Post-Op 3 Years - Gaining Back Weight

I am 30 years old and had RNY gastric bypass in January 2004.  My highest weight was 376 lbs.  Day of surgery I weight 305.  The lowest weight I reached was 172.  Total loss of 133 lbs. Today, almost three years later, I weigh 248 lbs.  I've gone from a size 30/32 down to a 9/10 and today I am a size 18/20.  I eat healthy, I do not eat more than I should and I hardly consume more than 1500 calories everyday.  I drink my protein drinks, I get enough fiber and I take my vitamins (chewables) and do everything I can to follow the rules. I am terrified.  I'm 57 lbs away from being where I was 3 years ago and I do not want to go there again.  I just don't know what to do!  I've tried talking with my doctors and I get no where with them!  I ask them for help and it's like I'm talking and no one is hearing me. My complaints are constant hunger, constipation, hypoglycemia, swelling in hands and feet, and chronic pain.  I've gone to two separate doctors and I am not getting help.  Perhaps I am looked upon as someone who is lying, overreating, or just not worth the time, I really wish I knew! I have heard that a lot of people gain their weight back eventually but due to the fact that they overreat and go back to their old eating habits.  I haven't.  I try so hard to do everything right.  So what am I doing wrong?! If anyone has any tips, suggestions or advice...I would love to hear it! Thanks for reading... K.

Sorry you are going through this. How horrible to have the weight come back on. Have you had your thyroid checked out? If you are hypothyroid, your body truly thinks it is starving and will not let you lose weight, even make you pack  it on. If you haven't had a thyroid panel and TSH ask the doctors to check you.

Keep us posted and good luck.

K: Here are my thoughts. I am 4.5 years out and just had a baby 11 weeks ago.  Start keeping track of every SINGLE thing that you put in your mouth. I think you will be very surprised as to how much you may be eating. Or what you are eating. I can eat pretty much anything now and have to really pay close attention each and every day to what I eat. I almost never eat over 1100 calories but I tend to eat wayyy too many carbs. If I eat carbs no matter how many cals it is,  I gain and cant lose for the life of me. My body is just screwed up!! LOL I am starving if I dont really watch what I eat. I have terrible trouble with hypoglycemia as well, again if I eat carbs, not even sweets.  So, start logging every bite. I use www. sparkpeople.com.  If you wish you can post your food diary here and we can help you take a look at it. Best of luck. BTW: totally agree that you need to have your thyroid checked.

I think Monica is on the right track. Your thyroid rules the roost and if it is not working right, you will not be able to loose weight. There is a good book out "Hypothyroidism Type 2" by Dr. Mark Starr (http://www.type2hypothyroidism.com/). On his website is a symptom list, check it out. Diona

I am so sorry you're going thru this. I would definitely contact your dr b/c there are many things that could explain this and hopefully its something that can be repaired or fixed. Good Luck and keep us posted!

I agree with the others, just start keeping track of what you eat, and get in some exercise.  I just came back from seeing my surgeon and I have gained 17 pounds.  I was mortified, but, I have let old habits sneek back in, and then I stoppped taking my Zoloft for depression, and that made everything bad too. So, I have decided that I am going to start taking my Zoloft again, and get back on track with logging my food and exercising.  I am sorry to hear that you are going through this, but it will be fine, just take it easy and find a doctor that will listen to you.  

If you are not getting the information you need from your current doctor, find a new one.  That doesn't necessarily mean that if he/she isn't telling you what you want to hear to get a new one.  But if you are eating as you should and still gaining weight, there is more to be looked at.  Is there a hormonal issue?  Thyroid just being one.  As much as we hate it, there is even a change due to aging.  What is causing the chronic pain/swelling?  Is it linked to diet?  There is some debate about foods that promote inflamation. Are you eating healthy foods that simply don't work well for you?   Obesity is due to a hell of a lot more than calories in/out despite the constant use of the concept (check out Good Calories, Bad Calories and Rethinking Thin).  If it were that simply, we wouldn't have needed surgery--simply wiring our mouths shut would have accomplished the same thing.  Remember it wasn't that long ago people did that and they still gained weight. Keep up the effort and let us know how things turn out, Sally