Weight Regain

I have finally gotten my gastritis issues under control.

I multiplied my gastric enzymes( w/ probiotics) x 3, for meals.. I began using meat tenderizer with my eggs for morning eggs... so gas issues are greatly reduced. Have had a couple of bad blood sugar drops lately, was so hot i could not eat and drink too..I needed the water more than the food...for the most part...exercise can make my sugar drop too low, so have to be careful when i am going to work out in the heat and do heavy activities... I am using sweet everlasting (herb) tea, 3-4 cups a week to keep enzymes and intestinal balance. No regular laxative or immodum needed...when i use it regularly

I drink almost exclusively coffee and filtered ice water. after my first coffee of morning.( coffee is necessary for me to get out of bed -heart rate runs too low -44)... we have had heat index of 105-110 several days and i had things that had to be done outside... I tied an old cotton t shirt on my head, wet it with ice water and forged on... came in every 35- 40 min to cool and went back out...several times. rested in hottest part of day...

I am not on exactly a "Keto" diet. but close -high protein, have the same issue w/feeling full after a few bites.. usually it is pre gastritis, so I am real cautious if that happens. I have only needed to go on my white rice and ice water diet one time in 3 weeks...that is a big improvement...and I have only had to have ppi 2 doses in the same time frame.( because i was taking ibuprophen for pain)

I have been able to step up physically...taking care of a small garden,( this involves going with pickup and loading clay/sand mix and picking up loads of sawdust for the critters, and building up soil in raised beds. My DH had heart surgery and is not back up to strength yet Dr said recovery will take 2 years post ablation with 8 places treated.so another year...) chickens and helping with mowing about 2 acres with a push mower and weed eater. In this heat,. pretty good!

Have you tried willow bark for knee joint pain? if not allergic to asprin might want to try it, easier on stomach...should you need it. Most of the time 2 of the commercially produced capsules are sufficient for me as a one time dose... and I don't usually require anything daily.

.... some people are saying they have had joint improvement (saying rebuilding) with chicken cartlige II,.most say within 2-3 weeks.. that is with one bottle..I think swanson vitamin co had it for under 40$. might be worth a try..definitely cheaper than shots in the knees..(my Uncle had to have those)

I have the same problem with my tailbone and back bone rubbing.+ lower back coming out of alignment. Thankfully a chiro showed me how to put it back in and strengthen muscles in lower pelvic girdle,so that has taken care of that. Doing exercises for fallen bladder, and it seems to be helping.Doing the kegels and pelvic rock...still 3 years from medical insurance.My state does not provide it for caregivers.

If you can add 1/2 serving of carb to lunch or supper- when you get within 5- lbs of goal, that should slow your weight loss...so you do not overshoot.. Carbs are what I have issue with., and like you said balance..none and sugar will not come up to normal. too many and it will not stay in normal but bottom out in 1 hour...as long as keep them low- do ok, but in one day; an extra half serving sends me into low sugars... which means i must eat something with carbs! UUUGH.

Many people do not realize how BAD low sugars can be. I have passed out 2 times from low sugar and once had a seizure triggered by low sugar.( I was in a Dr office with Hubby/ a urologist.. Bet he remembers me!lol

When you said that "it's all about balance" . It reminded me of something Mom said one time.. she was compalining that her butt was too big and she was not loosing it there..... then she laughed and said " I guess it's a good thing my butt is so big or I would fall on face!"

I like to make my own bone broth.. from meat bones..to strengthen my bones...I take a stock pot, fill half full of bones, cover with 1.5 inches of water. add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and 2 egg shells..( wash them off before you crack them- use egg , save shells for this) There is supposed to be something in the lining of the egg shell that helps to release minerals from bones into the water. simmer on low. for 2 hours adding more water if necessary...dip out egg shells, cool and use for liquids to add to soups/stews/ or to just drink.remove bones, leaving bits of meat ..the result is a white broth. very rich. ..

I use bone broth for most of my cooking. I also drink it. I often make it myself. But when I need more - I buy organic chicken or beef bone broth. FYI - I make bone broth in my pressure cooker. Normally you need to slow cook it for 12-18 hours. Pressure cooker - that gets accomplished in 2-4 hours.

I have issues with my pouch, esophagus, and small intestine. For now even Willow bark or Corydalis are still to irritating. I have Barrett Esophagus, small % but still too much if you ask me. I am on Rx Dexilant. That is the only PPI that works for me. I tried to get off it, but so far, can't.

I had a severe SIBO and leaky gut. I am slowly healing that. I use powder L-glutamine and collagen in my mid morning drink. Unfortunately with SIBO - I can control it, but most research shows that it is close to impossible to erradicate.

