Question:
Has anyone done the 5 day pouch test? Did it get you back on track? What is the cost?

I had gastric bypass in July 2003. I lost down to 149 & stayed near there for a little while than gradually began gaining. For the past 2 years I have tried to get back on track, doing ww, etc. I will lose 15 # & then gain it back. I am currently 63# over my lowest weight. I have got to get control & get it off! I din't go thru WLS just to be fat again! What about revisions? Anyone go thru that?    — gincymarie (posted on April 29, 2009)

April 29, 2009
I did the 5DPT after a 10-15 lb gain...I lost 5 on my own and just could not seem to get myself back on track after a month long winter holiday at my mom's house 1000's of miles from home...I was completely not ready or prepared for such a long visit out of my element where I had to depend on someone else cooking the meals. My mom is Italian and doesn't take "no thank you" for an answer and pushed food until I screamed at her and she ended up crying that I didn't love her or like her cooking anymore and how skinny I was!!! OMIGOD it was a nightmare! LOL Needless to say before I left there, I gained 15 lbs some was constipation that was pure back up and water-bloating...I was miserable! I was totally off track, drinking with my meals, eating candy (chocolate kisses), grazing all day, had serious cravings and hunger for carbs...It cost me nothing to do...You just eat right! You go from liquid-soft-dense protein over the course of 5 days...You cut most carbs in those 5 days and "reset" your pouch as the protein goes thru you and then gets heavier daily...You begin to FEEL your pouch again and have confidence in your tool and self as you slowly decarb yourself as well...Carbs create that horrible hungry craving feeling known as the "Carb Monster". It did wonders for me...But it's not a diet to lose weight...That, you still have to manage by keeping a food journal, cutting calories, eating leaner and continue cutting out simple carbs...You cannot go back to eating what you did or you will continue to be in the "lose it-gain it back" loop! YOU MUST MAKE PERMANENT CHANGES! It's as simply said as that...but we all know how hard that is to actually do! You must make better choices. 3500 calories are a pound...CUT 500 a day and at the end of the week you will lose 1 pound...add exercise and you can lose double and triple that amount depending on how much you burn! I had my little gain/off track moment at around year 4 and have been maintaining that loss since I did the 5DPT (a year now) I am right back on track at year 5...I am not perfect, but I eat mainly healthy foods the majority of the time....my indiscretions are in moderation weekly or bi weekly rather than daily...and I work for the times I want something on the general "no-no" list...If I have a piece of birthday cake, I work out and eat lean for a few days to cover the useless calories in sugar and simple carbs...I send that cake packing with guests or I throw it away! I cannot keep it in my house or I WILL eat it...It's just too great a temptation for me. So no temptations in my house!...I can't eat two pieces of cake in one sitting...but I can eat it all day and not get sick...just wicked smelly gas and useless calories! LOL I learned how to do that at moms! (grazing) I AVOID any of that now and eat planned meals...5-6 times a day...No snacking in between. Don't drink calories (sodas, lattes, sports drinks, teas with full sugar, spirits (beer and wine) etc) So many ways to cut calories when you KNOW what you are eating...so keep a log...replace butter with olive oil...red meat with fish and leaner meats...simple carbs with whole grains...sweets with fruits/yogurt...snacks with raw veggies...Full fat dairy for lower fat versions....But it can't be just a passing diet to lose weight, you have to continue eating healthier and leave all the junk in the past! YOU CAN DO IT! Go clean out your pantry and fridge...If it's not natural food or high protein and fiber and low sugar...donate to the local homeless shelter...And only have things in your home that IF you do decide to much your choices are GOOD ones...I have to do that every single day to stay where I am for the last 5 years...If I stray...I gain...And as you know...it doesn't come off that easy after that first year post op! Also, if you haven't had labs recently...go make sure you are healthy...Sometimes if your vitamins or thyroid are off, it can aid in weight gain...Good luck...
   — .Anita R.

April 29, 2009
Hi there Ginger! I am currently on day 3 of the 5 day pouch test and this is the third time I've done it. The first two times I hadn't really been out of my gastric bypass surgery long and even now it has only been one year since my surgery, but it always help my jump start my weight loss and get back on track. Monday and Tuesday I did liquids only and when I tried to eat lunch today I had an awesome filling of restriction like I did shortly after my surgery. Good luck and you can do it!
   — Brandy H.

April 30, 2009
I don't know if you are interested, but I was doing some research and they have a procedure for people who had WLS and for what ever reason has gained more back than they wanted to. It is called the ROSE procedure. Just in case this is an option for you.
   — beekay