post-op VSGs who've started gaining

all_in_to_win

Hi - just looking for some honest VSGs who are post op but have started to gain. Would like to know your story; your struggles; what you'd do differently if you were having surgery today; whether or not you got re-motivated and if so, how'd you do it? We all know going into this that surgery doesn't change the brain. & we all know right from wrong. What I, personally, don't know... is HOW to walk away from the food and the habits that got me into all this trouble in the first place. Right now I'm 20 mos post op and I need to lose almost 40lbs to get to goal. But considering I had 64 lbs to lose on the day of surgery, I'm not happy & I never made it to my "goal" weight to begin with. I've re-gained 14lbs from my lowest post-op weight. So today I had to actually start a "diet" (just like the old days) b/c I can eat and drink anything and everything without ever getting sick and I know that means I'm headed right back to square one or worse. I'm feeling like a loser - and not in a good way. Thanks for your honesty.

actg95

All_In, I am only three months post op, but know these challenges get in our face. Maybe I am not the one with the best wisdom on this, but I will tell you what I have learned from individuals at my support group...when you hit this times, so back to basics. Make sure your foods are mostly proteins, and the carbs are "real" food and not preprocessed. My nutritionist is okay with things like fruit and veggies, but anything out of a package is considered evil. LOL!

I know that personally my body likes to play tricks on me. Month two I was up and down the same pound for four weeks, then then next week, I lost seven pounds. I had to stay positive and know that if I do what I am suppose to, it will follow.

Hang in there...hopefully someone further out can help even more, but I hope this helps too.

Thanks,
Melanie

P.S. I highly recommend a support group, if you don't already attend one. Our group is awesome and I don't know what I would do without it. We can discuss anything and everyone is very supportive and open minded.

all_in_to_win

Thanks actg95. I appreciate the reply. I stopped going to my support group for various reasons. But I did find a VSG only on-line group that's been pretty great. I guess it all comes down to finding my own motivation. I KNOW in my heart I should go back to basics, but the reality is, I don't think I'm strong enough to do THAT! Those first several weeks post-op felt like pure torture and I kept thinking "what the heck have I signed up for?"!! It's just two days now of making the right choices... I've just got to make sure I continue to say NO and walk away. This weekend will be a HUGE challenge.

Obreezes

I definately empathize with you. I struggle daily. It wasn't until about 6 months after my surgery that I realized that I am a food addict, otherwise known as a compulsive overeater. I have lost 50 lbs since surgery 9 months ago. I will say I am disappointed as I thought I would be at goal by now, but I know it's my own fault by allowing myself to get back into old habits. I struggle with changing those habits every single day. And I will say, I never thought I'd have to "diet" once I had the sleeve done. Haha, jokes on me. You are not alone. There are many like us out there!

cbferriss

Only 5% of people losing 100+lbs keep the weight off. Having surgery increases the odds to 65%. I don't want to be part of the 35% that gains it back.

Don't feel like a loser. You just need diferent tools. Someone recommened the book, "50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food." I'm going to buy it and hope I find a substitute for how sugar makes me feel.

I had my surgery July 2011. I lost nothing Nov-Jan. I can gain and lose the same 5 lbs for a month. I keep trying to add sugary things I love to my diet, but it doesn't work out. My craving just snowballs. This site is helping.

all_in_to_win

Thanks for the comments. We sound exactly alike! I stopped losing around 5 months, too and soon started to gain and EVERYTHING else you said, I can sympathize with 110%. Never expected it to be EASY - but I also didn't expect it to be so easy to "fail" so quickly either. YEP - I'm dieting now, just like the old days!

all_in_to_win

I can relate to that. I'm the kind of person that can't "reward" myself with just 1 piece of XYZ b/c if XYZ contains sugar and "bad" carbs, I'm going to eat 100 pieces. So, for me, I have to eliminate those trigger foods. And THANKS for the book recommendation. I think I'll buy it too b/c at this point, I'll try anything not to get back to where I once was! Good luck on your journey.

misspatrice562

I can so totally relate. I was NEVER one of the "lucky" ones that lost hunger, could eat very little even 6 months after surgery, etc. I've had to exercise an eat right for every single pound I lost. I lost 100 lbs post surgery and gained almost 40 back before even meeting my goal. I had a death in my family, went through a period of depression and just didn't really put much effort into exercising and ate anything I wanted. Big mistake! I went to Hawaii for my daughter's spring break and seeing the pictures was a wake up call. I've been on my fitness pal and have been tracking, drinking water and exercising and am slowly losing what I gained. I'm about 11 lbs away from losing all that I gained and know that I WILL get to my goal. It's not easy and I still have hunger, crave sweets, and dislike going to the gym but have found classes that I like and enjoy rollerblading on the beach and walking as well. So I have to mix it up a bit to not get bored.

I'm glad I'm not alone. I never really hear stories from those that struggle. I'll have my 2 yr surgiversary October 26th of this year. A lil over 4 months away and I'm hoping to be 30-40 lbs lighter.

