Question:
How much have you re-gained 2 years + post -op?
Some surgeons say that it is normal to have some regain of about 10% of lost weight. How true is that and do I have to look foward to gaining back 15 pounds? — odusanya (posted on May 26, 2005)
May 26, 2005
I guess I am in the minority here. i dropped to 109 have have struggled
for months to gain back up to where I am now at 122. I have to eat
constantly to hold my weight on. I am over two years post op. I have seen
only a few gain any weight back. The ones I keep up with weigh daily and
as soon as they see a pound or two, they are right back to basics. I think
that is the key.
— Delores S.
May 26, 2005
Unfortunately I have seen several that have gained from 10-25lbs back. I
know personally of a gf I met at the hospital that had surgery the same day
as me... she also was a revision from VBG. After being
"stretched" due to stricture she started being able to eat more
and more. Talked to her recently and she's regained all her 100lbs she had
lost.. never reaching her goal. She's totally devastated. It can really
be humilating to regain after WLS. I personally picked up about 8lbs
but... have lost it now and intend on weighing daily ... to keep a tight
lid on regaining weight. I have seen some that are like the previous
poster that struggles to regain or keep weight on after WLS but.... I see
more myself with struggles of either losing all their weight regain weight
or still trying to reach their goal. This is just a tool... and we didn't
have brain surgery. Unfortunately many of us revert to our old eating
habits. I think the main thing to do is keep in the offensive mode of
setting a certain amount of regain weight before diligently getting on the
protein water exercise program. The 8pounds I regained took me 4months to
lose...and it was NOT fun... from now on 4lbs is my limit to let loose and
then get serious about pulling it back off. Good luck. Life is awesome
here @ 2yrs out!!!!
— WLS_Deb
May 26, 2005
I will try and say this so it makes sense. I went from 265 to 155 and had
to have an ulcer removed surgically at one year post op. Because of that I
lost about 25 more pounds and hit bottom at 130 at about 1.5 post op. I
put back on between 5-10lbs (thank god), and maintained that for another
year. (2.5 years out at this point and 135-140)During that year I ate
everything I could because I wanted to gain enough to maintain 140.
Nothing would put the weight back on....UNTIL exactly 2years and 4 months
out. In a matter of 3 months I went from 140 to 160. That was last
summer. 10 of it came back off somehow and I currently weigh 148ish and am
trying for 140.<br><br>I hope that wasn't confusing. :D
Basically, yes you will have some regain if you don't address your eating
issues early and keep tabs on it once you do see a slight regain.
— RebeccaP
May 26, 2005
I am almost 2 years out. I started out at 244 lbs and I am down to 115 lbs.
I am only 5'2. I weigh myself daily to make sure that I am not gaining too
much. i will allow myself up to 5 additional pounds but but by weighing
everyday it helps to keep me in check with my excerise and with my food
choices. The scale doesn't lie and if I make bad choices, it shows up. My
biggest fear is to regain a large amount of weight.
— KittyKatt
May 26, 2005
2 years out and still losing if I want to...
MaryLyn
— Kriola
May 26, 2005
I am almost 2 1/2 years out, and fluctuate up and down by 5 pounds. I
also, check the scale daily. I will admit, I need to so I don't put on
more than that. I threw out all my "big" clothes, so I HAVE to
stay close to my lowest weight or nothing will fit. I make good choices
most of the time, but definitely have my indiscretions. It is work to keep
it all off. Good luck!!
— Fixnmyself
May 26, 2005
It generally isn't difficult to avoid weight regain during the first two
years; many people are still losing, however slowly, toward the end of the
second year. But many people find that they begin to gain weight, often
with no discernible change in eating habits, beginning about year three.
And the weight gain thereafter can be significant.
A mere 10% of regain is definitely on the low side, at least after three
years. Alas, I've found that AMOS, for all its usefulness to pre-ops,
isn't a good place to find out about long-term post-op reality--at least
not in questions like this. Watch instead for the questions from those
wondering about revisions, and you'll get a truer picture. Even better,
join a Yahoo group for long-term post-ops, such as
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG/ The frequency of posts
about trying to adhere to the "pouch rules," wondering if they
have a disrupted staple line, stretched stoma, etc., are eye-opening. Not
trying to scare anyone away from surgery--is it worth doing? Do most people
keep off the majority of the weight lost? Absolutely! But from year three
forward, some regain of weight is the rule, not the exception, and regain
limited to just ten percent of the total loss would be an excellent result.
— Kay B.
May 26, 2005
Kay is right on the money about the timing of the re-gain. I'll be four
years out in August. I went from 305 to 153 at my lowest. Over the last
year or so my weight has fluctuated based on how careful I was about what I
was eating (meaning REFINED CARBS! My nemesis). I went up as high as 173
after Christmas this year. I've lost 10 of that, so am sitting 10 pounds
above my lowest weight (I'm 163). It's definitely not as easy as it use to
be, and I have to use all the tricks and tools with my pouch to keep it off
(see the pouch rules for dummies). If I wasn't careful what I ate, I could
easily gain lots of my weight back.
