So, I had my usual one year check up with my surgeon yesterday and they ran some tests. What what I gathered from the test is that my metabolism rate is extremely low for my activity level. And now they want to put me on a prescription to boost it up. They are saying if I do nothing all day I will burn only 1100 calories in a 24 hour period. Has anyone else had or have this issue?

Many people find that the lap band will screw up the metabolism, due to very small amounts being eating.

This is why 95 percent of lap banders have complained that if they get the band emptied either from a complication, or surgery, they gain weight RAPIDLY....I know, I've experienced it.

This is why it's advised to always get some exercise in with the band even it's just walking to keep the metabolism healthy...a lot of men lift weights.

Also if could be a medical condition that you have personally, but the band sure can screw up the metabolism after years of hardly eating enough calories.

This is why a lot of long term lap banders will loosen their bands after getting to goal to keep the band healthy AND...eat to increase their calories and eat more healthy foods to try to stabilize their metabolism and eat like a thin person, but keep the band tight enough to not eat like an obese person.

So, I had my usual one year check up with my surgeon yesterday and they ran some tests. What what I gathered from the test is that my metabolism rate is extremely low for my activity level. And now they want to put me on a prescription to boost it up. They are saying if I do nothing all day I will burn only 1100 calories in a 24 hour period. Has anyone else had or have this issue?

While I have not experienced your issues I do have hypothyroidism, and have been on medication for that for years. Prior to banding, I was less active, and I did believe that my metabolism had gone into hibernation.

Quite contrary to the above poster, I have never read any studies which have scientifically concluded that consuming less calories over time will diminish the rate of metabolism of an individual. As we grow older, that is the natural course we take.

Also quite contrary to the material shared by the previous poster, I have had my band totally empty of all Fluid since June. I have continued to lose weight. I attribute this to continuing to be compliant with my exercising 1-1.5 hours for 5-6 days per week, and I am also compliant with my portions. IMO, I would not lose weight at this stage if I was not exercising on a regular basis.

There is no "one size fits all" prescription for day to day management of calorie intake and rate of weight loss for weight loss success. Especially when it comes to breaking through weight loss plateaus. The only truism I subscribe to is that we must take in fewer calories than we burn to lose weight.

My metabolism was way screwed up way before LBS. 40 plus years of yo-yo dieting and then adding menopause on top of it.

LBS has help me lose over 100 lbs, but the last 30 has been kinda difficult b/c of my slow metabolism. Thats why I just went through a doubke knee replacement so I get get moving and rev that fat burner up.lol

Good luck to you!

Sorry Sojourner but Nana's description is medically based. Indeed when you lower you caloric intake and do not compensate w/ exercise, your body does adjust and lower's the metabolism. There's no need for it to spend all that energy when 1) you are taking in insufficient energy and 2) are not burning significant energy. Also, as you lose weight your body adjusts to the new demands to sustain that new mass, and again, this can result in a lowered metabolism.

If you do workout, exercise is a known metabolism booster. Obviously, because you are burning energy and it works your metabolism more than a sedentary individual. Mind you, this is all based on consistency not the once in awhile workout.

I'm uncertain if nana's statistic that 95% of us who get unfills will gain weight rapidly. I am not disagreeing as that is the typical experience. However, I haven't seen this statistic published is all. I think her point is that because our metabolism has lowered because we are eating (let's say <1000 calories), when we get unfilled we are no longer maintaining a 1000 cal diet and thus we are overfeeding our metabolic needs and thus rapidly gain weight. No denying that's precisely what is happening.

As for MrShep, its impossible to gauge what is happening w/out knowing things like how many cals he eats, how much you lost, how much you workout etc. But the lowered metabolic rate is of no shock to me. Meds are very commonly described and can only help.

Studies show that gastric banding (Lap Band) actually helps to resolve metabolic syndrome in many patients.

"New data show that a large proportion of obese patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric banding for weight loss had resolution of metabolic syndrome that was sustained for five years after the procedure. They also saw improvements in the individual components of the syndrome and a reduction in use of diabetes and antihypertensive medications."

Here's the study: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/780940

With that said, I don't doubt for a moment that your metabolism is being extremely sluggish, especially since you've had tests to confirm this. Did your doctor say what the cause was? Have you had your thyroid checked? And your blood sugar?

My heart goes out to you. That has got to be incredibly frustrating.

Sorry Sojourner but Nana's description is medically based. Indeed when you lower you caloric intake and do not compensate w/ exercise, your body does adjust and lower's the metabolism. There's no need for it to spend all that energy when 1) you are taking in insufficient energy and 2) are not burning significant energy. Also, as you lose weight your body adjusts to the new demands to sustain that new mass, and again, this can result in a lowered metabolism.

If you do workout, exercise is a known metabolism booster. Obviously, because you are burning energy and it works your metabolism more than a sedentary individual. Mind you, this is all based on consistency not the once in awhile workout.

I'm uncertain if nana's statistic that 95% of us who get unfills will gain weight rapidly. I am not disagreeing as that is the typical experience. However, I haven't seen this statistic published is all. I think her point is that because our metabolism has lowered because we are eating (let's say <1000 calories), when we get unfilled we are no longer maintaining a 1000 cal diet and thus we are overfeeding our metabolic needs and thus rapidly gain weight. No denying that's precisely what is happening.

As for MrShep, its impossible to gauge what is happening w/out knowing things like how many cals he eats, how much you lost, how much you workout etc. But the lowered metabolic rate is of no shock to me. Meds are very commonly described and can only help.

Hazel...I totally AGREE, one can't expect to eat 3-4 oz of food FOREVER, it's just not doable nor is it healthy long term.

