Question:
Im in need of some honest answers!

I had the gastric bypass in 06, ive since gained back 55lbs... what do i have to do to lose again.. i still dont eat much.. ive been told to start from the begining, ive done a liquid diet for nearly 2 weeks and increased exercise,, and have not lost a pound.. what in the world is wrong with me..... helppppppp!!!    — lechell (posted on January 27, 2012)

January 27, 2012
I can only offer suggestions. I had my gastric bypass in 09 and fortunately the times I've seen the scale begin to climb I been able to get in back down... some of the things that I have noticed cause my scale to climb... the biggest culprit was alcohol... my husband and I would go out on Friday nights and I would have 2 drinks (not even high calorie) the next... late night snacking, I've discovered I can eat sugar, ugh! The third grazing... not a lot but here and there... I've discovered I really need to stick to weighing and measuring all my food (even 2+ years out) and stick to the same eating schedule they taught me way back... yeah I still ver off but I weigh myself every few days cause like you I'm so afraid of going backwards... good luck!!!!! Debbie
   — fortywhat2

January 27, 2012
This type of problem you posted is my biggest nightmare, I gained 3 lbs and I freaked out. So I went to my counselor, I stopped eating carbs and of course, I exercise. I forgot I also go to my support meetings at the Cleveland Clinic where I had my surgery. Also, I keep saying to myself, you do not want to gain weight after you went through this evasive surgery. I went through hell the first year, and to this day I am still limited to what I eat. I love carbs, but I try only to eat complex ones, my NUT says I should be eating good carbs. My NUT tells me the same thing about alcohol, so if I do drink I try to drink the alcohol with the less carbs, but I really do not drink that much, perhaps once or twice a month. You may ask, would I do this surgery again? In a heartbeat!!!! Good luck
   — FSUMom

January 27, 2012
I understand. I had my surgery in 06 too and I struggle at times. Have you tried using the websites that are out there like Fit Day? It is free. You can track your food and exercise. It also helps you to know how many calories you need each day to lose weight. You said that you don'e eat much but you still need to be careful of what it is you are eating and you need to make sure you are getting enough calories, and make sure they are healthy calories. Good Luck! You can do it!
   — Ladysmilesmuch

January 27, 2012
Ok, God help me for what I'm about to say. But here it goes. Cut back on the liquid diet. You should be eating real food, not liquids. You should be eating about 1000-1200 calories a day. While excercising and eating anything less than 1000 cal. a day, you're body goes into starvation mode and holds on to any fat that it has. Go back to basics of when you started: protein first-then vegies and fruit, cut down on simple carbs like white flour and sugar and go to complex carbs like sweet potatoes and beans like kidney, garbanzo,lima,etc-get your fluids and vitamins in-weigh and measure everything you eat- journal your meal plan-if you are still in touch with the surgical team, talk to the dietician/nutritionist and get their take on what you're doing. I hope this helps.
   — Kathleen W.

January 29, 2012
I to have had the same problem. I had gastric bypass 3 1/2 years ago. I lost 140 and have gained 55 back. I started gaining when I went back to work, and quit going to the gym five days a week. I have been working with the physician team at my surgeons office, who have been helping me get back on track. I needed to get back to basics, with no "cheating". My next step is to get back to the gym. This is a necessity for me, because I am having big trouble with my knees again. They are bone on bone and I need to have both of them replaced. I don't want to do this until my weight is back down, so I am in a crunch time here. I will not go back to the life that I had before the surgery! It was my health issues that led me to gain the weight initially before the surgery, and I will not go back there. So hang in there....go back to your basic diet and exercise, exercise, over and over! Good luck, you can do it!
   — sandorah

January 29, 2012
you eat so little after surgery that your metabolism practically stops then when you do start eating more the pounds come right back. I believe it completely screws up your metabolism making it impossible to eat anything at all without gaining. It is a very frustrating condition to have.
   — Dale Elaine S.

February 1, 2012
I am over 10 years out and gain is to be expected:( But hopefully minimized. Look the yo yo dieting nearly everyone who had surgery messes with our metabolism more than WLS itself. Is the glass half ful or 1/2 empty? Lets imagine you didnt choose surgery..... How heavy would you be today after probably gaining more:( Probably a lot more than you weigh today? Now much is said about starvation mode making it impossible to lose weight. yet every gastric bypass patient went into starvation mode early on but still lost weight didnt we? On a lo cal liquid diet and cant lose? In the past were you stuck at that weight for awhile? You body remembers spots like that. Call your surgeon for advice, see a nutronist, and try to not stress so much. that will only make it worse
   — bob-haller

February 4, 2012
I am 8 yrs. postop as of the 2nd of this mo. In the last 5 yrs. I too have gained 60 lbs. I lose and gain the same 10-12 lbs. each month. I have RA and have had 6 major surgeries since december of 2011. Over all 9 since wls in 2004. I keep up with what I eat in a journal. It helps keep me grounded most times. Until my stressers get to me and I want to eat more. I still dump on greasy foods like fried and oily, as well as sugar contents over 7gms. I in no way can seem to stick to any type of regimine. I do not want to say diet, but keeping up with what I put in my mouth does help. You can see where your mistakes are being made. Talking to my surgeon also gave me insight as to what I can do to jump start my losing again also. A visit with a nutritionist as well helps. Due to my RA I have to do things in moderation and it is hard. Mobility for me is a struggle. Talk to your surgeon to see if he can do something. Some can lose and get to their goal and then gain or keep it off with little or no problem. I had problems from the start with losing. My sisters lost to their goals and now 1 of them is gaining after 1 yr. due to diabetic meds she never got off of. I hope you can get some very mush needed info on how to get back on track and stay. They fixed our pouches to make us lose but did not fix our minds with the problems that made us fat in the first place. Therapy works for me as well to help with the stressers.
   — mspisces