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a few issues to unpack here - 1 - to answer your question, i think the hysterectomy is the primary culprit for your recent weight gain. because it's known to do that, AND because you've been drinking this whole time up til now without gaining. 2 - gaining 13 (or more) pounds is the least of your concerns. probably the biggest thing in the field of bariatric science right now is the risk of alcohol (and drug) addiction. before i got my surgery, my surgeon stressed to me (rather disturbingly) that alcohol addiction is the ONLY thing that keeps him up at night. it is a huge concern for him. it's so big, that i think it might eventually threaten the viability of the surgery. if the statistics and research keep bearing out what it has been, it's possible that they "outlaw" the surgery. why? well we all know that alcohol "hits" you harder, and longer. anything that has more dramatic effect is more easily to be abused. however, there's a mystery element going on. a recent study found it's NOT just about our new anatomy. i.e. it's not just that alcohol isn't cushioned by the stomach anymore and dumped right into the intestine. they did a study where they took two groups of rats - one with normal anatomy, and another that had a gastric bypass - and they administered alcohol into these rats intravenously. so they bypassed the entire digestive tract and made the rats equally "drunk" through IV-administered alcohol. they shockingly found that the rats with the gastric bypass ended up significantly more addicted. what does that mean? basically they don't know for sure yet, but there is something about the surgery that increases the susceptibility to addiction and substance abuse. something about the surgery changes the brain to make this the case. which is also the reason that those with gastric bypass get addicted to things like cocaine and heroin. those don't go thru the digestive tract either. this is different from "transfer addiction". that is not what's going on. so what to do? i'm in the same boat because while i wasn't an alcoholic before surgery, i was getting there. and unfortunately now that i find myself nearing my goal weight, i have started drinking again after a good 5 months off. and yes, i notice it's much stronger and more effective. so i'm worried as well. aside from finding a very sweet person on this website who has partnered up with me to support each other in our addictions (mine being alcohol, hers being a particular food), there's another strategy i'm going to try... it's called naltrexone. it's a prescription drug that has been found to have profound effects in curbing alcohol abuse. take it once a day and it basically neutralizes the "reward" signal in your brain when exposed to drugs and alcohol. so eventually you can look at a glass of wine and have zero interest in drinking it. more and more physicians are wising up to this powerful tool and prescribing it to their patients (as opposed to just telling them to join AA). i've decided i'm going to make an appt with my doctor and ask for it. i did not go thru this surgery to go from one hell to another. i want to nip it in the bud. here's an article on how naltrexone can help: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/04/the-irrationality-of-alcoholics-anonymous/386255/

Look up the terms 'cross addiction' or 'addiction transference.' Cross addiction is a very common phenomenon in the bariatric surgery population. Instead of overeating, many weight loss surgery patients simply adopt another addiction (e.g. alcohol abuse, shopping, smoking, gambling, risky sex, video gaming). Essentially, bariatric surgeons operate on our stomachs and not our brains. Therefore, overeaters who abused food still have addicted brains after weight loss surgery. Nothing, other than professional help, will properly address a person's addictive tendencies. Yes, the wine leads to weight gain, especially in the quantities you drink. It is full of empty calories. Combined with the sedentary lifestyle, it's a perfect recipe for weight regain.

Hello, I had the sleeve done in Feb/2016, and went from 269 to 165. I had gallbladder removal last August and have been gaining back slowly. So far I’ve gained 10lbs back. I’m staring to get depressed and don’t wanna go binging since I’m an emotional eater. Any advice would really help. Thank you.

Hi. You've really had a hard time of it. All those things you describe shows you have incredible strength. I'm so glad to hear you don't have hang overs but I'm worried about your liver. Do you think you'd ever consider an alchaholic anon group ? Or even one to one .? Regarding the weight gain I don't know about hysterectomy. But that bottle of wine would be really effecting your ability to lose weight. How do you feel about cutting down ? What does your future regarding alchahol look like ? Are you wanting to quit or cut down ? Perhaps set your self some goals. But don't beat yourself up if you don't manage to stick to them. You look amazing and hopefully things will improve for you. Sounds like with your personal life your on track. But there will be a lot of wounds left from those things so perhaps that's why the drinking is like a bandade over those wounds. Are you in therapy at all ? Sent from my Vivo 5R using BariatricPal mobile app

You are beautiful, and congrats on wanting to fix the issues. I think at this point it is deeper than the small weight gain - maybe should get some counseling. Your work might have a program through insurance that could be a starting place. You need coping skills that keep you from destructive behavior, and to learn to be kind to yourself. You need to be able to see the 'red flag' behavior in relationships and not get stuck in that again, maybe even AA or Codependants Anonymous. Or some books by Melody Beattie. Good luck.

