Rapidly Gaining Weight 2 Years Post Op Sleeve Surgery

[GeauxForIt 659]

I'm very fortunate that my children are still young (easily influenced) and my naturally slim DH is onboard with moving on as a family with a healthier diet and lifestyle. For me, I imagine this addiction would be damn near impossible to manage without a concerted effort of both my family and me.

And I've learned to call it what it is...a food addiction. It took me a long time to come to grips with that, but now I say it frequently. I can't beat my enemy if I don't know what it is.

[Katie713 423]

Great post. At 8 months out I am already struggling to stay on track and get to my goal weight, and of course, the answer is usually the same, we veer off course from what we know will create weight loss and what will sustain it. I get an uncomfortable feeling with restriction eating firm Protein, and sometimes to avoid that feeling, I will consume a small amount of slider foods that feel comfortable, but ultimately stall me out. Your statement about cheese being a culprit hits home for me, and I know cheese is a trigger food for me, and it goes so well with crackers (whole wheat of course) and for more Protein, perhaps some salami? I am not fooling myself and this post brought it home for me. I simply have to pre-plan meals and make sure I have snack foods (the right kind) available. My problem is after work and evenings. I will have a little of this and a little of that, and it is in my eyes a self sabotage of sorts and reeks of old habits that die hard.

I may need to focus on alternative ways of dealing with the emotional and other issues I have with my eating. I have done great so far, but I do not want to start gaining weight before I have reached goal, and I don't want to get there, and then let my old habits defeat me.

Thank you for the enlightenment!!

[HalfTheWoman 107]

I try to measure and count out everything to stay on goal! I could eat small bad things all day but I have to keep reminding myself what I looked like and how great I feel now. It's not easy and never will be because I love food and I love to eat but I really LOVE being thinner. I still have a ways to go and I needed this post! Thanks!

[joseph 40]

dear god, i thought im the only one who is having issue with this problem.

[*susan* 1,709]

Weight loss surgery is just one piece of the puzzle to achieving and maintaining long term weight loss. It is so important we continue to monitor our daily food intake, see what works for us and what doesn't. If you eat junk, you will gain weight. You have to maintain a healthy lifestyle, eat nutritious meals and exercise. Just because you reach goal, you can't stop doing what helped you get there and revert back to your old habits or you will end up back where you started. I know, I was headed that way but fortunately caught myself before it got out of hand. Now I am back on track again and even lost five pounds this week, yay me!

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[Supersweetums 1,164]

Weight loss surgery is just one piece of the puzzle to achieving and maintaining long term weight loss. It is so important we continue to monitor our daily food intake, see what works for us and what doesn't. If you eat junk, you will gain weight. You have to maintain a healthy lifestyle, eat nutritious meals and exercise. Just because you reach goal, you can't stop doing what helped you get there and revert back to your old habits or you will end up back where you started. I know, I was headed that way but fortunately caught myself before it got out of hand. Now I am back on track again and even lost five pounds this week, yay me!

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That is the nice thing about the surgery. It can't stop you from getting of course. But it is much easier to get back to good habits and lose the weight. Plus, if you do start gaining, it is not like before. Optimal for early intervention. It is a lot easier to lose 5 or 10 lbs than 50 lbs!

[CPPULQUERO 2]

Hi all!

I want to share my story because I feel like things are "hopeless" again like they did all of those years I had been dieting prior to having my gastric sleeve.

I was sleeved in September of 2010 by Dr. Aceves in Mexicali. I had a wonderful experience there and would do it again in a heartbeat. In fact' date=' I feel like I may need to do it again since the weight gain has started.

I started at 240 lbs and the lowest weight I got to, which was last year at this same time, was 150 lbs. At that time, I stuidly felt like I was losing too much weight, as I wanted to stay curvy, so a friend of mine who has had the lap band, suggested I find something high calorie to substitute my daily intake with so I was getting enough calories to not lose any more weight.

Being an emotional eater, this should have been a huge red flag for me, but here was an excuse for me to overindulge, so I took it. cheese was what worked for me. I ate a lot of cheese.. sometimes, nothing but cheese once I figured out it would go down easy. After that I moved onto processed crackers and Cookies, again, things that go down easily without getting full and without getting the sick feeling.

I weighed myself yesterday and I'm back up to 167 lbs. Two months ago I was at 163 lbs, so i'm rapidly climbing back up the scale.

I do go to the gym, was twice a week, but in the last two weeks i've bumped it up to 3 times a week. I do strength training with weights and cardio. I am fairly active on the weekends, as I am fortunate enough to live in an area where everything is either walking or biking distance.

