100% Regain

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TenshiDuck
TenshiDuck Posts: 5 Member
Hi, all,

I figured I would post in case anyone else out there is lurking and too ashamed to post. Of all the surgeries, it seems like VSG has the lowest regain out there - just my general observation from looking across boards for all different kinds of bariatric options. In fact, that's one reason I chose the VSG. It seemed guaranteed to succeed.

Well... it hasn't. At least not for me. I know all the catchphrases - work the tool, it's not a magic solution, etc.

At one point, about a year after surgery, I was down about 100 pounds and kicking butt... around then, I began to stall. Stalling led to lost motivation. Lost motivation invited the return of bad habits. Bad habits brought the weight back. I have topped out at about 10 pounds below my heaviest recorded weight, and finally made the decision to try and get control of my life again.

However, as far as I am concerned, it's as if I am doing this weight loss thing without ever having had any type of surgery. The sensation of restriction is completely gone - the only time my body reminds me that most of my tummy was removed is when I eat just a little too fast and get an air bubble under a bite of food, which forces it back up and out in a most unfriendly manner.

I'm not necessarily looking for advice - I've read it all! - or condolences, or even "go get 'em!"s. I just wanted to put this out there so that, maybe, another VSGer who is facing the shame of regain knows that he or she is not alone.

Or perhaps I am alone?

Either way, I'm back on track and 'sweating for the wedding!' Hubby and I got married courthouse style in January of this year, but we want to have a ceremony/party with friends and family, now! My goal is to lose 100 pounds by September 2017.

Thanks for reading. We got this. :)
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Replies

  • Keikix3
    Keikix3 Posts: 42 Member
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    These are very helpful and well written posts! Thanks so much for warning me. I am just a couple of weeks out from my sleeve surgery. But I have been on this weight loss merry go round for many years with intermittent success and regains. I think its important not to beat yourself up, its so easy to fall into that trap and then get depressed over this or that issue. It seems you have to write out your meal plans and food diaries for life to see what is really going into us with all the relevant information about the foods. I am wondering if returning to the support groups would also help get back on track, or maybe the 3 of you can buddy up on line. Tring to do it by yourself seems like a very lonely road to me. Big hugs and best of luck too.
  • BringingSherriBack
    BringingSherriBack Posts: 607 Member
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    I too am ashamed to say that after having lost 147 pounds following my VSG in 2011, here I sit nearly 5 years later having gained 50 pounds back. I did great until about year 2 then littke by little I started eating slider foods then I stopped exercising as much. Throw in there a less active job (gained 25 pounds in last year alone after changing jobs) and here I am. I started back in track today to get these 50 pounds off and would like to lose an additional 25 on top of that but I'd be happy with just the 50 to be gone again. And yes now it is just like before WLS with trying to lose. I know what to do, I just have to keep myself motivated to get it done.
  • tugsandpulls760
    tugsandpulls760 Posts: 206 Member
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    TenshiDuck wrote: »
    Hi, all,

    I figured I would post in case anyone else out there is lurking and too ashamed to post. Of all the surgeries, it seems like VSG has the lowest regain out there - just my general observation from looking across boards for all different kinds of bariatric options. In fact, that's one reason I chose the VSG. It seemed guaranteed to succeed.

    Well... it hasn't. At least not for me. I know all the catchphrases - work the tool, it's not a magic solution, etc.

    At one point, about a year after surgery, I was down about 100 pounds and kicking butt... around then, I began to stall. Stalling led to lost motivation. Lost motivation invited the return of bad habits. Bad habits brought the weight back. I have topped out at about 10 pounds below my heaviest recorded weight, and finally made the decision to try and get control of my life again.

    However, as far as I am concerned, it's as if I am doing this weight loss thing without ever having had any type of surgery. The sensation of restriction is completely gone - the only time my body reminds me that most of my tummy was removed is when I eat just a little too fast and get an air bubble under a bite of food, which forces it back up and out in a most unfriendly manner.

    I'm not necessarily looking for advice - I've read it all! - or condolences, or even "go get 'em!"s. I just wanted to put this out there so that, maybe, another VSGer who is facing the shame of regain knows that he or she is not alone.

    Or perhaps I am alone?

    Either way, I'm back on track and 'sweating for the wedding!' Hubby and I got married courthouse style in January of this year, but we want to have a ceremony/party with friends and family, now! My goal is to lose 100 pounds by September 2017.

    Thanks for reading. We got this. :)

    i think you should see a therapist weight loss is very mental too get to the root
  • tugsandpulls760
    tugsandpulls760 Posts: 206 Member
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    every post i see is the same you gained weight back because you went back to old habbiats if your not mentally ready you will fail
    '
  • jillcwatson1
    jillcwatson1 Posts: 100 Member
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    I still have not reached my goal, although I am 14 months out from surgery. I have lost about 85 lbs, but still have nearly 100 to go. I was highly motivated when I was losing the required weight to "qualify" for surgery. I did pretty well when I was healing and stuck to the plan. Each week following surgery I was faithful to the small changes as I learned to eat again. 6 weeks after...when they called the diet Maintainence, I thought I had it made! I really wish that I had added foods over 6 months instead of 6 weeks. I am lacking the motivation to do what I thought would be easy. I just figured that my quantities would be less. I didn't realize how hard it would be to focus on high protein, low carb for a year or longer. Does anyone have help with this? Short of starting over...

