Worst WLS Example, Ever

That would be me.  I was a member here for four years and posted diligently.  I am 5'10 and went from 263 to 155 in 2011, I reached goal nine months after my surgery.   I was a model patient at first.  It changed my life.  I joined an organized sport, I got a trainer, I worked out 6x a week and did numerous 5K's and 10K's.  I went from a size 22 to a size 8.  I had some regain about 19 months in and went to 164 but I stayed the same size, I assumed most likely due to my weight lifting regime and workouts.

Fast forward to 2013.  I started going through a divorce (married 23 years with three kids).  I accepted a wonderful PR job that almost doubled my salary.  It involved taking clients to lunch frequently, happy hours 2-3 times a week, tons of schmoozing with potential and current clients.  I loved it.  I felt like I was "visible" for the first time in my life, as I had spent the majority of my 20's and 30's married and having kids and frankly, being fat and unhappy with myself.  

My divorce drug on for two years and was very ugly.  I now have a restraining order against him.  He was very unhappy about my weight loss, my newfound energy, my new job.  He is now engaged to someone who weighs probably a good 50 lbs more than I ever did at my highest weight.  I have a great boyfriend, very supportive, tons of fun, we are always on the go and traveling and spending a lot of time in the water, on the beach, in a boat, etc.

I've gained back 30 lbs over the last three years.  Very gradually.  I am as unhappy with that as I was at 263 lbs.    I am wearing size 12's and they are TIGHT.  I have a closet full of wonderful clothes I cannot wear, and I feel like I want to hide from the world.  My great job?  The company was bought out and my position was considered extraneous and was eliminated.  In the midst of all that, I started suffering from fainting spells related to the WLS -- or apparently its a common side effect a few years out.  During one of those spells,  I passed out at a restaurant and hit my head hard on the counter, resulting in a skull fracture and brain bleed that landed me in ICU for a week. 

My problem is not food or exercise.  I logged my food for the last three months and I routinely average about 1500-1700 calories in food intake -- I can eat pretty much anything except fried food and ice cream, but I generally will not eat more than a few bites of pasta or bread, ever, and I still fill up quickly.  I lean towards veggie omelets for breakfasts, salads, fish and chicken -- anything I eat that is "bad" for WLS patients makes me feel bad, so I don't eat it.  My problem is alcohol.  I am back working in the same industry I was before, and I know I drink too much -- it doesn't affect me adversely most of the time, I have a high tolerance (probably because I've built it up) and I am rarely, if ever, hungover.  And to be honest, I don't see it as a problem that I am drinking, I see it as a problem that I am gaining weight, which I know isn't the right approach.  I'd even be willing to cut my food intake by 500 calories a day and exercise more if I could do what I wanted to do and lose the weight anyway.

Has anyone else experienced this?  It would be very difficult for me to say I would never drink again.  I don't see it happening.  I don't drink at home, I don't drive when I drink, and I'm rarely actually "drunk."  

Hi Lisa, welcome back to OH!   I saw your post here and wanted to encourage you to also post to the General Discussion forum, so some of the members who have experienced this can answer you.    That forum is here:  http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/amos/

I know a couple of people on that board had the same problem, so hopefully they will answer.  

Thank you Nik, I will do that.

Hi Lisa, 

I've been away from OH a long time but because of a similar tale in some ways, I'm back and plugging in again. 

I'm a 13 yr post op RNY gal, and also a therapist, researcher and writer. My focus over the last year has been looking at WLS post-op rapid onset alcohol/addiction issues. 

It took me down hard about 10 years ago, starting out similar to your story. By the time I finally hit the rooms of alcoholism recovery, I was on death's door, all due to the destructive cycle of addiction via alcohol. 

There is a term in bariatrics that described the alcohol issue, "Addiction Transfer". It involves both the drive to shift from food to another source of pleasure, but also involves understanding the metabolic issues which lend themselves to the rapid onset of addiction & alcoholism. 

We are also trying to bring education and enlightenment about this issue to WLS surgeons, but that is a long, arduous road. In the bariatric community there is a good bit of resistance to linking WLS to alcoholism, but the studies are out there. 

Surgeons report that about 11% of WLS patients are at high risk for addiction transfer but others in the therapy and allied health side of things are reporting up to 30% of patients at high risk postoperatively, within the post-op window of 12-24 months post-op. 

This translates to a minimum of 22,000 new alcoholics and/or addicts a year (by surgeon stats) and up to 60,000 new alcoholics/addicts a year (Allied Health reports). 

Alarming? I think so! Anyway, I wanted to reach out and support you in your quest for serenity and WLS success. 

I'm a part of a very active (closed/private) Facebook Group called "Transfer Addiction after WLS." If you would like to join our secret little group (secret but not secretive, LOL) let me know and I will add you. This group has shifted my entire world around losing my health and life to alcohol and opiates and now living in the solution and possibilities of mind, body, spirit recovery. 

