Question:
Can you Lose anymore once you start eating smaller portions and exercising again?

I had my surgery in August of 1998, and at the time I weighed 450 lbs. Exactly one year post-op I had lost 100 lbs. and weighed in at 350. Now its been three years since my surgery, I'm 25 and I weigh 380. I would like to get to my goal of weighing 150 lbs., so is it possible to start losing again like I was before if I started eating smaller portions and exercising like I'm supposed to. I'm afraid that my pouch is overstretched and my insurance company,BCBS of NC, will not allow me to have a second surgery based on their policy. I would love to hear from anyone regarding this.    — Marney D. (posted on September 26, 2001)

September 26, 2001
The surgery is just a tool. Of course you will lose weight again if you eat less (Lower calories) and start to exercize! Since you most likely have a larger pouch, you need to make choices that will fill you. Eliminate all sugar drinks. Eliminate any sweets. Try to eliminate fats. Eat a lot of vegetables and fruits. Limit breads and meats. GOOD LUCK!!!
   — [Anonymous]

September 26, 2001
Your BMI still qualfies you for surgery, and you are a candidate for a revision. I would see a surgeon who would know if theres a way around that exclusion, or change insurance policies. A VBG is not usually recommended for high starting BMIs like yours, because of the problem youre having. Malabsorbation of a different operation would of really helped you.
   — bob-haller

September 27, 2001
I had a similar experience. I lost 120lbs. after my rny four years ago and got down to 220. I had a very realistic goal of 175; but, for some reason I started grazing and drinking sugary sodas. I also never really exersized due to a back condition. Luckily, I only gained 20lbs. before I realized that I was sabotaging the surgery. I was concerned about my pouch size also. But in reviewing how much I could eat, I realized that my pouch was still intact because I still fill up very quickly. It isn't "how much" it's "what" and "when". I managed to start losing again rather quickly by making just a few changes: 1. Don't eat between meals...ever. If you get very hungry drink a sugar free drink, or a large glass of ice water. If you absolutely have to eat something, eat a protein. Like a boiled egg or a couple of slices of turkey or some water-packed tuna. 2. Drink 10 glasses of water a day. But don't drink anything with your meals or within 30 minutes of a meal. Drinking a large glass if ice cold water 20minutes before a meal helps fill you up. 3. Keep carb consumption to around 50grams a day. Eat your protein foods first then eat your carbs. 4. Have an interim goal. Wanting to go from 380 to 150 is too much at one time because at this point in the journey weight loss is verrrrrrry slow. Meeting a goal makes you feel great and gives you incentive to keep going. So, give yourself a goal of getting down to 350. When you've met that goal, shoot for 299. etc. etc. Expect to plateau. Just stay the course and don't get discouraged. 5. Work at accepting that wls is a tool and if you don't use it properly it won't work. Accept that you really do have to make lifelong diet and exersize changes. 6. Exersize!!!! If you are satisfied with a moderate weight loss and can accept being midzied, then you don't have to exersize and you should be able to lose 100lbs. Bu! If you want to break that 200lb. mark, you have to commmit to a serious exersize program. That's a fact!!! I started all of the above three months ago. I even joined a gym. I work out when my back isn't bothering me and take a break and just walk when it does hurt. After three months, I have lost the twenty pounds I regained plus another ten...I'm down thirty pounds....I feel great, I feel in control again. My next goal is to get down to 185. If I can get back on track, so can you. Good luck to you.
   — [Anonymous]

September 27, 2001
Hi the general concensus on this board seems to be that the VBG doesn't work long term. I am still trying to get surgery, and VBG was the first one I considered because I didn't like the idea of malabsorbtion. After not having found anyone who seems to have kept their weight off with VBG, I decided to go with the Duodenal Switch procedure. I figure if I'm going to have surgery anyway, might as well give myself better odds. Don't feel like a failure though... the VBG hasn't been enough to help a lot of people lose weight and keep it off. You might want to think about revision like the other poster said. Good luck to you in whatever you chose :)
   — [Anonymous]

September 27, 2001
Revision is a possibility. But, it appears that you never gave the original surgery a chance. I think you should go back to your surgeon for consultation and guidance. Perhaps it's just a matter of following the wls protocols. Your surgeon can evaluate your pouch. But, like someone else said. You can usually tell if your pouch is stretched out by how much you can eat. If you have no problem eating a double cheesebuger and fries.....you pouch is history and it's time to consider more surgery.
   — [Anonymous]