  • tugsandpulls760
    tugsandpulls760 Posts: 206 Member
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    i was fat my whole life so the surgery i look at it as a 2nd life in my first life i look at all the foods that made me fat so in this 2nd life i elimniate all them and eat right it isnt easy but my new life is way better then my previous life so thats my motivation
  • pattycakes726
    pattycakes726 Posts: 348 Member
    edited July 2016
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    I am glad to see this thread. I am 3 years out and have put almost 30 lbs back on after losing 120. No big mystery - I took my eye off the ball, starting adding snacks and alcohol back into my diet, and started eating when I'm not hungry. I've just started getting back on track - purged the house of all the crap and did a big shopping trip to stock up on 'good' stuff. This week has been okay but my son is away at camp so I've only had to think about myself.
  • 3dhowell
    3dhowell Posts: 5 Member
    edited July 2016
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    Exactly what I am going through! I have to own that I went into this thinking VSG was the fix for me. I remember saying "I will NEVER gain this weight back!" I have every excuse mentioned in the post above and more. I have gained 78 of the 119 pounds that I lost. UGHHH!!! The truth is I can stop the regain right now, at this very moment! I can quit having my pity party and feeling sorry for myself because I failed. The truth is I can begin succeeding right now, at this very moment. The struggle is real, and I do think the therapy suggestion is a good one for me. Here's to getting back on track!
  • Mom2Cubs
    Mom2Cubs Posts: 60 Member
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    I feel like I could have written so many of the post I just read. While I hate what everyone has gone through with the weight regain, I am glad do see I am not alone with it. Trying to get back on track now and get back in control. I do believe I have read some inspiration and motivation in your post. Thank you all for being open and honest about your struggles and regains.
  • specialemy
    specialemy Posts: 141 Member
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    Thank you for your post! I enjoyed reading it along with all the comments. I am 4 years out and didn't eat consciously for the past year and am now deciding to get back to the basics again. I just recently attended the Obesity Help conference and the event greatly inspired me to try again as well. All the best to you & all out there.
  • goldenvic
    goldenvic Posts: 2 Member
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    I'm back on the program. After 2 1/2 years i'm gaining again. Creeping back, 20 lbs back, and I never lost all the weight with GS. I have not gotten under 200. Dr. told me I wouldn't. That was a negative thing to tell me. BUT, I'm back at logging my food and jumping back on the program. Met with nutritionist yesterday. I need to feel like I can do this. Going to focus on getting in my protein first, leaving the chips and crackers alone. I think the old calories in calories out may apply too. Though I have been very inactive with some knee issues. I think when some of those gained lbs come off that will help. Today I'm feeling like I can do this. I do feel restriction, so I need to listen to it. Agree with posts that it's easier to load up on the crackers and sweets. Sleeve will hold lots more of those calories. So today riding out hurricane conditions and logging food. :smile:
  • fallingwave
    fallingwave Posts: 108 Member
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    You are NOT alone. And reading these posts have been very helpful for me so I appreciate you putting it out there!

    11/22 will be my 3 year anniversary for gastric sleeve. Like most of you, the first year was awesome! I lost about... 95 the first year. Then stalled. Then I was exercising a lot, hurt my knee, got lazy, started eating things I shouldn't... Started to get motivated again, hurt my back... gained about 25 back. I have been on Phentermine the last few months and I am about 10 lbs away from my lowest weight since surgery. But I still need to lose about 80 lbs :neutral: It is CRAZY how easy it is to gain back. CRAZY.

    Last November (2 year mark) I had a scope done. Surgeon told me my sleeve looked the same as it did at the 1 year mark -- slightly stretched but still plenty of restriction. Then proceeded to tell me that there is a high failure rate for sleeve patients. Then recommended maybe I do a Duo Duenal (SP?) Switch. Ugh. I don't want to do another surgery. So I am back at it. The scale is moving very slowly.
  • akindofmagick
    akindofmagick Posts: 143 Member
    edited October 2016
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    I haven't regained; am still slowly losing (3# this week; 10# since beginning of August), but have had a very long stall, due mostly to my love of a glass of wine in the evenings. !!!

    My breakfast has remained unchanged since the start: a Pure Protein chocolate shake, sometimes with PB powder, chia seeds and 1/2 banana; other times just straight. I typically down a protein bar on my evening commute (Pure Protein or Quest) - altho I've proven to myself that these significantly slow my weight loss. Lunch is a good sized salad with some meat added to it; it takes a couple of hours to eat. Dinner is usually a stir fry with meat or tofu and a whole lot of veggies; I take a half cup scoop out of the wok for me, and serve it with rice or noodles for the kids. I sometimes will have 1/2 - 2/3 of a scrambled egg as a mid-morning snack, with a tsp of cheddar cheese, instead of meat on my salad. And Greek yogurt - I definitely do better on the days I remember to have one of those! Finally: fruit. Right now I'm eating a small apple every day. No soda, not once - and I was a diet coke addict.

    I started dehydrating foods early in the summer, to reap the benefits from my vegetable garden. It's amazing how a small amount of dehydrated anything can fill up a sleeve. I especially love zucchini chips, and pineapple. I typically have almonds available, too.

    I don't keep any processed food around, and don't buy it when we're out. Watch the movie, "Food, Inc." (try your local library) and you'll likely start eliminating processed food from your family's options, too! :)

    I recently changed jobs and now have a sit/stand desk, plus I bought a cheap balance board to stand on. I try to stand an hour in the morning and another in the afternoon - it's definitely helped. My FitBit has been a wonderful motivator, too.

    It's a lifelong commitment, and I'm still learning - but I still really believe I can work with my sleeve to live a longer, more healthy life. Certainly the choices I make are healthier: protein, veggies, fruit in that order. Always.

    Good luck, Everyone!! Would love if some of the folks who posted in this thread months ago could come back and give us updates!

    Edited to add:
    I forgot WATER! I never go anywhere without my water bottle any more - can't believe how big a change that has made in my life!!