I had surgery on April 16th. I lost 11 lbs pre-op and 13 lbs two weeks after. I started the mushie stage and my weight stood pretty still and now that I started solids (a week ago) I've gained 7 lbs. I haven't had a fill yet, my first one is this Tuesday so I understand I don't have much restriction yet (if any) but I'm super frustrated and afraid my surgeon will get mad. My food choices have changed drastically.. All I have had to drink since surgery is water, I don't eat white bread (still eat whole wheat), every meat I eat is either grilled or baked. I'm eating so much better but it takes a lot before I'm full. In my papers it says to eat a cup of food but I'm eating more than that. I can see gaining a couple of pounds but 7 pounds has me worried since thats a pound a day! I've been good at not drinking with meals. Will this first fill help?

This is still new and please take a deep breath, step back, and enjoy the journey...you have a ways to go. Go over your eating rules, get plenty of hydration, and get your protein in. I wish I had started exercising earlier. You may not feel restrictions as much until a few fills depending in your doc. Take it all in stride and you will be successful:)

My doc said to expect to gain weight when I started on real foods, he said if should take about 6 weeks to start loosing at a healthy weight and j Til then our weight will fluctuate dramatically. I wouldn't worry too much, just stick to the rules!

I was banded on April 14th.....like you I lost 18 pounds up to week 3 then last week I gained 6. I have always walked and up to 5 miles a day now...getting close to or just over 10,000 steps a day. I am also a bit frustrated, upset and worried. I have no restriction so able to eat normal. When I weighed myself this morning I was so upset. I keep thinking at the this rate I will be back to my starting weight before my first fill on June 1st. I am going to keep a food journal just to see if that helps. I feel I am working so hard and getting no where at the moment. I know this is probably normal but doesn't help my emotional state. I still don't regret this as I know once I get my first fill things will start going down again. I am still struggling with constipation and I am sure that doesn't help.

I was banded April 3rd. I had this exact experience. I was sooo frustrated. The replies to my post helped me to remember that the 1st month is for healing and not for weight loss. I was losing weight, then I gained weight, then my the scale would not move! But this week, I lost 4 lbs. Tues will be week 6 for me and going for my 1st fill on Thursday 5/17. Now I am concerned that my doctor won't fill me because I am doing so well on my on. The bottom line is to RELAX. How often are you eating? I try to eat something every 3 hrs.

M I cut out bread all together. There is an app called my fitness pal that will help you.

I had surgery on April 16th. I lost 11 lbs pre-op and 13 lbs two weeks after. I started the mushie stage and my weight stood pretty still and now that I started solids (a week ago) I've gained 7 lbs. I haven't had a fill yet, my first one is this Tuesday so I understand I don't have much restriction yet (if any) but I'm super frustrated and afraid my surgeon will get mad. My food choices have changed drastically.. All I have had to drink since surgery is Water, I don't eat white bread (still eat whole wheat), every meat I eat is either grilled or baked. I'm eating so much better but it takes a lot before I'm full. In my papers it says to eat a cup of food but I'm eating more than that. I can see gaining a couple of pounds but 7 pounds has me worried since thats a pound a day! I've been good at not drinking with meals. Will this first fill help?

Oh my gosh...I am so glad you posted this...I was banded on 4/26 and I have also gained like 6 pounds. I have been on mushies this week...and that really isn't the heathiest I've discovered...but on Wed I start on real food and I am terrified that this weight gain will continue as I will be consuming more calories. My first fill is on 5/24--which I am very anxious and nervous about. Thanks for letting me know that I am not alone is this gain...I have a feeling the fill will be great...but until then.....?

I highly recommend buying a digital food scale. Measure out your protein (my doctor says 3 oz). Eat the protein first and then veggies (low fat/cal) until full. I find measuring to be very important as 3 oz is not a lot. You are almost guarenteed to eat more than 3 oz if you don't measure.

Thank you everyone for your responses. I haven't actually measured my protein but I guess I should, I've just been using my kids plates to eat from to make sure I have a small amount. I try to eat every 3-4 hours, sometimes I only eat twice a day because in the morning I'm so busy I forget to eat breakfast lol. I feel a lot better reading everyones posts knowing I'm not alone. This is going to be an up and down battle but I knew that before getting into this and gaining this weight has reminded me.

While I don't recommend drinking shakes for breakfast unless you physically can't eat solids; I think you should at the very least have a ready made Protein shake at breakfast. Consider at lunch you think "I did'nt have breakfast I can eat more at lunch!" . This will help you keep burning cals all day. People who eat breakfast loose more weight than those who do not.

Also what kind of flavorings if any are you putting on the protein? Remember dressings, marinades, etc can be high in calories.

