Question:
Is weight gain normal 2 years post-op or am I in trouble?
I am 2 years post-op. I have not had a minutes trouble from this surgery. I take 2 one-a-day vitamins and 2 iron/b-12's each day. I have my blood work done 2 times a year to keep check on my levels. I am concerned with some weight gain that I have experienced. I started out at 252lbs got down to 160lbs I am now at 177lbs, I was in a 22-24w, got down to a size 14 and now in a 16. My stomach will tolerate anything that I have tried to eat. I still keep in mind of my stomach's capacity. For example, I can now eat 1/2 of a McDonalds happy meal burger. I can eat about 2 oz of steak, no bread, potatoes, or salad. For breakfast, I eat 1 package of instant oatmeal, or almost 1/2 of an sausage/egg sandwich, still can't eat the whole 1/2. I did not start gaining weight until I began to eat bread, potatoes, and 1 Mt Dew a day. I pray that this will not increase. My weight gain is only in my mid-section. After my weight loss, my lower stomach remained some what tight for a 35 year old, but my mid-section is where my skin was in excess. Is this just middle age spread or should I be scared??? I look forward to your comments. Melissa — mgp032266 (posted on December 7, 2004)
December 7, 2004
I'm 2 years out, and have gained weight also. However, I can eat ALOT more
than you in one sitting. I'm scared to death. I'm really looking forward
to everyone's input on this one...
— jengrz
December 7, 2004
I am two years out, too. Never had any problems. I stopped losing at 8
months out. Did everything I could think of to get it going again. Well, in
the past month, I have lost 9 lbs. How did I do it? Practically stopped
eating. Yep - that's it. BUT, I do feel like my pouch has gotten much
smaller again, and I really can't eat as much. For me, it's just cutting
out all the bad stuff and exercising like a fiend. Hope to continue losing
and get rid of another 30 lbs. I wish there was an easy way, but for me,
it's just hard work! (Just as hard to lose a lb. now as before I had
surgery.)
— koogy
December 7, 2004
I think you probably answered it for yourself....."I did not start
gaining weight until I began to eat bread, potatoes, and 1 Mt Dew a
day." At 2 years post op, your body has started absorbing more and it
is very true that the bread, oatmeal, potatoes, etc., are soft so it's
possible to eat a lot more of them. I didn't check your profile so I don't
know what you're doing as far as exercise but after the "honeymoon
period" is over, and the easy weight loss stops, the key is a balance
between calories in vs. calories out. In other words, keep track of the
number of calories you're eating everyday for a few days and you'll
probably spot some problems compared to the number of calories you're
burning with exercise. From what I've learned here, we are all at risk of
regain and we have to be vigilant with both the type of food and the amount
we eat and with at least some form of exercise. The Mt. Dew, unless it is
a diet drink would be a killer for me and the breads and potatoes make me
hungry so I stay away from them. They don't taste good enough to make me
want to struggle with feeling hungry all the time. As far the weight gain
only being in the mid-section, I know for me, the shape of my body can
change but the scale measures what the whole body weighs, not just the
mid-section. I'd guess at 35, it wouldn't be middle age spread. Good luck
to you in finding the answers that are correct for you.
— scbabe
December 7, 2004
Personally, if I eat anything made with white flour or white sugar (bread,
pasta, soda, sweets), I gain. I have to be very careful what I eat. Maybe
not everyone is like that, but at three years out, I am. I would get rid
of anything with refined carbs like white sugar or white flour, bag the
soda, and see what happens. Most of us really do need to make good choices
to keep the weight off.
— mom2jtx3
December 7, 2004
A food journal is a good way to go, keep track of everything you put in
your mouth but you must be honest with yourself. Then go back and see what
you can live without and what you can change to a healthier type of food.
Add exercise. I know for some this is a nasty word, but it works. Set small
goals, that way you will achieve them. Then set another small one.
— domestic G.
December 7, 2004
Yes, the weight gain is easy to explain. Its obvious that you are taking
in too many calories and not burning enough to keep the weight off. On a
good note, your pouch is intact and has not stretched judging by the small
amounts you still eat before feeling full. At this point, sorry to tell
you, it becomes work to maintain your loss and even to keep it off. I'm
almost 3 years post-op and it has been work for the past year. I do enjoy
having some white carbs, bread, and sweets usually on a daily basis but I
must compensate by ensuring that I eat well balanced protein rich meals,
small amounts and keep up the exercise. And watch the scale like a hawk
and take corrective action when I see it creep up, which it will if I
overdo the carbs or slack on the exercise. You need to find the right
balance for you. If you want to endulge in your carbs or happy meal
burgers , you gotta make up for it in other areas. Find what works for
you. No reason to be scared, just recognize what action is required on
your end to keep the weight off.
— Cindy R.
