Weight gain question?

[Darby]

Hi all,

I just saw the post by a former patient who said that they had gained all of their weight back. Having just had the surgery back in January and feeling GREAT, I am always scared when I hear stories like this. Is this a very common thing? I know from support group people struggle with small gains (everything is small I guess considering where I have come from already). Can anyone enlighten me or help put my mind at ease? I know i don't ever want to go back to wher I left, and I have a long way on my journey still, but input form "The Oldtimers" is always helpful. Thanks for you input!

Darby

[imblessdx3]

I posted that I gained weight back ....out of 110 pounds lost , I gained back 70 so far....a lot of it I think was because it was a new procedure for DR. Allam's office. I was misinformed in some areas. Was told patients only gained maybe 20-40 pounds the most back if any....and when I asked Pat questions like can I drink diet coke, I got the answer "try it and see if it bothers your digestive system". Well guess what? It didn't bother me at all. But when talking to other patients and doctors, soda is not permitted because the carbonation stretches the pouch and makes it able to fit more food in. Not that I think these were the only reasons I gained weight back, but if I had the definite idea that this could happen so easily, I think I would have been more careful.

[terrie]

Hi Darby my name is Terrie and I'm 3 years out of surgery this past March. I understand your concerns about gaining weight back, I had all those thoughts too. I did gain back a few pounds after losing 112, about 10, but getting it back off. It doesn't seem like much, but when you see the scale moving in that upward direction, it scares the hell out of ya. Dr. Allam says all the time, he has given you the tool, now it's up to you to use it correctly. If you go back to all the old habits you had, you will gain back the weight!! I do drink diet soda sometimes, it's definately not one of my better choices, but it doesn't bother me. You just have to know it's a bad choice because it does stretch your pouch. I find the best way to stay on track is hit the meetings, (which I have missed more this winter then i care to admit) keep your appointments with the doc, eat right and exercise!! If you just keep focused on yourself, and think before you eat, you'll keep it off, take one day at a time!! Good luck with the rest of your journey!!

[Jamie]

Hi Darby,

This is a question that everyone asks themselves one time or another, and in a way, it is one way that may keep you in check and on a true course to you're weight loss. Everyone is different and will have a different story to tell, but by continuing to come to the meetings and reading and posting on the message board we can all help one another when and if we start to stray off course. By asking questions and hearing everyone's personal response, I think it will help you make the right choices. We are all there to help and keep giving the support that is needed to make this tool work.

As you can see, there are people that are having this problem and they are asking for help, and are realizing that they are getting into some bad habits. The first step is to realize the problem and do something about it. Don't think that it will just go away on it's own. At the first sign of trouble jump on it and nip it in the bud.

Again, by "imblessdx3" posting, it is bringing this issue to our attention and possibly, and hopefully we can help them get on the right track.

Hope this helps,

Jamie

P.S.
How was Puerto Rico and that active walk through the rain forrest (lol)?

[Regina]

Hi Darby, I am just about 5 years out. I am going to tell you it is not easy as we go down the road. After a few years, we seem to want to try more things and our pouches do get a little bigger but I believe we all knew that going into this. We are the ones that make it bigger not Dr. Allam or Pat. I know I can't blame either one of them for me gaining some weight. I think that if I didn't go to the meetings and keep coming here I might have maybe gained more. This place and the meetings have kept me on track.

Now as far as some of the things, that imblessdx3 said I am going to have to disagree with that poster. I was there when that person was there. I am going back to Sept of 2003. I remember Pat telling us the SODA was a no go. I remember her telling us that it is all gas and that can stretch your pouch. Some patients tried it anyway just as we try other things that are not on the plan. If we got stick, we stayed away from it. It we didn't then some of us continue to eat it. I eat things that I know I am not supposed to eat but I can eat them now and then I couldn't. Pat always would say to us try it if it stays down then good. I truly believe when she says that she is talking about FOOD that is good for us. Not candy cake, ice cream, or soda. However, as humans we eventually try those things again. Some things we might be able to keep down with know problem and some we can't. Does that give us a green light to go ahead and just eat all that and not our protein or vegetables. I think not. I know that I love the crunch and look for it during the day mostly. I was eating pretzels a lot. I know that I shouldn't have but I did.

