I know: silly, but it freaks me out...

[Sandra3]

Just an observation about the scale... I believe every one of us in this thread who have lost and successfully kept off our weight weigh ourselves daily. Measuring by the size of your jeans is not a very effective indicator in my opinion. I'm still wearing the same jeans at with my weight between 113 and 117 as I was when I was at my lowest of 102. I think if I hadn't weighed myself daily and suddenly saw that much gain, I would have really lost my shit. I like the accountability the scale provides.

I do second Katrina here. The jean size will say nothing about how you are doing. I can keep wearing the same jean even with a 20 pounds fluctuation (20 is the limit).
More than 5 pounds up or down consistent for more then two weeks and for no "good reason" should be a big warning sign.

I did spend a full week in hospital for tests in January and had very interesting conversations with internist doctors specialized in nutrition and endocrinology.(we had to jump on the scale twice a week during our stay)

One of the study was looking at my weight over the years. I spent more than one hour with that doctor.

We went back to my early childhood. I do have track from doctors visits, usually once a year for the checkup. But once a year said nothing about why and how a 8 years old suddenly gain 20 pounds in one month after a surgery. Lucky, since I had to take antibiotics/cortisone at that time, the doc did write down my weight at the beginning of treatment, again later during the second round, and at the end. But the following years they didn't...and I was still gaining.

Keeping track is the only way to understand how my body does react to external factors (meds, new diet, stress, new country etc) because I can now connect the dots.
At some point that year (2011) when I had to have cortisone in tablets, spray and nebulizer, I gained 30 pounds in one week....yes...30 pounds!! ( took 3 months to lose...).

Now, post sleeve, I did reach those +30 pounds gain...but this time it took way over 3 months to gain it, with the same meds I took in 2011....still better than gaining those in one week. Tracking can keep me grounded and realistic in my expectations.

In 2016, I had to have cortisone and gained a few pounds in a few days (much less than before the sleeve), lost it back in like two weeks. I was only five months post op, so when I saw the gain I was in panic mode...but then realized it was not that bad compared to before the sleeve. Noticing a big difference was comforting that the sleeve was really helping a lot. But also knowing I could gain weight eating barely anything did confirm what I have known for years. Meds do make me gain weight, even when I eat 700 calories per day!

I do have a consistent tracking from 2011 (usually weekly), but not before. Why?? It's because 2011 was the turning point. I reached my highest weight: 150 kgs, the weight of 3 women!!!! It did quick me hard in the butt to be so miserable.

And to realize that I got there after two double pneumonia, treatment was really strong and making me gain weight for months. I could see I was gaining as always when I was sick, I started to be back on the scale more often, scared I was going to reach 200 kgs without noticing!! It kept me accountable to see how much I gained, and I would think twice about what food was allowed in my mouth!!

Yet, the years before I was so much in deny (the baby weight will go away, I just need to exercise more bla bla) I was avoiding the scale like the plague. And would sometimes be horrified to "discover" at the doctor 'how my gosh I gained ten pounds again!! what!!!why??? I'm eating healthy food!!
yeah healthy, but two servings will never be healthy...it's not just quality, it's also quantity. You can turn into a whale eating healthy and organic!!!...been there done that! but also since I didn't track anything, I also probably didn't notice that I did gain because I had to take some meds!!

Daily is fine for Katrina or Ann, but would be compulsive behavior for most people (daily does drive me crazy), doctors do recommend to check your weight once or twice a week.

Studies done on bariatric patients do show that those who don't track their weight will regain more...same for those who don't comply with post-op visits.

My surgeon had some very interesting stats, some of his patients who regained the most were the very same who didn't show up for most (important and compulsory!!) post-op visits, didn't take their vitamins, didn't have blood tests etc...
They would come at the first post-op (one week), then missed all the others but would show up at one year, in a panic, because they started to regain at 9 months, and couldn't control the regain...very typical.

I mean, everyone is free to use his sleeve the way he wants. But guidelines are made for a reason. The same way nutrition classes, documented weight loss, psych eval, are usually a condition for any bariatric surgery approval. It's a process.

