Gained most of my weight back

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I read somewhere that most post-op patients are able to get down to the same weight they were at 18 years old. When my doctor confirmed this, it became my goal weight. I'm curious if this holds true for everyone else. It wasn't easy to get to my goal weight, but it wasn't as difficult as the original poster describes.

That's the silliest, most arbitrary prediction about WLS outcomes I've ever seen. What if you weighed 350 pounds when you were 18 years old?

I'm already 35 pounds under what I weighed at 18.

So, no. That's one of those dumb things that gets stuck in your brain and pretends to be an actual fact and, worse, becomes a meaningful standard.

Ugh.

[Globetrotter 1,340]

In the past 30 days I have lost and gained and lost and gained the same 3 pounds, while on a diet of between 600-700 calories.

[MichiganChic 3,262]

@@globetrotter that's just so crappy. I have already made up my mind that if I need to, I would get RNY. I didn't want that to start with, but now that I've had the opportunity to live a normal life, I will do everything in my power to keep it. Sometimes weight loss surgery doesn't solve the physical problems like you would expect. As someone else said, there are probably more people with the same issues than we realize, but we don't see them here.

One thing I would suggest if you have an open mind - try tracking your daily calories on a spread sheet and averaging that, as well as your weight for a few months. I mostly eat 1000-1100 calories a day, but loosen up a little (and sometimes a lot) on weekends. When I averaged it over a month, I realized I'm maintaining on about 1400-1450, on average. That's really not much, but higher than I thought. I also realized that it takes a lot longer to drop a few pounds now than it used to, but if I stick with, I can lose a little. In my case, I haven't been successful in keeping my intake at around 900 calories, which is what it takes for me to lose.

[JamieLogical 8,708]

@@globetrotter I'm sure you've probably tried everything at this point, but it's worth throwing out there. Have you experimented with calorie cycling? Eating low calories one day, high the next, mid-range the next, etc. That way your body doesn't have a chance to adapt to a set amount or any kind of routine?

[Globetrotter 1,340]

Michigan Chic I know you mean well but you must not have read far enough up the thread to see my first post. I do everything to the letter of the law, as strict and clean as though I were a new post-op. This includes tracking etc.

And yes, I have tried cycling. I have tried. EVERYTHING.

everything.

After 30 days I have still only lost 3 pounds.

[The Candidate 3,215]

@@mistysj Excellent post!

And I want to add one very personal experience on the subject matter and the points you made. Please know that it's not meant to scare anyone or influence anyone's decision. But GERD/Barrett's is a painful reality for me and my family, and what I'm about to relate really happened.

December 16, 1999 my father who had suffered terribly from GERD ever since being wounded in Vietnam, was admitted to the hospital for esophageal surgery.

By that time he had already been diagnosed with Barrett's Esophagus, but it hadn't yet progressed to cancer. It was a serious surgery, absolutely, but he was in excellent health otherwise and was expected to fully recover. Heck, he drove to the hospital. He was even joking with us and in very good spirits, as he was being wheeled into the OR.

The last thing I said to him was "I love you" and I'm grateful for that gift every day, because it turned out to be the last thing I ever said to him.

We knew almost immediately that something had gone wrong. He never got out of intensive care. He never woke up. He was never taken off the ventilator. We then learned that a stitch had come loose inside that had allowed infection to set in. They took him back to surgery 5 more times trying to battle it, but the damage was irrevocably done. His organs started failing one by one, and by the end he was on 24 hr dialysis. He died on January 4, 2000, just three weeks shy of his 66th birthday.

I had watched him over the years, this stoic strong macho Marine, struggle daily with the unbearable pain of GERD, popping antacids like they were candy, constantly clearing his throat. He was the kind of man who was never sick a day in his life otherwise. Like us, he was also well aware of the dangers of surgery going in, that accidents can and do happen. Unfortunately, he ended up paying the ultimate price, with the very rare complication of death.

But even so, I know in my heart that he was at the point where he would have tried anything to find relief from the terrible GERD. GERD is real and can lead to some very dangerous consequences. I suffer from it too, but not nearly as bad as he did. However it's a big reason why I ultimately decided to switch from having the sleeve to a bypass. But in the end it's a personal decision we all have to make, in determining what procedure is right for you.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

@@mistysj Excellent post!

And I want to add one very personal experience on the subject matter and the points you made. Please know that it's not meant to scare anyone or influence anyone's decision. But GERD/Barrett's is a painful reality for me and my family, and what I'm about to relate really happened.

December 16, 1999 my father who had suffered terribly from GERD ever since being wounded in Vietnam, was admitted to the hospital for esophageal surgery.

By that time he had already been diagnosed with Barrett's Esophagus, but it hadn't yet progressed to cancer. It was a serious surgery, absolutely, but he was in excellent health otherwise and was expected to fully recover. Heck, he drove to the hospital. He was even joking with us and in very good spirits, as he was being wheeled into the OR.

The last thing I said to him was "I love you" and I'm grateful for that gift every day, because it turned out to be the last thing I ever said to him.

We knew almost immediately that something had gone wrong. He never got out of intensive care. He never woke up. He was never taken off the ventilator. We then learned that a stitch had come loose inside that had allowed infection to set in. They took him back to surgery 5 more times trying to battle it, but the damage was irrevocably done. His organs started failing one by one, and by the end he was on 24 hr dialysis. He died on January 4, 2000, just three weeks shy of his 66th birthday.

