Question:
Is anyone else gaining weight after 2 years HELP
— sharon S. (posted on October 9, 2003)
October 8, 2003
Hi Sharon, there is no info in your profile, not even what type of surgery
you had. We need some idea of how to help you out. What type of surgery did
you have? I had VBG back in 1995 and started gaining weight at around the 5
year mark. It was discovered I had a staple line disruption. I was revised
to RNY in July 2002 and lost all the weight I gained back. If you had an
RNY originally, did your surgeon transect your stomach? This could be a
mechanical failure of the surgery, but it could also be from not eating
properly and not exercising enough.
— Ali M
October 8, 2003
I know what you mean:( I started to see a mild regain and droped the junk
food, espiclly Oreo Cookie Bars. I have no control over this food, I only
now buy ONE, and really avoid that. Please tell us more about yourself so
we can help. I got to 205 and now weigh 199 close to my surgeon and pcps
goal of 195
— bob-haller
October 9, 2003
While I haven't gained (ok I go up and down about 5lbs on any given week)I
never made it to goal. I think I'm ok with it. I have two friends 7 and
5yrs post op that have gained a significant amount back. They attribute it
to grazing, and slacking off the protein, water & exercise. Guess the
BASICS really are the key to keeping it off!
— Denise W.
October 9, 2003
The 2 year wall? You are so not alone! I'm going to refer you to the Grad
list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG
These are people who are 1+ yrs out, many have hit AND SURVIVED the 2 year
and 3 year walls. They can maybe help you get thru the fog of fear that
you are going through right now. The first thing is to get your mechanics
checked, of course, but then check yourself for complacency. Did you stop
taking protein supplements? Get casual about grazing or sugars? Don't
answer me, answer to you. But check with others, like us, for whom the
honeymoon is over.
— vitalady
October 9, 2003
I would encourage everyone who posts a question on these boards to keep
your profiles updated. Many of us who want to help go to the profiles
first to "research" in an effort to provide the best s upport.
So, without that to go on, the others have good advice. It is fairly
common to have a slight weight gain at about the 2 - 2 1/2 year mark, a
bounce back of approx 10 percent of the weight lost. If its more than
that, its usually because the post-op has stopped working the
program-snacking and grazing and carbs are up, sugar has crept back in,
exercise and water have slacked off, amounts/portion size has increased-bad
choices, drinking with or right after meals etc, etc. Bottom line, its
still a calories game. So if your taking in more calories than you are
burning, you will gain. Check out the grad board over at yahoo, lots of
support for this issue there.
— Cindy R.
October 9, 2003
Michelle Curran: With all do respect, not everyone needs protein
supplements. I realize with your super long bypass or short common
channel, you have no choice if you want to stay healthy but it does not
apply to most RNY's that are 150 cm bypassed or less. I have never used a
protein supplement, other than an occassional high protein bar, more for
variety than anything. Protein supplements does not make one more
successful. Controlled portion sizes and making reasonable choices and
getting reasonable exercise does. I don't care if people CHOOSE to use
protein supplements, but they are definitely not required for the typical
RNY. I've lost 179 lbs in 8 months, and am 63 lbs from goal, and no
protein drink has EVER crossed my lips. I have built lots of muscle (past
where I was pre-op), no protein shortage, great labs etc. etc.
— zoedogcbr
October 9, 2003
Due respect noted & appreciated. I don't always recommend them to meet
the base protein numbers. It often gives people back the control they had
in the beginning. Appetite, volume and craving control that loom larger at
2 & 3 yrs. Learn the tools & ropes then, well. The carb monster
kicks in that diet mentality (starve-regain) for life, so we have to have a
good set of tools. I know I cannot reply on will power. I don't HAVE to
take as much protein as I do. My doc requires 120-150g for my surgery, but
I DO better on 180g. Skin fits better, more control. At 2 yrs, I did not
recognize protein supps as one of the most useful tool in my box. But then
candy got my phone number. I could be a fast learner or a fast grower. I
have not seen a high protein with no milk/no sugar period NOT get someone
back on their two feet, but I'm sure there are those for who it might not
work. But for whom it DOES, it means everything. Side bonus being all that
muscle & tissue that's being rebuilt on the side.