The problem is, and i'm suspecting this will be most of our problem here on this site, is that we are emotional eaters. And it was great at first with the sleeve because you literally could not eat anything.. .or you were so afraid to eat anything that you just wouldn't eat it in fear of getting "that feeling" (you all know what i'm talking about).

I can take the literature and read it over and over... my doctor can send me emails and tell me what to do (eat your Protein first, dont snack, etc). In a perfect world, if I could do that, then I wouldn't have needed to have weight loss surgery in the first place. My brain tells me to eat for comfort, eat when you're happy, eat when you're sad, eat to Celebrate.... and the hard part is, now that I've figured out what I can eat with the sleeve, its becoming more and more difficult to overcome this feeling.

I have been in therapy for about 8 years trying to overcome this emotional eating issue, but its so easy to go back to what we know, rather than change it. Not making excuses... i'm just reaching out to others who may have the same feelings and eating disorder as I do... and maybe if we can get rid of that shame we feel by sharing with each other, we can overcome this need to eat to stuff our emotions. Because I do feel very shameful that I paid all of this money, risked my life in Mexico to have this surgery done... and now i'm sabotaging myself and undoing the very thing that I've wanted my entire life... to be thin and "normal". Whatever normal is...

If you haven't had the sleeve yet, please, make sure you get in tune with yourself with regard to the emotional eating, becuase although the first year or so of the weight loss is great! If you dont get your disorder under control, it will all come back, eventually.

I said at the beginning of this post that I feel hopeless, but by letting me share here, I do feel a little more hopeful than I did when I started writing this.

Thank you for listening.

Nikki[/quote']

[brittpribb 1]

I am in the same boat!! About a year or so after my surgery I went overseas to study in Germany for 6 months. While there, my life style was DRASTICALLY different. I walked every where, the healthy foods were cheaper, and the weight fell off. As soon as I landed in the states, things started to change. I ahve been back for about a year and half and have gained about 20 pounds. I know in my head it's because I have to drive everywhere, I am not as active as I was in Germany. And in the states, sadly the healthy foods that I LOVED eating in Germany are the expensive foods here. I am a college student living on a budget. I can't afford to eat all the produce and fresh foods I did over seas.

I don't know how to eat healthy here.....I am trying to eat good foods. But it's so hard to get buy apples, when I can pizzas for the same price and get more food.

Also, I just can't seem to find any activity that I really enjoy. Running in Germany was easy, becuase everyone did it. I ran with my friends, we ran as a group. Here, I feel like when I run, now everything giggles, and people stare. I guess it's more of an I'm in my own head kinda deal, and to get over it.

But I am so hard on myself, and my BIGGEST fear, is gaining my weight back! Although I have gained so of my weight back, I am still in a size 13, which is 12 sizes smaller than I was. But when I got back to the states I was a size 9.

Also, I can't seem to get the negative voices out of my own head.

I am just at a lose, I don't know what to do anymore, I feel like every pound I gain, is a dollar down the drain. It is the most depressing feeling ever!

[desertmom 297]

Ok,and in 2 years I really need you to ask the same questions of me!

1.Do you really have to keep gaining? Now here's the thought.Why eat pizza if you can make yourself a healthy sandwich,if carbs is what you have to eat?Does all your skinny friends gain weight all the time and when they do,what do they do about it?You see notmal skinny people look at what they eat as well.They have to or they will get fat.I see with my skinny friends it is just a matter of not making excuses,they just back off and eat less or exercise more or diet like crazy.And they dont start doing that when they have gained 30 pounds.They do it when they gain 5 pounds.

2.Why do you think you should be thin or want to be thin?Did your reasons for getting the sleeve change or go away?Just think about it a lot over the next few days and see what your head comes up with.

3.What is your next option should you regain another 20 and another 20.what are you going to do then?

I am not judging you.But I am 45 and know what a life stealer fat is.I would strongly urge you to be tough with yourself now.No condemnation,just strong resolve! You will have the same regrets of missed oppertunities and fun than what I have today if you are not very honest with yourself and take responsibility for your eating now.

But above all,I really believe you can lose the 20.Just start somewhere.No excuses.Make your own rules and stick to them.Decide for yourself and do it.

Love yourself enough to do this!

Ps.I come from a family of skydivers.I've been sitting on my balcony today watching the world championship skydivers and once again I realized what I have missed out on being overweight all through my late 20's and 30's and heck late into my 40's.

