Ok, I am more than a little discouraged with my plication lately. Feeling that way made me decide to do a little research on all the different boards that have spots dedicated to plication. While there are several people who have been successful with the plication, I keep seeing people who lose for a couple of months and then nothing happens. That's exactly where I am right now, and I am feeling scared that I made the wrong decision and wasted my money and had an unnecessary surgery. I would love to be proven wrong, and have the scale suddenly start moving, but at this point I have not lost anything since May...have actually gained a pound. I have been walking, getting in my Water and Protein, eating several small meals a day and still feel restriction when I eat. That being said though, I am not losing weight. If I had eaten this amount of calories pre WLS, the weight would have fallen off me, so what gives? Is this surgery slowing down our metabolism? I'm sure that some of the non-losers are not doing what they are supposed to, but with all the examples I found I know that there have to be others who are doing the right things and still not losing. I just don't get it, and am feeling very upset over the whole thing. I have been thinking this for awhile, but didn't want to post it and discourage others, but I think if everyone who is having problems posted we might figure this out. Maybe I jumped into a surgery that was too unproven. I thought the years of experience in India and the Middle East were enough data, but who knows now.

edited to add: the title should say "Does GSP change our metabolism?"

Hi chowchows, neither GPS, VSG nor the band change your metabolism. They're restrictive only. RNY gastric bypass does for the first 2 years, but after that the intestinal villi get more efficient and you end up absorbing all the calories you consume (you do however continue to malabsorb nutrients and have to continue with supplements). Think of poor Carnie Wilson for an example of this (onetime Playboy model and back over 200lbs last I saw of her and I don't think she's too much over 5").

The only the surgery that changes your metabolism long term is the duodenal switch. They bypass more of the intestine and you continue to malabsorb 80% of the fat consumed, 50% of the protein and some complex carbs (you absorb 100% of white flour and sugar from the get go).

With us it's just good old calories out v calories in I'm afraid.

Hi chowchows, neither GPS, VSG nor the band change your metabolism. They're restrictive only. RNY gastric bypass does for the first 2 years, but after that the intestinal villi get more efficient and you end up absorbing all the calories you consume (you do however continue to malabsorb nutrients and have to continue with supplements). Think of poor Carnie Wilson for an example of this (onetime Playboy model and back over 200lbs last I saw of her and I don't think she's too much over 5").

The only the surgery that changes your metabolism long term is the duodenal switch. They bypass more of the intestine and you continue to malabsorb 80% of the fat consumed, 50% of the protein and some complex carbs (you absorb 100% of white flour and sugar from the get go).

With us it's just good old calories out v calories in I'm afraid.

I know that's what they tell us, but I also know how many calories I am putting into my body...and I should be losing like crazy, but I'm not. I feel restriction, I'm not one of those who doesn't or one who feels hungry all the time. I feel satisfied. I'm eating approx 1200 calories, and gaining a pound? That's not how it works. At my weight I need well over 2,000 calories to maintain, but I am eating much less, therefore I should be losing but I am not. Therefore I wonder if this surgery has changed the way something works in our bodies? Almost backwards to what happens with DS or other malabsortion surgeries. I'm just curious. Can anyone explain this? I know about plateaus, but nobody plateaus this long in regular diets. What about this surgery causes such long plateaus or for people eating less than the necessary calories not to lose weight? Honestly, it is just calories in calories out...all things (exercise, protein, etc) aside...so why are so many not losing or losing so slow (much slower than their calorie intake should allow)?

Ok, I am more than a little discouraged with my plication lately. Feeling that way made me decide to do a little research on all the different boards that have spots dedicated to plication. While there are several people who have been successful with the plication, I keep seeing people who lose for a couple of months and then nothing happens. That's exactly where I am right now, and I am feeling scared that I made the wrong decision and wasted my money and had an unnecessary surgery. I would love to be proven wrong, and have the scale suddenly start moving, but at this point I have not lost anything since May...have actually gained a pound. I have been walking, getting in my Water and Protein, eating several small meals a day and still feel restriction when I eat. That being said though, I am not losing weight. If I had eaten this amount of calories pre WLS, the weight would have fallen off me, so what gives? Is this surgery slowing down our metabolism? I'm sure that some of the non-losers are not doing what they are supposed to, but with all the examples I found I know that there have to be others who are doing the right things and still not losing. I just don't get it, and am feeling very upset over the whole thing. I have been thinking this for awhile, but didn't want to post it and discourage others, but I think if everyone who is having problems posted we might figure this out. Maybe I jumped into a surgery that was too unproven. I thought the years of experience in India and the Middle East were enough data, but who knows now.

edited to add: the title should say "Does GSP change our metabolism?"

I actually think you ARE having a plateau. I have read of people having plateaus lasting 5-6 weeks. I have had a couple that lasted 3 weeks and the first one started at about 2 weeks out. I think it has to do with the body trying to adjust to the shock of the surgery, decreased calories and CHANGE in those calories. What we are eating is different and I don't think the body knows how to handle it. I think it is maybe possible that you aren't eating enough calories. I know they say 1200 calories should be our goal and that we should lose weight on that, but I think if it is just not enough, our body figures out how to conserve energy. I think we don't hear about these long plateaus with regular diets because I think they give up before they start losing again! I have had to come to terms with the fact that with this surgery the weight isn't going to just fall off without any work on my part. I almost have had to forget I had the surgery and just work on eating better and exercising. I actually started to lose weight when I increased my calories and even when I started eating more carbs! Weird! I think we are all different and you will find what works for you eventually. Don't give up or get too discouraged!

I actually think you ARE having a plateau. I have read of people having plateaus lasting 5-6 weeks. I have had a couple that lasted 3 weeks and the first one started at about 2 weeks out. I think it has to do with the body trying to adjust to the shock of the surgery, decreased calories and CHANGE in those calories. What we are eating is different and I don't think the body knows how to handle it. I think it is maybe possible that you aren't eating enough calories. I know they say 1200 calories should be our goal and that we should lose weight on that, but I think if it is just not enough, our body figures out how to conserve energy. I think we don't hear about these long plateaus with regular diets because I think they give up before they start losing again! I have had to come to terms with the fact that with this surgery the weight isn't going to just fall off without any work on my part. I almost have had to forget I had the surgery and just work on eating better and exercising. I actually started to lose weight when I increased my calories and even when I started eating more carbs! Weird! I think we are all different and you will find what works for you eventually. Don't give up or get too discouraged!

FattoPhat,

Thank you for your reply and thoughts. You may be right, I HOPE you are right.

I don't want to discourage anyone, just scared because I have seen several with the same issues of not losing.

In theory, to me at least, this seems like the perfect surgery. I am fine with losing slowly, as long as I lose. It's scary though to think that after all of that effort, it might not work.