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Cindy, I'm all for blaming the husband. I blame him for my gaining weight in the first place! Hell, he's used to taking the blame. Kids too, especially the teenager...or is that why my hair is going gray? :thumbup: Sades, what do you mean the answer to life is 42? Do you mean age 42? I'm 44, does that explain why my body loves to torture me with overnight weight gains? :crying:

Hello I am a new member.... I had a band done about 5 yrs ago and just had to have it removed this past March :ohmy: My Doc wanted to do the sleeve BUT of course the Ins co I have now did not cover it so here I am thinking about doing the weight gain and not feeling good about myself once again. I did lose about 160 lbs with the band over the 1st 3 yrs and maintained with very little Fluid. The problem I had was severe acid reflux and coughing all night as soon as I laid down. I would start getting sick and throw up the bile in my stomach.... so he said enough is enough. I was on a pill that helped with it all but just not a good thing to be on long term I guess. I think I may be having surgery the end of this month. Just wondering if anyone out their has had the band to sleeve and at what rate did you start losing agin. Thanks

Well since I was in Mexicali, they don't do major pain meds like Dilaudid; they do the initial morphine spinal (an odd pain medication delivery system to me, but whatever) and after that you get under the tongue pain meds which aren't very effective. Most of my discomfort was from gas, bloating, queasiness, and everything associated with stomach upset rather than real PAIN. Dilaudid is a heavy-duty morphine pain med; I had it when I broke my leg as that was the appropriate pain relief medication for that situation. I had to have surgery to fix my fracture (and thus began my 10 year spiral of weight gain, but that's another story). For this type of surgery, in my humble opinion Dilaudid is way over-kill. Not that I would have turned it down, mind you, but apparently such a heavy duty drug is not the protocol at Hospital Almater.:laugh0: The liquids are going. I use a straw. The first 5 days (that's all I got so far) it still hurts a little when I drink. That supposedly goes away after a week according to Dr. Aceves. Hope so. I am sipping, not gulping (as if!) but I still feel that spot that the Water hits when it goes down, especially in the middle of night when my pump is not primed like during the day, if you know what I mean.

I am 5 weeks post-op, and twice now I have experienced 3-5 lb weight GAINS. The first time was random, and it really upset me. The second time was after I hurt my back and was basically immobile for 3 days as well as taking (liquid) pain meds (hydrocodone). It is very frustrating, especially when I think that I have only lost 20 lbs (+/-) total since surgery, at a time where I thought my numbers would be much higher. Is this typical?? Right now, I just got down to 1 lb BELOW the last 5 lb gain (so I lost 6 lbs, verrry slowly) and now I'm up almost 2 lbs. IT'S SO FRUSTRATING!! Especially when I don't know if anyone has ever experienced such a strange phenomena. I can't call my regular doc since they are closed for the holidays. I have to admit, I am not exercising (because of my back issues, in tandem with the stress of the holidays), and I'm hoping that this, in conjunction with my choosing high carb items (baked potato Soup, cheese soup, noodles, etc) has something to do with it. Please tell me that this is actually what the problem is, so that I can begin that rapid downward scoop that I was looking for pre-surgery!! Or, am I just expecting too much, and should I be happy with my weight loss to date? I began at 245 which is comparatively low for GSS patients, in general (I'm told). Could that be it?? I'm just stumped, and frustrated.

Weight gains can mess with your head, Right. This is a bump in the road. Just one more thing to overcome. Did you talk with your surgeon’s office about your iron levels and weight gain?

I had the same concerns myself a few years back, as it is genetics on both sides of the family to be overweight. I am the obese one of the family on my side, and yet, I was always the athletic one, go figure. On my husband's side, he has one sister who is obese, as well as many great aunts and uncles and his mother. The rest of his family has a weight problem, but it's minimal. On my side, half are overweight, the rest are thin, and I am, as I mentioned above, the only obese one in the family. I've learned with my kids, to limit junk food intake, and teach them about healthy eating habits. Tell them why a glass of orange juice is better for them (potassium for the heart, vitamin C for colds) than Hi C, or a side of salad instead of chips with their sandwich for lunch. I find that if they understand the importance of nutrition, and not weight gain/loss, it is less intimidating to them. If you constantly get after them for having a freeze pop on a hot day, you will only make them feel guilty for having it, then they will sneak food, to make themselves feel better. Let them have that treat- it's ok, so long as they get enough exercise and eat properly most of the time! Isn't that what we should concentrate on, instead of scaring them into eating their way into an eating disorder? I cannot emphasize enough, physical exercise. I see way too many kids, obese, heavy, and skinny, playing too many video and computer games. Kick their butts outside, give them a ball, and tell them to PLAY. For that matter, join them- you'll both benefit from the exercise and fun.

