Will a surgeon perform a re-do (or add the DS to my VSG) after regain?

Hi everyone! I had surgery just over four years ago and was very active on this wonderful site. My first 2 years post-op were fantastic but I regained 40 lbs by taking Abilify. My psych prescriber didn't tell me weight gain was a side effect. Stopped that med but later began taking Seroquel for sleep. Nothing else worked for me. I'm very nervous about visiting my surgeon and am afraid she will see this as my failure... which I guess it is. :(

Sorry to hear about the regain. I'm dealing with it too (although not as a result of medication). If medication is the cause, then I'm not sure how a revision will help, if you plan to continue taking that medication. Are you being 100% honest about what you're eating and exercising? I think for most of us dealing with regain, the answer is pretty straightforward, get back on track with the basics (protein first, low carb, no drinking while eating, no junk, exercise, etc). I think regardless of the cause of the regain, getting back to basics should start shedding some of those lbs. Of course its easier said than done, I'm struggling with it myself. Best of luck. 

Your post from May 2014:  Hello everyone! I posted here so often in 2010, the year I had my WLS. I've really missed everyone. I did so well for the first couple of years but started eating sweets and carbs very slowly but more and more over time. I also stopped going to follow ups with my wonderful surgeon after about the first 18 mos. I'm just sick about my weight gain. Do you think my sleeve might be stretched or enlarged? Am hoping another surgery might correct this, but have a feeling I'm going to have to change my diet. Radically. I'm SO upset by this, took me months just to come back here to post.

Above is your post about gaining 50% of the weight back at 3.5 years.  Now did the medication make you gain weight automatically or were you eating more and more sweets and carbs as stated in your post above?  If you ate that 40 pound gain, you can lose it.  If you are "powerless" and the pounds just jumped on you even though you are doing the right things  I am not sure how to advise.

If you are thinking revision you must own up and claim the surgery and the lifestyle.  Like having the DS is a huge commitment - you have to be dedicated - it is not just adding the bypass.  It is being an intelligent, self-advocating, responsible adult for the rest of your life.  There is no question about taking your supplements, there is no oops.  A tighter sleeve  - really are you committed?  If your meds make you gain huge amounts of weight, they must slow your metabolism down.  A smaller sleeve will not help with that.

Good luck to you.  I hope you will search your soul and find the true answers you are looking for.

Best,

Layla

Layla -- Thanks for finding my post from last spring. That was written a few months after my father died, while I was on Abiify. Some docs say it slows metabolism some say it increases appetite. And yes, after my dad died I started some stress eating. The difference was that when I slipped up before, my sleeve would just *block* whatever I was trying to eat. What has surprised me the most over these 4 years is how it has become easier and easier to eat more without feeling any restriction. I own my role in this, but I should have seen my surgeon *immediately* after starting the Abilify (no longer take it) and the Seroquel for sleep (have cut my dose in 1/2 per my doc).

Wow, I am sorry for your loss.  I totally get it.  I was thinking Abilify was an SSRI booster of some sort.  But this class of medication seems a necessary evil for most who need it.  There was a huge epidemic of obesity and diabetes 2  from Zyprexa.  This I believe is in the same family of drugs.

For now you should try journaling every single thing that you eat and some movement in -exercise if you can.  Find the cause and you can find the solution.  I don't have much restriction at all neither.  It just means that we have to monitor ourselves and make adjustments to get the results that we need.  If you don't find the cause and solution then revist the possibility of a revision.

I think your best bet would be to start tracking everything that you put into your mouth with something like MyFitnessPal to see what you need to change about your current habits.  

Abilify is the spawn of satan.  I worked my ass off to lose a 40+ pound regain (caused only by my own crappy eating). Went on Abilify and gained 18 pounds of that back AGAIN in a little over a month.  I don't know if it messed with my metabolism, but I was hungry all the damn time. And eating all the damn time.  Went back to the doc and he said - and I quote - "oh, I forgot you'd had a problem with your weight before (forgot a 347lb "problem"?) yes, Abilify has been shown to cause weight gain in the majority of users." Gee, thanks.

Been off that nasty stuff for 2 weeks and 3 days now and am still up at the higher weight.  I own it - I ate the calories after all - but boy it would have been nice to have been warned.  I never would have started with the stuff.  Now I get to fight my way back down all over again.

The good news is that it is possible to lose re-gain without another surgery.  Protein first, veggies, then some tiny amount of carbs if room.  The other good news is I've been on Seroquel for years and it never affected my weight so hopefully that helps give you a little encouragement.

I'm in the same boat, just caught it sooner. Please consider modifying your diet  before a revision. It can be done.  We don't have to like it though.

Good luck to you -whatever you decide. =)

I don't know who your surgeon is, so I can't tell you if he'll add the Switch to your existing Sleeve or not, or even if he's capable of doing a DS. I WILL say that a regain of 40 pounds, taking you from...well, whatever---according to your tracker, you currently weight 170, and unless you're less than about 4'10", your BMI doesn't qualify you for a revision. Maybe you can give us more details?

Sadly, I have to modify my tracker :(

Not right now, but in the past, I had serious weight gain from medication. That is part of what got me here. They kept telling me 'you need the medicine now, you will lose the weight later'. Well that didn't happen. Yes, the medicine can make you chose sweets over healthy foods too. Don't put the blame totally on yourself. At least you are aware there needs to be change, right? That's the first step.

That being said your ticker only says you lost 30 something pounds but your signature says 85. Just curious which it is. Start coming back here and doing what you did in the beginning. Weighing and measuring, dense protein first, no drinking with meals. Read and post on the 'what are you eating today' posts to keep yourself accountable. There are great suggestions here. Life happens be kind to yourself. Make good choices.