Weight loss slower than anticipated

[mathiasinthe314 3]

A little backstory: I had a sleeve back in 2015. I went from 450 to 190. I kept it off for 5 years. Enter pandemic, job loss, and alcohol abuse. I gained 130 of the 240 back. My little sleeved stomach also grew and I was eating full size meals again and I developed severe GERD and a hiatal hernia. My esophagus was constantly sitting in acid and was scarring and narrowing and the hernia was so bad, food and pills were constantly getting stuck.

Fast forward to the present, I had a revision to a gastric bypass to fix the GERD and hernia. Those things have been 100% resolved (thank goodness), but the weight hasn’t been flying off like it did with my sleeve. I lost 40 pounds my first month with the sleeve. An average of 1-2 pounds per day. Right now, with the bypass I’ve slowed down after exiting the liquid diet stage to where I’m losing .3-.5 pounds per day and loosing about 3-4 per week. I know I should be happy that I’m losing, but I’m disappointed that it’s not flying off like before. Especially because my activity level and calories burned is much higher than it was with my sleeve at this stage.

I’ve gone in circles trying to wrap my head around it. I know I’m 8 years older (36 now) and I have developed chronic insomnia over the last year, so I only get 3-5 hours per night. I’m absorbing less, so maybe I’m in starvation mode? I’m at a loss

Anyone have any encouragement or experience with this?

[Jeanniebug 476]

Welcome!

It sounds like you have a couple of issues going on that could definitely affect your weight loss. Not to worry, the weight will eventually come off. It's just a bit slower for some of us.

[summerset 5,265]

1 hour ago, mathiasinthe314 said:

I had a revision to a gastric bypass to fix the GERD and hernia. Those things have been 100% resolved (thank goodness), but the weight hasn’t been flying off like it did with my sleeve.

Revision patients usually lose slower.

[Spinoza 1,467]

3-4 pounds a week is an amazing loss by any yardstick. Thank you for sharing your story OP - your honesty will help loads of others. I think you'll be absolutely fine at this rate of loss and I wish you all the luck in the world.

[mathiasinthe314 3]

6 hours ago, summerset said:

Revision patients usually lose slower.

I didn’t know that, but after I read your post I did some research and see that is a real thing. Wish my surgeon had mentioned that, would’ve saved me some worrying.

[Arabesque 7,468]

Yes after revision surgery weight loss is slower than with your original surgery, Also remember you are starting at a lower weight this time so your loss will be a little slower from that perspective too. However, there’s nothing slow with your rate of loss. Three to 4 pounds a week is nothing to be concerned about. Enjoy every pound you lose.

[Smanky 752]

You're losing much faster than I did (I averaged about 2 pounds/1kg per week), and I wasn't a revision patient. Just be patient and kind to yourself and stick to your plan and you'll get where you want to be.

[catwoman7 11,223]

as others have said, weight loss after revisions is almost always slower than after a virgin surgery. Plus you're starting at a lower BMI to boot (and starting BMI is another factor in how fast or slow the weight loss is). Honestly, even given that, you're still losing faster than most people who've had a revision (and even faster than some of us slow-pokes who had a virgin surgery!). You are doing great - I'd quit worrying about it. Stay if the scale if it's playing with your mind too much - maybe just weigh once a week or a couple of times a month. If the general trend is down, you're good.

Edited April 23, 2023 by catwoman7