Florida and I got more antibiotics because I felt like the infection was still there. I also got a small defill. We were leaving again only 10 days later for Hawaii for our 40th anniversary. When we got to Honolulu for the first week, I got really sick again. I was very nauseated and throwing up. My band felt very constricted again and I stopped taking my antibiotics. My stomach settled down but the band stayed very tight. When we got home from Hawaii the first week of May, I was sick again for about 4 days, vomiting and nausea. My band seemed even tighter and I could hardly eat anything. It was hard to even drink tea. My band seemed to have tightened on it's own again. Then I started having choking episodes and I felt like my stomach/pouch was up in my throat. I had a few episodes where I couldn't breathe and had to concentrate to relax my throat and let the food or drink go down so I could get my breath. I was terrified. I could not understand what was happening. It seemed like the band had slipped. I phoned and talked to my clinic and they advised me over the next few days to get a big defill. I did that and my stomach and band settled down. I had severe gas pains for about three days following the defill that doubled me over and I was in agony, pacing the floor and crying with the pain. Bandster hell. Finally that stopped. I then felt no restriction and was eating too much and too much junk. I started gaining weight and felt so upset with myself. I tried to stop overeating and watch what I was consuming but continued. I needed my band refilled. A month after my defill of 2 cc, I went back for a fill of 1 cc. that gave me back some restriction but I was still gaining weight. We had our 40th Anniversary party on Aug 7 and I felt self conscious and fat. I changed dresses to cover up my 14 lb weight gain. Other people didn't notice but I could feel the extra weight around my middle especially. I missed feeling svelte and beautiful and in control. I have had a lot of company and been too busy to spend any time on my Curves program or eating patterns. I am feeling more restriction now but have had another setback.After all the problems with my stomach, my doctor sent me for tests. One test I had on Monday this week was a barium swallow. The radiologist asked me questions before the test about what had been going on. He was not knowledgeable about lapbands but could see it in the xray. He told me that it was sitting on top of my stomach not like the picture on my lapband card I showed him. I guess my band has slipped and I am anxious to get it back to normal again before I gain too much weight. I wish I could control my eating and lose some weight through just diet. I really love my band and how wonderful it made me feel to lose all that weight in the first place. Wish me luck! :wink2::glare:

My candid advice? Keep them. I know that sounds like a deadweight loss and a lost opportunity to be charitable, but I honestly think that getting rid of them is a jinx. I never gave anything away, but when I lost weight without surgery a few years ago, I stored them away in a place I would really never go to for any reason (my gross attic). Alas, I needed most of them back within about a year and needed to wear them until surgery. My solution this time? Keep them around, and have them there to think of how much you never want to wear them again. Weight gain after surgery is real and happens for many people, but I think it is far more within our control than maintaining non-surgical weight loss.

Good morning everyone, I had my surgery done Sept 20,2012..I have gained 20 lbs since and I don't know where to start to get it off. I have to admit that I don't exercise. I used to walk at the park but lately I have just been going with the flow eating whatever. I also notice that I can eat more now than before over the last 2 years. Any suggestions on Protein rich foods that can help me stay full longer so that I won't snack as much. Please help!

notice i didnt mention HOW MUCH my Water weight gain was... (let's just say total gain is still more than yours...) i dont think we should obsess about weight gain right during pregnancy... i really dont... i mean 100 pounds, that would be an issue cause its not healthy, but 'average gain' is what 15-35? so you're a bit more than average ... so what. you'll drop it quickly ...

Thank you so much . I'm glad to inspire someone but I just feel I am doing average. I want to do way more and be that girl who defeated all the statistics about heart disease, sleep apnea, joint pain, liver issues, edema in extremities, chest pain and generalized depression due to weight gain ( because that is so real whether or not docs acknowledge it or not it is real). Everyday that God gives me strength, I am doing my best to make a difference in my life and I want to be a blessing to others as well. I truly thank everyone here because whether or not you all know it, you have been my source of strength and inspiration throughout this journey and even before I started the journey. So I thank everyone who has commented on a post or sent me a private message to encourage me. I am forever in your debt.

