weight gain after 6 years!

Hello Everyone:

I am looking for some advice or comments.  I am 6 years post op from my Lap band surgery and had lost 90 pounds up until October.

I had been having terrible reflux and vomitting on a regular basis for about 3 months.  I was started on medication, had an endoscopy, which was normal and an upper GI.  The upper GI showed a possible blockage at my lap band. 

My doctor removed the saline from my band and told me that he would refill me in 2 weeks.  He wanted my GI system to calm down.  I immediately started gaining weight.  I'm not talking about a pound or two, I gained almost 10 pounds in those two weeks.

Yes, I probably ate more than I was used to but I certainly did not eat everything in sight or high calorie foods that should have been the cause of the weight gain.

I have since had 4 additional fills and do not have the same feelings of restriction.  I am now  up 25 pounds and am back to eating the same small portions prior to the unfill.  My doctor does not want to make the band any tighter.  When I have a fill, I am very tight on flouroscopy, but do not have the same feelings of restriction

I cannot lose the weight again and am feeling very frustrated.  My doctor doesn't have any words of wisdom to offer and I am not sure where else to turn.  He is sick of hearing from me.

I always was very sensitive to my restriction. There were days that I did reflux and vomit often and other days there seemed to be no additional effect.  I am wondering if I was always too tight and I almost was "bulemic" and this is why I was so successful in my weight loss.

Needless to say, I am very frustrated with this weight gain and want to get it in control.  I am slowlycreeping up a pound or two every week and I do not want this to continue.

I would appreciate any  comments.

Thank you,

Susan

 How awful. I am 6 years out too. I say add exercise and really go healthy high protein, and try to relax to find your groove.

It's very possible that you developed some maladaptive eating behaviors and were too tight for a while.  Similar to bulemic behavior if you keep eating and trying different foods knowing that you will regurgitate whatever you eat is not healthy and can be very dangerous territory.  If you are leaning toward only slider foods becuase it's easier, that's not good either.  I've been too tight and learned that it's NOT the way you want to lose a few extra pounds.  Keep your band to where you can eat 1/3-1/2 c of protein comfortably and then work on the other behaviors like head hunger/emotional eating, exercise, healthy dieting, etc. to lose as much weight as possible.  It does work!  We don't have to starve ourselves or give up healthy eating to lose weight. 

I started therapy 1 year after surgery to address the behavioral issues I have around obsessive over-eating and emotional eating.  It's helped a lot and I feel that I'm truly losing the weight in a healthy way by working on all aspects of my issues with food...diet, exercise and my brain!

If you can, try therapy but for sure, don't deprive yourself of good health!  Take it slow.  You'll get back down to where you were. 

Best~
Lisa O.

P.S.  I gained almost 20 lbs over the holidays by eating sweets with wild abandon!  It sure comes on a lot faster than it came off, but I'm back where I was pre-Thanksgiving simply by managing the sweets.

I was reading your message and noticed you started therapy.  How did you go about this?  I think this would be a good idea for me to do this.  What type of therapist do you use?  What should I look for and is it very costly?

My therapist is an eating disorder/compulsive over eating specialist.  She was recommended by someone I know but I think you should start by asking at your surgeons office if they have someone that is good.  I would definately make sure you get one that specializes in eating disorders, etc.  You can also ask if they deal with WL sugery patients specifically. 

I lucked out and clicked with mine from the beginning, but it can take a couple of tries to find the right one.  You need to feel comfortable with the person as well as their methods.  Therapy is not easy work, but it's really, really helpful.

Best Wishes on your continued journey!
Lisa O.

Thanks, I will ask.  I have looked via google but haven't found anything in my area.  Not to say they don't exist.  I expect the Doctor will know of someone.  Hope I click with mine the way you did with yours.

Susan,

It's scary how fast the weight comes back, isn't it? I regained 25 lbs after a band slip & complete unfill, then a port flip (so no fills for 6 months). My eating wasn't beserk during that time, but it was enough to pile the pounds back on. Since my port repair and gradual re-filling, I've lost that 25 lbs.

You say that your band looks tight on fluoroscopy but you don't have the same feelings of restriction. Fluoroscopy is a useful tool, but the real test of a fill is your experience of restriction, not what your band looks like in an x-ray image. The most important thing I've learned since my complete unfill is this: my experience of restriction has been quite different this time than it was the 2nd time around. You're going to go on being frustrated if you go on looking for the same feelings as you had at the beginning of your journey.

How big is your band, how much fill do you have in it, and when and how much was your last fill? Have you tried very tiny fills, since you're supersensitive to your band? I've had fills of only .15 cc (in my 4 cc band) that were just perfect.

Can you get a 2nd opinion from another bariatric surgeon in your area?

As Lisa said, you may have developed some maladaptive eating behaviors without even being aware of it. It might help if you just went back to basics and pretend you're a brand-new bandster. I know how frustrated and impatient you must feel (been there, done that), but try to take it one step at a time and be kind to yourself.

Jean