[AnnieG]

I sent Sandra3 a longer private message thanking her for her post.

She turned a light switch for me -- I was on cortisone the month of December for a ridiculous, severe and lingering sinus infection. So that and antibiotics for 4 courses is where the weight "crept" on.

I feel greatly relieved and I went back my log, and sure enough, it was sudden and then just "there".

[Dutchie]

I am happy for you Annie!
So good of you to find that out, with Sandra's help.
And also good you keep track and so you can look back, to see what happened and when.
Just as Ann said: there is almost always a reason for a regain.
But finding out what that reason is, can take a long time.

[AnnieG]

I am happy for you Annie!
So good of you to find that out, with Sandra's help.
And also good you keep track and so you can look back, to see what happened and when.
Just as Ann said: there is almost always a reason for a

regain.
But finding out what that reason is, can take a long time.

Well DutchSleeve, it took me long enough to figure it out. Then again, I am relieved it was pretty normal with cortisone. I was, however, horrified to find out that a Werther's hard candy is way more calories than its worth! I was trying to avoid low blood sugar during church yesterday, and ended up with 180 calories that did the trick, but were pretty useless for nutrition. (My sugar drops to 50-ish which is bad.)

always a balancing act at my age.

[sraebaer]

I sent Sandra3 a longer private message thanking her for her post.

She turned a light switch for me -- I was on cortisone the month of December for a ridiculous, severe and lingering sinus infection. So that and antibiotics for 4 courses is where the weight "crept" on.

I feel greatly relieved and I went back my log, and sure enough, it was sudden and then just "there".

And I was on cortisone for my rotator cuff.....maybe that's what put on some weight when I swear I did not change my eating.

[Katrina]

Cortisone will get you every time. I was 102 on April 1, 2017 when I got my first ultrasound guided injection in my neck. By August I'd had 3 of them and gained up to 117. Those pounds never went away. I haven't received anymore shots, and I havent gained anymore weight.

[AnnieG]

And I was on cortisone for my rotator cuff.....maybe that's what put on some weight when I swear I did not change my eating.

I'm thinking it caught us all off guard --

[KiwiGal]

And this thread is an example of why I love this forum so much.
The sharing of information is just great.
We are all forever learning new things.
Thank you to all that are participating.

[Christie13]

They say most people will experience an unnatural low but then it will eventually bounce up to a more healthy amount for your body. I think that is what is happening to you. I know you are tall and 106 lbs sounds too thin.

[Dutchie]

Thanks Christie!
Although I am not tall (5'4"), 106 still is too thin for me, you are absolutely right.
Yesterday I went shopping for clothes and it really struck me (unpleasantly) how thin I am.

But I had some good and productive dialogues wilt myself and decided I have to change my believe system.
Just because regain (out of control weight gain that is) happened in the past, is no guarantee it will happen in the future.
I really hope I will put on some more pounds, but that will happen over time, I am sure.
I will not let it spiral out of control, I will monitor closely.
As I do since my surgery.
And when I stay this same weight, I will buy some cute clothes that are flattering on my broomstick body.

[AnnieG]

Thanks Christie!
Although I am not tall (5'4"), 106 still is too thin for me, you are absolutely right.
Yesterday I went shopping for clothes and it really struck me (unpleasantly) how thin I am.

But I had some good and productive dialogues wilt myself and decided I have to change my believe system.
Just because regain (out of control weight gain that is) happened in the past, is no guarantee it will happen in the future.
I really hope I will put on some more pounds, but that will happen over time, I am sure.
I will not let it spiral out of control, I will monitor closely.
As I do since my surgery.
And when I stay this same weight, I will buy some cute clothes that are flattering on my broomstick body.

Do DutchSleeve, a broomstick body? I'm rather more like a domino - thin and square. Or a small olive witht toothpick legs.

While its humourous, there is a small element of truth in how we are describing myself.

I have decided to think of myself as a shining nova, stunning the universe with its beauty.

[Dutchie]

No matter what you look like: you ARE a shining nova!
As am I... it is not only the outside that matters.

Did you hear about the olive and the broomstick?
They are awesome!