What happens when two sleevers with ADD make a podcast? Exactly what you think. I'm Kristen, or @themorrigan.vsg and my cohost is Emily or @emilyamvsg. I'm 16 months out, and she's 6 years out. We've got a lot to talk about trust me. I'm a recovering Binge Eater, she's on a quest to find love while struggling with life after VSG, and we're just out here doing the thing, ya dig? We talk about weight, weight loss, weight gain, messed up childhoods, VSG, struggles and successes after surgery, being fat in the nineties, the soul crushing experience that is online dating, and to top it off, for the fellow Murderinos, we do ten minutes of True Crime at the end of every episode. Because they say stick to what you know. We want everyone who's going through all this, or about to, or just wants to kiki with us and share some giggles, to know that there's a podcast out there full of all the things you want to talk about but may not be able to. We sometimes have guests on to share their stories and backgrounds and experiences. We'll laugh, we'll get triggered, we'll ugly cry. We'll find out that the real treasure has been in our hearts all along. Or something. Get in losers - we're going podcasting! Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm on the first day of my liquid diet.. i started a day early bc my surgeon said no more weight gain, whatsoever.. so im hoping that the diet & walking will get me down enough for her to cont with surgery on the day of. im sooo terrified that she'll cancel the morning of and ill get extra disappointed/depressed & won't wanna do the program anymore.. if anyone has any liquid diet tips, pls let me know!!!

Well congrats on quitting smoking, thats got to be very difficult!! But yeah i just went to my month three group appt and should be having surgery around the same time you are. The only thing i am worried about is my weight gain before surgery. I was unaware until i came upon this site that we have to actually LOSE weight before the surgery. I was kinda border line on the diet, so i figured that the only bad thing would be to lose too much weight. Then i justified my eating because i wouldnt be able to eat what i want after the surgery. Needless to say, im up 10 more pounds in the three months. So now after reading the helpful posts about maintaining or losing weight, i know i have to lose that 10 pounds and then some. lol.. im trying to stay focus and not worry too much but just eat healthy. I know i could do it if i could exercise. So im trying to join the gym, there just so freakin expensive. What are you doing to burn calories?? i would love ideas, i just cant go outside too much right now cuz i have a toddler son that shouldnt be out in the cold weather. and btw, thanks for your response

Hi, I'm from just outside Berea, KY and just now looking into getting banded. I've been working out for about four months and the last month I've been very regular at it. I go to the gym at least three days a week, do cardio five and six days a week, lift weights and do the machines three and four days a week. I've lost 27 lbs. but the last month have gained 10 back. I'm so discouraged because I'm working out harder than before but gaining weight. I'm hoping the banding will help me gain control of my hand-mouth disease and get my weight under control in the process. I'm 44 and thinking that my slow metabolism might have something to do with the slow weight loss and then I think the weight lifting is probably what's contributing to the weight gain. If I knew for sure it was "muscle gain", I wouldn't be so down about it but who knows? I am scheduled to attend a seminar on April 14 at the Georgetown Hospital, the Bariatric Clinic. They wouldn't tell me much on the phone except that it will cost just under $18,000.00. My husband is behind me 100%. It kind of made me wonder if my weight bothers him that much and he said he just knows it bothers ME that much and wants me to be happy. I'm 5'2 and currently weigh 230. I'm size 16/18 and would like to weigh in the neighborhood of 120 and size 8. According to "the graphs", I should be 115ish. PJ, I thought about going to Vanderbuilt (I think that's the hospital but could be the town in TN, I'll have to check with my cousin) for the surgery. I've heard they have excellent doctors there but not researched it thoroughly yet. Caramel, I am approx. 76 miles from TN border so I could go to Louisville as easily as I could go to TN. Georgetown is the closest place for me so far but when a doctor comes with such high recommendations as Doctor Lusco, it would be worth the extra hour to drive. Can you give me their phone number so I can contact them and schedule a consult or maybe attend their seminar? I will be a self-pay so it will take me a few more months to get the rest of the funds together. At Georgetown, they also told me that the price I was quoted covers all the fill fees for life. I'm looking forward to the seminar so I can ask questions and get answers. Gale

