Question:
7 yrs post-op and have gained 95#. Has any one lost weight again?

I had rny 7 yrs. ago. I lost around 200#. Now I have gained 95# back and wonder if any post-ops have every lost the gained weight again? And if so, how?    — weazy77 (posted on March 24, 2007)

March 24, 2007
I am almost 5 years out and I weigh myself daily to make sure that the pounds don't creep back, but if a few pounds start back, I go back to basics with the protein shakes and some veges for carbs and that takes it back off really fast. I indeed am going to try and lose a little more weight and will be back to basics for that to. It does really work to go back to the basic diet!!!!
   — Sherrie S.

March 25, 2007
Hi Louise, how are you? You are experiencing my greatest fear. I am 3 years out, and I do fear regain. As I get farther out, the more of a variety of food I find I can eat, and I am always afraid that I will forget where I came from having the surgery and gain weight. I have not to date, and am thankful, but I ache for you because I know you must be so discouraged. Take heart though Louise, you lost it once, and you can lose at least some of it again. You have to go back to basics. Cut the caffine, soda and junk. Protein, water, exercise. Go back to basics. Many people lose weight Louise, but they forget that it is ok to have some hunger. It is ok to not feel full, but be satisfied with being satisfied. Many of us stop the water, and go right back to soda and caffine stuff. Our lives are filled with complciations and "stuff", and it is just so much easier to not think and do what we want or feel. Louise, if you want the weight to come off, you will have to make changes. You will have to make sacrifices to help yourself. Maybe a support group for wls, or weight watchers if you need motivation. Your pouch can still help you, but you must protect it and use it. You have to deal with the head issues that produce the weight gain, and then you have to discipline your body to respond to good foods and water, and like it. Wls is a permenant change for life, and maybe you forgot that or didn't know along the way. You can fight for your health. I strongly urge you to cut all soda or caffine, and go back to basics. Maybe eat 4 small meals a day, and start the exercise and build up. It is a beautiful time of year for a fresh start, hope you begin today! Take care, Patricia P.
   — Patricia P

March 25, 2007
Have you had your mechanics checked to see if all is in original working order? So many of us from the olden days had broken surgeries that, in effect, were no longer surgeries at all! You might want to pop over to the Grads on yahoo, many of whom are from your era, who have been revised since and lost their wt. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG
   — vitalady

March 27, 2007
hi i'm 9 yrs post op i gained weight and am trying to take it off also i am also well try the back to basics good luck to us both
   — lauriegrizzard

May 6, 2007
I am 5 and 1/2 years out and gained back 80lbs. I have been trying to follow the rules for the last 6 months but have only been doing a good job of it about 3 days out of the week. I have lost 20lbs in 6 months just doing a halfway decent attempt. I find that when I truly follow the rules, like not drinking within 30 minutes of my meal and waiting an hour or more after to drink, and eating low fat/high protein/low carb foods, and avoiding snacking, etc., that the pouch still works really well. However, if I don't follow the rules I can eat like a normal person. I don't want to hear any flaming because I know I shouldn't eat like this, but I'll give you an example just from this week. About 2 days ago I woke up with willpower and had a protein shake for breakfast at around 7am. Around 10 am I had another one. I wasn't hungry until about 2:30 in the afternoon so I ate a can of Swanson's shredded chicken breast mixed with some miracle whip and the sweet relish with Splenda. I stayed full even when it was time for my family to eat dinner. The kids wanted KFC but I didn't eat dinner. Then, around 10pm I was up playing around on the computer and started thinking about the leftover chicken from KFC. I was still not hungry, still had tension in my pouch from the shredded chicken earlier, but I gave in and ate a drumstick. Within 15 minutes I was miserable and vomited. If I ate like that everyday I would be down to 115 instead of 215. However, take today for example. We went out for breakfast and I wanted french toast. I don't dump, so I ate 2 slices of french toast with real butter and real syrup, a bite or two of hashbrowns, and washed it all down with 2 cups of coffee. Think I am miserable? Nope, that soft carb loaded food feels great in my pouch. That's why I struggle so much. The pouch does work when I eat what we are suppose to. When I make bad food choices the only negative impact is my weight gain and the hit to my self esteem. I will agree with some of these posts though, you should make an appointment with your surgeon or any doctor that is familiar with what a pouch should look like and get scoped. That can rule out any mechanical failure and you can get back to the battle. I do wish you best of luck and if there is anything wrong with you pouch I wish you an easy recovery from the repair. Angela
   — [Deactivated Member]

May 13, 2007
Louise, I am also 5 years out and have gained 45 lbs. and am depressed and can not find a doctor willing to discuss options. If you hear any solutions please let me know also. MaryAnn S
   — MaryAnn51