Question:
Weight gain in the future . . . .
Is it just me or did anyone else surgeon or medical doctor tell them that most WLS Post-ops can expect to gain 10-30% of their weight back somewhere down the line in the future (1+ to 3 years). Which seems logical since most lose below their goals. Also, I see that some Post-ops who totally deprive themselves of certain foods eventually lose control and consume too much. My doctor told me I don't have to deprive myself of anything (of course its too early now) but I should use this time to learn to eat in proportion as well as learn discipline. Of course, if you have a trigger food - best to stay clear of it. Ideally the goal is to never become obsese again - not to never gain a few pounds. — Anna M. (posted on June 25, 2004)
June 25, 2004
I don't think that most people lose below their goal weight, or that weight
regain merely bounces most back to their goal weight. Check the stats on
goal how many get there and how many regain and how much. Also, regain is
a genuine problem that extends beyond just 1-3 years out. If your doc left
you with the impressions that you reported here, run, do not walk, to get
more information on WLS, because that is the kind of rose-colored picture
that no one should be expecting before having surgery, or they'll be rudely
awakened down the road. <P>There are some folks who can and do eat
everything in moderation without a problem after WLS. I believe they are
the minority. Most of us continue to battle food issues to varying degrees
using various strategies. Regarding post-ops depriving themselves and then
losing control, that's diet behavior, not WLS behavior. There are far more
folks who are too loose after surgery, falsely assuming weight loss will
continue to rocket off of them (and stay off) during that first six months
of "anything goes" weight loss, than there are people who are
strict until they get at or near goal and then suddenly chuck it all and
regain. The latter group is not perfect, to be sure, but I think they're
better equipped for the hard reality of just how little you have to eat,
and how much you have to exercise, to get anywhere near goal, let alone
stay there.<P>I wouldn't believe any doc who suggests that WLS will
let you eat whatever you want, in moderate amounts, without trouble. It's
a lot more involved than that, and reading the Q&A board and message
board will show you just how wide-ranging everybody's post-op struggles
really are.
— Suzy C.
June 25, 2004
He he. I loved the honeymoon phase. :)
— mrsmyranow
June 25, 2004
The average bounceback weight is supposedly 10%-15%. There are several
theories about this, but the one that seems to make the most sense
(provided the patient has not been overly non-compliant) is regeneration or
hypertrophy. The body adjusts to the bypass, and over the years is able to
normalize somewhat, growing more intestinal villi, increasing its ability
to digest and absorb. It truly is an amazing machine, although we probably
wish it wasn't quite so amazing sometimes. So, maybe if you treat it
right, give it lots of vits, mins, protein...maybe, just maybe it won't
know it's not normal???
Also, most post-ops don't lose below goal, in fact, most don't even get TO
goal..if by "goal," you mean the MetLife chart weights.
— Leslie F.
June 25, 2004
I guess I want to comment on the word "deprived" . I am 18
months out and I dont feel deprived, I used to love sweets any chocolate
wonderful dessert yummy and good and that's how I ended up with a 55+ BMI,
I never wanted to deprive myself. I havent even tried refined sugar and
dont intend to. If anyone ever tells you that all is rosey and you will
just be able to eat whatever talk to most post ops and read whats on this
site. The surgery is the best thing that ever happened to me but you can
gain weight back you are not magically a person who can just eat anything.
I went to a BTC support group where the leader cheerfully told everyone how
she just loves Dairy Queen and can eat a small chocolate ice cream cone
dipped in chocolate --when I questioned why would you do that ---her new
imature husband angerly spoke up and said why should she deprive herself.
Well to each their own and more power to her if she can stop there. I'm
not going back to that group again, I know my limitations emotionally and
physically.
— debmi
June 25, 2004
I don't know about MOST people making it to goal weight. My goal was to be
mid range of the NORMAL BMI range and I never made it. (Still in the
overweight range). But yes, weight gain of some, all or more weight than
pre op DOES happen. I've seen it in two women in my town. So I went into
WLS knowing this is NOT a cure. However it is a chance and I took it. I
lost 163 lbs. My loss still stands at 155 lbs. So I've only gained 8 lbs
and it's been 3 years since WLS. I still can't eat alot but I can now
tolerate most sweets and still have carb cravings. So I still need to be
diligent. Personally, I don't think it is a given that we MUST gain back so
much of our weight. again, we need to be careful and not take wls for
granted.