Best to you in your journey! 

Sharon Magar

Sharon Magar-Kessler, L.M.F.T.
707.280.3342 cell & text
[email protected]

Regarding alcohol use. I never had a drink in my life outside of a strawberry margarita at a restaurant at dinner. After my RNY I started drinking. A strawberry margarita at first. Then margaritas with a little more alcohol and it progressed as time went along. I found out years later after reading an article in Bottom Line Health that stated something in the number of 80% of gastric bypass patients turn to alcohol after their surgeries. The explanation was that since we lost our security blanket of comfort food that we were used to and dependent on, we turned to something else that somewhat satisfied our sweet tooth- alcohol. So though I've kept my weight down in the range of 180 - 200 for 13 years (original pre-surgery weight was around 290 ) I have suffered from alcohol abuse and am now in treatment. So don't kick yourself t o badly for it . It happens to every 8 out of 10 of us. I do recall them telling us not to drink your  calories. * sigh. I wish I would have done more research on it .

Hi Jerry,

I'm just now getting caught up on reading posts, but saw your post and wanted to support you. I am now 16 months clean and sober, after 12 years of deeper and deeper bottoms in my life. I am 13 years post-op distal RNY. I developed addiction and alcoholism tendencies at 18 months post-op. 

The current statistics based on studies done in Europe and the USA break down like this: 

In 2015 there were over 200,000 WLS procedure done in the US (mostly RNY). 

         Surgeons report that up to 11% of post-ops will be at high risk for rapid onset addiction transfer = 22,000 new alcoholics/addicts per year in the US alone. 

         Dieticians, nurses, allied mental health staff are seeing reports that indicate up to 30% will develop addiction transfer = 60,000 new alcoholics/addicts per year in the US alone.

I never used or craved alcohol prior to WLS. It hit me like a run away train at 18 months post-op. If you would like additional online support, I am a member of a closed (to outsiders not in our group) Facebook Group called Transfer Addiction after WLS. It is an amazing wealth of love and support for WLS'ers in the throes of either trying to get clean and sober after WLS, or are already sober and helping others find that peace. 

Putting down alcohol and *not* picking up food again was possible, only through my own surrender of my stubborn ego, wanting to do things my way, becoming sober through the love and support of AA. But recovery comes in many forms, not only thru AA. It's out there. 

I'm blown away by how little info is being shared about addiction transfer - and my mission is to change that. I'm re-enrolling in a Kaiser post-op support group and will begin to break the silence. 

Feel free to contact me if you'd like further info or general support. 

Warm regards,

Thank you Sharon. It is rather disconcerting that WLS doctors don't add the possibility of alcoholism along with their other warnings of possible complications of weight loss surgery. I recall only they said something about not drinking your calories but thought of it as drinking soft drinks or fruit juice full of sugar. They should make it clear about addiction transfer, and the first I have heard the term is from you, and me being 13 yrs post op. And yes, I have been through an alcoholism program and joined AA too. I have had an occasional slip, but I am doing pretty well now. And thank you for your support offer. I know we can all use it, whether we admit it or not.

Hi Lisa,

I have had the same dizziness issue and it seems to come and go but has been worse lately about 2 years out.

When I started this process, I knew there were some permanent changes I would have to make. I was morbidly obese due to a major addiction to Pepsi. It carries a lot of calories and I drank it by the truckload. It was one of the most gratifying parts of my day everyday. I also gave up other things I loved like ice cream and pasta but I've slowly introduced them back in.

The Pepsi is the one thing I can not add back. I made the decision that I wanted to be thin more than I wanted my beloved Pepsi, and it's the only thing I have banned permanently. I don't expect to ever drink it again, and the less I drank it, the less I craved it. 

My fainting episodes were directly related to dehydration and not eating.  All of them occurred after busy work days when I was traveling and not eating; not drinking water, etc.  The one that landed my in the hospital was after an entire day of meetings and no food, drinking diet coke, sugar free red bull to keep going, then going to a two hour workout class straight from work.  REAL smart.  Once I started eating again every 3-4 hours and drinking a ton of water, all of that subsided.

Lisa, you have certainly been on a roller coaster ride with your highs and lows.  You know what your problem is.....alcohol so work on eliminating that.  I have never cared for alcoholic drinks but I am the mother of an alcoholic.  My son lost jobs and was arrested for DUIs.  He quit getting drunk but lately he has been having a drin****asionally and I think it may be becoming too many drinks. 

Sounds like you aren't willing to work on eliminating alcohol but maybe you should.  Is your boyfriend okay with your drinking?

When I'm stressed, I go for sweets although if they are sugary, I know I will feel sick if I eat too much, but I do it anyway.  This week I've been staying away from sweet and concentrating on protein and healthy choices.

I'm not being judgmental or critical of you.  You were a success story and you can be again.  I with you the best.