Tough Love: Alcohol slows lipid oxidation (the burning of fat) by about 75%. So yes, it's likely the alcohol causing your weight gain. And it's probably contributing to your nutritional deficiencies. You should be eating nutritious food, not alcohol. Particularly if you are deficient. DUI is selfish and dangerous. You are extremely lucky that you...or anyone else.... wasn't injured/killed by your poor choices. 3-4 mixed drinks, or a whole bottle of wine a night....is an addiction. I think you're trading one dangerous addiction (food) for an even more dangerous addiction (alcohol). Try to stop drinking for a month. If you can't? Seek help. I don't mean this to sound overly harsh, it sounds like you've been through a lot. But sometimes being kind means being honest....even if the truth hurts a little. Please take care and let us know how you're doing.

So glad I found this website!! I had my Roux-N-Y in 2008 and have gained 13 lbs back since this past April. I had a Full Hysterectomy and went through some pretty crappy life events but I am just now noticing the weight gain and I'll be damned if I'm going to go back to the very same habits that almost destroyed me and my mentality!!! Let's join hands ladies and conquer this..once and for all!! The Food WILL NOT win....

I started my weight loss journey in Sept 2008. Had absolutely NO complications or problems and lost over half my weight in 3-4 months. I weighed 247 on the day of my surgery and quickly plummeted to a sexy 125!! Felt amazing and looked it too! However, 5 years later I had picked up a brand new habit!! I started going out...like to bars...which I had never done in my life ( I was married w/ kids so this wasn't acceptable) anyway, Now, I was divorced and had alot of free time on the weekends. Had a wonderful job, gaining new friends, hobbies etc. However, I also started drinking. Would never have more than 3-4 Captain and Cokes but my god they were delicious to me!! I had never drank before nor did I drink much soda. I quickly found myself drinking on the weekends while out with friends. Long story short, 2 years later I got a DUI !!! The first and ONLY person in my family that drank much less, get arrested. This killed my spirits, and I felt I had let my family down so I swore off alcohol. Fast forward 2 years...no job, new relationship that required a move 3 hrs away from everything I had ever known, only to find he was an alcoholic who was also physically abusive when drunk (strangled me on numerous occasions)...I started drinking again (along with him and only at home) just to get my mind off the fact that I was so far away from my family and other miseries. I am now on my own, doing very well, great job, my own place but have now started drinking wine (a whole bottle of Pink Moscato) a few nights a week. This didn't really start until this past April when I had a full hysterectomy....Thankfully, I have never had a hangover, never get sick and am actually really productive around the house..(which isn't a bad thing) I guess my question is, I have gained about 13 lbs since this time last year ( my job is sitting for 12 hrs 4 days a week) when I am home ( I live alone) I am just sedentary and don't really have any energy to do much of anything ( severely anemic and get iron infusions every week ) so do you think it is the Wine that is causing the weight gain, the Full hysterectomy, the desk job or just a combination.??? I would really like to stop any further weight gain and any answers would be appreciated.

“Do you think it is the Wine that is causing the weight gain, the Full hysterectomy, the desk job or just a combination.??? I would really like to stop any further weight gain and any answers would be appreciated” Probably all the above. Alcohol is empty calories. But the hysterectomy could DEF be playing a big part. Your body went through a huge change hormonally. A lot of women put on weight after menopause (naturally or w/hysterectomy). As far as your desk job, I have the same problem. I found using a step tracker, like a FitBit was really helpful to keep track of my steps per day. It holds me accountable for sure. I have to spend a lot of time outside work hours to get my steps in.

I started my weight loss journey in Sept 2008. Had absolutely NO complications or problems and lost over half my weight in 3-4 months. I weighed 247 on the day of my surgery and quickly plummeted to a sexy 125!! Felt amazing and looked it too! However, 5 years later I had picked up a brand new habit!! I started going out...like to bars...which I had never done in my life ( I was married w/ kids so this wasn't acceptable) anyway, Now, I was divorced and had alot of free time on the weekends. Had a wonderful job, gaining new friends, hobbies etc. However, I also started drinking. Would never have more than 3-4 Captain and Cokes but my god they were delicious to me!! I had never drank before nor did I drink much soda. I quickly found myself drinking on the weekends while out with friends. Long story short, 2 years later I got a DUI !!! The first and ONLY person in my family that drank much less, get arrested. This killed my spirits, and I felt I had let my family down so I swore off alcohol. Fast forward 2 years...no job, new relationship that required a move 3 hrs away from everything I had ever known, only to find he was an alcoholic who was also physically abusive when drunk (strangled me on numerous occasions)...I started drinking again (along with him and only at home) just to get my mind off the fact that I was so far away from my family and other miseries. I am now on my own, doing very well, great job, my own place but have now started drinking wine (a whole bottle of Pink Moscato) a few nights a week. This didn't really start until this past April when I had a full hysterectomy....Thankfully, I have never had a hangover, never get sick and am actually really productive around the house..(which isn't a bad thing) I guess my question is, I have gained about 13 lbs since this time last year ( my job is sitting for 12 hrs 4 days a week) when I am home ( I live alone) I am just sedentary and don't really have any energy to do much of anything ( severely anemic and get Iron infusions every week ) so do you think it is the Wine that is causing the weight gain, the Full hysterectomy, the desk job or just a combination.??? I would really like to stop any further weight gain and any answers would be appreciated.