— Danmark
June 25, 2004
I just wanted to weigh in on this one - pun intended! WLS works temporarily
on the symptom of our problem - this symptom is fat. Fat is not our
problem, only the result of our problems. My addiction to food is not
because of food, it is because of emotional issues that I had to start
dealing with - NO MORE HIDING- because I know that WLS is only a tool to
work on the fat - not the brain, not your heart, not your emotions. So, I
concentrate on being kinder to myself and more patient. I went through hell
and back for this surgery and I did NOT do it to be on a diet for the rest
of my life. I did it to REGAIN my health - That is my focus as well. The
number on the scale is just a number - I want to be able to garden for
hours at a time, to slip into any seat that I want, to walk into any crowd
and NOT stick out. I started at over 330 pounds and had been on most diets
- often successfully. Losing weight was not that hard for me, keeping it
off was impossible. I have always been able to follow a strict diet - but
then, when I am off the diet, WOW, could a eat. Therefore, I refuse to diet
now. That does NOT mean I eat what I want, when I want to and how much I
want. I do, however, eat what I want, AFTER I have reviewed what I have
eaten for the day, where my protein and water intake is at, how my emotions
are, how my weight is, how I feel overall. There are days that I don't put
complete thought into what is going into my mouth - and sometimes I pay big
time for that. I learn from those mistakes and keep them in mind for future
use. Moderation is the key and exercise. It is about input vs output. There
is no magic. The WLS allowed my the freedom to concentrate on my inner,
very real, demons, while the WLS helped my body not fight me every step of
the way. I now feel less anxious and usually quite calm around food and
food choices. There are many posters that avoid carbs, or refined anything,
etc. I commend them. I just know that I am not going to be
"white-knuckling" for the next 5 years or 10 years or 15 years or
20 years. I think you get my drift. I understand our extreme fear of weight
gain. However, we are not powerless. When you deal with the WHY you
overeat, you gain that power back, like a normal person. While I feel that
I will never be normal, I try every day, to lead my body back to knowing
it's own signals. I do not push sugar into my body, but if I could eat a DQ
small icecream cone, I would - if it fit into my caloric intake, if I
hadn't indulged with some other treat, if my emotions were doing ok, etc.
Personally, that would be too much sugar for my body - bad reaction for me!
People must retain their diligence - that is the key, I think, and to
always be honest with yourself. A few pounds of regain may not be a big
deal - but only you can honestly judge that. If you are eating well and
balanced and getting exercise and getting your water, than a few pounds of
regain will probably drop back off. If you have been over-indulging and not
getting in exercise, than a few pounds of regain will become more than a
few! I think that we have to remain very accountable to ourselves, FOREVER,
or there is a strong chance of regain. Unless PS sucks out every fat cell
that you ever created (and I created billions!), those little buggers are
just waiting to be filled back up again. I still say that we are on a
journey, and it does not finish until we do. Take care and be kind to
yourself. Jodie 336/166/???
— Jodie P.
June 26, 2004
Hi I HAD SURGERY 4/19/02 345/211/253 48 swf YES I GAINED I AM ABLE TO EAT
ALMOST NORMAL AGAIN BUT I AM LOOKING FOR SUPPORT A FRIEND IN MY AREA
(Hollywood Fla)someone to walk and talk with as needed for support and
exercise Thx Mary
— HUGGY
June 27, 2004
I trust my surgeon totally and his advice as I have followed his other
patients. Each of us are different and our weight problems are not
necesarrily the same. All the comment here are good but individually good
and significant. Thank you.
— Anna M.
June 28, 2004
HI!!!!
My doctor in fact did tell me that the body will stabalize and you MAY gain
10-20 lbs but I do not think that you have to settle for the regain unless
you are working out and or not eating healthy. For me, I truly believe that
wls is a tool and i think a lot of people have a misconception of the word
diet. Diet does not mean deprivation. Now I do believe one has to be very
honest with themselves and ask if chocolate is your trigger food and you
know you cannot eat a minimum of it why eat it? I believe we have to find
out why we are emotional eaters and then we can finaly be free from the
battle of the bulge. i am in fact addicted to starbucks and i am constantly
fighting not going. i even tried getting things that were more healthier
than the venti frappuchino that i love and that is working for me.But still
i need to learn that moderation is key. If one is comfortable with gaining
a few pounds that is their business but we all know that 10 can lead to 20
and so on and so on so in my opinion I would (because i am doing it now)
nipping the gain in the bud. I have put an awful amount of money and time
into my body and I feel fantastic. My motto is nothing in this world tastes
as good as being thin feels. Now i know some may go overboard with this
statement but for me if i have a sweet tooth why not eat yogurt instead of
ice cream or drink a glass of water really fast to find out if i am truly
hungry or just bored. Everyone has a different version of goal.Goal for me
is not the medical standards of weight. According to my height (6 feet) i
should weigh 167. Well i don't want to look skinny so i am at goal anything
under 200 lbs and i still can wear sizes 8, 10 and `12's depending on the
cut. So in essence i believe that if one concentrates on being healthy
first then the rewards of pounds lost will definitely come
— ilovelauryn
June 28, 2004
I was recently accused of punishing myself (at a support group) because I
will not eat certain foods and still eat basically the same things every
day even at a year and a half out. My response to this was that I feel
punished (or at least like punishing myself) when I am not in control of my
food. I am totally a food addict and therfore control has to be very well
thought out. I feel much freer when I know what I am going to eat and don't
have to think about it. Anything in the carb family is a trigger food for
me and so I steer clear but this may not be true for everyone. I will say
though that all of the people in my support group who have made it to their
goal weight (and that is not the majority of people) have been as strict as
I have been. When I did test the waters and tried to eat a "balanced
diet" I went straight to carb hell in a short period of time (6-8
weeks) and gained back almost 10 pounds after being at goal for 6 months.
It was not a natural phenomenon it was me eating poorly. I feel that none
of these doctors are or have been obese and they give advice based on what
they feel a "normal" person should do. I am not normal or I would
not have eaten myself to the point of deadly illness. I think you just have
to stay very aware of what you are doing and realize what your goals are
and then do what you have to do to get there. Easier said than done but
very possible.
— Carol S.
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