I'm a failure!

I went to the doctor last week. It hasn't even been 3 years since surgery and I've gained 30 lbs. how is this possible????? I am freaking out. Has this happened to anyone else? What did you do? I feel like such a failure. I'm embarrassed. I'm miserable! Help!!!

It's actually quite normal to regain 25-30% of ewl over time.  If your numbers are higher than that percentage, you have cause for worry.  Thats why people work so hard at the beginning to lose as much as possible during their honeymoon period.  It leaves buffer for the bounceback weight..

Hang in there...you are certainly not a failure!!! You are now aware of some regain, which empowers you to do something about it!!  Keep your head up. I'm only a very new post-op, but just from reading posts, a lot of people seem to say to "go back to the basics" in order to check in with your eating and your pouch. Best of luck!!

Very common at the three year mark which is why good habits are so important to learn the first 2 years. Measure your portions and journal your food. I had RNY 5+ years ago and have remained under goal, but it is not "magic". Forgive yourself and move on. You can do it. Just get back on track before you gain even more.

"How is this possible?????"

It is possible because 1) you only get about 18 months of caloric malabsorption with the RNY which slowly starts to fade from very early after surgery, so you are now absorbing almost all the calories you eat, and 2) the cardinal rule of weight gain: you are eating more calories than you are burning on a regular basis.

You are definitely not alone.  Many people with RNY experience regain.  For some people it is just a 10 pound so-called "bounce back" (which is NOT automatic, BTW... It can be prevented), and for others it can be a significant amount of the weight they lost.

So take a deep breath, and resolve to stop the regain now while it s 30 pounds not 50 pounds.

The first thing I would suggest is getting honest with yourself about what is going on.  Even if you don't weigh yourself regularly, surely you knew you were gaining weight by how your clothes were fitting, right?  Weigh yourself every week.  That way you know exactly where you stand. 

Go back to basics with a protein forward, limited carb diet.  Track your food and double check your portion sizes (it is REALLY easy to the let the portion sizes creep up as time passes).  Do what you can to increase your physical activity (not necessarily formal exercise).

Also, get some support, whether here or in person or both. You CAN get the weight back off.

Lora

One of the most important things you can do is have a good scale and use it everyday.  If you do that, you will not ever get a shock at the doctor's office.  Start now and no matter how hard it is, know how much you weigh every day.

You can lose the weight again, but it will take time.  One to two pounds a week is the most that you will usually lose.  You might have a big loss the first week on a low calorie diet and that is a bonus.  After my surgery honeymoon, it is easier to gain weight and harder to lose weight than it was before surgery.

Without my daily weigh in I would quickly go into denial and the pounds would quickly pile back on.  I have been there, regained, lost the weight again, and now weigh daily to be sure it stays off.

How much was your regain? How long did it take you to see the scale move again? And how long did it take to get it off?

My goal is 136.  I got down to 128 and stayed there for almost two years.  At close to three years I gained back up to 142.  It took about four months. 

I lost by cutting to 800 calories a day.  It took six weeks to get back to 136.  I have never gone under 136, but really look and feel much better than I did at 128. 

I have to watch my calories, but the important thing to me is to watch the scale.  When it goes up, I know that I have to take action.

You're NOT a failure---you're human. You can lose this.

I'm here with you. I just posted same thing. I have been attempting to lose the gain 16 lbs I have been trying for 3 months now and not a pound gone. But haven't gone up. I did weigh my self almost daily the gain happened in a small two month time frame. A lot was going on with me emotionally and mentally I ended up hospitalized for fourteen days then was home bound for four weeks prior to the break I was go go go. And maintained my goal weight. I got back in swing of routine and work and exercise and diet of maintenance now for three months and the scale hasn't of yet moved down.  I'm going back to the basics only proteins as I did in the start and kicking exercise everyday.  For three months doing what I did prior to the gain isn't working so I actually have to "diet" and pay attention and others report that if I do this it will work. I have tried everything else so I'm giving this one pound a week for 16 weeks sticking to tracking diet and exercise which I have been doing for three months,  but I was eating in a maintenance frame of mind with some carbs so I'm told eliminate them and should see movement. Honestly I'm skeptical, but not trying is only going to leave me in my current state of mind at least if I'm attempting change I can push those thoughts of self doubt and failure aside. And at least have a hope to getting back to a place of self confidence I once had. I do know that if I'm able to be successful I will be able to pass on to others with full understanding that it can be done. This is work for sure, it's not easy but in the end it is for us and I know for me that's why I had wls to begin with. Sorry this was so long I really want to let you know your not alone and as I can see neither am I. We can do this