I was weighed at my dr's office. I'm a 5'5" female. Now 326 lbs. (a few years after the...

Help!  I don't know how I've let myself go like this. I had the vertical sleeve a few years back and lost around 65 lbs. over time, I've gained that weight back plus over one hundred pounds. I don't know what to do. Do I have the gastric bypass at this point?  I've tried dieting, but have trouble sticking to it because the amount I have to lose is so overwhelming. I have a bunch of autoimmune problems including lupus and fibromyalgia which keeps me very sedentary. I get winded just walking up the stairs. I've never been this heavy in my life. I've been on a ton of medications for my autoimmune illnesses. I'm only 43 and I have an almost 8 year old. I want to be a good role model and be healthy and active. I just don't know where to start. I can hardly stand carrying all this weight. I'm truly at a loss and need help. 

Wow you've been through a lot. I would consider therapy before seeking another surgery. There must be reasons why you ate off plan following your VSG. As one vet puts it, WLS requires lots of commitment and compliance. These characteristics are important regardless of surgery choices. Hoping you find answers soon.

Thanks for the response. I've been in therapy since before I had the vertical sleeve. I obviously didn't stick to the plan. Now I'm trying to remember the plan. I can do this. I'm just having trouble knowing where to start. 

I am so sorry that this happened to you.   It gets really hard getting re-gains off once they are on.   I've been trying to get a re-gain off for 4 yrs now and it's not even a big one.   If your insurance will cover a re-vision I would look into getting the DS.    The sleeve is the first part of the DS surgery and lots of bariatric surgeon's will do the sleeve and then if their patients don't loose as much as they need to they will revise to the DS.    Sounds like you'd make a good candidate for it.    That being said you will have to follow the plan for LIFE no matter what you do.    You CAN have re-gain also with the DS.   I know several who have regained with it.   None of the surgeries guarantee you won't gain if you revert back to unhealthy eating or unhealthy habits.    Praying you make the right decision not only for yourself but your precious  child.    Good luck to you.

 

Hugs and blessings ~~~ Vivian

Thank you. I think I should try to get back to a better eating plan before I go through another surgery. I want to be successful. I don't want my son seeing me like this. 

I totally agree with that.   I personally wouldn't want another surgery either....it IS hard though trust me.    It CAN BE DONE though.    If your not attending a support group meeting please try to find one and go.    Support is the key along with healthy eating and exercise.    Look into getting a floor pedal.   It sits on the floor and your petal it like a bike.   That will get you at least moving some.....you might also look into having someone show you how to chair exercise or exercise laying in bed if exercising puts too much pressure on your body.    I wish you well and YOU CAN DO THIS.    Log your food in Fitday.com or another website and measure your food intake.    Make sure no eating or drinking for 30 minutes before and after meals......lots do this and have a regain.    Good luck to you.

 

Hugs and blessings ~~~ Vivian

That sounds like a good plan. I wish you well!!

I am a single mom and was 339 at my highest. I knew I had to lose weight to be the best mom for my kids.

Be kind to yourself.

Hello,

For those of us who have re-gained! It's hard getting back on track, but it can be done, know this. 7 yrs. later I am trying to lose some re-gain of 30lbs. plus I need to lose additional. And indeed I had to change a lot of things back to, right after surgery days. It's okay, we are here for you. I just joined a group, called
Back on Track Together, right here on OH, look under group thread. I am only a few weeks in, and it's been HARD, but the pay off is wl is occurring for me again! Even 7 yrs. later so you can do it too! We just have to take it day by day, and one pound at a time. I need to lose 50-lbs. and I know it's going to take some time? but I am going to try my best efforts, to get this regain off. A revision is not an option for me, I still have my tool, I just need to work it, like before. For some it's easy, for others it's harder, even after having surgery, it get's harder too, because we went through grave lengths to lose wt, and the we re-gain wt. back, it's a vicious circle, I am twirling around in it my self, but just ask your self, as I did, "How bad do you want it?" It's not going to happen over night, I would pay for that, but over time, and effort, is the key, you/we can do it. don't' beat yourself down, it's okay, just learn from the re-gain as I am trying. It will be different, not even like the first time, but the tool is there to help, let it work for you, give it a chance, we are all worth it! This is the best support network in the world, and we are right here. I now understand the true meaning of one day at a time, be fair and give your self a second chance, a third a fourth, whatever it takes! We can live our lives, but some of us have to battle this thing for life! I know I always will.
Peace-jug Good luck to you! Just know we can gain weight, and we can lose it again too! I am trying, and one sweet day ??

My guess is that your body needs more than just eating less...especially if you only lost 65 lbs initally.  What a heartbreak!  The most logical revision would be the Duodenal Switch, whi*****ludes the vertical sleeve but adds some metabolic change as well.  They could re-sleeve to make it smaller if it's necessary while they're at it.  I know that Dr. Aceves now does DS, but you may seek help from his mentor, Dr. Ungson to ensure all goes well, for revisions can be trickier.

Please consider your options carefully only with a qualified Bariatric surgeon if you do decide to pursue more surgery.  

I think it is essential that a person be as informed as possible regarding the risk/benefit ratio with whatever they undertake, especially in the case of extensive and complicated surgery such as weight loss surgery. Weight loss surgery is also an elective surgery- personal informed awareness is even more important in undertaking it. In the case of the sleeve, the RNY, and the DS, the impact is irreversible. Even if a reversal surgery is performed, it can only be like repairing a broken vase.      

I'm not saying that the DS doesn't have benefits, especially with diabetes and sleep apnea and long term weight loss. It's just that a person needs to be aware of the costs and to look at the possibility from many different aspects.

The DS is by far the most extensive and complicated of all the weight loss surgeries. There are only around 50 surgeons worldwide who are willing to perform it and it is by far the least performed of all the available weight loss surgeries- why is that? Clearly it is not seen as a moneymaker, let alone something most surgeons want to undertake. I don't think that has much to do with skill level, either, because many thousands of surgeons perform operations even more complicated and extensive on a routine basis. My Bariatric surgeons won't do it at all, and say the added weight loss from DS compared with gastric bypass is offset by risk of complications that far outweigh any potential benefits.      

Plus the jury is still out with regard to the long term effectiveness of all the weight loss surgeries, impact on long term health, and effect on life longevity.       

Plus all of the surgeries can be eaten around.