Like you - exercise can cause my BS to drop. I have adrenal Insufficiency. My HPAA system does not work the was it should. To avoid low BS during exercise- I take 5-10 mg of additional cortisone to help my body.

As for low BS - I hate it .... I am a dumper , but I avoid sugars because of RH, not dumping.

There was a year or 2 that I had low BS daily. And they were extrrme. Even when I ate just lean proteins. They were horrible. I had hypoglycemia, RH, and low BP and low HBR.

It took me close to 2 years to get diagnosed with Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency - pittuatary failure.

Hypoglycemia, severe RH, Low BP, orthostatic hypotension, depression, overheating, severe menopause symptoms, allergiesc etc...etc ..indicated that my system is not working well. My Endo put me on full cortisone replacement dose. I was on a full replacement dose for 3 years. During last 2 years we are seeing pittuatary recovery.

I still need cortisone, but only 1/2 dose for now. That is huge. My thyroid is finally worked good.

But in a stress situation my body makes adrenaline, ephedrine, and other stress hormones, to compasate for low cortisone. That is rather unpleasant. But it is better that it was in the past.

As my friend once said to me :

"When I wake up in pain, I know I am still alive. If I ever wake up and don't feel pain - it would mean I was dead. I would hate to start walking around and scare people."

I had forgotten what SIBO was? I rememered about yeast. .. and intolerance to Oregano. I have posted two things that may help, If they don't benefit you maybe they will help someone else..

Have you tried daily dose of Food Grade peroxide.? there is a web site been making it for many years,, begins with "pure" they have a good amount of info on it.There is also a free PDF called "The one minute Cure" that details many uses to use it for enviromental and health uses.

.... My DH uses it for various infections, is non toxic and taken properly diluted. (He usually takes 10 drops ,35%,in 3 ounces of filtered water. can not be added to flourinated or chlorinated water..). Has to be taken on empty stomach... away from everything.

When he gets a respiratory he double whammys it with colloidal silver.. taken sublingual 20 cc 2 x a day. He does not stay sick long and recovers fairly quickly...normally... He was on PPI's for 5 years running before was able to get off of them. .. give your body healing time you have certaintly had enough problems..

I have an old script of Indocin suppositories..( they can be made if you have a compounding pharmacy..).. I use when my pain is unresponsive to my regular things... Many people forget that Ladies have another vault to place suppositories in, that does not incur intestinal wrath...it seems to absorb more quickly, and be effective just as soon... There can still be side effects but intestinal spasms is not one... they produce a slight blood thinning, and other intestinal issues COULD occur but not upset to the top part or ulcers in top half of intestine. I use so infrequently this is not an issue for me.

Yeah, I have hurts and pains as well.. Had joint issues before surgery, still have spurs on knees..and on feet... with the loss and maintainence of 120 lbs maintained off so far,...this has given my knees a new lease on life.Where I used to require 400mg of Ibuprophen to do much more than get out of bed,and then q 8 hrs... now... only if I really over extend myself do I need pain meds. So even tho I can't take them as often.. I don't NEED them as often.I must have a fairly high tolerance for pain, I also use...ho****er for arthritic hands..washing the dishes helps fairly quickly..LOL ..and gets two things done at one time, pain relief and dishes done....

SIBO is small intestine bacteria overgrowth. It does not need to be "bad" strain of bacteria. But any bacteria that are beneficial to us in a colon, they can be harmful when they colonize in the small intestine. It si very difficult to erradicae , specialty due to low acid and additional PPI

I can't use NSAIDS. None. Barrett Esophagus is a serious issue. I don't need more damage. Any NSAIDS are systematic so it really does not matter what way they administer. Being on a very strong PPI already makes my inside very sensitive. Until I can safely get off of them, and have no GERD symptoms for 3 months or longer - I am not allowed any NSAIDS.

I use colloidal silver. My gut is too sensitive to H2O2. Even as diluted as that,i used it in the past, but for me - colloidal silver plus berberine. Plus Aloe Vera. Berberine can break up the bacteria colonies. H2O2 does not do that. Plus - when taken H2O2 - you also need to load on anti-oxidants.

HALAB, I had looked it up I realized it could be bad or good after reading some on it.. I know that many people can't use NSAIDS and they are not recommended... I do not recommend but was able to find a way to get pain relief with my personal physician's approval. I got a script for Ultram about 7 years ago , and a months script always lasted me close to a year.. I don't have esophagus issue... so I can use NSAIDS in VERY limited amounts occassionally...and always with a PPI, I got a script of 50 indocin.. 14 YEARS ago and thanks to the freezer they are still very effective.and at least half are left... a bottle of ibuprophen of 100 will last both me and DH more than a year...that is occassional use..

