Weight gain ... ugh

I am 2.5 years PO and have been doing well for the most part. However, a little over a year ago I was injured. I was on all kinds of pain medication and steroids. Also, a lot of bed rest and being forced to sit around. I am not seeing a 15 lbs weight gain staring back at me at the scales and I am terrified. I don't even know where to start to get this back off again. I am depressed that none of my clothes from last year fit and I am just annoyed every time I look in the mirror. Not because I am "over weight or heavy" because I don't think I am truly in that area again, but, because of what I looked liked last year and am comparing (probably harshly) I am thinking about maybe a week or two of mostly liquid protein?

While everyone is different, it is very normal to have a weight gain of about 20 pounds at 30 months out.  It happens to many people and has little to do with exercise.  What happens is that the pouch gets larger and more food can be eaten at a time.  We tolerate most foods well and can eat a lot of some foods. 

Also the intestines regrow little hair like appendages that grab the food and hold it against the intestines so that more calories can be absorbed.  This is the end of the honeymoon stage of RNY.  My Bounceback regain started at 30 months and I gained fourteen pounds in three months.  I went to Weigh****chers, talked to my nutritionist and surgeon, exercised more and finally bought bigger clothes.

What helps me now is to weigh daily and be aware of every pound.   To lose some of the weight, I went on a 900 calorie diet and that takes off one pound a week.  Sometimes I go to 1250 and lose 1/2 pound a week.  If I relax on my calories, the scale can start going up.  That is why I cannot skip weighing.  I consider RNY to have the quick weight loss period, the year or so of effortless maintaining, then the Bounceback regain period and finally true maintenance.

This is terrifying!  It's good to read it now so I can hopefully get my mind set and be prepared for the end of the honeymoon phase:-(  Does this regain happen to most?

It is what is supposed to happen.  You do not live the rest of your life on a tiny amount of food and the malabsorption of calories with RNY usually lasts about 18 months.  This is how the body recovers from the effects of being starved by the surgery.  It is smart enough to know how to overcome that. 

With the DS operation there is permanent malabsorption  of calories and vitamins.  With RNY we absorb calories again but do not absorb vitamins the same.  That is why we need supplements for life.

Don't be terrified by this.  Just understand what it is all about.  It is good to prepare by trying to lose 10, 20 or even 30 pounds under your goal weight during your honeymoon period.  I enjoyed the year or so of being too skinny and was ten pounds under goal when my Bounceback regain happened. 

Please see my profile page if interested. I detail my RNY experience there.

There really isn't any reason to go back to liquid protein as it will leave you feeling hungry at this stage. Just go back to measuring your food and cut out those evil white carbs like potatoes,bread,pasta and rice. Make sure you are tracking and recording your food for calories and protein grams. Make sure you are getting at least 64 ounces of fluids but not at meal time. No drinking for at least 30 minutes after meals. No more than one cup of food at meal time too. And move more too,if you can! You can do this one choice at a time and now is the time to begin!

Get back to doing what you were doing. Read your old posts. You were so motivated. Track your food again. You can lose it, but it will require effort. Between year 2 and 3 is when it gets real. The surgery is no longer doing most of the work.

I gained 10 pounds at the 2 year mark but worked hard to lose it. I have maintained since then. I will work hard every day to make sure I do not gain again. Good luck.