have you regained the weight after wls?

hi all, i had gastric bypass in 2002 and lost 100 lbs and all was great. i never changed my brain and when my life seemed perfect, i started to eat- not following the pouch rules... i got pregnant and gained 64lbs. when i gave birth, i never lost the additional weight. Then, I got pregnant again and did the same thing (swearing to myself that I would not allow that to happen). I feel like I can eat anything (a lot of rice or pasta i cannot do- but i have no problem downing an entire bag of microwave kettle corn in a sitting). I am now 85lbs overweight. I was researching the Stomaphyx and will happily do it if insurance allows, but here's my question.... has anyone been  in the same situation with post op regain and then took control and lost the weight again? If so, I am wondering if the benefits of the surgery kick back in. I have been doing medifast and i am starving, but i want to do just liquids (like after the surgery). I only lost 3.4lbs in my first week. I am curious if the rapid weight loss can still occur as if i were newly post-op, since i have so much to lose. I was hoping my body is just in starvation mode and hanging onto everything and then suddenly my weight will drop. I came here for help, because I am eating 600 calories of medifast shakes daily and anywhere else I would go would tell me that it's not enough. Post-op patients know that we eat less calories than that in the beginning, since it's jus****er, broth and s/f jello.... so... any words of advice or wisdom? I would love to get that post-op tool back and feel as if it just went away?? what's your thoughts on this... would love to hear from you b/c i have 2 disabled babies that i have to live for and must get myself healthy- stat!!! Thanks so much! Lots of love, Cara

i have regained 30 of my initial 100 lost. 4 weeks ago I joined the gym and altered my eating habits. I have lost close to 10 pounds and several inches. I was in a 14 jean and now a 10...in 4 weeks. Some may say thats too little for the workouts I have been doing....but I am gaining muscle too.....give it a shot before you undergo another procedure. I am 7 yrs post op. tammy

that's not little at all!!!!!!!!!!! that's freaking huuuuuuuuuuuge!!! what an accomplishment. you must feel so empowered! thanks- I have been inspired!!!

I had a proximal RNY in 2002 and lost 140 pounds, overshooting goal. I regained 40 pounds, mostly from eating chocolate and not exercising. I've taken off 15 of those regained pounds by quitting chocolate, going back to the gym, and using the surgery the way it's supposed to be used -- meaning, I went back to using 1-2 protein shakes a day, eating several small meals a day, eating dense protein foods first, avoiding junk foods that slide right through the pouch and avoiding sugars.  Making the restrictive part of the surgery work (by filling up on dense proteins and not eating and drinking together) and the malabsorption part of it work (putting proteins and fats, which are malabsorbed, ahead of junky carb foods and sugars, which aren't). I can also eat a great deal of junk food (cookies, popcorn, candy, you name it), but since that stuff slides right through the pouch and isn't malabsorbed, I have to limit that food or I will regain.  My surgery isn't broken (I had an upper GI series and endoscopy for other reasons in 2006, so I know it's still intact, yet I could eat a lot of junk). When I got back on track at the end of January, I resolved that I would do no gimmicky diets or deprivations and that I would not expect fast weight loss.  It took me several years to pile the weight on, and it may take until the end of the year to take it off (hopefully not, but if it does, it does). I'm sorry you're battling so much regain.  I noticed that the more I gained, the faster the gain seemed to take off. The only advice I'd give, since you asked, is to (1) commit to the pouch rules, so as to give your surgery a chance to work instead of defeating it, and (2) avoid gimmicks and lose-weight-quick schemes.  I don't know much about stomaphyx, but wonder why a revision would be necessary if your surgery isn't broken.  Perhaps a revision to a DS would be something to look into if you feel that following the pouch rules is something that isn't going to happen, but that's not a low-risk revision.  I think there's a revision board and there's a DS board if you want to explore those options as well. Either way, good luck!   None of this is easy. Suzy C.