All of the above dialogue was very encouraging. I have been away from this site for a while, but am back. I could use the lift from folks who understand. I have recommitted to the journey and am looking to the future in a more positive manner. I have had several ups and downs with fills/unfills, slippage and weight gain. My mind is on the mend, therefore I anticipate seeing better weight loss until I reach my goal! Thanks everybody for your comments!!

I was told that you should never drink soda or anything carbonated nor chew gum because it puts gas in your belly and causes it to expand therefore you can eat more food then weight gain continues… I’ve had sips here and there and can certainly feel the difference within myself…I was sleeved 5 yrs ago and gained a little but am back on track and back down the 15lbs I put back on…

I have been told that any mention of weight gained or lost is rude. I don't agree

Dr. Garcia and team are highly recommended by me. I opted for same day surgery flew in on a Friday afternoon and had surgery around 3 p.m. I was to leave on Monday, but I had some issues going on with my lungs that were pre-existing. My PCP thought I had pneumonia before going to Mexico and was blaming all the shortage of breath on my weight gain. I will tell you this, "Dr. Luna, After Care Doctor, did not leave my side until I was back on US soil and followed up with me for many weeks. I guarantee that we would not get the same treatment in the states. Dr. Garcia is always available for his patients. He has a Facebook page; if you send him an email, he will respond in a timely manner. I had surgery on May 10 weight at 230; I weighed today (07.21.13) at 188; I am so happy that I pick Dr. Garcia. I added some pictures. The picture of my stomach is my incision. I had the single-incision and the incision showing is from the drainage tube.

