Husband almost at pre-surgery weight!!!! - ThinnerTimes

KarenR · 02-12-2005, 12:46 PM

Hi! My name is Karen. My husband had gastric bypass 3/2000 (the typical roux-en-y procedure). He has had complications - 4 small bowel obstructions-two of which required surgery-one of which resulted in a resection of the small bowel.
He went from 320 to about 180 lbs. My question is this. Can you regain the original weight if the surgery was performed correctly? I believe they created a 2 oz. pouch.I have read these posts and the general consensus is that you can never eat "normal" again. My husband can eat just as much as he could before the surgery! He certainly outeats me and I have a healthy appetite! He is almost back at his original weight. It shocks me at the amount that he can eat! I am very worried about him as he is becoming increasingly depressed and has given up. I need help!!! Thanks!

JohnsWife4Life · 02-12-2005, 02:23 PM

Yes Karen,

It is possible to gain all the weight back and then some, unforunately we can eat normal again, but is that really normal? No not really, normal is more what we do as post op about 6 months out,it is up to us to use our pouch as a tool. I am sorry that your husband has regained most of his weight, and some of us will too, IF we don't use our pouch as a tool. You need help for sure, and I don't know if we can help you, other than giving you support. He is the only one that can control what he puts in his mouth. You can control what you cook, and how much you cook at a meal. I bet that sounds so stereotypical. You woman, him man, you cook, he eats. If you make 1 potato for each member of the family, he can only eat one. You cannot control what he does outside the home, but you can control what you put on his plate at home. If you have small children that need treats, you may want to treat them on the run, that is, buy an individual treat for them, eat it in the car and don't take any home. As many complications as he had, he must be discouraged. Get him on here. Get a copy of the pouch rules for dummies, I know many can give you them, and then Mary Clipper is the one I saw post them originally, so you can email her if you want to get a copy. We can help each other hopefully. I see that I also have a potential to gain my weight back, as we begin to eat more and more. Right now I just want to stop losing, but I know I can eat a whole taco now, and before I could only eat a few bites. The other night I thought about eating a bite of the second taco my daughter brought me. I didn't, and I told her to please never bring me two items again, I don't need it, don't wan't it and full is full. I usually don't get full because I learned that satisfied feels better than full. I am glad you are here now, but I wish you had shown up a year ago, or even 6 months. His old habits are back, and without his will and desire, there isn't anything you can do but give support and encouragement while not nagging or beating him up. Try telling how handsome he looks today, bring out some of his 189 pound pictures. Get the pouch rules, cut out all your own sweets. Don't bring them into the house. If he wants to eat that stuff make it be him that has to go and buy it. Ask him to take a walk with you, bring the kids, have a good time of it. Doesn't have to be fast just MOVING will help. It is a scary thing, and you have opened up my eyes.

I wish you all the luck in the world Karen, and I will pray for your husband, take care and hugs,

Traci

bridgetgirl · 02-12-2005, 10:28 PM

That is really a bummer, especially all he had to endure. I find when I eatthere are 2 things I do.. I eat until I know I have had enough nutrients... or I do that, then I pick whatever is left around. I dont know if he really FEELS hungry after the first few ouunces of food, or if he is trying to get the FEELING of being stuffed. He needs to relearn the difference from his head hunger and his bellyhunger. He needs to go back tothe old wayof doing things PROTEIN FIRST. It is absolutely essential to our wayof life, if you dont get the protein your body will evolve and find ways to hold onto the most essential vitamins and proteins, thus holding onto the crap thatis being put into the mouth as well. He HAS to go back to protein first and 3 meals a day, I think at this point this is the only thing to get him back into training with his tool. And walk, walk, walk... even if its only 5-10 mins a day. Suggest doing it with him, just for romantic time......I hope our input helps... you sound very concerned... but is he?

bridgetgirl · 02-12-2005, 10:30 PM

And another thing, he NEEDS to get his behind into support groups! It is the key to successful weight loss.... its a fact! We will embrace him, never shame him and encourage him to come back to this side, the healthy way of life..... there are folks who come back to support by gaining a few pounds to 40 pounds... they realize support is essential in getting them back on track! bestwishes!

lealphachienne · 02-12-2005, 10:46 PM

He needs some professional help. If his doctor is sympathetic, maybe you can talk to him/her. I'm sure he's gotten so many negative comments, which just adds to the depression. The surgery only fixes the physical part. It takes a whole lot of work to fix the mental parts that led to the weight gain to begin with. Mind over matter as the saying goes, good and bad habits. The surgery isn't a magic pill and it's not 100% foolproof.

I wish you luck and peace. Keep us informed.

Esouza · 02-13-2005, 03:56 PM

As others have said you can gain the weight back.

Tracie · 02-13-2005, 04:16 PM

Karen,

Please have him make an appt with a surgeon to be "scoped". They can check the pouch outlet, the stoma. If this has stretched, he can eat way more than he should be able to. Sometimes the food can stretch out part of the intestine and make a larger holding tank for food. Also, if he wasn't transected, there can be a staple line disruption. Regardless, he needs to be checked. It probably isn't his fault!

bridgetgirl · 02-13-2005, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tracie

Karen,

Please have him make an appt with a surgeon to be "scoped". They can check the pouch outlet, the stoma. If this has stretched, he can eat way more than he should be able to. Sometimes the food can stretch out part of the intestine and make a larger holding tank for food. Also, if he wasn't transected, there can be a staple line disruption. Regardless, he needs to be checked. It probably isn't his fault!

You are so stinkin' wise n stuff....... love ya girl!

Tracie · 02-14-2005, 11:02 AM

Bridget...LOL, you are too cute. Anyway, I think I just like to play the devil's advocate or something like that...gotta see all sides to the story

Esouza · 02-14-2005, 11:07 AM

I have a question tho Tracie. If the pouch outlet has been stretched how would this be prevented from happening again? I'm not beating you up about this just to clarify. I can understand the staple line breaking down and there can be a variety of causes for that ranging from overeating and stressing the line to the staples itself. The pouch outlet I don't understand tho. How can it become strectched is what I'm asking I guess. I really don't know anyway except one.