"Normal" regain
I just wanted to throw this out there on what is considered "normal" regain. When I had the RNY, my surgeon made sure I understood that normal regain is 20%. So if I lost 100 pounds, then it would be reasonable and normal to regain 20 pounds and THAT should be where I level off. My lowest weight ever would not likely be my "target" weight. I ended up regaining 10% after about 18 months and have been stable since then.
Did anyone else's surgeon mention this? Are we being too hard on ourselves? Not hard enough? Finding excuses instead of sucking it up and looking for solutions?I look forward to hearing about other people's experiences.
Did anyone else's surgeon mention this? Are we being too hard on ourselves? Not hard enough? Finding excuses instead of sucking it up and looking for solutions?I look forward to hearing about other people's experiences.
I heard from the doc's and allot of people on line that 10-20% regain is totally normal. I regained about 15% and don't beat myself up about it, I'm still a hell of allot healthier that I was pre-op, so I guess I'm normal!
Edie
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While some regain is normal, people seem to have different ideas about what is the normal amount and if it's inevitable. There is no law of physics that requires regain of a certain amount or even any so these amounts people throw out are a combination of experience and opinion. 
In my case, I have a way I want to look and a body fat percentage I want to be under and that requires staying under 120 lb. So that's what I do. My lowest weight was around 112-115 and I am now bouncing around 116-119. That's not 10% or 20%. It's about 3%.
As for why people regain, it happens for a number of reasons:
One is that some people get too low and really should be at a slightly higher weight.
Another reason is that people decide they don't want to be as strict as they were willing to be early out. They pick a "happy" weight that balances being healthy with occasional indulgences vs. an "ideal" weight that requires too much sacrifice (for them) to maintain.
Another reason is that people don't make enough lifestyle changes in the early days when losing weight is easy and so they regain later one when they have less malabsorption and/or can eat more. Maybe they are drinking with their meals, not eating protein first, etc. so they are eating more than they used to and more than it takes to stay at their initial lower weight.
Some regain because they never dealt with their food issues and so they are being self-destructive. (These are often the ones who gain it all back.)
Finally, some regain because of mechanical issues with their surgery.
I think you can see from these various reason that some of them are perfectly valid and the person isn't fooling themselves or making excuses. But other reasons are definitely people who could be at a lower weight who are making bad choices. So it really just depends and it's something only the person can judge.
In my case, it was a combination of reasons:
-Wanted to put on more muscle (my clothes are actually looser than they were at my lower weight)
-Going for a "happy" weight vs. ideal weight
-Felt like I was too scrawny on top and wanted to put a bit more meat back on up there (Enough of my 4 pounds went to my bust to go up a cup size and I don't have chicken wings for a chest any more!)
So, sometimes I get anxious that this 4 pounds is going to turn into 5 and then 10 and then 20, but most of the time I'm very happy with how I look and my state of health and I think I'm better off at the slightly higher weight than I was at the lower weight.
In my case, I have a way I want to look and a body fat percentage I want to be under and that requires staying under 120 lb. So that's what I do. My lowest weight was around 112-115 and I am now bouncing around 116-119. That's not 10% or 20%. It's about 3%.
As for why people regain, it happens for a number of reasons:
One is that some people get too low and really should be at a slightly higher weight.
Another reason is that people decide they don't want to be as strict as they were willing to be early out. They pick a "happy" weight that balances being healthy with occasional indulgences vs. an "ideal" weight that requires too much sacrifice (for them) to maintain.
Another reason is that people don't make enough lifestyle changes in the early days when losing weight is easy and so they regain later one when they have less malabsorption and/or can eat more. Maybe they are drinking with their meals, not eating protein first, etc. so they are eating more than they used to and more than it takes to stay at their initial lower weight.
Some regain because they never dealt with their food issues and so they are being self-destructive. (These are often the ones who gain it all back.)
Finally, some regain because of mechanical issues with their surgery.
I think you can see from these various reason that some of them are perfectly valid and the person isn't fooling themselves or making excuses. But other reasons are definitely people who could be at a lower weight who are making bad choices. So it really just depends and it's something only the person can judge.
In my case, it was a combination of reasons:
-Wanted to put on more muscle (my clothes are actually looser than they were at my lower weight)
-Going for a "happy" weight vs. ideal weight
-Felt like I was too scrawny on top and wanted to put a bit more meat back on up there (Enough of my 4 pounds went to my bust to go up a cup size and I don't have chicken wings for a chest any more!)
So, sometimes I get anxious that this 4 pounds is going to turn into 5 and then 10 and then 20, but most of the time I'm very happy with how I look and my state of health and I think I'm better off at the slightly higher weight than I was at the lower weight.
HW - 225 SW - 191 GW - 132 CW - 122
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My surgeon says his 25% of his bypass patients regain an average of 25 lb. and 10% of his other patients (sleeve, ds) regain an average of 10 lb.
I believe these are made up statistics though. As in, this is his impression based on many years of experience and are probably in the ballpark, but he hasn't actually done a formal study. (I'm guessing the same thing with your surgeon's 20 lb. number.)
I believe these are made up statistics though. As in, this is his impression based on many years of experience and are probably in the ballpark, but he hasn't actually done a formal study. (I'm guessing the same thing with your surgeon's 20 lb. number.)
HW - 225 SW - 191 GW - 132 CW - 122
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Mary Catherine
on 11/13/10 2:14 pm
on 11/13/10 2:14 pm
I also believe that there are no really reliable studies. Many people who have failed by regaining all of their weight are too ashamed to take part in any studies. I believe we will see the day when this whole weight loss surgery industry is acknowledged as producing many more failures than it is now thought possible.
Right now it would not benefit any of the doctors and weight loss centers to gather negative statistics about surgery. As long as failure is seen as the patient's failure, then the industry can continue to thrive. There will always be hopeful new patients looking for help with obesity and always will be patients who work really hard to maintain. When I talk to lapband patients and hear what they go through and see the results, I think it may not be long before the very last lapband gets placed. If there were not such a huge amount of money to be made, I don't think that lapbands would still be used.
Right now it would not benefit any of the doctors and weight loss centers to gather negative statistics about surgery. As long as failure is seen as the patient's failure, then the industry can continue to thrive. There will always be hopeful new patients looking for help with obesity and always will be patients who work really hard to maintain. When I talk to lapband patients and hear what they go through and see the results, I think it may not be long before the very last lapband gets placed. If there were not such a huge amount of money to be made, I don't think that lapbands would still be used.
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