I don't weigh daily. I just weigh monthly. Have seen a downward trend each and every month for the past year and a half. I personally, can't handle daily fluctuations. Many people can. I'm not one of them. I may change to weekly weigh-ins once I get to maintenance, but for now, once a month is the way I avoid those fluctuations.......You've probably always had a little weight gain from Fluid retention during your cycle, but you're probably in super excited mode about your stellar weight loss that you have a heightened awareness of the numbers on the scale. Give it a few days and weigh again. VIOLA .......You may be even below that 150 mark!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How do you like your band? Tight? Tighter? Tightest? MORE, MORE, MORE Americans love MORE: more of anything and everything. More food, more fun, and (for some of us) more fill in our bands. But striving for maximum fill in the effort to achieve maximum weight loss can be a terrible mistake. Fat folks become obese enough to qualify for bariatric surgery because we’ve been eating more, more, more, so it’s not surprising that bandsters long for more, more, more fill. The tighter the band, the better, right? Wrong. Here’s why: tighter doesn’t automatically yield more weight loss. It can cause eating problems, side effects and complications that none of us want. It can compromise our quality of life. It can make us miserable when all we hope for from bariatric surgery is a better life. You’re not impressed by all that? You’re willing to risk everything in the pursuit of skinny? Then try this on for size. A tight band doesn’t guarantee weight loss. Just the opposite: it can stall your weight loss or even make you gain weight. Do I have your full attention now? Good. Listen up and I’ll explain why tighter isn’t always better. THE RESTRICTION FALLACY Traditionally, the adjustable gastric band has been considered a “restrictive” weight loss surgery. Bandsters were taught to look for signs of restriction: the proofs that their bands were working. Instead of paying attention to her own eating behavior and lifestyle, the bandster waited impatiently for the flashing signs, ringing bells and slamming doors that would stop her from overeating. The idea was that the small upper stomach pouch would “restrict” food intake and result in weight loss. Sound familiar? That was well-intentioned thinking, but it was wrong. In the past 5 or so years, band manufacturers and bariatric surgeons have come to believe that it’s a mistake to eat and eat until you set off your band’s emergency warning system, for the reasons mentioned above. Unfortunately, the re-education process is slow going, and in the meantime, the restriction fallacy lives on. Even now, approximately every third word out of a bandster’s mouth is “restriction”. It’s a catch-all term for the feelings that limit how much a bandster eats. Post-op band life tends to become a quest for enough fills to reach the Holy Land of Restriction. Next stop: Skinnyland. Or not. HAZARD AHEAD! THE DANGERS OF SOFT CALORIE SYNDROME Soft Calorie Syndrome is one of the least publicized dangers of a band that’s too tight. Psychologists would call it a maladaptive behavior, that is: a nonproductive behavior that prevents you from adapting to situations, or changes in yourself or your environment, in a healthy way. It can begin as an attempt to deal with or avoid an unpleasant experience but it does not solve the original problem and eventually becomes dysfunctional. You can read more about maladaptive eating behaviors by clicking here: http://www.bariatricpal.com/page/articles.html/_/healthy-living/is-your-eating-maladaptive-r50 A bandster experiencing Soft Calorie Syndrome is responding to the unpleasant experience of eating with a band that’s too tight by eating the soft and liquid calories that slide most easily past their gatekeeper band. Instead of eating the healthy and solid foods (like dense animal protein, veggies, fruits) that provide the most satiety (both early and prolonged), that person favors easy-to-eat food that’s often junky and high in calories (for example: potato chips, ice cream, milkshakes). Even healthy foods( like yogurt, cottage cheese and, fat-free/sugar-free pudding) can fall into the soft calorie category, and they don’t provide any better satiety than the junky stuff. The net result is that you end up consuming more calories than you need because the soft stuff doesn’t provide enough early and prolonged satiety. And the result of that is a weight loss plateau, or even weight gain. I discovered the perils of Soft Calorie Syndrome for myself when I traveled to New York City to attend a trade show when I was about 8 months post-op. I had gotten a fill the day before I left, and by the time I got to New York I had realized that my band was too tight for me to tolerate. I couldn’t eat any solid food, so I spent the next 3 days eating soft, high-calorie, low-satiety foods like creamy soups, milkshakes, and ice cream. I was just trying to survive long enough to go home and get an unfill. My maladaptive eating behavior achieved a temporary goal (comfortable survival) while sabotaging my long term goal of losing weight. In fact, I gained weight during that trip and ended up feeling disappointed in myself. I promised myself no more fills on Fridays and no more fills the day before a business trip. I called my surgeon’s every time I suspected my band was too tight and found that even tiny unfills could make all the difference in my quality of life as well as my weight loss. I know I’m not the only person who’s discovered the perils of Soft Calorie Syndrome. I also know that you’re not alone in believing that more fill is better and that unfills will slow or stall your weight loss. A few months ago I talked about this with a smart and successful bandster named Denise. When her surgeon reacted to her too-tight band by suggesting an unfill of .5 cc, her dazed and frightened face made him reassure her that she could start being re-filled in a month. The month ahead scared her, but she agreed to the unfill, and discovered that rather than returning her to Bandster Hell, it had restored sanity to her eating life. She said, “I was able to eat again. Solids went down easily. Bread was on my menu. Meals lasted me several hours. I didn’t snack because I was able to eat enough to keep me satisfied.” When Denise went back to her surgeon a month later, he was delighted her hear her say that she didn’t even need a re-fill. She told him, “I can eat anything, but I’m not eating everything.” And that, my friends, is what healthy eating is all about.