I do use Sweet Everlasting as a tea and it calms my innards,and restores many enzymes, When I use it ,can eat milk and cheese ..the earthy flavor is covered in part by spearmint. which i have growing in the yard.

Thank you for posting what you have found to be effective for SIBO, I will be careful and make sure I get some to have on hand for JIC (Just in case)aloe vera I keep in some form..so will just be the berberine to buy. Each of us have such unique responses to WLS, because our bodies are so individual.

I am posting this for others who may be reading on our old issues and be wondering...Before surgery I would take a #100ct bottle of ibuprophen each week, for pain somewhere..I do not need something for pain as often, I can NOT take asprin( stomach issue, have bleeding from everywhere, urine mostly...) Tylenol does NOt work on any kind of pain for me..I can use willow bark and I have a few Ultram from a foot injury and my teeth being pulled... those happened 4 years ago... so I use very carefully and sparingly. Yes i freeze them. and no most people would not be able to dig and find them..

If anyone has continual pain they might want to consider very carefully the type of surgery they will have. It will affect every medication they take and are able to take in the future... Of course the complications of morbid obesity is early death.... so all must be considered carefully..

...complications from all surgeries are real and those 1% problems happen to someone.

There are lots of posts on regain. Seems like a thread is started almost everyday on the topic.

As many have mentioned, the best ways to combat regain are to 1) track EVERYTHING that goes in your mouth, many of us use the MFitnessPal app; 2) weigh your food instead of just eye balling it; 3) eat dense protein first; 4) only if there's still room, eat non-starchy vegetables; 5) many prefer to abstain or limit fruit during weight loss; 6) drink a MINIMUM of 64 oz of water a day; 7) do not drink with a meal and then wait 30-60 minutes after eating before drinking; 8) see a therapist who treats other bariatric patients, to work through the mental & emotional components of overeating; 9) I believe limiting artificial sweeteners is valuable as they may trigger carb consumption, and they haven't been proven to help with weight loss (just the opposite in fact in some studies).

Good luck, you can do this!

Kishamb,

You have made good progress with verifying all is ok. That is an important peice of information to begin with. Did you also get your labs checked.? Having a physical copy of thsoe so you can use as a reference to maintaining health is very important. You are at a time post op when some common probelms can arise. th anemia's some get.... Now you have the tool to use and it is available for you to use...So now it is up to you. You can do it!

I am 23 years Post WLS. Life happened. Stress, care for others and not taking care of self. I ended up with a 40 lb regain.. working on the last 15 or so lbs now to get back to goal. Very slowly getting there. Yep, i still get off track , but I do not STAY OFF- track.

I use only coconut, sunflower oil( same fatty acids aswalnut-so heart healthy) and real butter. I eat eggs every day they are a mainstay of my protein. easy to get in .

My goal for protein is 90 grams and carbs below 50.. men need more proteins by probably 20 grams at least... If you still have origional protein and carb goals that is a great place to start.....I am much more active now,.. mowing yard with push mower, taking care of my chickens, and garden...( Saturday me and hubby, + 2 others, helped our neighbor pull pump out of deep well... I was able to help in spite of physical limitations.!)

Look at what you have been eating to get you where you are. start making changes as you realize the problem..

... Cut all drinks except filtered water, unsweetened drinks.. try adding lemon wedges to 16 oz water... orange also works...to add flavor and vitamin C.

... make sure you stop drinking fluids at least 30 min before you are to eat, and hold liquids for at least 30 min after meal is completed.

.... Begin a slow exercise program.. a good place o begin would be... walk for a few min each am first thing and at night last thing.. this does 2 things builds the metabolism for the day and holds it up for several hours as you rest.- when it would otherwise be low.

... Measure your meats, and measure your veggies.. hold all breads and most frui****ch serving sizes on fruits.. natural sugars can cause hunger trigger. Try to get in a substantial amount of proteins first thing in morning.. I try to get a minimum of 1/3 in.. often eat 2 meals and 2 snacks( both snacks are heavy protein) tonight it is boiled eggs 3,... with a little meat tenderizer sprinkled on for enzymes( bromelin based no msg)

... avoid carbs, as much as possible..try to keep carb count to 30 for several days in a row. 3 days breaks the carb cravings for me with B complex sublingual.( this was by recommendation of my nutritionist.)