At our last meeting we had a member come back that hasn't been there in a while and she spoke out here and said how good it was to be back. At the time I asked Pat how many calories should I be having a day. She told me and I have tried like crazy to follow that. Is it hard you bet it is? Old habits as we all know are hard to break including us looking to blame someone or something on why we are doing what we know we shouldn't be.

So now, you and every one know that you can stretch your pouch out again and gain the weight. What’s the solution to that you might ask? Well for me it is to go to the meetings come here and read and post and also to have people that I can turn to and talk to like my friends. Friends that I have made through this wonderful group that we have. I have made some life long friends that I know that if I were to turn to any of them or anyone here that I need help you will be there.

So, my advice to all is never give up. Come to our meetings it is a proven fact that those who attend regular support group meetings after this procedure are successful. Therefore, I hope to see you all at our next meeting.

[QUEEBELL]

Well, I am only 5 months out so I can't speak to the regain theory from personal experience, but I have to say this. As soon as someone finds out I had the surgery they (and I mean absolutly everyone) have a friend/coworker/sister/brother/mother who lost a lot of weight and gained it all back. From my neighbor to my own mom (who BTW is talking about an 80 year old woman who had the surgery 30 years ago. Was it even available back then?) has known someone who has gained back their weight. I started to second guess myself at some point untill I really thought about it. I wasn't aware the procedure was apparently as common place as it must be if absolutly everyone knows someone who has gained the weight back after surgery. I callenge you to banish the "someone's" in the world and to concentrate on the one person truly in control and no it's not Dr. Allam or Pat. The only one responsible for your weight gains and losses is you! If you can use a computer you can download all the information you need about post surgical diets. Pat is bar none the best of course, but take control. There are numerous cookbooks and guides out there to help you. Weight gain does happen, but if you really wanted to loose weight so bad that you would turn to surgery then I have to believe that you have the power and determination to stay on track, not for just the first few months or years, but for the rest of your life and if I can't stay on track I know that I will only have myself to blame. Life is full of choices and if you choose to do what you always did you will get in return what you always got. (Thank's for that one Sissy.)

[imblessdx3]

Well, I did not post to have people get angry or to blame anyone. But when I asked questions of my physician and nutritionalist, those were the answers I received. I hope to God that you are never in my position and gain back weight because then you will really know how it feels. It is very easy to judge when you are in the losing seat...it feels really great getting skinny....but we all have eating problems that we couldnt fix ourselves or we never would have had the surgery. So having that attitude, if you were in my position, I guess you would miraculously have the will power to lose 50 or more pounds??

[Bobbie]

I just finished reading the posts and would like to add a few comments of my own. In response to Darby's question regarding gaining back the weight, I can tell you from experience that yes it is possible. I myself gained 30 lbs after my husband passed away. I went back to my "old friend" food to comfort me. The one mistake I didn't make was to stop going to the support group meetings. There I got help from my true friends and was able to get back on track. I know you have all heard Dr Allam say over and over that this surgery is just a tool. What we do with the tool is up to us. We can either use it to build a new life for ourselves, or ignore it and go back to the way we were. I had my surgery in March of 2003 and at all the meetings I attended I never heard Pat or Dr Allam say that carbonated beverages were ok. We were told from the beginning that anything carbonated (even plain seltzer) could stretch our new pouch and increase the chance of weight gain. As for the post from imblessdx3, no one is angry but I think you are placing the blame everywhere but where it belongs and that is squarely on your own shoulders. Dr Allam was correct in telling you to get professional help to find out why you gained your weight back. If you did seek help maybe you didn't give it enough of a chance to work. Please give it another shot. You are in my thoughts and prayers and I hope you get the help you need to get back on track. I would also say, please come back to the meetings they truly make a difference. You are not alone.

[Jamie]

It appears that there are a lot of people that have stories to tell, some good and some not so good and again I say that everyone is different and has something to add. This is what makes us a strong group and will cement the bond to make one whole complete unit. The bypass and lapbanders together all have something to learn from each other and this alone keeps it different and interesting.

