20 lb gain and it's my 3 yr surgiversary this month!!!

So I had surgery 3 yrs ago on the 12th and had lost 130 lbs in 10 months.  I then went on to get pg at 13 months out with baby #3 and gained 27 lbs during the pregnancy.  As with my other 2 pg's (pre op), I lost all my baby weight right away (all 27 lbs in 6 days!!!!), but then went on to have PPD again (like the other 2) and had to go on some stupid anti anxiety meds and anti depressants for 3-4 months.   After I have my babies, for some reason, I lose my appetite for about a month and have no desire to eat food at all.  I just want to drink, drink, drink tons of water and have to force food down.  

I went on an anti anxiety med a month after I had my son and it made me appetite go up HUGE (it's called Remeron) and I gained all my baby weight back in a month (27 lbs!!!!).  I was literally starving all the time and I'd eat and then feel starving to death less than an hour later.  I was so shaky on it from being hungry... it was AWFUL!  Plus it made me sooooo sleepy and I was tired all the time.  This particular med also made my liver function levels go up to 3 times what they should be.... anyways, I was only on that stuff for like 6 wks and was so glad to get off them when I did go off.

But basically, I lost the baby weight and got down to 140 again after I had my son.  But these stupid meds made me put the weight back on and now I'm having a real struggle getting it off!  I go between 165 and 170 all the time and I can really tell from my feet that my body is feeling this regain!!!   My feet are starting to hurt a little, just like they did when I weighed more and had to carry around the extra weight.  And I'm a short person (5'3") and so every 5 lbs shows and I can really feel it on my feet. 

I had to be on zoloft from July-Oct of last year to help with the PPD and then went off and was fine.  I then got put on a low dose birth control pill (Lo-Estrin) back in October also to help with my periods and to try to get them back to normal, which it helped.   I had the Mirena IUD put in last May for birth control but then had it taken out in the end of April, due to it making me depressed and just really deflating my overall mood.  I had it out and even within 2 hrs, felt different.   And within 2 days, I felt back to myself again!!  I was so much happier and didn't hate life as much as I used to (lol) and actually enjoyed my children more and just was happier person overall!!!  

But now we have to be really careful because I don't have the IUD anymore, and are using the bcp and condoms for at least 6 mos to a year, just to make sure we are done having kids before my hubby has anything permanent done (the big V).   And I have tried like 3 times to get off the bcp in the last 6 months and within 10 days, I get horrible insomnia each time!   And then I get back on the bcp and all 3 times, it takes about 6 weeks for the insomnia to go away.  I am wondering if I need to wean off it for a few months (take half a pill for like 2 packs and then one every other day at the end of the 2nd pack??) and that won't happen anymore.  I wonder if it's because of my GB surgery that this is happening too, I never had to wean off before and never got insomnia when I went off a bcp!!!   I wonder if it's hard for my body to quit the bcp cold turkey??  I think the bcp is also making me kind of tired and for sure has something to do with me being more hungry and munchier than usual.  When I did go off the bcp and before the insomnia hit, I noticed a change in my appetite and I wasn't as hungry!!

So in the next 6 months, I'd like to try and lost 20 lbs but aren't sure how to do it.  Can you guys help me???  I hate to say this, but in the 10 months that I lost all my 130 lbs, I only excercised maybe 2 weeks of that and it was in the very beginning...*blushing*   I really want to get back into some size 8's and not be in these 12's!  I'm feeling a little FAT again when I look in the mirror and don't want to gain any more back.  Or is this normal and my body is set at this weight?  I have heard that GBS patients can regain 10-20% of their lost weight 2-3 yrs post op.  So is it pointless for me to want to get down to 145 again or is 150 more of a realistic goal?? 

Thanks for your help!!!

I have not have a baby... I I also gained 20-25 lbs. 10 - I am happy about (I was to skinny for me)
 and the next 15 - just "happened". 
I got back on track and I do eat a lot and at least 5-6 times a day. Since I can only do moderate exercise  (mostly fast walking or house work) then I knew I had to limit food (again) so I can lose weight.
I am on  1200 net cal per day (net cal = total cal less exercise)
I do limit carbs (not only they make me hungry, but they also cause RH in me). I eliminated starchy carbs.  But eat proteins, non-starch veggies, and some fruits (berries) almost as much as my pouch can take.  (i.e. I had 8oz of pot roast - lean  for lunch).  
I joined the Atkins - low carb group forum on OH and get ideas about food and what to eat.

Getting enough fiber (I use flax meal) and magnesium - so I do not constipated. 
So far I lost 5 lbs... Slowly but I do not starve (some days  - feels like I eat too much) and do not kill myself in a gym.  I want to be 150-160... again.  I know I can do it.  (less that that will not look good on me) I have a few more lbs to go...  but I already see a change - at our weight range - 5 lbs is a lot of "blubber".

 Even though you have gone through so much with medicines, it is normal for weight loss post-ops to have about a 20 pound regain by the end of year 3.   Your pouch gets bigger and your intestines learn how to overcome malabsorption.  I think you have done fantastic to keep regain down to 20 pounds with all of the things you have been through.

Something that will probably do wonders for you is to start using a natural progesterone cream.  You can get that from a healthfood store or order online. Arbonne's is excellent.  You apply the cream to the underside of your forearm everyday for 21 days, then stop for a week to allow for your period.  

Progesterone just balances your body.  It helps with cramps, mood, weight gain, water retention, and sleep problems.  It is not something that most doctors will recommend.  That is because it is natural and cannot be prescribed.  So drug companies invented synthetic progesterone (progestins). Doctors are used to things that they can write a prescription for.  Do some research on natural progesterone and also try it for a month.  It will not hurt anything and I think it will really help.

marycatherine, thanks for your comments. I actually tried the wild yam cream about a month ago for about 3 weeks and didn't notice any change. It actually made me more moody and tired when I was on it!

 Sorry that the cream did not help you.  Getting the right hormone balance in your body is tricky.  

Hi there...

It is my 2 year surgiversary on the 17th of June and I too have gained some back. My reason is totally my fault. I fell off the exercise wagon and need to climb back on.

Maybe we can work on this together????

yeah! I currently am trying to work out 3 times a week (m,w,f) on the treadmill and/or eliptical for 30 mins at a time and trying to be more careful of what I eat and snack on. I ran twice on Wed and today and feel great, not so fat and lazy anymore!

Carebear- I was like you, I was about 265 when I had RNY and got down to 140 after 10 months. I wondered if I had done the VSG (which I didn't know or research about back then) if I would've lost as much as fast and then kept it off. I sometimes kick myself that I should've done that surgery instead of RNY, but I'm mostly glad I did the RNY.

How long did it take you to lose all your weight (before the re-gain)?? Can you take NSAID's and drink with your meals?? Just curious.