I am so grateful for the time you have taken to reply. I am now on day 8 and i have lost 6 pounds. maybe my body needed to adjust. I agree with everything you say. I have NO INTENTIONSon having a DS or anything invasive (I almost died from the surgery and was hospitalized for 3 1/2 months). Still I would do the surgery all over again b/c had it not been for it, I would not have met my husband and had 2 beautiful miracle babies! That said, I am doing the Medifast not b/c of the promise of fast weight loss, but rather to start all over again like the begining of my journey (but using Optifast was too expensive for me right now). I intend to move on to softer solids and going back to proteins 1st and no drinking with meals. Its funny- I forgot I had the surgery and when I read the pouch rules I thought, "oh yeah, I forgot all about that... that's was I am supposed to do!" I have managed to get my brrain back in bypass mode and press on. Regardless of the tool, I need to have a brain that wants to work with my body... I am thinking I am really empowered and there now. I have called the surgeon who did the RNY (I had avoided him b/c I was so mortified about my weight gain) and I am going to make an appt for an edoscopy just to see if it's in tact. I just feel that I have earned the right to have a 2nd chance at the tool I worked so hard to get. I did not fail- I just stumbled.... My husband said "when you graduated from school, it suddenly stopped mattering that you bombed some tests." He is so right- everything is a learning experience. I do, however, hope that my surgery tools are still in tact so that I can have it forever. Anyway, thanks so much for the support. I will check in again and let you know whats going on. Good luck to you!!! You are a warrior!!!!

Hey there, I had my surgery june 30,2006.  I have lost like 80 lbs and i am stuck... just going back to basics...kinda like start with the 5 day pouch thing and then continue being good...no sugar :-)?? I have really not lost an ounce in 9 months and am really depressed about it..infact I think I gained 5 lbs in the last month...advice???

hi there. well, i just spoke to my surgeon and the nutritionist about my situation. They have me doing a liquid diet right now and then they will scope me to see if my pouch has stretched substantially. They said, in my situation that i should go back to the beginning... liquid diet consisting of protein shakes and then gradually adding solid proteins and following the rules that i seem to have forgotten all about... that said, you have lost 80lbs and should be so proud of yourself. that is an amazing accomplishment. I would suggest that you call your surgeon and have them help you to get back on track, and look into support groups. going back to the basics sounds like a great idea. if you have a good amount of weight to lose still, you will get there!! good luck : )

I am seriously considering doing Medifast.  Where do your purchase their products from, and is it very expensive?

hi there. my 1st medifast order was about $300 w/ shipping for about 6 weeks. i thought it was a lot, but then when i considered what i spend on ordering in, going out to eat and the supermarket it was a no brainer. i was skeptical but i have to tell you that i am soooooooo glad i did it! 8 days in and i am over the hunger and feel great! the best part is the website that you have access to once you receive your order(mymedifast.com). i feel like i am in weigh****chers camp (lol). there are registered dieticians available (online and on the phone) and if you are a night eater (like me) i went to the chat room and never felt like eating. all of the people there are so supportive (newbies and people who have lost TONS)... we have formed a group of about 12 of us who talk each night and support each other- it has made such a great difference... it's fun now (i cannot believe i am saying that). anyway, you can order the medifast online (i think its medifast1 or 1medifast... google it). you can call and they will answer any and all questions... i am happy i did it- money well spent (i'd rather give it to them than lane bryant...lol) good luck and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask : )

I am at the beginning of the journey. I'm 18 months out after RNY and I've lost 100 pounds. Now I find myself gaining a few. I find that the biggest fight isn't losing the weight. It is maintaining. I can eat a large variety of food now and a whole lot more sugar and fat than I could at the beginning. The food addiction keeps trying to take over and I keep fighting back. You said i never changed my brain and I find that is the hardest part. So, once you lose your weight again, you will still need to face the demons. I'm working on it myself. I tried a therapist but she didn't helped much. Right now, I'm reading food addiction books so I can understand the problem. And I check in with OH on a regular basis to get the support and accountability I need. I wish us both luck on our journeys...