Question:
Does anyone know percentages of people who gain back weight after RNY?
I'm getting tired of people telling me that they know someone who had WLS and has gained most of if not all of there weight back. I'm 1 year post op and have lost 121 lbs. I'm not at my ideal weight and don't want to think about "when" I will gain it back. I've been telling the people that the ones they hear about may not have had the RNY procedure. Any other help? — Jeannie C. (posted on February 20, 2002)
February 20, 2002
I don't know what the "offical" stats are although I did remember
reading something like 92% of WLS patients keep the weight off... Also
here's another story for you! I have a cousin who had WLS like 13 years
ago. She has been known to eat candy bars:-), doesn't exercise etc. She has
gained back about 25lbs...but considering that she lost something like
170.. that ain't bad huh? She still looks pretty good to me!!!!
— Allie A.
February 20, 2002
From what I have read and heard from people, most RNY patients may gain
10-20 lbs several years after surgery, but usually never gain back to their
original weight.
Some of the ones who did gain back a lot have disrupted staple lines from
surgery done several years ago. Most surgeons are now doing a transected
(actually cut in 2 pieces) stomach & pouch instead of just a staple
line leaving the stomach in 1 piece with it seperated into 2 sections by
rows of staples.
I do know somebody who had a VGB about 4-5 years ago that has gained a lot
of his weight back, but he never changed his eating habits and still eats
lots of junk food and has probably streghted out his stomach.
People can defeat their RNY surgery by drinking lots of high calorie fluids
or streghting out their pouch, but few ever regain all their weight even
doing that.
— Dell H.
February 20, 2002
Ask 25 people...you'll get 25 different answers. My surgeon told
me that it's normal to regain 10% of the weight you lost within 3
years of reaching your goal. He said it's rare (with Rny) for a
person to regain all the weight they lost or even a significat amount
of weight. Unless...the person is complete non-compliant with diet and
exersize regimen. Meaning if you go back to your old way of life, you
certainly can regain all the weight. I lost 150 pounds in 11 months and
did, indeed, return to most of my old ways for two years. I gained 20
pounds
in that two year period. Shocked the he** out of me! I went right back
to
eating right and working out and I'm losing weight again. As for all
those
"doom and gloom" folks who either know someone who regained all
their weight or
know some who dropped dead after wls......dismiss them....pay no attention
to these
silly stories. They have their own "issues" and don't want to
see you succeed.
— [Anonymous]
February 21, 2002
Keep in mind that RNY is relatively new. I know people who had their
stomachs 'stapled' 20 years ago and a couple of them did gain back all
they'd lost. But that was a very different surgery than the ones they do
now. In the old procedure, the staples often came out, leaving people with
a normal sized stomach. There was also no intestinal bypass, so they had
NO malabsorption. I know that until I found this site, I had no idea that
things were different than they were when I first thought about WLS 20
years ago. As to how much you'll gain back, that's entirely up to you. If
you keep up with what you're doing now, especially the exercise, you don't
need to gain back any.
— garw
February 21, 2002
What I have found amazing is when I speak with someone about RNY, everyone
knows "someone" who had the surgery that had complications, was
sick, gained all the weight back, etc.... When I ask them if that person
had the Roux en Y procedure - I get a blank look.
So take the comments for the two cents that they are worth, unless you know
you are speaking with someone who knows their facts.
Take care,
— Nene B.
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