Hey Everyone, I haven't posted here in some time. I'm still dealing with the loss of my husband. It has been almost 6 months. When he was diagnosed in January I was almost at goal but now I've gained 40 pounds back. OH LORD.. I'm so ashamed but I swear. I don't eat a lot but I take in a lot of liquid calories and I can't seem to stop. Three cups of coffee every morning made with my Keurig which I use milk in each cup. I do use skim milk but I would think that each cup of coffee has around 250 calories. Milk, creamer, etc. I drink a shake for Breakfast, and lunch, then I eat a meal around 5 pm. I don't have trouble with food. I never eat fast foods at all. But the stupid coffee!!! GOD HELP ME! Frappes... THE DEVIL! Also, fudgesicles. Now these fudgesicles have 80 calories... but when you can't stop eating them...... ugh. I know what I need to do but I can't do it. I need control. I have been walking everyday. Doesn't do anything to keep the weight from coming back. I've gained 22 of these pounds since I buried my husband in June. It just keeps coming and I can't stop it. I'm so out of control. I'm going to gain it ALL back!!! I never thought I would be back here. I was 300HW, LW 168, CW 212. Going right back to food for comfort as I've always done. I miss my husband so much!! I know he wouldn't want this for me. Taking care of him for 6 months and seeing him suffer so much. I know I need counseling as well or something but this weight gain... it just keeps coming everyday. I still don't get how I'm gaining so fast. I would have to take in 3500 calories over the 1200 I need a day to live and maintain. AM I really taking in 4700 a day!???? NOOOOOOO!! I don't get it. Help... I need some sample menus from you all at goal... some advice... some diets you are doing. Just give me a plan to go by. I can't remember how I ate before. Thank you!!! The pics attached are me at my lowest, six months ago, and now.

I'm so short that even a little weight gain/loss is very noticeable so my friends and family have all commented on it (they don't know I had WLS.) Unfortunately my driver's license photo is from 10 years ago when I was 21 and under my current goal weight......LOL

I am having surgry The 29th of april. I had decided a long time ago not to tell anyone except husband and kids. However that changed sun. Had a family/friend reunion. I told everyone. Part because I am excited, but mostly because I was embarresed of my weight gain so I just wanted them to know I knew what they were thinking and I was doing something about it. Now I regret it.

MORE, MORE, MORE Americans love MORE: more of anything and everything. More food, more fun, and (for some of us) more fill in our bands. But striving for maximum fill in the effort to achieve maximum weight loss can be a terrible mistake. Fat folks become obese enough to qualify for bariatric surgery because we’ve been eating more, more, more, so it’s not surprising that bandsters long for more, more, more fill. The tighter the band, the better, right? Wrong. Here’s why: tighter doesn’t automatically yield more weight loss. It can cause eating problems, side effects and complications that none of us want. It can compromise our quality of life. It can make us miserable when all we hope for from bariatric surgery is a better life. You’re not impressed by all that? You’re willing to risk everything in the pursuit of skinny? Then try this on for size. A tight band doesn’t guarantee weight loss. Just the opposite: it can stall your weight loss or even make you gain weight. Do I have your full attention now? Good. Listen up and I’ll explain why tighter isn’t always better. THE RESTRICTION FALLACY Traditionally, the adjustable gastric band has been considered a “restrictive” weight loss surgery. Bandsters were taught to look for signs of restriction: the proofs that their bands were working. Instead of paying attention to her own eating behavior and lifestyle, the bandster waited impatiently for the flashing signs, ringing bells and slamming doors that would stop her from overeating. The idea was that the small upper stomach pouch would “restrict” food intake and result in weight loss. Sound familiar? That was well-intentioned thinking, but it was wrong. In the past 5 or so years, band manufacturers and bariatric surgeons have come to believe that it’s a mistake to eat and eat until you set off your band’s emergency warning system, for the reasons mentioned above. Unfortunately, the re-education process is slow going, and in the meantime, the restriction fallacy lives on. Even now, approximately every third word out of a bandster’s mouth is “restriction”. It’s a catch-all term for the feelings that limit how much a bandster eats. Post-op band life tends to become a quest for enough fills to reach the Holy Land of Restriction. Next stop: Skinnyland. Or not. HAZARD AHEAD! THE DANGERS OF SOFT CALORIE SYNDROME Soft Calorie Syndrome is one of the least publicized dangers of a band that’s too tight. Psychologists would call it a maladaptive behavior, that is: a nonproductive behavior that prevents you from adapting to situations, or changes in yourself or your environment, in a healthy way. It can begin as an attempt to deal with or avoid an unpleasant experience but it does not solve the original problem and eventually becomes dysfunctional. You can read more about maladaptive eating behaviors by clicking here: http://www.bariatricpal.com/page/articles.html/_/healthy-living/is-your-eating-maladaptive-r50 A bandster experiencing Soft Calorie Syndrome is responding to the unpleasant experience of eating with a band that’s too tight by eating the soft and liquid calories that slide most easily past their gatekeeper band. Instead of eating the healthy and solid foods (like dense animal protein, veggies, fruits) that provide the most satiety (both early and prolonged), that person favors easy-to-eat food that’s often junky and high in calories (for example: potato chips, ice cream, milkshakes). Even healthy foods( like yogurt, cottage cheese and, fat-free/sugar-free pudding) can fall into the soft calorie category, and they don’t provide any better satiety than the junky stuff. The net result is that you end up consuming more calories than you need because the soft stuff doesn’t provide enough early and prolonged satiety. And the result of that is a weight loss plateau, or even weight gain. I discovered the perils of Soft Calorie Syndrome for myself when I traveled to New York City to attend a trade show when I was about 8 months post-op. I had gotten a fill the day before I left, and by the time I got to New York I had realized that my band was too tight for me to tolerate. I couldn’t eat any solid food, so I spent the next 3 days eating soft, high-calorie, low-satiety foods like creamy soups, milkshakes, and ice cream. I was just trying to survive long enough to go home and get an unfill. My maladaptive eating behavior achieved a temporary goal (comfortable survival) while sabotaging my long term goal of losing weight. In fact, I gained weight during that trip and ended up feeling disappointed in myself. I promised myself no more fills on Fridays and no more fills the day before a business trip. I called my surgeon’s every time I suspected my band was too tight and found that even tiny unfills could make all the difference in my quality of life as well as my weight loss. I know I’m not the only person who’s discovered the perils of Soft Calorie Syndrome. I also know that you’re not alone in believing that more fill is better and that unfills will slow or stall your weight loss. A few months ago I talked about this with a smart and successful bandster named Denise. When her surgeon reacted to her too-tight band by suggesting an unfill of .5 cc, her dazed and frightened face made him reassure her that she could start being re-filled in a month. The month ahead scared her, but she agreed to the unfill, and discovered that rather than returning her to Bandster Hell, it had restored sanity to her eating life. She said, “I was able to eat again. Solids went down easily. Bread was on my menu. Meals lasted me several hours. I didn’t snack because I was able to eat enough to keep me satisfied.” When Denise went back to her surgeon a month later, he was delighted her hear her say that she didn’t even need a re-fill. She told him, “I can eat anything, but I’m not eating everything.” And that, my friends, is what healthy eating is all about.

