3.5 years post VSG have gained 50% weight loss

Hello everyone! I posted here so often in 2010, the year I had my WLS. I've really missed everyone. I did so well for the first couple of years but started eating sweets and carbs very slowly but more and more over time. I also stopped going to follow ups with my wonderful surgeon after about the first 18 mos. I'm just sick about my weight gain. Do you think my sleeve might be stretched or enlarged?

Am hoping another surgery might correct this, but have a feeling I'm going to have to change my diet. Radically. I'm SO upset by this, took me months just to come back here to post.

If you want to lose weight, you will need to change your diet.  I am not a big proponent of going back to basics, simply because basics are boring and most people will not stick to basics.

You need to find a diet that will work for you and that will make you lose weight again.  I can't tell by your post how much weight you need to lose.  If you can cut out 500 calories a day, then you will lose about one pound a week.  Twenty pounds will take 20 weeks, fifty pounds will take 50 weeks.

Even if you have another surgery, you will have to eat the correct number of calories to lose and then to maintain.  Weigh****chers might be a good choice for you now.

I did so well for the first couple of years but started eating sweets and carbs very slowly but more and more over time. I also stopped going to follow ups with my wonderful surgeon after about the first 18 mos.

It sounds like you know exactly what you need to do!  Stop eating the sweets and carbs and followup with your surgeon.  You can do it!  

You will absolutely have to change your diet. From what I understand, both from my surgeon's office and on these boards, it is VERY rare that someone has actually "stretched" their sleeve from overeating. Most likely, you've found that your capacity has increased (which is natural) and that you are eating the types of foods that are digested quickly/easily; therefore, you can eat much more of it. Not only that... but these kinds of foods (simple carbs, sugars, etc.) can also induce hunger and cravings.

Going back to basics is crucial in order to get back on track. I highly doubt another surgery will help you. Have you spoken to your surgeon's office? A nutritionist? A therapist?

Yep, your first line of attack should be changing your diet. Cut out the sugar and the simple carbs---anything made from flour, rice---really, all grains, because even though whole grains are considered 'complex' carbs, they're the devil when you're trying to lose weight. Sugars, too, and I don't just mean refined sugar---most fruits contain a lot of sugar, and so do some veggies, like carrots.

Journal your food, and determine just where you're slipping up. If you can fix that, you *should* fix your problem.

BUT---your metabolism may be too efficient for just restriction alone to work. Most of us have dieted so much over the years that we've taken what was a pretty efficient metabolism to start with and honed to a super-efficient, fat-storing machine. If that's true for you, then it's time to think about adding the Switch to your present Sleeve for a full Duodenal Switch.

The DS has the very best long-term, maintained weight-loss stats because it makes a dramatic, permanent change in how our bodies metabolize food. Essentially, it causes us to be less able to store fat. You might say it 'breaks' our super-efficient metabolism back to 'normal'.

This is not meant to sound harsh, but how would another surgery help? All wls require a change in eating habits. None work if you eat sugar and carbs. And, despite some people believing you can't eat sweet things with bypass, over half of people can! 

I would suggest working with the surgery you have. See a nutritionist, see a psychologist. But mostly, cut out carbs and sugars.

Hi, 

Don't know if you remember me but you are still on my friends list, and our stories are very similar, I posted mine on my profile. So with that said, welcome back and don't feel like you are alone. I've only been back on here for a week, the 1st 2 days I did strictly protein drinks, just to break the carb cycle. It didn't kill me and I only got a headache for the 1st few days.

It's not as easy getting back on track as it is staying there, but it can be done! I post on the VSG board, the lightweight board, and joined the group Back on Track Together, anything to keep my mind in the game and keep myself motivated and accountable.  

Best of luck to you, you've done it before so you know you can do it again, coming back to OH was just the first step :)

I will echo what the others said, and say that if you can see your NUT, or surgeon, or join a local WL support group, that you should check those options out, those were not available to me so I'm using OH and tracking ect..through LoseIt.com.

It took a lot of courage for you to reach out.  That is the 1st step, you will find moral support here and no judgement.  I would not look into another surgery.  Maybe WLS support group, and try to de carb first. Carbs were my drug of choice and still are, so I understand.

Bless you,

Karla

Lucy, I happened to me... in five years after surgery. Also considering revision but do not know, which, besides bypass or duodenal switch. 

regards

Ok.  I reaaaaallly have to say something here because your post is rather irksome.

You say you "have a feeling I'm going to have to change my diet.  Radically."  I'm sorry but how can you even have a 'feeling' about this???  You admit you're eating EXACTLY the things that made you fat in the first place - and somehow you think that magically you wouldn't gain tons of weight from doing so?!  And you think you MIGHT have to change your diet???  There is NO QUESTION you have to change your diet - NONE.  YES, you MUST change your diet.  Period.  You must detox from carbs, totally.  Eliminate them cold turkey.  The first three days are HELL - been there many many times - but you can do it - just chug or eat protein protein protein.  You need to retrain your body AND your head.  You need to accept responsibility for this and then make the necessary changes. 

You KNOW there is no easy way out.  This is FOREVER if you want the weight loss to be FOREVER.  So the big question here is: Do. You. Want. It. ???  If you do, then get back on the damn horse and kick some ass!  If you don't then keep doing what you're doing while expecting different results (which results in failure).  Those are your ONLY choices.  Pick one. 

Sorry to be harsh, but this is not hand-holding time.  This is take the bull-by-the-horns time!