86% will regain the weight they lost after WLS

[Dreamin Again 112]

This is what the nutritionist told me when I met with her "About 86% of people who lose weight with WLS will regain". Is there any way that number is correct? If that is true why do so many people continue to go through with these surgeries? Of course I said "I won't be one of those because I want and need this sooo much." I am assuming those 86% said the same thing...

Do you think that many people actually lose their weight just to gain it back? That is very discouraging to hear. Have you all heard those same statistics?

[Jersrose43 837]

Maybe she meant without?

You should have her restate that

[Happygoomom 13]

What I was told in the pre-surgery information session is that about 2 years out, the body will adjust medabolically and most patients gain about 20 lbs. But considering that I will have lost way more than 20 lbs, I think I will be able to live with it. That said, there are many people on this site who haven't gained weight, so the weight gain isn't universal.

[par1959 470]

Regain how much is the question you want to ask. Once you get to maintanance phase you probably will regain some weight, but unless you really try you will never come close to your top weight. This is a big life style change, dont forget that. Your days of pigging out are over or should be. If you are not ready to make these changes then keep working on the diet only route. Many of us have BP and blood sugar issues that add extra drive to be sucessful.

[skinnygirlwithin 693]

@par1959 I was going to say the same thing... How much is the true question... I have heard of the small weight gain once you have hit your goal & are year or more out... between 10-20lbs... Thats what my Doc & Nut told me...

I just cant see how someone would gain all the weight back when your not eating like you use to....

[2muchfun 8,927]

You should challenge her to document her assertion? Regain what? Here's a recent study.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3570360/

Edited June 13, 2014 by 2muchfun

[InfiniteButterfly 438]

I do know a few people who have gained back significant amounts of weight post-surgery...but these are people who absolutely refused to follow their doctor's recommendations. They decided they'd rather eat what they want rather than live with the lifestyle change they initiated and at one time craved (this is part of the reason I was so fearful of surgery) Talking with my doctor, he said most of his patients (not all, but most) lose a significant amount of weight and keep most of it off. There's a little regain from the lowest weight, but more in the 10-20 lb range as your body settles into its new normal.

I honestly couldn't believe that 86% of people who go through this would so completely disregard their doctors post-surgery and allow themselves to creep back up. I know with just the small amount I've lost I feel so much better, I want to do everything in my power to preserve this feeling. I don't want to ever go back to what I was.

[powaqqatsi 12]

This is along the same lines as a thread I started. It's called, "What is the real point of this surgery?" You can look it up on my activity feed if you want to see what people have to say to my query. I'm in pre-op and still pondering whether to have the surgery. Trying to think it all through exhaustively.

I think what happens is that people do regain some amount of weight, but you really have to be going out of your way to TRY to gain back all of the weight. Whereas, conventional weight losers have almost a 100% chance of regaining all the weight they lost and then some.

[I will what I want 271]

She had it backwards. Not sure where the exact 86 percent came from....but it's around that who keep off the majority of excess weight off. There is a lot of new research that definitively shows the sleeve and by-pass work by resetting the metabolism. Start with googling bile acids and vsg. The nihi has a great study entitled, "not all bariatric surgeries created equally," despite the hokey title, it's pretty in depth about the metabolic resetting.

[Threetimesacharm 1,400]

I agree I would challenge her to show you where she got these statistics from. I have not heard anywhere this high of à percentage. Anyone can gain

Weight back it is all up to the patient, just don' let yourself be one of them.

[I will what I want 271]

Here I'd the nihi study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3410227/

[Jim1967 3,569]

Statistics suck no matter how you cut it. Short of a botched surgery or band (for those banded) defect everything is individually based on the person. I actually ignored statistics when I started the process because not one of those people taking part in the research was ME.....

[PdxMan 4,292]

Your title and your post say two different things. I'm guessing there is a miscommunication leading to misunderstanding.

There is a difference between weight regain and regaining the weight you lost, after WLS. Pretty much everybody is going to regain some weight after they hit their low. 86% would seem kinda low, to me, to be honest.

[odesa 90]

My sister had the Roux N-Y done about 10 years ago and lost about 160 pounds and then after drinking too much beer with her girlfriends she gained back about 30 pounds but is still down 130 and now is going back to the gym and starting to eat healthier and last I heard lost 6 of the 30 she regained.

That is my only real life knowledge on this topic and I have been a student of my sister's surgery for the last 10 years.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

PARTIAL regain is the norm, statistically.

100% regain CAN happen but doesn't need to!