Allen404

Ms Patrice you are such an inspiration glad I have you on my friends list!

cbferriss

I never lost my hunger either. RATS!!!! So, I plan little meals every 2-3hrs or so. I can do just fine during the week. Weekends are a bear!!

misspatrice562

Awww thanks Allen. That's sweet of you. I didn't think it was possible to be an inspiration to anyone. I feel like a big FAT failure sometimes lol jk . . . well sort of. I have to NOT compare myself and give myself credit for getting back on track despite life happening. It has not been easy. But my daughter unfortunately lost her father and I want to make sure I am around for as long as I can be and get healthy as can be.

Cbferriss . . . it sucks right! lol . . . weekends are hard for me too. But I allow myself to eat some things that I've been craving which usually prevents binging from denying myself those oh so pleasurable treats! lol . . . as long as we workout we should be fine.

all_in_to_win

Misspatrice - you are so right. I will also have my 2 yr anniversary in Oct. I never made it to goal & I too came home from the hospital "hungry" and that never really went away (except when I was re-gaining). I lost 20 lbs before surgery working with the nutritionist - only 42 with surgery but put 15 of that back on. So, for me I can't really say the surgery was worth it. I'm back on track now and following a sensible diet (keeping it low carb b/c THAT's what works for me). I'm not sorry I had the surgery, but I do wish I had heard from more of the people that are more like me...then MAYBE I would have had a better idea of what was to come. Of course, I know there are people reading this and saying, you still have to do the work. YES - I know, but I really thought I'd get "sick" when I ate wrong and too much and that would "condition" me to not over eat b/c that's all I heard before surgery. The truth is THAT didn't happen to me. I really appreciate all the people commenting here and telling it like it really is! Good luck to all.

all_in_to_win

Weekends are my hardest part too.

misspatrice562

I so agree. I cant remember EVER hearing about people not getting to goal, not losing much weight, etc. All I heard were success after success story so I thought it would be effortless. I'm not complaining. I know nothing is easy but I thought I was alone but now know there are others like me who are on this journey and it isn't easy and hasn't been easy. I can eat a lot of food and that's the problem. I thought I wouldn't be able to! lol But I know it's a "tool" (hear that a gazillion times). IT doesn't do the work, we have to step up and assist our tools.

You aren't alone and WE CAN DO IT!

ChristieStearns

Hello! I am 2 years post op. At the beginning of this year I found I had gained 18 lbs from my lowest weight. I have gotten off 9 of them. Basically old habits creep back in and I can eat ENOUGH (even though I am limited to about 1 cup) that making the wrong choices leads to gaining. I don't need to be perfect but I need to eat the right stuff most of the time, exercise regularly, etc. I basically got lazy and got tired of being stuck around the same weight for a year, so I kind of gave up. Now I realize that even if I am 200 lbs forever, that's better than 216, or MORE from getting lazy or giving up. So I just have to live right and see where it gets me
I'm at 207 now and my lowest was 198 so I am working back toward that. From there, who knows if I can lose more but I've learned to keep trying and keep up the lifestyle.
I have a blog, it's not all about weight loss and surgery, but I do blog about that a lot and I have written a lot about these struggles over the last year. If you want to check it out it is at christies-blog dot com

joyis1nchrist

whoooo hooooo, I am sooooo glad I found you all! I joined MFP right after my VSG in Nov. 2011 at the suggestion of the nutritionist in my surgeon's office. The food tracking seemed to really help but then in Feb. (only 3 months post op) all hell broke lose in my life...mother on hospice, deciding to move to be near her, having her and rest of family opposed to moving, ending up having to move again right away, getting scammed by the landlord and an insurance company, having hubby end up in hospital suicidal, having to go back to the state from which we moved to get more stuff, losing all my SSI because hubby and I got back together (over 1/3 of our income), finding a lesion/lump that I am having biopsied on this Wed. and having to move yet again in just 9 days!!!

sooooo I started being frustrated at how slowly I had to eat in order to not be in pain and how much easier it was to eat a piece of chocolate creme pie than to eat a piece of hamburger patty. It seemed we were always in some kind of hurry and I was hungry all the time too (so much for the Grehlin hormone being gone so that hunger would be gone too!) so I began to eat simple carbs and nibble all the time and of course I began to gain weight. I was scared to weigh or be weighed but finally bit the bullett and found that I had gained 7 lbs instead of the 25 I was sure that I had gained. Grace of God pure and simple.

I wish I could say that motivated me, nope...what motivated me was a clinical trial that I found for Wellbutrin (sometimes used to treat Binge eating disorder) and Naltrexone (an anti-addiction/anti-craving drug) and that is right in my town. Only I was overweight by just over 3 lbs so I immediately went back on an Atkins style diet so I could participate in the trial. I have until the 16th when I go in to begin. I am praying that I will lose at least that much by then!

I was doing great until today when I went out of town all day long. I was hungry and tired. It was also emotionally taxing as it was to see a cardiologist for my mother to get her to reconsider another open-heart surgery and going off hospice for it. It is a huge decision and she goes back and forth all the time. I want her to do it so that perhaps she will stay here a bit longer, but of course that is selfish on my part. If I hadn't eaten the piece of chocolate creme pie in a concession to both my sister and mother doing the same thing (why does it make it okay if "everyone else is doing it"?) I would have stayed within my calorie and carb limits today. So live and learn (920 cal. in 1 piece of pie!)...