hi folks I wondered if anyone has any advice about explaining the lap band procedure to their children? I have two boys, the eldest is almost fourteen and is quite close to me. I have been pretty involved in researching and learning about the surgery and discussing it with my husband (in private, away from the kids). This morning my son came to me and wanted to know what's going on? He said "I know you and dad are discussing something and i heard one of you mention hospital". I didn't know what to say - I haven't a surgery date yet, I'm not even 100% sure (i am 99%!) sure i am going to go ahead with it so don't want to worry my son yet. We have had quite a bit of trauma in our family in the last 18 months and he is quite sensitive to me being preoccupied and/or stressed. So what I'm asking is when and if the time comes to have the surgery, do any of you have any ideas how to explain this to my sons, without worrying them or giving them incorrect ideas about weight gain/loss etc? I'd be grateful to hear of any of your experiences

Im very similar. I had the band for 10 years, maintained my weightloss through vomiting every day all day. Unfilled for 2 years, gained 35 pounds. Have had the sleeve since July 9. Only down 13 pounds, 10 of which was the first 2 weeks. I go to the gym alot, mostly cardio, starting with some boot camp now. My nut says 80-100grms Protein and 50-80 carb. I never go over 50 unless I did alot at the gym. She says dont worry about calories. I do use my fitness pal and stay around 1000. I think my first couple months I was actually grazing and eating more carbs. I have no problems eating anything, even raw vegetables. There is no way in hell I could eat 1/4 cup and be satisfied. with exercising you have to consume more food otherwise your body goes into starvation mode. Now after my last appt I use mfp religiously and have lost 2 pounds. Im a very slow loser and dont have that much to lose to get to my original band weight. I have 25 pounds to lose and I dont care if it takes me 6 months. If I lose a pound a week its better than a 35 pound weight gain. Your diet I think looks like you arent eating enough carbs and calories for 4 days in the gym. I know its hard to believe it.

I had to stop my birth control pills a week before and was able to resume a week after surgery. Several years ago, I was on the depo shot. In addition to the actual cost of the drug, you will also need to make a doctor's appointment every three months to have a nurse give you the shot. They won't let you give it to yourself. When you pick up the prescription from the pharmacy, it will just be a vial, no syringe. It also has a known side effect of large weight gain, so be aware of that as well.

apologies for re-posting this, but I think I posted it in the wrong forum initially Hi everyone, first time poster here! I am scheduled for a gastric sleeve on 10/19. I am currently 184 lbs, 5'4, bmi 31. After I first met with the surgeon and scheduled the surgery I was very sure this was the right thing to do. I have battled my weight for almost 10 years (I'm 30) and have tried every diet and drug under the sun with no success. My only success has ever come from a combination of medically supervised protein-sparing diet combined with phentermine. But even that 30 lb loss came back on pretty quickly. Now I'm starting to question this choice. It just seems so completely elective -- I'm healthy and young, I even completed a triathlon this weekend! But the choice goes beyond vanity, I struggle with significant depression that I never dealt with prior to the weight gain, I feel constantly exhausted (possibly from sleep apnea) and just generally feel that I'm living my life in someone else's body under a cloud of failure. I'd love to hear from others who had the surgery at a low BMI - are you happy with your choice? I'd especially love to hear from anyone who went on to have healthy pregnancies afterwards, the concern about pregnancy at my current weight has led me to hold off on having kids! Any other thoughts would be much appreciated, I do think this is the right choice for me but I struggle with feeling selfish to put my loved ones through the stress of worrying about the outcome when I'm not facing an immediate health crisis. And God forbid something happened, I wouldn't blame them for hating me for putting them through that.

There is a study on the recidivism-weight gain of participants on the show. I read it while I was doing research. One of the points made was that the contestants do 90 minutes of cardio a day with "suggested" times of up to 3 hours more. They are not fed a certain diet, and can choose what they eat. Before weigh-ins, many are dehydrated, etc. (like my WW weigh ins for sure;-( ) once off the ranch, they try to keep to these same measures to win. I don't know anyone who has an outside life of family, kids, dogs, jobs etc, who has time to work out 4 1/2 HOURS a day. Not to mention, it is near impossible to keep up. I used to watch the show and loved it, until I realized that like many of us, they lost all that weight to regain much of it. I do have my guilty pleasure of my 600 pound life...