I had watched him over the years, this stoic strong macho Marine, struggle daily with the unbearable pain of GERD, popping antacids like they were candy, constantly clearing his throat. He was the kind of man who was never sick a day in his life otherwise. Like us, he was also well aware of the dangers of surgery going in, that accidents can and do happen. Unfortunately, he ended up paying the ultimate price, with the very rare complication of death.

But even so, I know in my heart that he was at the point where he would have tried anything to find relief from the terrible GERD. GERD is real and can lead to some very dangerous consequences. I suffer from it too, but not nearly as bad as he did. However it's a big reason why I ultimately decided to switch from having the sleeve to a bypass. But in the end it's a personal decision we all have to make, in determining what procedure is right for you.

So sorry for your loss. Thanks for sharing.

[Globetrotter 1,340]

Well, who would I go to to specifically? I mean, what kind of doctor? I don't have a primary.

[woo woo 872]

Gastroentorologist?

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I'll bite. Why don't you have a primary care physician?

[SleeveandRNYchica 1,155]

The part that confuses me is that we have surgery not to have play the "diet" game per se. Get 60-80 grams of Protein, eat that 1st, most carbs should come from veggies, increase calories, drink Water... It seems so simple, right? But even in the so called "honeymoon" period that was not enough for some. Then you have people that reach goal in 10 months saying did you so this or that or so on...not pointing fingers at anyone in the thread...that is why people disappear, the unsuccessful ones...the ones that committed to a process, had surgery and still feel they failed. It is beyond frustrating and something I deal with with behavior specialist.

Needless to say some people have an "easier" time out the gate... I put that in quotes because I don't take anyone's journey lightly. But

We would be remised to ignore the fact there is the percentage that make it to goal without some of the struggles others face. I am so happy that I have a second chance at the bypass although the medical

Issues I currently have are not fun. I don't think I could have done too much differently, except maybe not getting pregnant a year post op. I hope that my sleeve experience can enlighten those that put in that good faith effort and did not succeed.

[SleeveandRNYchica 1,155]

@@mistysj Excellent post!

And I want to add one very personal experience on the subject matter and the points you made. Please know that it's not meant to scare anyone or influence anyone's decision. But GERD/Barrett's is a painful reality for me and my family, and what I'm about to relate really happened.

December 16, 1999 my father who had suffered terribly from GERD ever since being wounded in Vietnam, was admitted to the hospital for esophageal surgery.

By that time he had already been diagnosed with Barrett's Esophagus, but it hadn't yet progressed to cancer. It was a serious surgery, absolutely, but he was in excellent health otherwise and was expected to fully recover. Heck, he drove to the hospital. He was even joking with us and in very good spirits, as he was being wheeled into the OR.

The last thing I said to him was "I love you" and I'm grateful for that gift every day, because it turned out to be the last thing I ever said to him.

We knew almost immediately that something had gone wrong. He never got out of intensive care. He never woke up. He was never taken off the ventilator. We then learned that a stitch had come loose inside that had allowed infection to set in. They took him back to surgery 5 more times trying to battle it, but the damage was irrevocably done. His organs started failing one by one, and by the end he was on 24 hr dialysis. He died on January 4, 2000, just three weeks shy of his 66th birthday.

I had watched him over the years, this stoic strong macho Marine, struggle daily with the unbearable pain of GERD, popping antacids like they were candy, constantly clearing his throat. He was the kind of man who was never sick a day in his life otherwise. Like us, he was also well aware of the dangers of surgery going in, that accidents can and do happen. Unfortunately, he ended up paying the ultimate price, with the very rare complication of death.

But even so, I know in my heart that he was at the point where he would have tried anything to find relief from the terrible GERD. GERD is real and can lead to some very dangerous consequences. I suffer from it too, but not nearly as bad as he did. However it's a big reason why I ultimately decided to switch from having the sleeve to a bypass. But in the end it's a personal decision we all have to make, in determining what procedure is right for you.

Thank you for sharing that. I am having a revision for similar reason.

[mistysj 1,940]

@@globetrotter regardless of your weight, you need to get the GERD seen to. A gastroenterologist or gastric surgeon will be your best bet, and you need to be very persistent. Get an endoscopy so they can assess the damage the GERD may have already caused, and take it from there. Honestly, who cares what your weight is or what surgery you had if you get esophageal cancer?

[SleeveandRNYchica 1,155]

@@globetrotter regardless of your weight, you need to get the GERD seen to. A gastroenterologist or gastric surgeon will be your best bet, and you need to be very persistent. Get an endoscopy so they can assess the damage the GERD may have already caused, and take it from there. Honestly, who cares what your weight is or what surgery you had if you get esophageal cancer?

This!!! They did not play and sent me in immediately for endoscopy after I was diagnosed. I found a bariatric dr that was willing to listen to my concerns...

[frumpy69 37]

Wow these responses are over whelming in the fact that I don't feel alone!! Thanks everyone for all your ideas and sharing your struggles! I never lost with the 5 day pouch test !! I was wondering what Soups everyone has tried for day 1 and 2?? Did anyone eat Campbell's Soup? I figured it would be too high in carbs!