Question:
7 yrs post op and gained 20 lbs in last 18 months, what's wrong?

Since my surgery in Jan 2001 and losing 115 lbs, I had two preganancies and maintained my weight lose until the last 12 months, I have gained 15 lbs and do not feel full like before and do feel hunger at times. Anyone else experiencing this? Anyone had to get surgery again to fix problem, do they even do this? Please help...gaining weight and so scared. Last month I increased protein intake to 60 mg of protein a day and it has not helped. Thanks, Evelyn (Miami, Fl)    — Evelyn M. (posted on May 16, 2008)

May 16, 2008
You may want to do a "start over" diet, track your calories, bump up the excercise. That should kick start things. Good luck.
   — Kristi H.

May 17, 2008
Evelyn...have you been over to the grads forum? Maybe you will feel comfort in knowing you are not alone in this and there are many longer term grads struggling with a little or some with a lot of weight gain occassionally. I just learned something yesterday that I didn't know. It seems that our intestines go from about 1 inch in diameter to 3 inches and learns to multi-task to compensate for our malabsorption of calories. (Therefore a 10% gain is absolutely normal.) Along with it's regular function of separating water and liquids for waste, it now has learned to aborb calories...So as we go out further in years, in order to maintain our weight we actually have to either exercise more or drop a few hundred calories rather than add more. This makes it very very difficult for many people. On top of this, our metabolisms are so screwed up after all we put our bodies thru with gains and losses and age...So some people will actually have to add MORE calories so the body doesn't think it is starving...It's just difficult because no one knows what your specific body is doing to compensate. Trial and error is how you figure it out. I breezed thru the last 4 years and suddenly I had to cut my calories. SIGNFICANTLY! That was soooo hard. But I did it and I'm maintaining. I had to cut out ALL sugar...ALL non-complex carbs and eat lean and protein. (I feel MUCH better too...non-grumpy pouch monster) I don't deprive myself of what I want, but I don't spoil myself either. Once a week...or twice...I eat some rice or pasta or potatoes. Or I might have a sandwich on bread. But if I am counting calories, which I have to do when I see the scale going up...those are the first things out of my diet completely. It really shouldn't be anything new....as this is how we were taught to eat for life, but after 4-10 years...we've already learned to eat those things again...The secret? DON'T eat them anymore (moderation only) I found that when I am idle (not eating) I am drinking water..LOTS of clear, colorless, water. The less you add to your liquid the better your body reacts. Sometimes when I think I am hungry, I'm just thirsty...I drink 32 ounce glasses of water between every meal (It keeps your kidneys cleaned out from all the work it does with the vitamins we take too) It shocks me sometimes how water can satisfy me for hours. You are not alone...and you did awesome all these years with pregnacies and all! Don't be so hard on yourself. Come on over to the Grad's board and see for yourself the struggles and the stories. There are a bit of all...Success, struggles, long term problems, mental issues, skin issues, neat ideas, recipes, hugs, hand holding, support, comfort...UNDERSTANDING, if nothing else. Good luck
   — .Anita R.

May 17, 2008
If the other suggestions do not work, there is a new PROCEDURE (not surgery) called Stomaphyx. Under conscious sedation just like an upper endoscopy- they go down to the stomach through the esophagus and tighten the stoma. You go home shortly after you wake up. Nancy Nurse
   — nancycarle

May 17, 2008
I am 4 years out and have not had any kids since surgery. Hats off to you first of all. I am hungry and have gained weight too, but I suppose real life happens, yes even after surgery. The important thing is to be real with yourself and use that self-discipline that we learned right after surgery. It's the only tool that will keep us on track and hopefully prevent us from going overboard in our eating. Diets are temporary, we know this from experience. Self-discipline is a conscious decision to make right decisions for the long run. Good Luck.
   — bariatricdivalatina

May 17, 2008
Evelyn, Congratulations to you for losing the weight, having children and then losing weight again! Kudos to you! I also am scared of gaining my weight back. After losing 80 pounds of the 100 needed to lose, I suddenly gained 10 pounds in one month! I was devestated! Nothing I did helped. I even joined other weight loss groups. I went from eating a quarter-size meal to being ravenous all day. Please check with your nutritionist, doctor and nurse. In my case, it was a new medication I was taking for fibromyalgia. It worked great BUT was making me gain weight and HUNGRY. If none of this points you in the right direction, keep trying! Find the answer. You can do it! Debbie Romano
   — debbrom

May 17, 2008
Hi Evelyn. I am 4 years out, and gaining is always on my mind. I did gain about 7 pounds in the past year, but it is always on my mind. I am currently a size 6, so I don't worry too much yet about real gain. What I do plan to do though is bump up my exercise again, and drink that water and work out this summer (as winters can be tough). The older we get, the easier it is to gain the weight, and I don't think we are exempt from that with wls. The farther out we are the more we need to use our heads and diet and exercise. Surgery a 2nd time is mostly a failure for those to do it. There are some who succeed, and I am glad for them, but the risk and the reward are very much not worth the surgery. Get a little tough with yourself, push the water, change your exercise routine and add to it some, try all of that out and see if you can make a difference. Do a food diary, if you are gaining even though you are eating right, get a physical and see if there is another reason for the gain. I wish you well, and sympathize with your plight. Take care. Patricia P.
   — Patricia P

May 17, 2008
There is a new procedure out there that seems designed just for you. It is called stomaphyX. You can get the basic idea of the procedure from here: http://www.themorbidme.com/2007/09/stomaphyx-incis.html . Do some research on your own and see if you can find a surgeon in your area that can do the procedure. Basically the short version is that they place a device down your esophagus and use some posts to draw the sides of the pouch up and make the available volume of the pouch smaller. There is no cutting involved. The entire operation is done through the esophagus and inside the pouch. I hope this helps, Hugh
   — hubarlow