Great post Bobbie as well as everyone that has added to these posts. This type of posting will be an asset to everyone involved.

Keep up the good work,

Jamie

[QUEEBELL]

It was not my intention to judge you at all. I'm referencing my own experience to speak to Darby's conserns. I actually have had the experience where upon hearing of my surgery every single person tells me that they know someone who gained their weight back. You are a real person with a name and a face, not just "someone." The point I was trying to make is that in life people tend to make light of others accomplishments. You know, "Wow, you look great, but I know someone who had the same surgery and gained it all back." It's a backhanded compliment at best. I really don't believe that there are as many people who gain all of there weight back after this surgery as non-bariatric patients would like us to believe.
Now on another note, I do subscribe to the belief that everything in life is a choice. My obesity was not the choice I made. The choice I made was to eat. I now have yet another generation that I have shown my bad behavior to. I take responsibility for that, but my daughter has to take responsibility for her choice to continue the cycle. I chose therapy, OA and gastric bypass as a tool to overcome my obesity. Like I said if I choose to eat my way back to where I was then the only one resposible for that is me. I will continue to attend support groups and I hope you can take this as me taking responsibility for my actions not pointing the finger at anyone else.

[Regina]

I don't think anyone is angry with you I just think you hit the nail on the head when you told us you gained weight. We all go into this procedure saying this is the last straw. I know I did. I also can remember way back when at a meeting and saying I will never do that. Shame on me for thinking and saying that. I did do it and I gained weight. I have no one to blame but myself. Please don't get upset with members here that just have voiced their opiuons. It is just that there opiouns. You are the only one that really knows why you gained the weight. You are just giving us a small piece of the puzzle just as I have. So, don't get discouraged on what is said here. This is exactly what this message board is all about helping each other even if it is things we all might not want to hear.

Like everyone said come back to the meetings something that someone says there might just trigger something off and get you back on track. Maybe we can get together with a few others that have fallen off the path that gained weight and work together. I know you can count me in.B_WINK2.gi

[Wendy]

Well Well Well Regina my friend.....it has been quite some time....but I did receive the threatening email....so here I am....I hope all is well with you...I will indeed try to make it to a meeting...perhaps this month...I could use the kick in the ass to get back on track! I have managed to put a "few" of those shedded pounds back as well....but just joined an excercise program to relieve myself of them...I do believe that we all just manage to slip back into our old terrible eating habits....whether it be for convienence or just grazing instead of eating meals! that would be my problem! I see my friend DARBY has made it to the message boards! glad to see he is doing so well! I knew he would! Perhaps I will join you for a meeting Darby!
Its been nice searching this web site...seeing all the new pictures! I am looking forward to seeing you! talk to you soon Regina!
Wendy

[Wendy]

HAS IT REALLY BEEN FOUR YEARS??? geeez

[Regina]

Well Well Well Regina my friend.....it has been quite some time....but I did receive the threatening email....so here I am....I hope all is well with you...I will indeed try to make it to a meeting...perhaps this month...I could use the kick in the ass to get back on track! I have managed to put a "few" of those shedded pounds back as well....but just joined an excercise program to relieve myself of them...I do believe that we all just manage to slip back into our old terrible eating habits....whether it be for convienence or just grazing instead of eating meals! that would be my problem! I see my friend DARBY has made it to the message boards! glad to see he is doing so well! I knew he would! Perhaps I will join you for a meeting Darby!
Its been nice searching this web site...seeing all the new pictures! I am looking forward to seeing you! talk to you soon Regina!
Wendy

WOW how funny is this that you posted again. I just saw my brother on Thursday and was asking him if he has seen you. Funny how I have to ask him LOL What a small world we live in who would have thought that a few years back that you would have dinned at my brothers restaurant.

Anyway, I am glad to see you post and I hope that you will attend this months meeting on the 20th. Maybe you can drag Donna with you. It would be great if we can see some of the old timers. Was my email really threatening? Good if it brought out some old faces here and not to mention some good healthy conversation. You know how long I have been trying to get this board going.

So fingers crossed that I will get to see you at this months meeting. Thanks for posing Wendy I bet your ears were burning on Thursday. com.hap26