I know this is an old thread. Just hope to get this topic going again. Yes i went to an eating disorder clinic...Insurance would not cover. Third year My bariatric professionals program view me as one of their most successful patients. What they don't understand Is I have disordered thinking around my weight loss I'm obsessive in my exercise ( exercise is viewed as a great thing in life) When you over exercise its becoming an issue. The disordered thinking is driven by the fear of weight loss and being happy with the weight i'm at. I acknowledge that its preoccupying my thought and time. I am aware I push my workouts to the point of exhaustion. It's affects my blood sugar, I have brain fog, my hair loss continued. Sports injuries. I feel I have to have control of this...If I let go of maintaining the way I do...I have weight gain. When life get out of control I replaced going to food for comfort to going two plus hours to the gym.

The only chocolate I get these days is the chocolate protein shake. Pre WLS I was a chocolate fiend. It wasn't a good relationship as it contributed to my weight gain and I'm sure it didn't help my diabetes. I'm trying to not introduce the foods that led to my health demise pre WLS. I'm the type that a "little" always turns into more than I should have.

I am in the same boat. I had been taking Belviq and phentermine which stopped working after 6 months. In that time I had lost 38 pounds. When I went for my very first appointment about six months ago, I weighed 207. Today I weigh 225. I feel my weight gain is the result of having to stop the Belviq/phentermine combo so I am now ravenously hungry all the time. Surgery can’t come soon enough. Scheduled for 1/2/18. Good luck to you!

It's good to use the fear of weight gain to keep you on track. You are working your plan. The scale will move in your favor again.

From the research I’ve done, the weight gain creates the stretch marks but losing weight causes them to be visible. The more I lose, the more I “get”. I have them from inner thigh almost to my knees.

I agree with this- I would say really consider whether you are scared or whether you really think you can/want to do it on your own. I, too have had a health spiral down as my weight has gone up progressively after every diet. I have Hashimotos and suffered endometriosis and a myriad of other things that affected my weight. You can feel good when first on thyroid meds but if it's like my thyroid it's up, down and all over the place and you are constantly battling exhaustion and weight gain. So if it were me, I'd probably lean towards doing it because I have lived the years since one of my besties did it - watching her get and stay healthy and me slowly getting bigger and more unhealthy. I wish I'd done it then. That said, if you don't do it I fully support that.

low carb, yes - good and sustainable. keto? NO. do not start with that. unsustainable, unnecessary, and damaging in the long run. i know you are in ketosis now, largely bc of the sharp calorie decline and your body utilizing so much stored fat for energy. but seriously do not start with the eating 80% fat thing. not because fat is bad for you, it’s not, but because you should not begin ANY eating plan that you can’t sustain for the rest of your life. because guess what happens when you get off of it. yep, weight gain regain. i follow a generally low-carb (under 50g carbs per day), whole foods diet. kinda paleo, kinda Mediterranean, but always REAL FOOD. makes it all quite simple.

I have never heard eating too little can cause weight GAIN. A stall yes. But if your eating too little how are you able to gain fat ?

Ok so I'm only 3.5 months post op vsg, so I'm obviously not planning on getting pregnant any time soon. Just some concerns and questions on my mind. I still want 2 more children, and I was wondering about the weight gain during and after pregnancy. I reeeally don't want to lose all the excess weight only to gain some of it back or (God forbid) half/all of it. I'm so scared and feel like I should have waited to get sleeved until I had my children. But- reality kicks in and I realize my health would have made it impossible for me to have them and raise them with being almost 300 pounds and God knows how much more I would have gained! So my question is to you ladies who had pregnancies after vsg; did you gain alot and did you lose it afterwards or what happened exactly? Did you feel like the sleeve went to waste and there was no point? This is my worst fear; to realize that the opportunity to lose the weight quickly wasn't used to its full potential. Sent from my SM-N910C using BariatricPal mobile app

