Need Help Building Muscle Mass Almost 2 Years Post Op

(hope no one minds, I copied and pasted this message below from a previous post I made in the Weight Loss Grads Forums, under the advice that i ask in the Men's forum, which i have seemed to find) here is the original message... Hello everyone,

I know I don't post on here much but I have a question for everyone.

I had my surgery back in June of 2006, at which time my weight was 469 pounds.

Today, I weight 180, I did actually make it to 169 so I lost 300 pounds on this within 1-1/2 years. I had the RNY surgery and worked out vigorously.

Now, my initial weight goal was 220, since I am 6' 3", and my surgeon said anyone over 6' should not be under 200.

At any rate, in addition to this surgery I have also had 2 back surgeries, making matters worse, and I have also had an internal hernia and scar tissue removed (from the RNY, which was wrapped around my intestines).

To get to my point, I need to add muscle mass, and every doctor I speak with (I have obviously been to several) tells me there is no secret, keep the protien intake up and exercise.

Here is the issue, I am doing that, but not adding muscle. I go to the gym, warm up for 10 minutes on the treadmill, and then hit the weightlifting area, where I train various areas of my body (low rep, high weight), trying to gain muscle mass.

Personally, I don't think my body is obsorbing, or processing the protiens needed to add this muscle back on to my body. 

In a former life I was very much into weight lifting, so I know all the basics.

My question, is it possible that the surgery has changed my bodies' metabolism so much to the point that I can no longer add muscle mass? I have been trying for several months now, and nothing. Is there an alternative? Has anyone had this problem and successfully overcome it?

For the record, I generally ingest at a minimum of 120 grams of protien a day, probably the same with carbs, although I no longer count anything aside from protien to be honest.

I'm not sure what to do, can anyone help, offer suggestions, or links to relavent threads or resources ( I have searched everywhere to no avail. )

My one surgeon feels this may actually be a legitimate reason (an he said he may be treading on thin water here) for anabolic steroids.

I need to add the muscle to take the pressure off my spine so my leg will stop hurting so much, but can't seem to do it.

I'm frustrated.

Thanks in advance.

hey jack,

not an expert here but lifting a while like you. so some observations. first, double your protein intake. it's low if you're trying for mass. second, maybe have your testostorone level checked. third, try one body part per day and go heavy, that's what i do and make sure you're getting plenty of rest in between. also, do a real heavy workout on leg day. that alone ought to build muscle.

since you've been lifting a while, try adding creatine to your menu. that will put on pounds but where it counts. last, cut out all your cardio. if you want muscle quit melting it away with aerbics and what not. so get plenty of protein, go heavy, get rest, take creatin and stop cardio workouts. if you can't gain after that then i'm stumped! good luck and let us know what ends up working for you....carbonblob

I could have written this post at one time!  And CB was right on the money with the suggestions in his response - at least it was a strategy that worked for me.   We know everyone is different and often what works for one does not work for the other...but I experienced similar issues...hope you don't mind if I share. Like you,  my weight dropped as low as 168 about 13 months post-op.  That's when I put the brakes on the weight loss and made the decision to build muscle mass.  I decreased my cardio (I was walking/running upwards of 120+ miles/month) down to a bare minimum, using it only for warm-up and warm-downs.  Rather than increasing calories, I reduced calories.  My dilemma was the more I ate the more I lost, so I went the other direction to get in somewhat of a starvation mode to force my body to hold-on to weight.  Without fail, I was in the weight room every other day working my a$$ off.  I felt great was well-toned and my strength was increasing, but I couldn't build mass to save my life!  I managed to get my weight up only slightly and ended-up hovering between 173 and 176 for 13 straight months.  After my gallbladder and double hernia repair at the end of February last year I changed my strategy again and finally was able to build some mass by: * Doubling protein intake averaging 200-210 grams daily * Beginning supplementation with creatine and glutamine twice daily * Using a less is more mindset in the weight room * Cutting workouts down from every other day to every third day for additional recovery time  * Decreasing sets from 3-2 and reps from 10-12 to 6-8 * Increasing lifting weight significantly to reach failure in each of the two sets While this worked, there was certainly give and take.  Significant amounts of cardio and extended time in the weight room was therapy for me.  Now the workouts were incredibly intense and they were definitely not therapy!  But hard to argue with the results.  Now about 185-187 pounds consistently, I've shifted into maintenance mode by backing off on intensity and cutting back on weight slightly. Hope your successful and achieve the result you're looking for! Cards Fan loseSMART!  loseSTRONG!

 Geez --  460+ lbs. (like I was) and down to 169???   must be NICE!     Here I tell people I'll never see below 200 (or even 250, looks like) and that my window closed long ago now @ at 18 months out ..  I weighed 169 once when I crash dieted @ 20 and couldn't keep the galls' eyes off my backside ..   How much I wish I could have been that thin again with this surgery, but thought that would be impossible and unrealistic, so I never even tried ..   Dang, now I feel like chit I didn't work at it harder ..   &:-/)

First of all, welcome to the Locker Room.  I'll be glad to do your fit test for your respirator as there is plenty of FARTing going on in here these days! In response to your situation - The above advice is excellent.  One of the things CB mentioned that is very dead on is getting your Testosterone levels checked.  This is frequently an overlooked issue when men are having metabolic issues that do not yet involve "manly" dysfunction such as ED or decreased libido.  After all the changes your body has been through, it is very common for T levels to taper and drop.  It's a primal caveman function of the body.  Your PCP can draw the labs to check it, but I strongly recommend talking to an endocrinologist.   Please feel free to hang around for a while and get to know us.  We're always ready to welcome another brother to the bench and we could certainly benefit from someone who has two years of experience under his belt!

Well, you don't need anabolic steroids as such, though you might have your MD draw blood and test for levels of total and free testosterone.  If it's too low (and as many as 25% of all men may have low testosterone), then supplemental testosterone could help with gaining muscle mass.  Testosterone is commonly given by depot injection, say, every 2-4 weeks, or as a daily topical patch. Supplemental testosterone is classified by the US Drug Enforcement Administration as an anabolic steroid and is a controlled substance.  Go figure.  Did you know what's swinging between your legs is manufacturing a controlled substance? /Steve

Based on the responses here and in the other thread I am going to try doubling my protien intake, and I did forget to mention I have been taking Creatine as well, someone mentioned it. From what I have read some people are requiring over 300 grams of protien a day to add muscle. I'm pretty sure my  workouts are good, I barely do any cardio, just hop on the treadmill for maybe 10 minutes before I lift. Still open to more suggestions, and thanks for the responses so far.