My surgeon's group wanted us to reach 1200 calories a day as soon as we could. I did this at around 3-4 weeks out...eating 6 little 200 calorie "meals" a day. We were told to stay at 1200 during all of loss phase. I know this is VERY different advice than what many clinics give their clients. Some want people to stay below 1000 calories for a very long time to "take advantage of the window of loss". My doctors are part of a study addressing how extended periods of very low calorie diets may be corelated with rebound weight gain due to negative metabolic shift. They believe that for the best LONG TERM outcomes....eating calories closer to maintenance for healthy weight sooner...is better. I eat 1600 calories a day now, and have maintained the last two years with no weight gain. There will always be individual experiences and exceptions to every rule.

How long before you were able to kick BP Meds to the curb? I have been on them about 10 years and have had some really low readings at times since surgery. I also suspect they create a little weight gain. Looking forward to being off these in the near future!

Hi! I can relate to your weight gain. I weighed about the same as you did, and then had a few traumatic events in my life. I gained over 100 lbs. 60 lbs. due to anti-depressants. Anyway, I think it is different for every state and every insurance company. My insurance did not cover mine. My husband had it done, also. I would find out if there are any local seminars you can attend. That was the first step for me. Once that was over with, the process just rolled on! They have a pre-op diet of liquids: Slim-Fast, clear broths, and Protein shakes, and Vitamins. This is to shrink your liver. You will have to have a sleep study, so if you want to get that under way, go ahead. Some places require a note from a psychologist. If you see a psychologist, it wouldn't hurt to do that. You definitely can have the surgery, and I think you would be more than pleased with it! It takes time, but it is worth it! At first, it seems overwhelming, but take it one day at a time, and before you know it...you are banded! You should be able to call your insurance company and ask if they cover morbid obesity. Good luck to you and in whatever you decision you make! Kristi:thumbup:

I take sedating medicine, and stopped smoking around 14 years now. I believe that this has made it harder for me to move forward with my weight loss, with the Gastric Lap Band, which I've had 16 years ago now. I wont change the banding, cause I know if I get it removed, bye bye to the weight loss, bring on the weight gain. So far I've lost the ideal weight, then I stopped the smoking and it increased. I have 50 lbs to go now, I can do it. Can anyone related to this at all?

