Question:
No panic yet....

I've gained 15lbs over the last year. I had surgery at Duke Univ hospital in 2001. Things were going GREAT and I could feel my pants getting tight. I went to my physician for a regular check-up, and found out I gained the weight. I'm not in panic mode YET, but i'm like everyone else on here, I don't want to go back to 420. My physician said he's heard that if there is a weight gain after being steady for a long time,there may be a problem with the stoma? First, what is a stoma? Second,I now live in Ga.,and can't find a surgeon to see me. The last surgeons office I talked to,said I may need to go back to Duke to have the pouch checked. All I could think at that point was "what if I moved to the west coast?" Like I said,I'm not in panic mode yet, mostly because I've retrained myself to eat. The most fat I take at one time is 5grams. I eat no high fat foods at all. Thanks,and any help is greatly appreciated.    — uhohgaining (posted on October 8, 2006)

October 8, 2006
The stoma is the opening from the pouch to the small intestine. If it stretches out, food empties more quickly, meaning that you might be tempted to eat more (whether by eating longer meals or by grazing). However, whether your stoma is stretched or your pouch has expanded a bit, the key is to try to regain control over your relationship with food. A weight gain 5 years after surgery isn't uncommon- many of us experience a slight bounce from our low weight. The bounce isn't due to any medical problem-- sometimes it is just the body's way of adjusting to a healthy long-term "set weight". Other times, it is because the malabsorption stops and returns to normal and we don't re-adjust our eating in response to it. Try keeping a detailed food long for a few days so you can track what you are consuming for calories and carbs-- tracking fat grams is really only helpful if it is part of your way of controlling calories (and not real dispositive if you are pursuing a low-carb lifestyle). As for finding a new surgeon, it is a sad fact that many surgeons are reluctant to take on patients from other programs. So, it might take some significant time to find a new bariatric surgeon for annual checkups or a PCP with more experience in bariatrics (I use a gatroenterologist as my PCP which makes a huge difference).
   — SteveColarossi

October 8, 2006
Thanks for your response Steve.... I've never been a "high-carb" person. If I eat bread once or twice a month, that is alot. I do snack on pretzels, but they are the low-fat,low-carb kind, and I eat a handful a day. It takes me a week maybe a week and couple of days to kill a bag. My weight gain was,in my opinion,mostly from fat grams . I started noticing about a year ago,I was able to eat more at mealtime, and was hungry again shortly after my meal was done. For four years post-op, I would eat my meal,and be full for hrs. I,like my PCP believe either the pouch has stretched,or the stoma stretched. I had heard of the stoma,but never knew what it was. I like your idea of using a gastro as your PCP. I like my PCP alot, but I do have different needs now. Thanks again for your response.
   — uhohgaining

October 9, 2006
Mike... DO NOT PANIC... First of all, lets find the root of the problem! from 327 to 140ish ti 150 to 198 to 145 to 156 to 125... I did it and now have maintained for 11 months... HOW??? I was teachable with dreams becoming reality! Mike... You are not alone! I too gained much weight back after my plastic surgery... I lost my focus of my why! Following the direction of the old me! Allowing dream stealers in was my first problem. I encourage you to read my story in OH magazine this issue coming out in October... "A Moment of Bliss" www.obesityhelp.com/magazine If you find your "WHY" and focus on the solution, things will look up for you... I myself last year August 2005 was sitting at 156 28% body fat and then in 90 days to 125 pounds and 15% body fat. The 31 pounds and 13% body fat came off very easy when I was taught how to eat and feed my body the fuel it needed to survive and not store fat cells... I had to foused on a program to teach me accountability and to get the proper balance of nutrition in for my mind and body!... I I had to be accountable to SOMEONE... My body was lacking in that area for sure, both in Nutrition and in Personal Development! Hope I have inspired you! Celeste www.obesityhelp.com/magazine
   — shakeyourweight