. go back to postop solid diet rules. small bites /ice cream tasting spoon chew each bite 10 times. Get in your supplements .be aware that those things with artificial sweetners may increase carb cravings, they do with me... my vivactive chew is the worst!****ep for vitamin K1 boost)

I can use Stevia powder( organic Pyure brand) or natural leaves without cravings being an issue.

Hnag in there keep on working, You can get to where you want to be.

hi

I'm closing in on 3 years out in Dec and have had a bounceback of some weight. I got down to 118 and that was realistically too little and I had no muscle tone whatsoever. I also was ill during that time. in the past year I've gained up to 150, first with a 'bulk' session as the gym people call it, and now working to reduce the scale number and reduce inches. It is a very very slow process. I would like to get to 135-140 before my 3 year visit in Dec. I have 5 months left.

The advice you have gotten so far is really good. the main thing I find is that you have got to be eating food that doesn't slide through. you have to have that fullness or you will be tempted to eat again. I use My fitness pal and a scale to weigh everything.

You have already taken the hardest step by saying enough is enough and now I want to get back on track. I maintained 118-125 for over 10 years after losing 200 pounds. Due to a personal tragedy I gained and hit the 190 mark a year ago. After several starts it finally clicked and I am back to goal losing 70 pounds of regain. Here are some steps that helped me and I hope they will help you too! You may have several starts and stops but don't give up, don't beat yourself up. IT WILL CLICK!!! Our tool works if we work the tool and get back to the basics.

Planning/Preparing

Remember when we were preparing for surgery? How many meetings, classes and such did we attend? We were told the more prepared we were the better our chances were for success. And they were right. Go through the house, car and work place and get rid of trigger foods. Stock up on foods that will keep you on track. I removed every bad carb/sugar temptation and replaced it with lots of protein, veggies, grains and fruits.

Journaling

Get back to journaling. This will help you identify when you feel like eating, stress factors and any triggers in your life. Once you identify these factors, this will help you put tools in place to keep you from eating. It became clear I was not taking time for me anymore. I worked my day job and then spent the rest of my time caring for my husband. It was easy to reach for fast, prepackaged food. Since I purged my home I have to eat clean as there are no other options LOL

Use a tool to track you're eating and exercise like Getting Started with Health Tracker. Once I started to track ever bite and drink it became clear why I had gained.

Goals/Rewards

Make a list of goals for yourself. Make them realistic and small. Some of mine were move more, purge all junk from my home, eat more protein. If you didn't make a Weight Loss Surgery bucket list when you first had surgery do it now. GREAT reminder of all the things you can enjoy in life after losing weight.

Food

In general, a long term post-weight loss surgery eating plan includes foods that are high in protein, and low in fat?, calories, and sugar. Important, vitamins and minerals are provided as supplements. (if you had a different surgery adjust this to your food plan).

Water

Water is our Best Friend. I have to say I never went back to pop or any bad drinks, however I was drinking tea like crazy. What is wrong with drinking tea? I was either using sugar or 3 equals and 3 sweet n lows per 32 ounce glass. I found once I started carrying one of the metal bottles of water to keep it cold I drank water all day.

MOVE!

I can't say enough about how key this was for me. The reason I kept my weight off for almost 10 years was no matter what, I kept moving. If I could not go to the gym I would walk. Grab a cart and walk all the isles at your local box store. I loved Zumba, bootcamp workouts, lifting weights. When I stopped, the weight started coming back. So for me I am starting slow to avoid injury by walking and using some of the workouts on my Demand TV. Find something you love to do and it won't feel like a pain in the *** to do daily.

Support

If it's an option "run" don't walk to a support group. Come here on OH daily for support and participate in one of the food threads. It helps you be accountable and also great ideas for food prep.

Keep me posted on how you are doing.

I am 4 years post VSG but the struggle is the same regardless of surgery type!

I regained about half of my total loss 2 years post op. I floated around regain land for a while, eating and drinking everything I wanted to, and totally lost track.

It took getting some bad health news last fall to kick me in the pants. Auto pilot took over and I KNEW what to do.

For ME, it was full on Keto immediately. That coupled with movement and water did the trick. Lost all my regain.

Staying on track is no longer hard for me. In fact, I am going even further than losing my regain and working toward (what was) my ultimate goal- at that point I'm having all my plastics done!

You KNOW what to do. I too came here and asked "what do I do"?, but we all KNOW what to do. Get back to a post op die****er. Movement. Tracking.

ALSO, you might consider finding a new support group. I only attended mine for about 10 months post op and then fell away. Once I regained, I was embarrassed to show my face there, so I found a new one. It was great because the folks there hadn't known me immediately post op so they had no idea how I ever looked. Made it easy to attend and they are great people.