I'm a guy about an hour northeast of DFW.Commerce Tx.Feel free to lean on me a bit.Ive had my 10cc realize band for about 2years.I lost a lot of weight for the first year.Then in January of 2012 I had a fill to 6.5.I was complacent up to fri October 12.Then I went in for another fill.im sitting on 7.5cc right now.I do work out and I lift heavy.So I don't know if my weight gain could be attributed to that.I feel good and my friends say I still look good or even better.So this has been my life changer and story.I think this last fill will hopefully put in my sweet spot.By no means am I an authority on this.Still practicing to get it right

I wish I could say YES to that question, but the antidepressant was the start of my weight gain. I had lost 100 lbs when I was 29 yrs old and kept it off for 5 years, then I had tragedy hit my family in a big time way and I was prescribed Paxil, it worked great for what I was going through but I gained 75 lbs in a year, not changing what I had been doing in the last 5 yrs prior to taking it. My Dr. told me the anti depressants slow down your metabolic rate to almost zero..I have to say he was right! I stopped taking it, then looked into the band and here I am banded 18 months at my lowest weight in my adult life. Margo, I went through the same symptoms once I weened myself off of the Paxil, I rode out the storm and once all of the meds were completely removed from my body , things got better. It's a tough transition but in the long run well worth it, alot of my depression was coming from my weight gain, losing weight has been fantastic for my depression..actually what depression? I'm no longer depressed, happier then I have been in years.Hang in there, give it some time. Did you gain weight with the prozac?

What is it about a builder that they cannot manage to buy trousers that cover the crack in their a*se? Builders bum (definition: the top pf the buttocks showing when a pair of trousers is worn too low or when the wearer is bending over). Can't their wives buy a bigger pair of trousers? Have they all gained vast amount of weight since their trousers were purchased? Why can't they wear clothes which protect their dignity (and my sensibilities)??? Anyway, the sheds have been demolished and the game is on. The canine culprits (culprits for what? just everything) have enjoyed extra walkies and no doubt I am burning a few extra calories by taking them out for all those "comfort breaks". The back garden no longer has a lawn (oh well) a shed (errr) or a garden door so it is well and truly open to all comers. Never mind! Within 8 weeks we shall have a functional ground floor bedroom and bathroom for my boy - and life will be a lot easier. Does anyone else have junk food Thursday? We try to eat healthy, but on the grounds that if you are good most of the time you can be less sensible occasionally, we have junk food Thursday. On Thursday, when I am ebbing from the stresses and strains of maintaining my busy, noisy, psychotic (did I really say that, that can't be right) family through the week, but haven't quite reached the haven of the weekend, we relieve the tension by lessening the stress of preparing the evening meal. We have junk food. Well, lets be a bit more honest: they have junk food. I can't eat enough of anything to make it worth the extra calories and I don't like the salt resultant Fluid based weight gain inthe morning weigh in so I abstain. Arern't I a good girl? But basically anything froma packet counts. Favourites are noodles, chips (translation from Uk to US: french fries), supermarket pies, crispy pancakes, veggie burgers, veggie hotdogs (for the uninitiated: we are vegetarians - you'd never have guessed would you?) and occasionallly a take away (translation; take out) in the form of pizza, a curry or even a Chinese! I would strongly reccommend this practice. It results in kids who don't feel deprived but don't expect it all the time, which results in healthier bodies - and wife and Mum who is marginally less frazzled. Happy kids, happy Mum - husband eats everything - rather too much of everything but what are you gonna do? Somehow, knowing that Thursday is coming makes eating healthier through the rest of the week (including the weekends) less of a chore. Useful tip?

Hi all, I was banded in 2010 lost over 70lbs great! Had a baby gained back 57 and I'm trying to loose it again... However my husband and i just found out I'm pregnant again... We're excited but I'm scared that I'm going to balloon out out control with my weight... Anyone pregnant with the band and how did u control your weight gain

I am the one that asked the initial question and I was 4 weeks post op when I hosted the bridal shower. I had 2 glasses of wine that night, had lots of fun, and no issues! No weight gain or stomach issues. I only drink socially with my girlfriends once a month. If I thought I had to give that up to lose weight that would be nuts!