— mom2jtx3
May 26, 2005
Kay and Linda are right. Something happens during your 3rd year post op
that makes it more difficult to maintain your weight. Like I said in my
first response to this thread, I gained 20 pounds almost over night without
any changes to my eating. Once I saw the gain starting I began to
excersize like crazy and looked at what I was eating. Prior to that I
could and would eat anything I wanted and not gain. There are so many
people that say they can eat anything they want and not not gain...I feel
for them, I was there. However, it usually is a rude awakening after they
enter the third year and realize that it's just not that easy any more.
Anyhow, each person is different, keep close track of your eating habits
and expect a gain, or at least some hard work on your part, in the third
year.
— RebeccaP
May 27, 2005
Hi! It's my 3rd yr post-op as of 9/3/02 and I've gained 30-50 pounds! (not
entirely due to non-compliance).
— yourdivaness
May 27, 2005
I'm 2 years post Open RNY. I fluctuate with about 10 lbs. here and there
but I've found that it's much, much easier to keep a handle on this than it
was pre op. First, I don't want the same quantities of food I once did. I
also don't want the same junk foods that I used to enjoy. If I do eat a
hamburger, I will dump (the ground meat, evidently). BUT, french fries are
another thing entirely. They don't bother my tummy at all! So, I do
indulge sometimes but I also keep an eye on it if my clothes get a little
tight. Unlike most of the posters before me, I don't weigh at all. I used
to be consumed with the scale and I gave it up years ago. I know by the
way my clothing fits if I'm gaining weight or not. After reading what the
other posters said about the 3rd year, I'm going to be much more aware of
my eating habits during this important time. Best of luck to you!
— [Deactivated Member]
May 27, 2005
I think docs use the word "normal" NOT in the sense that it is OK
to gain back the weight; but, in the mathematical sense that - numerically,
a majority of WLS patients gain back something.
I'm 27+ months post-op & continue to lose weight. I have stayed on the
same eating & exercise regimen from about 5months post-op. I lost 100
lbs. the first 12 months, 25 lbs, the 2nd 12 months, & have lost an
additional 6+ lbs. in the last 3 months.
I have gone past my goal, which was to reach 150 lbs. & a size 10-12.
I must add that I haven't been intentionally focused on losing; rather,
I've been intentionally focused on eating right, cardio exercise 6-7x
weekly & weight-lifting 3X weekly = staying healthy & continuing to
tone up.
I ENJOY my post-op lifestyle & the energy & pleasure i have in my
life now.
I'm not at all interested in returning to food addictions, lethargy &
despression.
By the way, I was 55 1/2 yrs. old when I had my Lap RNY & my surgeon
warned me that because I was middle-aged, I should expect to lose only half
of my stated goal. He was happily surprised to see me blow past his
expectations at BOTH my 1st & 2nd anniversary check-ups!!
We don't have to settle or sell ourselves short by giving in to statistical
data!
Lovingly,
Lauralyn
— EmbodySuccess
May 27, 2005
One of the first things we were told in my program that this is a tool, not
a cure. When I decided to have the surgery, I got bombarded by a lot of
people telling me that they knew of people that gained weight back (As in,
don't bother)...I just read these postings and learn from people that did
it before me how to manage as time goes by.
— Amy C.
May 27, 2005
hmmm i hear this too but im still losing, and im 1 yr post partum and 3.5
yrs post wls. i think maybe that is because we start to eat normal again
but i still eat bits and pieces here and there so hopefully i wont have to
look forward to a weight gain....unless of course i get pregnant again!
— Deanna Wise
May 28, 2005
I'm 2 1/2 years out and have stayed about the same since I was about 8
months postop. I am still not at goal, but at 49, and from Dutch/Irish
lineage, maybe I am not supposed to be any smaller. I feel great and my
doctor is pleased with where I am, so that's okay. I MUST get on the scale
every day and graph it. I also have gotten rid of my bigger clothes, so I
have to fit into what I have! Aother key for me is exercise. If I slack
off, I can gain a few pounds in no time. No one ever said it would be easy!
— koogy
May 28, 2005
I will be 3 years out in September. I lost 187 lbs. and was actually
underweight for my bone structure. I stayed within the same 5 lbs. range
for almost a year, so I assumed that was where I was going to stay. At
exactly 2 years post-op, I started gaining A LOT. I have gained 50 lbs.
Some is sloppy eating, but my biggest problem is that I'm sure I have a
stretched pouch/stoma. I don't get a full sensation unless I eat so much
that food backs up at the Y junction. I am going to see another surgeon
about a revision, but I am DREADING having to go through this again. I
honestly think that things are pretty easy going for most of us for the
first 2 years and then it hits the fan. Unfortunatly, I did not hear about
ANY of this when I did my research pre-op. I think the stats on regain
several years down the road is drastically under reported. 10% sounds like
a best-case scenerio to me.
— ediecat
June 1, 2005
I'm a little over 3 1/2 years post-op and I normally have a 5 pound weight
gain that I allow myself. I noticed my pants were getting tight a couple of
weeks ago and when I stepped on the scale, I was up 10 pounds!!! It scared
the crap out of me. I have been dieting for the last week and have taken
off 5 of the 10 pounds so now I'm back in my comfort zone, but I want to
take off this 5 pounds as well. I do not want to allow myself to regain
ANY weight as I've spent FAR too much money on plastic surgery to improve
myself.
— Patty H.
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