Now,go and run around the track at the uni,just do it!..lol

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

For me, after being several years out, I have had to play around a bit and figure out what other tools work best for me and with my sleeve. In the beginning, I was adamant that I would never "diet" again. I swore I would not track food or anything else. I said I got the sleeve because I didn't want to have to diet. But, that was naive of me. Sure, it worked well in the beginning, during the infamous "honeymoon stage", but then I became three years out, life happened, back problems happened, family issues popped up and I turned back to my old comfort foods. I realized, especially with my somewhat limited mobility due to my back problems, I had to do something. So, I started experimenting with different weight loss programs. I tried mynetdiary, myfitnesspal, and several other plans. While those didn't work for me, I did come to accept that in order for me to lose and maintain long term weight loss, I was going to have to track every bite of food I put in my mouth. I just have to. And, I need a program that makes me think about what I am putting in my mouth as well, making sure I get the proper amount of dairy, fruits, veggies, etc. Even though it isn't free, good ol' Weight Watchers is the program that does all that and works for me. I am making healthier choices again and feeling so much better about myself.

I guess my point is, as former or soon to be former obese people, I believe part of that is accepting that we will always have many of the same issues we had that caused us to gain weight to begin with. So, we need to have a plan. Don't go with one because it is popular and all your friends are doing it, go with the one that works for you and that you can commit to. It is never too late to start losing again, you will always have the ability to lose and then maintain once you get there. You just have to be willing to do what it takes to get there.

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I love Weight Watchers, and is usually the catalyst that gets me to lose the winter weight I pick up every season. I will join again after the first, I won't now because I know I'm not 100% on board with the idea just yet. It's not really all that expensive knowing it works.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

One last thing I'd like to note, I don't think you won't see any post sleevers years out because they have maintained or kept the weight off. I'd say majority of them are simply living their lives and most likely HAVE gained some weight back (typically 10-15 Lbs) and either are too ashamed to admit it for fear of negative backlash, or simply don't care.

I'm in the latter. I don't really post here, hardly ever. I liked this post so I replied. No one should be left to feel bad for gaining a few pounds, nor should they be made to feel they should remain on a "diet" for the rest of their life to spite a few extra pounds off. I go up and down based on what time of year it is, however this is MY CHOICE. I don't feel the need to come here and feel bad about it, nor discuss this, really at all. I am not a failure by any means, simply because I won't continue to try to kill myself to stay in a size zero pants. But I will keep working to stay fit and healthy.

[Mason 122]

Especially with something as personal and emotionally charged as morbid obesity and postsurgical weight loss, there's always an understandable tendency to over-identify and generalize based on personal experience.

This is why I've been reading as many scientific journal articles as I can find in the university library about the long-term effects of the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. I really want to know what I can expect based not only on the wonderful anecdotal evidence I have gleaned from these forums but, perhaps more so, on the professional literature.

There are considerably more research studies on the long-term postoperative effects of RNY than VSG simply because the former has been used as a standalone procedure for many more years.

Much to my surprise, the 2-year postoperative weight loss effects of VSG are statistically better than the 5-year follow-up statistics associated with RNY: One study reports a weight regain rate of 50% after five years with gastric bypass (see Magro, Geloneze & Delfini, et al., 2008), while several studies repeatedly cite a 24-month weight regain rate of no more than 20 percent with sleeve gastrectomy (Bohdjalian, Langer & Shakeri-Leidenmühler, et al., 2010; Gumbs, Gagner, & Dakin, et al., 2007). According to researchers Baltasar, Serra, & Pérez, there is a positive correlation between starting BMI and likelihood of long-term regain, i.e., those with BMIs over 45 at the time of surgery are overrepresented in the 20 percent of 2-year postoperative VSG patients who regain weight from the nadir, i.e., the lowest postsurgical weight-loss point, (2007, p. 1125).

As is true with any Internet forum, there is always the question regarding whether people who frequent digital forums are truly representative of the larger population in question. In other words, are forum members who post regularly on Vertical Sleeve Talk representative of your typical VSG patient in the world today? That's a very hard question to answer and social psychologists who study Internet behavior, particularly Internet addiction, have been arguing this point back-and-forth for years.

Computers and Internet access are certainly far more common and available today than they ever have been and it's fair to assume that anyone who can afford to pay for elective surgery can also afford to own a computer and an Internet modem. However, it can also be argued, for example, that those who frequent Internet forums are--on the average--generally more sedentary than those who don't and, consequently, are more likely to gain weight in general and, in particular, after weight loss surgery.