All the things you mentioned could cause getting stuck. Eating too fast is a big problem for me. I almost always get stuck if I wait too long to eat, get very hungry, then eat too fast. Bread and tortillas often cause problems for me as well. I can eat chicken breast with no problems, but many bandsters find it to dry and it gets stuck. Try slowing down, chewing better and avoiding these 3 foods until Thursday. If things improve, you can probably get a small fill. If they stay the same, don't get a fill. It is a misconception that being really tight will produce faster weight loss. Many people when they are tight turn to poor food choices like ice cream that actually causes weight gain. Also, being too tight can eventually lead to a slip. If you haven't actually PB'd, I think you just need to slow down and be more careful.

Here it is. Obesity and Mortality Risk New Findings From Body Mass Index Trajectories I signed up for this site, its free and quite interesting. You can get notices on any topic you want. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/815335_1 Here is a tantalizing two paragraphs from a LONG DRY article. IntroductionThe rising prevalence of obesity has emerged as a potential threat to overall life expectancy in the future. The extent of this threat, however, is still uncertain, and estimates of the percentage of total deaths due to obesity vary widely, from 5%[1] to 13%.[2–4] Although these estimates are all based on measuring the mortality consequences of body mass index (BMI) assessed at baseline (i.e., at 1 point in time), other studies have found that a dynamic measure of weight status (weight or BMI change) is more predictive of mortality than is a static measure of weight status (i.e., baseline BMI), especially among older adults.[5, 6] We might expect obesity to increase the risk of death more profoundly when it persists over the life course. Therefore, in order to better assess the rising threat of obesity, it is essential to examine the mortality consequences of BMI trajectories. Prior studies based on dynamic measures have yielded mixed findings about the mortality consequences of weight change.[5–21] Several factors contribute to the mixed findings. First, the association of weight change with mortality depends on baseline BMI status. Weight gain leads to excess death among overweight/obese individuals but lowers the mortality risk among underweight or normal weight people.[8] Second, the association differs by the magnitude of weight change. Modest weight gains are associated with a decreased mortality risk, but excessive weight gains predict an increased mortality risk.[7, 13] When both initial weight and the magnitude of change are taken into account, small weight gains (1.0–2.9 BMI units) are not associated with excess mortality risk among 50–70-year-old Americans, regardless of their initial BMI levels, whereas large weight gains (3.0–5.0 units) increase the risk of death only when the initial BMI is greater than 35. Moreover, both small weight losses (1.0–2.9 units) and large weight losses (3.0–5.0 units) are associated with an increase in the risk of death among people who are normal, overweight, or mildly obese at baseline.[22] What!??? 8o

The injectable BC (Depo) is the one I was on. It works very well, you don't have to worry about it, BUT weight gain is a very common side effect. I switched from it because I was having trouble losing. I couldn't tell you whether it helped, lol

I don't think you are trying to be obnoxious. And for many to get down to your goal weight is a major struggle. But one has to remember that the band does not cure your root problem in regards to your weight gain. I know some that go up and down with their weight on the band and thats because the total concept is still not yet in place. For years I was eating the wrong food, not being active enough and doing everything wrong until I was so heavy that I was in a critical mode. The band is a great starting point and for some it will take awhile to let it go. I dont suggest that you walk away from the band but look into many other alternatives that address health and weight loss because the more you go down this road the less you will need the band and the associated problems that can occur. (food get stuck etc...)

When I was on Zoloft I gained about 45 pounds in four months without changing my eating habits. The weight gain was so fast and so profound that it was frightening. I literally would step on the scale and put on three pounds overnight. It spiraled out of control so fast and furious that I was forced to go off of Zoloft. I have never experienced anything like that. If it had not been for Zoloft, I would not have qualified for the band! I'm not saying it's the same for everyone, but that's how it was for me and it was dramatic. I would never touch another SSRI again with a ten-foot pole.