Gaining Weight Before First Fill. Is that Normal?

[lap5280 6]

I'll be at 5 weeks post-op on Monday. A week after my surgery I was down to 278, and a couple weeks after that I got to 271. Today I am at 277. The nurse told me that anything I lose between the post-op visit and my first fill would be bonus. And once I got the fill, that's where I would see the results. I have always felt really hungry trying to stick with the 4 0z servings and the 1/2 cup serving's. I'm stuck at this weight.

I think I've seen other people's comments that they have lost weight before their first fill. Any suggestions would be helpful. The bills are starting to come in from the surgery, and I'm concerned if I made the right decision. Your thoughts would be helpful. I need some motivation here.

[philippians413 0]

I think it's normal. I had my first fill on Thursday. I had gained 3 pounds. They said not to worry, that many patients gained more. I wonder if the preop diet messes up the metabolism and then there's a rebound. I'm looking forward now after the fill to seeing the numbers drop again.

Good luck - you will be glad you did this. Just give it some time!:wink2:

[lap5280 6]

I think it's normal. I had my first fill on Thursday. I had gained 3 pounds. They said not to worry, that many patients gained more. I wonder if the preop diet messes up the metabolism and then there's a rebound. I'm looking forward now after the fill to seeing the numbers drop again.

Good luck - you will be glad you did this. Just give it some time!:wink2:

Thanks for the comments. Do you feel like you're eating less and feeling satisfied with the portions? I also had to see what Philippians's 4:13 addressed. That was also a motivator. Thanks for helping.

[Cocoabean 430]

The immediate post-op time is for healing, not for losing.

Also, the pre-op diet is like crash diet when you think about it. What usually happens when you come off of a crash diet? You gain.

Give the band time to work. Losses come with fills and restriction. Losses before restriction are good and show that you are committed to your new way of life, but immediately post-op, get yourself healed up!

[BetsyB 9]

I'm going to answer a bit differently.

While I think it's quite normal not to lose during the time when you have no restriction, I don't think that gaining is something to be expected, except in the immediate postop period, when Fluid from IVs and meds is being retained.

Yes, the postop period is a time for healing, not losing. Loss is a bonus. But if you're gaining, I think it's time to take a look at what you're doing. It's one thing to supplement the recommended half-cup of food (which simply is NOT satisfying!) with healthy foods that satisfy you more. It's quite another to eat enough extra food that your body gains weight.

I understand your fears about whether this was the right thing to do. It's easy to wonder that when you're hungry and seeing little reward. But be careful that you don't stuff that fear down with food your body does not need.

It's time to start working on a new relationship with food.

[Cocoabean 430]

Okay, I like Betsy's answer better than mine!

I did not mean that one should go out and eat with wild abandon during the time of no restriction! :-)

But it is difficult to follow band rules without restriction.

[chrisdirects 0]

I'm now at a point where I have to put away my scale for awhile. Despite everything I'm trying to do to adhere to my surgeon's recommendations since they put me on purees this past Monday, I'm showing a gain (not a big one, certainly) on the scale...this morning, I was in tears, terrified of eating anything at all. I had so been enjoying, during my month of preop Medifast and the week of Clear liquids only after surgery, seeing that scale go down every day. Right now, getting on the scale is scary, and disappointing.

If I were making bad choices, or eating over portion, or not exercising, then, I would have a reason to say, OK, you're doing this to yourself. In absence of those negative behaviors, though, I've just ended up frightened and unhappy.

I'm hoping against hope that this is just temporary...but another 2+ weeks until I go in for my first fill is a long time to feel this way. :wink2:

Christine

[Cocoabean 430]

I'm now at a point where I have to put away my scale for awhile. Despite everything I'm trying to do to adhere to my surgeon's recommendations since they put me on purees this past Monday, I'm showing a gain (not a big one, certainly) on the scale...this morning, I was in tears, terrified of eating anything at all. I had so been enjoying, during my month of preop Medifast and the week of Clear Liquids only after surgery, seeing that scale go down every day. Right now, getting on the scale is scary, and disappointing.

If I were making bad choices, or eating over portion, or not exercising, then, I would have a reason to say, OK, you're doing this to yourself. In absence of those negative behaviors, though, I've just ended up frightened and unhappy.

I'm hoping against hope that this is just temporary...but another 2+ weeks until I go in for my first fill is a long time to feel this way. :wink2:

Christine

Hey Christine,

Don't beat yourself up over that one! I think when you start moving back to solids a stall or tiny gain is fine.

Hiding the scale is a good idea!

Keep moving forward, and stay positive.

[BetsyB 9]

Chris, the gain is temporary---truly. A lot of it is simply bulk---liquids don't hang around in your gut long enough to change what's on the scale. solid food does.

But it would probably be a good idea to prepare yourself for the idea that you will NOT be seeing daily losses. The loss rarely is a straight line down. There are fits and starts--and especially for women--times when the scale will inexplicably go up, completely unrelated to what you are eating.

[lap5280 6]

Thanks for the true comments. This isn't going to be as easy as I thought once the surgery was over. I feel like I am getting back into the old habits. I work from home, so I've been trying to find other places to work from, so I'm not thinking about food. I have been exercising, but was asked not to get too crazy until week six post-op. The hardest part is not being full with just a can of tuna, or Protein Shakes. Maybe I need to spend more time with a nutritionist. All your comments are truly appreciated.

[onikenbai 33]

A lot of the pre-op weight loss was Water. When you starve your liver, for every unit of energy you shed you shed two units of water. Now that you're likely eating carbs and sugars, your liver will bulk up again. This is expected and what should happen. But you're also replacing that water and water is heavy. If you put on 10lbs even, most of that is water. 30lbs on the other hand, probably not all water...

[patsal 1]

My Dr. shared that no weight loss or even a small gain could occur until proper restriction is achieved especially if eating habits are not changed before the surgery. During my first three weeks after surgery I had only a one pound loss, but as soon as I was able to eat solids again the scale started moving again. I am glad because the first three weeks were very discouraging. Now I do not expect the huge loss I had when I completed the pre-op diet, but when I get on the scale weekly I am looking for it to read a little less than the previous week--I figure my goal weight is so far away that I no longer set mini-goals of 20 by x amount of time, I simply say the next time I get on the scale I would like to be one pound down from where I am now. Of late I am seeing a 3 pound weight loss per week and am happy, figuring it will slow to 2 pounds a week which I am still ok with. Seriously dropping about one size per month is something I can be happy with.

[Brownhoney7 0]

I so afraid of weight gain due to hypothyroid condition. I am not a bringer, small amounts of foods is enough for me and satisfying. My problem is that I have only lost 10 pounds since being banded Dec 28, 2009. I am exercising and watching my food intake. What do I have to do to lose more weight. I am disappointed that I have not lost more. I started out weighing 191 and down to 179, but today my scale showed I gained three pounds (183). What can I do to lose more weight? Do I go back to liquid diet again?

Edited March 16, 2010 by Brownhoney7

[jre1974 0]

I am a week post-op and plan to stick with liquids until I start getting fills. I always lose big on liquid diets, so I'm gonna take advantage of the time and lose some weight and then when I start getting fills, I can pick it up from there...

[BetsyB 9]

I am a week post-op and plan to stick with liquids until I start getting fills. I always lose big on liquid diets, so I'm gonna take advantage of the time and lose some weight and then when I start getting fills, I can pick it up from there...

Of course, this is your decision entirely, but I would suggest rethinking it. It may take months of fills before you achieve restriction; why not make use of that time to practice eating the way you will need to eat in order to ensure good loss and good health maintenance?