Weight gain stories. - ThinnerTimes

BBD · 06-16-2006, 05:48 AM

I am tired of hearing about the friend of a friend or the third cousin on my wife's side who had WLS and lost hundreds of pounds only to regained all their weight back.. plus more.

What is the true numbers of people who regain their weight?

If you listen to the stories you would think over half who had the surgery are fat again.

bloomer001 · 06-16-2006, 09:57 AM

I don't know about a friend of a friend or anything like that, but my surgeon and my PC and my Nutritionist and the research I am reading are all pretty much the same. With what little research and tracking the NIH has done, between 1 and 5 to 1 and 10 (depending on the source) of WLS patients will re-gain 50 - 70% of their weight within 10 years, with the 2 -3 year mark really being the 'time to tell'. From what my surgeon has told me that 2 - 3 year mark is really the hard time for some, as your body has adjusted and you can eat most things again, it is at this time you MUST stick to your new habbits of healthy eating and excerise. Hopefully in 3 years I will be able to tell you I'm not one of those people

cnvh · 06-16-2006, 11:53 AM

Most of the stories I've heard have been of people gaining not ALL, but a really significant portion of their weight back-- the 50-70% number sticks in my head. Apparently, the people taking it all off and KEEPING it all off have been the exception, not the rule... most people seem to regain, it's just a question of how much.

cindisthinner · 06-17-2006, 10:10 PM

well im new 2 this sit but i had my surgery in sept.2004 now ive been stuck at 149-155 up & down between these #s 4 bout 1 yr. i wonder if ill lode anymore weight i want 2 get down 2 125 so i started riding my recumberent bike 4 15 min.&walk every day at work(lunchtime)2 miles ive been doing this 4 bout 2weeks but i only lost 4lbs.seems like not much .im so impatient sometimes ,im scared im gonna get fat again they say the 2 yr. mark is the break it or lose it time ive never been 2 suport groups ,working all the time,ive lost bout 143lbs.i weigh 153 today but 2 weeks ago i weighed 148 what gives help!!!!

weight now: 153
WEIGHT THEN: 296
WEIGHT LOST: 143
GOAL: 125

LisaM · 06-18-2006, 06:31 AM

This is from an article in a diabetes journal - here's the link if you want to read the whole thing: http://clinical.diabetesjournals.org.../full/22/3/115.

In the series by Pories et al., average follow-up was 14 years. Patients lost 70% of their excess weight in the first 6-12 months and kept off 50% of their excess weight at the time of reporting.

To tranlate this, my ideal weight at 5'1" tall is 109 pounds. I weighed 303 pounds at the time of the surgery. If I fit the average exactly, I will lose a total of 136 pounds, and weigh about 167 pounds by the time I hit my one year mark. Then, over the next 13 years, I will gain an average of three pounds a year back, and will weigh 206 pounds in 2019.

Don't forget - these are AVERAGES. To put that in perspective a little bit, essentially this means that of any five people who've had the surgery, two people won't gain that much weight back, two will gain more than that, and one will gain exactly that much.

I don't know about you, but I'm doing my best to a) lose more than 70% of my excess weight, and b) change my life enough that regaining weight is not an option for me. In other words, I plan on being on the right side of the average... the side that does NOT gain the weight back.

Peckkale · 06-18-2006, 05:55 PM

I work with a woman who has had GBP surgery. At about 18 months post-op we noticed her ass and thighs looked swollen. She's now about 2 yrs post-op and there is no doubt about it..... She's FAT! She has a huge ass and thunder thighs and a sagging gut.

Now you have to look at how she's caring for herself.

At 18 months post-op she bragged how she could eat See's candies without the fear of dumping..............

I guess you could say, she's back to old habits.

This surgery is life changing IF we make the changes we need to make and stick with them.

Mavisavis · 06-18-2006, 07:53 PM

I am interested in the statistics, but I try to use them to remind myself that this does not do it for me.....that it matters very much how I choose to use it. I am struggling, but determined!!

Blueyz · 06-18-2006, 09:37 PM

I think we all have to struggle. I know that the further out I become, the harder it is to maintain. Some days are easier than other days. I fall back into old habits and feel terrible. When I follow the pouch rules, I feel great. I will be 2 years post-op in July and I can say that 2 years out is much harder than a year out or just months post-op. It gets harder with time and the weight does come back on. I see it with a lot of my friends and have experienced it myself. This is definately a tool and I know that I must continue to work my tool. If I don't pay attention, the pounds creep up on me. Pretty soon, a few pounds become 10 and then 10 become 20. It is very easy. I know that if I eat junk, the junk packs right back on in my trunk.

cindisthinner · 06-19-2006, 12:05 PM

blueyz youre thread was interesting 2 me ive not been on this site very long i just started using my daughters computer ive never used 1 before so im a newby at this all but hearing that 2 yrs. is thw time 2 freak out usually bout gaining weight helps me alot i am a snacker i snack on rice cake & protien bars probably more than i should so im gonna start doing my bike 20 min. not 15 min. & try 2 not snack its hard when im on my period i feel like i cant get full i eat alot of chicken & cheese i have melted on everything (except choclate ha ha )this seems 2 keep me from having the immodium moments

if anyonehas anymore helpfull hints im up 4 the advice

Mavisavis · 06-19-2006, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cindisthinner

if anyonehas anymore helpfull hints im up 4 the advice

Welcome to the board. I am full of tips and strategies.....I just don't always pull myself together to take my own advice.

For me, the old habits, cravings, feelings, issues, etc. are back with a vengeance. Some things that have helped along the way are:

1. Drinking something with a little protein instead of snacking. I usually add a little dry milk to tea, coffee, or make cocoa with sweetener. Sometimes I use the small low sugar drinkable yogurts. It seems when it's something with even a little protein it satisfies me better.

2. Switching to soy and sugar free products when I can. I found soytzels (soy pretzels), tortilla chips made with flax and soy. Because of the protein they fill me quicker and I eat fewer, so they are healthier, and I stop sooner. The sf products now taste much better and I use them when I can (drinks, popsicles, pudding, yogurt, choc milk, etc). The exception is sugar alcohol......it makes me sick.

3. If I crave something specific, I try and make it at home where I control the ingredients (like meatloaf, spaghetti, waffles, mac and cheese, cream soups). I can use leaner meats, leave out butter, use healthier and less oil and such. When I eat out, I stick to more basics like grilled chicken or fish, crab legs, good cuts of steak, then add veggies or baked potato, broth soups, and/or salad.

4. If I insist on a snack that I have trouble limiting, I do better if I also eat protein with it. Again, it helps me stop sooner. For instance, eat cheese with pretzels, or PB with crackers, or nuts with popcorn. It seems otherwise I can munch unlimited with not much word from the good old pouch.

5. Don't even bring the BIGGEST trigger foods home. The bigger trigger foods I buy in small bags. Other trigger foods I can divide into baggies myself. For some reason I am less likely to open a sealed bag than a zip lock baggie?

Well, that's what came to mind. Anyone else have some......maybe it'll help if I add new ones......Lordie I am struggling.