Remember these posters that are DISAGREEING...are only 1-2 years post op and their metabolisms has not REALLY regulated at this point, so anyone who gets their bands emptied in the 1-2 year can easily "diet" and exercise to keep their weight off.

A damaged metabolism really don't happen until a few years later, but again everyone is different and have different body makeups.

However...like I said BEFORE...everyone that I've known -- and I've followed thousands lap banders over 8 years have regained weight when they got their bands emptied...some were able to keep weight off after band removal for a year...but MOST gained their weight back if they did not have a band or "restriction" longer than 1-2 years.

Here is cited material on Weight gain, and Pouch dilatation with both RNY and the lap band after a few years post op.

http://jcem.endojour...91/11/4223.full

Mechanisms for Weight Regain

One possible mechanism for weight regain seen after 1 yr is increase in energy intake. Sjostromet al. (11) reported daily intakes of about 2900, 1500, 1700, 1800, 1900, and 2000 kcal/d, respectively, at baseline and 6 months, 12 months, 2 yr, 3 yr, and 4–10 yr after surgery. The role of energy intake in weight regain may be greater than that observed because subjects tend to overadhere to their dietary recommendations on the day that the diet is assessed (25).

Late pouch dilatation has been reported in patients who undergo laparoscopic Gastric Band surgery (28) and is the leading indication for conversion of GB to a RYGB (29) but is seen less frequently after RYGB surgery (30). Revision surgery to correct these changes leads to improved weight loss (28, 29). However, these complications have been described in only a handful of patients, implying that other factors may be involved in modulating weight regain after bariatric surgery.

Regular physical activity is an important factor in weight loss maintenance (31). According to one survey in RYGB patients with a mean follow-up of 7 yr, successful patients (those who maintained at least 74% of their initial weight loss) exercised regularly (no details given) (32). In the prospective study by Sjostrom et al. (11), the approximate proportion of bariatric surgery patients who reported being active at work changed from 70% at baseline to 90% at yr 1 and 80% at yr 10. The proportion of patients who were active during leisure time was 55, 90, and 80%, respectively. The difference in the proportion active at work and during leisure time between the surgery patients and controls was narrower at 10 yr than at 1 yr. This may explain some of the observed weight regain seen in the surgery patients. Also physical activity may be overreported and thus needs to be assessed objectively. Whether increased physical activity in bariatric surgery patients is effective in weight loss maintenance remains to be proven by randomized trials.

Hazel...I totally AGREE, one can't expect to eat 3-4 oz of food FOREVER, it's just not doable nor is it healthy long term.

Remember these posters that are DISAGREEING...are only 1-2 years post op and their metabolisms has not REALLY regulated at this point, so anyone who gets their bands emptied in the 1-2 year can easily "diet" and exercise to keep their weight off.

A damaged metabolism really don't happen until a few years later, but again everyone is different and have different body makeups.

However...like I said BEFORE...everyone that I've known -- and I've followed thousands lap banders over 8 years have regained weight when they got their bands emptied...some were able to keep weight off after band removal for a year...but MOST gained their weight back if they did not have a band or "restriction" longer than 1-2 years.

Here is cited material on Weight gain, and Pouch dilatation with both RNY and the lap band after a few years post op.

http://jcem.endojour...91/11/4223.full

Mechanisms for Weight Regain

One possible mechanism for weight regain seen after 1 yr is increase in energy intake. Sjostromet al. (11) reported daily intakes of about 2900, 1500, 1700, 1800, 1900, and 2000 kcal/d, respectively, at baseline and 6 months, 12 months, 2 yr, 3 yr, and 4–10 yr after surgery. The role of energy intake in weight regain may be greater than that observed because subjects tend to overadhere to their dietary recommendations on the day that the diet is assessed (25).

Late pouch dilatation has been reported in patients who undergo laparoscopic Gastric Band surgery (28) and is the leading indication for conversion of GB to a RYGB (29) but is seen less frequently after RYGB surgery (30). Revision surgery to correct these changes leads to improved weight loss (28, 29). However, these complications have been described in only a handful of patients, implying that other factors may be involved in modulating weight regain after bariatric surgery.

Regular physical activity is an important factor in weight loss maintenance (31). According to one survey in RYGB patients with a mean follow-up of 7 yr, successful patients (those who maintained at least 74% of their initial weight loss) exercised regularly (no details given) (32). In the prospective study by Sjostrom et al. (11), the approximate proportion of bariatric surgery patients who reported being active at work changed from 70% at baseline to 90% at yr 1 and 80% at yr 10. The proportion of patients who were active during leisure time was 55, 90, and 80%, respectively. The difference in the proportion active at work and during leisure time between the surgery patients and controls was narrower at 10 yr than at 1 yr. This may explain some of the observed weight regain seen in the surgery patients. Also physical activity may be overreported and thus needs to be assessed objectively. Whether increased physical activity in bariatric surgery patients is effective in weight loss maintenance remains to be proven by randomized trials.

Thanks for the citation. Much appreciated.

Want a good laugh..at the bottom of your post is your dates/surgeons. We were banded by the same surgeon Dr. Moazzez (crazy small world ey) lol

Thanks for the citation. Much appreciated.

Want a good laugh..at the bottom of your post is your dates/surgeons. We were banded by the same surgeon Dr. Moazzez (crazy small world ey) lol

Yea, I loved that man, he gave me my life back, I can't complain -- he saved my life too, when I had a life threatening obtrator hernia in my uterus a few years back, and I had to have emergency surgery -- which caused a bowel obstruction.

I got married, moved out of state and had to find another surgeon -- which was easier than I thought, I guess Dr MO is highly respected, among Bariatric surgeons and I had no problem finding a new surgeon that would take me.

I think I was his 15th band patient, so we both learned together in the early days...

5 years after having lap band and went towards using AdvoCare and haven't looked back good stuff