December 7, 2004
A couple of things leapt out at me. Mt Dew, 2 yrs out, and the absence of
protein and calcium among your supplements. Where are you with grazing and
drinking with meals? Any other sugars sneaking in to your life? I also eat
part of a Happy Meal, but still no milk, no sugar. It's time to join the
Grad list. No guarantee that you'll get the rest of the wt off, but there's
also the trick of maintaining the loss you have achieved. There is a lot of
combined long term experience on this list and I'd recommend it in
conjunction with this site and any local lists you use.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG
— vitalady
December 8, 2004
I am almost 3 years post op and judging by what you said you are eating, I
can eat a lot more. I can eat a whole burger, usually the mcdonalds 99cent
double cheese burger. I rarely crave it. But my meals are what I consider
a normal eating person to be able to eat. I cant eat like I did before wls
but certainly much more than within the 1st year of surgery. I stopped
losing after 8 months. Would have liked to have lost anothe 50 lbs. I
think I am lucky that the most regain I have experienced is about 15 lbs.
I go up and down with that range. When I see myself get to the high end
of the range, I try to crack down on my eating and I go back down. I
seriously lack an exercise routine, due to my hectic life. I really think
if I concentrated on that I could make it back down to my lowest weight and
maybe even lose some more. Yes the road does get tougher the further out
you get, at least it has for me. Hang in there.
— SARose61
December 8, 2004
<b>Hi, Remember when researching wls. we agreed to changing our
eating habits. and that for life we will always have to stay focused on our
diet. I think after we reach our goal wt we think, we are done, finished
with our wl journey. when we reach our goal we forget that we still have to
eat right and to stay focused. I also have been playing the yo yo game,
because I have tasted things that I shouldn't have. I come to believe I
carry that fat gene. and it is always there waiting for me to feed it. Mc
Donalds, burger king, choc bar, cakes, carbs. and when I eat it shows, The
rule for me will aways be proteins, water, exercise, vitmins. and when I
stray form the golden rule. then I expect to gain. My own doing. Best
wishes to you</b>
— B4real
December 9, 2004
Hi Melissa
I'm 3.5+ yrs post, and I've had about 20lbs rebound. I can eat those things
that you mention too...and like someone else said, I can eat more than you
can, and have been for quite awhile. I think those junk food things in
*moderation* are OK...I was a nervous wreck from about 2 yrs to 3 yrs post
thinking it was the beginning of the end of me being a non obese person...I
had gained 10 lbs with a blink of an eye at about 2 yrs...and then I
struggled until early this summer to loose it, but ended up gaining 10 more
lbs...for 20 lbs total...but then something amazing happened...I leveled
out. I eat much more reasonably than I did when I was very large, but I
don't eat like a sparrow either, I do eat treats (at least 1 a day) and
drink diet coke like it's going out of style (I try to break this habit,
but it's a toughy for me). I try to exercise on a regular basis, take my
vities every day, keep up on my labs...I'm not skinny (which I had intended
to be as a pre-op..lol...but reality has kicked in) I am very comfortable
where I'm at...I'm 150 on a 5'3" frame. I am in early pregnancy right
now (11 weeks tomorrow) and this is my first pregnancy....so we shall see
what it does to me. So far I've lost 4 lbs because of morning sickness (and
I have cut waaaaay back on the diet coke, which is amazing for me)....but
I'm told the hunger will kick in in this next tri-mester...I still have
good days and bad days with food...but ya know what....so do naturally thin
people....You certainly can diet and exercise like crazy to get really
thin...but then you have to weigh the quality of life you'd be living...I
did that for the yr I told you about, and was miserable...didn't go to
parties for fear of food....skipped lunch dates with friends...exercised
like a feind..etc...at least in this Smurf puff of a body I have now, I can
enjoy myself....I think you're doing fine, if you're happy with were you're
at now...some rebound is a common phenomenom(sp) and doesn't mean you're a
failure. I can relate to the fear you're experiencing at this point in your
journey...I've been there done that! Best wishes to you!
Kim open RNY 7/17/01 282/150/135 (I can still dream that once I have the
baby, I'll magically drop down to 135..lol)
Due Date: 7/1/05
— KimBo36
December 9, 2004
I am 2 years 4 months and struggling too. I eat too many carbs and
surprise surprise, I gain weight. I can say this, knock off the Mt. Dew.
I have read that studies have been done that even 1 regular soda a day can
add up to 10 pounds of extra weight by the end of the year. Good luck, I
know it's hard. Valerie
— Valerie B.
December 17, 2004
Yes, some weight regain about two years after surgery is normal--and that's
true of every surgery, including my well-beloved duodenal switch. Dieting
and exercise (what else?) are always suggested to counteract the weight
gain, but, judging by the Yahoo boards, these methods have at best mixed
success. I think it's just the body's way of battling back from the
surgery...it has "learned," to a certain extent, to overcome the
malabsorption of calories and reduced intake.
— Kay B.
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