— vitalady
October 10, 2003
Chris, to each his or her own, but personally, I'm sure that using protein
supplements has helped me, and I'm only a proximal RNY (75 cm. bypassed, 16
months post-op). I think it's an individual choice, and I was convinced as
a pre-op, after reading the yahoo grad board, that it was a good habit to
get into for lots of reasons. I saw too many long-term posties having
success using protein shakes, though of course, not everybody uses them
(nor is everybody who does a distal). You may disagree, but for what it's
worth, here was my thinking: I've been on restrictive diets before and
lost substantial amounts of weight (50 pounds one time, 80 another) -- and
I know you did even more as a pre-op. As a pre-op, I could keep myself
going to the gym, even, for months at a time. Then, it would all fall
apart, the bad habit would return, and the weight regain would start. My
thought about WLS was that, in addition to using the tool, I needed to do
as many habit-related things differently as possible after WLS, which meant
I had no faith that following a restrictive diet, alone, would work for me
in the long run, pouch or no pouch. So, I added protein shakes to my diet
from week three, and I still use them twice a day at 16 months post-op
(seven months at or past goal). I think a higher protein diet helps my
general health, and I know the calories of two shakes a day don't hurt me
(to the contrary, if I'm hurtin', it's my food choices of the day that are
the problem), and I know I'm on track and in control of my eating when I
stick with my shakes (blowing 'em off is a first sign that I'm slipping,
for me). It isn't just the nutritional value that the shakes represent,
it's the control issue, for me. This issue looms much larger as you get
further out from the surgery, and knowing my penchant for long periods of
self-discipline followed by hedonistic backslide ;-P, I figured that once
my eating capacity grew, and once I reached goal, I was gonna need more
than the pouch. That's why I do the shakes. Others may disagree, or tout
milk as their choice of liqas the healthy liquid nutrition of choice
— Suzy C.
October 10, 2003
Michelle and Suzy, We really are talking the same thing, protein is our
long term friend, all I am saying is most people are not required to get
that protein from drinks, it can come from food. I agree each person has
to figure out what works for them.
<p>For me I will always eat way more protein than my surgeon requires
because to be honest I am scared to ever eat more carbs than protein again
in my life. Do I eat carbs, absolutely. I even eat upwards of 40-45 grams
on a higher day. But even on that day my protein will still be higher.
For me it's a minimun of about 70 grams of protein and some days as high as
100. I was just asking about this at support group earlier this week. If
I am shooting for about 1200 calories at maintenance (this is an estimate
right now) I feel I will always want to maintain at least 50% of my
calories from protein, so that means 150 grams of protein, which is way
above what is recommended. I could not see only eating about 300 calories
of protein and the rest from carbs and fat, as I do not want to go back to
442 lbs ever again. I do not see this as being super restrictive because I
have become very acustomed to this way of eating. It has and continues to
work well for me. Any time I let the carbs slip up a little higher the
weight loss stops for a while. While others see this as strict and not
normal it is normal for me just as using protein supplements is for others.
Am I overscared of carbs - darn right. When you've lost 200 lbs before
only to regain it and then have this opportunity to finally tame this food
beast you have a tendency to focus on what has not worked for you and avoid
it like the plague. I knew I had to make some major changes in my life and
build a new relationship with food. For me that means protein is my friend
and carbs in moderation and less percentage than protein, will work for me.
If I keep that balance I believe I will accomplish my goals.
<p>Protein has also been my friend. I just choose to get it in food
form. To those who like the protein drinks and they work for them, then go
for it. The bottom line is we are all talking about the same concept.
Working the program and getting refocused etc. Since my program never used
protein drinks they would not be part of my refocusing but I would go back
to square one of my particular program to get back on track. Everyone
needs their own way to kick themselves in the butt and get back on track.
Over time, through this process we each hopefully figure that out.
Everyone keep up the great work! We can all succeed!
— zoedogcbr
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