PS I guess I shouldn't say I am glad we are here, but you get what I meant, eh?

AquaFitQueen

I'm nearly 23 months post op. I'm only 11lbs away from my lowest and I did lose like 33% of my excess weight, which was right in line with my surgical teams expectations. I was going to have the duodenal switch in two phases as starting out at 640lbs there was not a single person on the planet who expected me to lose more (well except ME, lol). So here I sit at 486 and working my *kitten* off counting calories and exercising. I have decided not to have the DS, at least not yet.

The thing that concerns me is I have ALWAYS been fat. I did not GET fat, I have always been. My BMI right now is the same as when I was 3 years old. I have yet to meet someone who was always superfat and got within a normal BMI and stayed there. Owell. Life is good and at least I am not 640lbs anymore. In fact, at least I am not over 500lbs anymore.

My sleeve got me to a place that I can take control.

If I could do it again, I dont think there is anything I could do differently. I woke up in recovery after surgery starving. Seriously. I never lost hunger.

OneDimSim

I with you All_to_win - I had VSG back in July 2009 and i have not lost all of my weight....gained some back too

Feeling discouraged and like a big ol' loser

Like...who the heck does not lose weight after a weight loss surgery?? (oh yeah...ME!)

meganw5638

I got within 18 lbs of goal at about a year out. I found myself making pretty bad choices last fall and through the holidays, and had been maintaining at the same weight, but I then started making even worse choices and put on a few lbs. Really only bounced up about 3-4 lbs, but still a total wake-up call! Now, at nearly 18 months (and facing my 18-month surgeon appt Monday!) I've gotten back to tracking this week and I can really tell a difference. Focusing on better eating, getting back into a fitness program - I've decided that I WILL get to goal!!!

shirleygirl910

I had the lap band that didn't work. I couldn't keep anything down so I lost like crazy. I started at 314, 297 at lap band surgery, down to 185, they put me on liquid before they would convert it to the sleeve, was up to 191 and after the sleeve, I could EAT!! I gained 30 lbx. in 3 months. I started going to support groups, I had already been on MFP and going to the gym, but I wanted to eat!! I've now dome down to 200 and was swinging between 200 and 205 forever. Unfortunately this last week I hit 206. BAD!!! I want to get back to 180-185. The doctor thinks I should be less than 160. I never did make goal. I have to keep this off and I really need to go back down at least 20 lbs.

We can do this. I'm going to request a lot of you as friends since we all seem to be in the same boat. We'll conquer this food/mind thing!! Thanks for all the encouragement everyone.

escapepod

I got below my surgeon's goal (154), but wanted to get below 140 as my personal goal. I got within a couple of pounds of that, but I've basically been off track for close to a year. I look back at my MFP entries from a year ago, and I see cookies, and brownies and such, and that was on the days when I was at least entering my food - really bad days I didn't track. I've known since before surgery I was an emotional eater and borderline binge eater, but the first 9 months went really well. Then I got sloppy, bounced around within an 8 - 10 pound range for about 6 months, and then started to gain - by which I mean I was up and down, but the lowest weights were climbing.
After the holidays, I finally got my head back in the right place, banished the crap from my diet, and got back on track. I lost 12 pounds in the first couple of weeks, since then it's been more like 1 or 2, but at least things are heading in the right direction. I've been eating right,exercising, and tracking for 5 solid weeks, and this morning I was back to a weight I haven't seen since October (or September?)

Here are my strategies:
(1) Focus on the goal. For the first few weeks I journaled, every day if I could find the time. I needed to get my goals back front and center of my mind. That was crucial for me for motivation, and made me really stop and think about my choices.
(2) Get the crap carbs out of my diet. I'm a carb and sugar addict. I can't stop at a little. I have a lot of trigger foods that are best avoided entirely. Some things I simply eliminate and don't really honestly miss. Other things I find substitutes for. I also added L-Glutamine to my diet which got me past the worst of the carb cravings in the first weeks. Now I often forget to take it, but I'm not sure I would have made it through the first week without it.
(3) Logging my food, even the bad choices. Interestingly I found that logging a bad choice helped me see that it wasn't as bad as I thought, that my day had not suddenly become unredeemable. That short-circuited my temptation to use one bad choice as an excuse to eat all the "bad" foods I've been avoiding, acting like a food maniac for the rest of my day.
(4) Setting short, achievable goals. I can't control what the scale does (dammit!), but I can control me. I started out just aiming to stay on track for an entire week - I'd gotten so far off track that that alone was a huge achievement. Once I'd gotten to a week, then I aimed for two, then for a month. The scale hasn't always cooperated, but I know I'm doing what I need to, and that's all I can control.
So, I'm down 15 pounds of my regain (I'd say 10 of those were carb / water bloat), and I have about 9.5 to goal. I hope I'm past the worst part, which was detoxing from all the crap I'd let creep back into my diet. At least for the moment, I don't crave it, and I'm pretty happy with what I do eat. I'll be two years post-op the end of June, and I so want to crush my goal by then!