Question:
Anyone over 400 lbs lost LESS than 100 lbs in 2 years?

I had Open RNY on November 5, 2001. My starting weight was 426 pounds. I lost 75 pounds in about the first 6 months, then it took me a little over a year to lose another 20 pounds! I admit that I was lazy and did not make the effort I was supposed to. I did not exercise at all and I ate whatever would stay down. I got caught up in the "miracle cure" trap and delighted in the fact that the scale went down every week despite what I put in my mouth. Well, over the last 7 or 8 months I gained about 15 pounds. This coming November will be the 3 year anniversary of my surgery and I am so embarrassed and dismayed. Has anyone had a similar problem and was able to overcome it. Is there still hope that I can reach my goal (175 lbs)after 3 years or is my "window of opportunity" gone? I still can't eat nearly as much food as I did before surgery. I even still dump sometimes. Do I need to look into a revision or can I still lose? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Kathy D.    — Kathy D. (posted on July 7, 2004)

July 7, 2004
Kathy, you can still lose the weight if your original surgery is intact. You still have your tool, but after the first 6 months to a year, you really have to work with it. In the pouch rules for dummies there's a story of a woman who gained all her weight back, but when she went back to the rules years later, she lost it again. Don't give up. Review the pouch rules, cut out all white sugar and white flour products, and get back to the basics. You can do it! Check out the South Beach Diet Phase I and II for a list of foods that will help you lose. That's what I use when those pounds start creeping back. Good luck!
   — mom2jtx3

July 7, 2004
Kathy, You can do it! Just take the time now to re-focus and do it now - Get involved with a support group get active. It is up to you. A revision at this time will not benefit you. Only you can benefit you. There is no magic. Where do you live? I can help you find a support group to get involved in. I understand being of that size. I started out at 450 pounds. the first 50 came off with no effort the next 25 with very little, then it was work. I sat at 90 of for a while until I decided that I was sick of being fat and I didn't go through this surgery to stay likt this and now it was up to me. So I got very involved. I started visiting the CA boards, going to support groups, some I liked some I didn't - a few months ago I started my own support group. I jumped in. It was the only way for me to take control of my life back. And I have my life back. I now weigh 185 and getting close to my goal. I can feel it it is so close. You can too. But it is up to you. I'll be your cheer leader if you want help! Good Luck ! Monica
   — [Deactivated Member]

July 7, 2004
Kathy, I had similar stats as you, starting out at 445 and being a size 34/36. I had this surgery on May 2, 2003 and have lost 220 lbs, putting me at a size 14. I have my plastic surgery tomorrow that will probably take me down to a 10. From what I read about what you posted, you have answered your own question in a way. You did not change your lifestyle and continued to not exercise and eat wrong foods. Most people have this surgery as a last resort and HAVE to combine it with a lifestyle change. I could change my lifestyle and food before surgery, but would gain whenever I had a bad food day or two. Now if I have a bad food day or two, I just go back to the rules and my protein shakes and hit the gym, running 1.5-2 miles a day and lifting lots of weights. I didn't have this surgery to get a quick fix, I had this surgery to become healthy. My life is amazing now and I love EVERY day like never before. I encourage you to look deep within yourself and alter your lifestyle. You proved that it works by losing 75 lbs in your first 6 months. Just go back TO THE RULES! Protein first and no carbohydrates. The weight will come off! I find that I still try and have a treat once a week, that is high in carbs but try and stay with low carb ice cream or sugar free candies to supress my sweet tooth! Good luck to you and I hope you find the strength to get back on track and stay there. Life will be so much better if you do! HUGZ!
   — SMG I.

July 7, 2004
Kathy, I can't answer your specific question, however, I just wanted to suggest that you also ask the same question at the yahoo OSSG grad list group. Everyone there is over a year post-op and there are others in your shoes.
   — Cindy R.

July 7, 2004
I am pretty much where you are. I stopped losing way above the weight I would have liked to have reached. I have the same answers and reasons that you have. I eat pretty much whatever stays down. Meals are not large, which keeps me within a 12 lb or so regain. But I do snack a lot in the evenings and I virtually do no exercise. Husband and I have terrible work schedules so we tend to eat out a lot rather than cook. If you say that you do dump occasionally and you cant eat large meals then I would guess that your pouch is still functioning correctly, you have just learned to work your way around it's limits. The equation for success is simple, finding the motivation, willpower, fortitude, to follow it is harder for some of us. I have always been a carb addict. I still am and this surgery did not fix that, and I spent the past year waiting for that to just happen and it didn't. I want to believe in my heart that I can do this. I have been in such denial that I had not even gone to the dr in over a year. Got a reminder that I needed to get a complete physical, so I went for my blood work and now I have my appt to see my doc this Friday. I know he will be concerned and maybe he can point me in the direction of a good nutrition program/counseling that will help me get back on track. I keep telling myself that I didn't put myself through this risky surgery, to see all the health problems that have been improved come back. Good luck to us both.
   — SARose61

July 7, 2004
I would have your anatomy checked out to be sure nothing is wrong. If that is clear then you need to go back to square one and start over. If you can make that committment and stick with it and the weight still doesn't move much then most likely you do need a revision to lengthen your bypass for greater malabsorption. But redoing the bypass still will not give you a free ride. It will actually increase your risk for malabsorption and you will need to be watched even closer with bloodwork. <p>Most revision surgeons would not even touch you till it was clear that you have given it a valiant effort to get on track and lose with your current tool. This may not totally be your doing as you may have been given too large a pouch or stoma and/or too short a bypass. Do you know exactly what was done to you? I started at 442 and am currently 192. My goal weight was 200, so I've exceeded it. I suspect when I am done with all PS's I will be in the 180-185 range and I figure that gives me a buffer zone to 200. I was able to lose the weight very consistently and was within 17 lbs of goal going into my first PS at 12-3/4 months PO. Surgery removed 19 lbs of skin so I actually reached goal through surgery. Sort of cheating, but I'll take it. <p>While I was the poster child for high protein eating for many many months and chose to stay in max ketosis for 4-1/2 months because it was burning the fat big time, I still struggle today with eating choices. I've had a rough time trying to figure out maintenance and what balance of foods will keep me stable and not floating up and down 5-8 lbs. It's the old habits that scare the crap out of me and they are there. Grabbing food and cramming it in my mouth without thinking about what I am doing is the worst one. Some days I do much better at it than others. <p>My surgeon fortunatley set me up to be successful in the early stages by giving me a 1/2 ounce pouch and 150cm bypass. He knew I had a lot to lose and made sure he provided the right tool for me. Granted I did what I was supposed to do, but it's the combination of the tool you are given and the choices you make afterwards. I am not an exercise freak. I did weight training and walking 2 days a week till I was 7 months PO and then went to 3 times a week. At 17 months PO I continue with the 3 days a week and do not intend to increase it as long as I can maintain a decent weight. I did not want to become a slave to a life that would be difficult to maintain. I did that 9 years ago when I lost 200 lbs. I got there through a life that would be impossible to maintain forever. Consequently I regained it all and 8 years later ended up choosing WLS. <p>I would also suggest some counseling to help you figure out why you went through this very extensive, potentially life ending, surgery and could not find what it took to be as successful as you wanted to be. There are so many components to our weight and if they are all are not being dealt with then you will sabotage yourself with the choices you make. I know I would not have wanted to go through the WLS process without my counselor, psychiatrist and depression meds. Severe depression is how I regained the 200 lbs and I sure did not want to go down that path again. So do some soul searching and find your way. Go to your 3yr follow up appointment and be honest with your surgeon. Ask for help. There is nothing wrong with needing help!
   — zoedogcbr