Question:
How does the pouch get streched and will we gain weight after the first year?

Today I called my physicians assistant about the diet. I am on the pureed stage and only about to each a 1/2 cup at a time pureed. Now he said that I should take a bit wait five minutes and then take another bit. He said if I didn't after the first year, I would gain all the weight back. I had the Gastric bypass surgery so I am not sure how I could gain all my weight back. I also walk 2 miles a day. I'll slow down my eating thats for sure but I find this confusing!! Any 1 year plus people that can help answer this question. Thanks so much. I am on my fourth week. At two weeks I had lost 20 pounds.    — havensurgery25 (posted on July 16, 2008)

July 16, 2008
Bad habits and not following your WLS rules for eating can result in your pouch being stretched out and eventually you can eat too much. This could lead to you being able to overeat and gain some weight back. There are people I know that have been at goal for years and maintain within a few pounds by continuiung good eating and exercise habits. There are also those people I know that have gone back to their old ways and have gained some or most of their weight back. Long term success is what we all should be aiming for with life long changes in our eating and exercise habits. When the PA-C said that to you, why didn't you question him at that time? We really need to ask questions and speak up for ourselves, being our own advocate. Good luck to you, Dawn Vickers, RN, BLC, CLC
   — DawnVic

July 16, 2008
You can gain the weight back after GB. I am 3 yrs post RNY. PreOp I was size 20/240 lbs on a 5'4" frame. After 1.5 yrs, I reduced to a size 10/170 lbs. I have since had tummy tuck/lipo/breast aug. I am a workout fanatic 5-6x wk (2-4x w/trainer, so add an extra hour in gym on those days). My caloric intake is 1200-1300. I gained 20 lbs. in past 7 mos, but feel it is due to muscle mass. So I have recently changed workout to MORE cardio (1.5 hrs daily), and have just contacted my Family Dr. about getting in touch with a Dietician. All my blood work numbers are normal. I need to evaluate if my protein/caloric intake needs to be changed around a bit to fit my workouts/lifestyle. At this point, I am concerned - but not afraid since I am eating healthy ALL the time, and workout consistently. I am 5'4" 190, size 12, but I am solid in all the womanly areas. I would be happy to be 170/sz 10 and solid - so the dietician will be my key. Remember, everyone is different - find your Happiness level and stick to the guidelines of GB lifestyle.
   — C-There

July 16, 2008
I am thinking the NP is trying to get you in the habit of making your measured amount of food to last at least 20 minutes - ideally 30 minutes. With the small amounts of mushy stuff you are eatting now are hard to do that with because you dont have to spend much time and effort chewing, but you basically want to give your brain time to get the signal that your stomach has been feed and on apractical level you want your portions to come out about the same length of time as those you are dining with, otherwise we end up battling the nibble devil. That said, as your pouch heals and becomes less tender and inflamed you will be able to hold more volume of food. As you progress, continue to chew everything very well (20 to 30 chews), but you dont want the meal to last too long either, because that would give stuff time to move on down the line and then you can physically eat more. If you are felling saited after 15 minutes and you still have food on your plate, just stop. Its a learning curve, and your body's reactions will vary from day to day also. That's why its important to measure - to keep tabs on what volumes are working for you and not to get careless.
   — canim150

July 17, 2008
Our pouches stretch over the year til it goes from 1oz to 7-12 oz (depending on your size, age, sex caloric needs etc) I don't know what is up with your PA...or why they would tell you such a story. I do not know one single person nor have I heard of anyone who has gained back 100 % of their weight loss after GB. No one. It true that we tend to gain back 10 %...I personally weighed 158 lbs at my lowest...I had lost 100% of my weight and weighed exactly what I lost...ONE DAY! I was working out with weights and gained back about 7 lbs and have stayed within 5 lbs of 165lbs for 4 1/2 years. I have had a few minor gains...but not from stretching out my pouch, but from eating things I KNEW I should not be eating...and by "grazing"....Eating small amounts all day long...Example...I found that I could tolerate a little chocolate Kiss if I ate one every 30 minutes or whenever i walked passed the candy dish...Oh yeah...After 5-10 of those things, daily...I probably ate the entire bag of them in a few days! That's how you do it...SO DO NOT DO THAT! LOL It takes a LOT of abuse to your pouch to stretch it out...You have to eat til you are so full at every meal for months and months to stretch it out. So sure it's possible...but it takes a highly self absusive person with NO self control at all...Many of us realize that the surgery was our second chance at a healthy life and we take our surgery very seriously. This is what the psych evaluations are for...You know the ones that everyone wants to CHEAT at so they can just "get the surgery with no real integrity"....Those are the people who fail...The ones who have other people write them letters to get their insurance carriers to approve them...Those are the people that found an easy way to get the surgery (like taking candy from the candy dish) which they think is the easy way out...and they are the ones who do not appreciate the second chance. Just my humble opinion...
   — .Anita R.

July 17, 2008
I AM 5 YEARS OUT I NEVER STRECHED MY POUCH THE DOCTOR SAYS IT'S PERFICT. BUT, I HAVE GAINED BACK 30 POUNDS THAT I'M FIGHTING TO GET OFF. I GRAZE, I STILL CAN'T EAT MORE THEN A CUP OF FOOD AT A SITTING BUT I HAVE A HABIT OF EATTING, RUNNING TO DO SOMETHING, COMING BACK TO EAT SOME MORE. WHEN YOU DO THIS YOU DON'T REALIZE HOW MUCH YOU'VE EATTEN AND I DON'T GIVE MY STOMACK A CHANCE TO SAY IT'S FULL. IT'S A VERY HARD HABBIT TO BREAK NOW. I HAVE TO STOP MYSELF TO REALIZE I'M DOING IT (THREE KIDS AND IT ISN'T AS EASY AS IT SHOULD BE.) SO NOW IF I LEAVE IT, I THROW IT OUT! SEEMS TO BE WORKING, I'LL GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT. THE BRAIN STILL NEEDS ADJUSTING, I GUESS IT ALWAYS WILL. ANNA
   — ANNAJEAN

July 17, 2008
I know 2 people who have had the gastric bypass they both have gained all their weight back one has lost theirs again the other is getting ready to have a revision. The one who is getting ready for a revision eats every 3 hours full meals and that is how he has gained his weight back the other made a lot of bad food choices and ate a lot of carbs instead of protein and has many medical problems. I would not say it is impossible to gain the weight back but if you follow doctors orders and eat the right foods it is a lot harder to gain back. I know when I eat that I can feel when I am full. I would not push myself over my limits because I remember what it feels like to eat to much from before surgery and I imagine that it is worse now after surgery. Hope this helps Cheryl
   — Harley2006Angel