Nevertheless, if we can agree--for the sake of this discussion--that Vertical Sleeve Talk members are truly representative of all VSG patients in the world today and if the research literature I have read (not to mention the information provided to me by my own surgeon) is reliable then--in reality--approximately 80 percent of those who posted on these forums--at one time or another--and have received the surgery have kept the weight off since reaching goal.

My one major criticism of the research articles I have read (and those included below are only a small representative sample) is that--with the one exception of starting BMI--they don't identify those variables that are associated with long-term success or failure.

That's why I think it would really be nice to hear from forum members who have reached goal and kept the weigh off after the two-year postsurgical mark.

At any rate, psychosocial factors associated with postsurgical long-term success (and failure) really do need to be explored in the professional literature.

Notes

Baltasar, A., Serra, C., Pérez, N., Bou, R., Bengochea, M. & Ferri, L. (2005). Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy: A Multi-purpose Bariatric Operation. Obesity Surgery, Vol. 15., pp. 1124-1128

Bohdjalian, A., Langer, F.B., Shakeri-Leidenmühler, S., Gfrerer, L. , Ludvik, B. & Johannes Zacherl & Gerhard Prager (2010). Sleeve Gastrectomy as Sole and Definitive Bariatric Procedure: 5-Year Results for Weight Loss and Ghrelin. Obesity Surgery, Vol. 20, pp. 535–540

Gumbs, A.A., Gagner, M., Dakin, G., & Pomp, A. (2007). Sleeve Gastrectomy for Morbid Obesity. Obesity Surgery, Vol. 17, pp. 962-969

Magro, D.O., Geloneze, B. Delfini. R, Pareja. B.C., Callejas, R. & Pareja, J.C. (2008). Long-term Weight Regain after Gastric Bypass: A 5-year Prospective Study. Obesity Surgery, Vol. 18, pp. 648–651

[SouthernSleever 228]

I really think what has kept me from regaining is that I'm more active with my new body. I try lots of sports and stay busy. It also has a lot to do with the friends you surround yourself with. All of my previous friends dropped me (their choice not mine) and a lot of my new friends I've met through sports activities.

[Mason 122]

I really think what has kept me from regaining is that I'm more active with my new body. I try lots of sports and stay busy. It also has a lot to do with the friends you surround yourself with. All of my previous friends dropped me (their choice not mine) and a lot of my new friends I've met through sports activities.

According to your profile, you are more than two years out, 11lbs under goal with a current BMI of 22.4. Fantastic! That is wonderful. I am genuinely happy for you. In what I'm guessing is not a coincidence, as it is predicted by the literature, your starting BMI was just under the 45 mark.

If I may ask, how deliberately or consciously are you monitoring your food intake? Is your fantastic weight loss and maintenance success mostly the result of being more active or are you consciously limiting your caloric intake on a daily basis?

Congratulations again.

[SouthernSleever 228]

According to your profile, you are more than two years out, 11lbs under goal with a current BMI of 22.4. Fantastic! That is wonderful. I am genuinely happy for you. In what I'm guessing is not a coincidence, as it is predicted by the literature, your starting BMI was just under the 45 mark.

If I may ask, how deliberately or consciously are you monitoring your food intake? Is your fantastic weight loss and maintenance success mostly the result of being more active or are you consciously limiting your caloric intake on a daily basis?

Congratulations again.

I do not monitor my food such as food journaling and I never have. I try to really listen to my body, what feels good, when am I hungry, why am I hungry? There are many reasons that I might eat more one day than the other such as monthly cycles, more activity, sickness, weather. I did join with my friend on myfitnesspal and kept track for 3 days. My calories averaged around 1600, a little more on days when I worked out, and less on days I was more sedentary. My carbs tended to be right around 100/day. I weigh everyday and if I see it bounce more than 4-5 lbs I will restrict higher carb foods.

I did not change the way I ate once I hit maintenance and I do not always eat to stuffed though it happens now and again. I find eating more of a chore than a pleasure. The food still taste great but I would rather get dinner done with and onto something else. The friends I have recently gained bring food when we are going out or we share Entrees. They do track food since they compete as athletes. It's very hard to have friends constantly going out to restaurants and you have to resist ordering something terribly bad for you.

I also must say that I started smoking (again) 8 months post op and I am still a smoker. I plan to quit again in January and I expect a 5-10lb bounce up. While I am not counting calories or logging food I do realize that I always gain over the Holidays and with my plan to quit smoking I am keeping a close eye on the scale.