Also, eating too little can cause weight gain, especially if your body thinks it's starving, and isn't going to get any more food any time soon. This 'diet' we are supposed to be doing is not supposed to be a starvation diet. It's supposed to be a more healthful diet. I am currently seeing a nutritionist who specializes in eating disorders and well versed in wls, to ensure I am doing this correctly. My recommendation is to do this as well, even if you've never had an eating disorder. You will need someone to be there for you when your body starts to change and you don't notice when you look in the mirror. If you need a recommendation, pm me and I will do my best to point you in the right direction in your state! Everyone deserves a chance! sw: 334 pre-op: 314 cw: 213

Hi there. I'm new to this forum and your post was the first one I read. I'm 5 yrs post op from a lap band to sleeve revision. I was doing fine with my weight loss, but this year I've started gaining weight back rather quickly. I'm having surgery on Wednesday for an unrelated problem, but truly want to get back on track. I've lost approximately 85 pounds total, but I've gained 35 of that back this year. I know what I should be doing, but find myself grazing on unhealthy foods and not exercising. It's depressing to look at pics when I was at my lowest weight after surgery and then look at current pics where I can clearly see the weight gain. I wish you much luck in getting back on track. Maybe we can encourage each other?

I'm a 67 year old female who underwent gastric bypass surgery in September, 2017. I have a very complicated medical history and was considered a high risk candidate. I have diabetes for over 40 years and end stage kidney disease. (stage 5) I have neuropathy of my extremities as well as in my large bowel, (colonic inertia), bladder, and heart. I have a disease called Charcot joint disease in my feet. This makes me lose my balance and fall so I have to walk with a walker. I have congestive heart failure and high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I also have asthma. I am on the kidney transplant list. In order to get a kidney the BMI has to be below 38. My BMI is 40. My max weight gain was 264 pounds and height of 5'3 in. At time of surgery I weighed 248 pounds. I was unable to do the pre - op fast because on day 8 of the two weeks to decrease my liver I ended up in the hospital and nearly died because my potassium had dropped to 1.9 and my sodium 22. I couldn't walk or think . Was admitted to stabilize my electrolytes. (3days) finally after 2 months they scheduled me! (September 11,2017) Instead of going home the next day, I was admitted for 5 days because my heart started racing . I forgot to mention that I have rapid heart beats called Supra ventricular tachycardia. And my blood pressure shot up so I had to stay until I was stable. Because I am sensitive to narcotics ( causes confusion and disorientation) I could only take Tylenol for pain! I m glad that's all behind me now because I really suffered from pain about 15 days) . Now I'm in week 12 and doing great. I used to take 22 pills twice daily. Now I take 3 pills twice daily. Of course I take all of my vitamins as well. My weight is 192 ( my max weight was 264) My BMI is now 34.0. I will see my nephrologist this month ( December) for my status on the transplant list. I'm happy to say that I feel so ALIVE! Before my surgery I was told that I had a 20% chance to live. And I felt like death was imminent. I have a NEW zest for life! Sent from my SM-J700T using BariatricPal mobile app

I met with my surgeon yesterday and his expectation for me was less than I had anticipated. I am 5'4" and 239. He said 18 months out he would like to see me at 160 and that was his first goal. I guess I anticipated a short term or more attainable goal like 200 at some point, and that 18-24 months put I would be closer to goal of 140. Is this just relative based on how much effort I put in? I'm super motivated, and was very fit and athletic before weight gain from thyroid cancer/issues/thyroid removal. How did you guys formulate goals? This is so different for everyone, where do we begin? Sent from my SM-N920V using BariatricPal mobile app

Congratulations on your weight loss. The first stages Liquid soft puree can be a bit rough for hunger. . Make sure you are hitting your protein goal 60-100 grams It will help with hunger. Log your food . It gets better once you get to the "real food" stage. Hunger is a tricky thing to figure out. Sometimes it may be head hunger, Eating out of boredom or stress/emotional eating. With surgery you will still feel real hunger at times. You will learn strategies on how to satisfy your new stomach. Eating three meals and two snack throughout the day. Keeping healthy options for sweet and salty cravings on hand. Fear of weight gain can be a good thing. It will help keep you on track. Take it one day at a time. Work your eating plan.

Truth, that's why I said if she truly gained 20 pounds on the intake she says she has she should see a doctor because that might be an underlying issue or a medication issue if she is taking any medications (some cause weight gain). But having to low an intake can stall you per my NUT and personal experience. Not make you gain for sure, but stall nontheless, so eating to little is not going to help the situation either. If she really is eating what she says she is.