Make sure you are getting plenty of protein (body weight x 0.3 = grams per day), plenty of water, and that you are tracking your calories. It seems that when we eyeball food portions, they can be very incorrect.

While I don't recommend drinking shakes for Breakfast unless you physically can't eat solids; I think you should at the very least have a ready made Protein shake at breakfast. Consider at lunch you think "I did'nt have breakfast I can eat more at lunch!" . This will help you keep burning cals all day. People who eat breakfast loose more weight than those who do not.

Also what kind of flavorings if any are you putting on the protein? Remember dressings, marinades, etc can be high in calories.

Usually for flavorings I just use Franks Red Hot Sauce if it's chicken, lemon for fish, and I don't like to eat beef. If I eat salad I use ranch dressing ( about a teaspoon) because it's pretty much the only dressing I like. Other than that I just use lots of pepper (love hot and spicy food)

Make sure you are getting plenty of Protein (body weight x 0.3 = grams per day), plenty of Water, and that you are tracking your calories. It seems that when we eyeball food portions, they can be very incorrect.

I've been tracking calories since I started solids but am unsure of how much I'm supposed to get. I get in around 800-900 calories a day but will ask my doctor tomorrow about how much he wants me to get in while I'm there for my fill. I bought a 64 oz water jug and I've been doing really good with finishing it but I'm thinking maybe I'm not getting enough protein? I never was much of a meat eater so I've been having to force myself to eat it.

I should be eating about 70g protein a day, and so I really plan my meal around protein. Remember there are other protein sources (cottage cheese, etc) that are available. I especially love to add pineapple to my cottage cheese, it always tastes like a treat!

I am actually at about 1200 calories per day, 800 is too low for me to feel good on. I also like to get 80oz+ water per day or else the losing is slow.

Don't be so hard on yourself... Just to add to stephy's comment, a typical eating day for me is a shake in the morning = 30g ( I can't physically eat and I am always in a rush) lunch I hit the salad bar at work and take a scoop or two of each thing= cottage cheese, kidney Beans, garbanzo beans, hard boiled egg, chopped bacon and beets and peppers if I'm in the mood. I don't do lettuce so this all comes to approx a cup of food. Will last me all afternoon. I would guess approx Protein would be in the 20g range. Then if I add a Greek yogurt with 10-14g you will easily hit your protein mark and not be hungry. My dinner I am never hungry but do the head hunger thing or the "it's dinner time and I need to eat" so it is what someone else has fixed... Good luck, I bet just tweaking a few things and you will be satisfied and on track.

WOW - I AM SO GLAD TO SEE THAT I AM NOT ALONE. I HAD MY SURGERY ON 5/23. I LOST 7 POUNDS PRE-OP AND 10 POUNDS THE FIRST 2 WEEKS POST OP ON LIQUIDS. STARTED ON PUREED FOODS A FEW DAYS AGO AND NOW THE SCALE WON'T MOVE. I ACTUALLY GAINED 1/2 LB. I HAVE LITTLE RESTRICTION RIGHT NOW AND AM HUNGRY MOST DAYS. I AM VERY WORRIED THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE AND GET WORSE WHEN I GO ON SOLID FOODS. I AM QUITE INACTIVE BECAUSE I HAVE JOINT PAIN IN MY KNEES AND HIPS, SO I GUESS I REQUIRE VERY FEW CALORIES. I DON'T GET MY FIRST FILL FOR 6 MORE WEEKS AND I AM AFRAID OF GAINING BACK THE WEIGHT I LOST.

WOW - I AM SO GLAD TO SEE THAT I AM NOT ALONE. I HAD MY SURGERY ON 5/23. I LOST 7 POUNDS PRE-OP AND 10 POUNDS THE FIRST 2 WEEKS POST OP ON LIQUIDS. STARTED ON pureed FOODS A FEW DAYS AGO AND NOW THE scale WON'T MOVE. I ACTUALLY GAINED 1/2 LB. I HAVE LITTLE RESTRICTION RIGHT NOW AND AM HUNGRY MOST DAYS. I AM VERY WORRIED THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE AND GET WORSE WHEN I GO ON SOLID FOODS. I AM QUITE INACTIVE BECAUSE I HAVE JOINT PAIN IN MY KNEES AND HIPS, SO I GUESS I REQUIRE VERY FEW CALORIES. I DON'T GET MY FIRST FILL FOR 6 MORE WEEKS AND I AM AFRAID OF GAINING BACK THE WEIGHT I LOST.

I highly recommend Water based exercise for those with joint issues. I started out with lap swimming since I had horrible knee pain and there was no way I could go walk for exercise. Water proof MP3 player makes time go by so much faster.