Weight gain after sleeve

[Circlegirl 1]

Hi all, I'm a newbie to this site, looking for some help and advice and hopefully some answers.

I had a lap band put in 7 years ago, I then had several complications and three revision surgeries and multiple infections.

I recovered from all my infections and surgeries, started eating better and exercising. The weight was coming over but very slowly, I managed to lose 45 kilos and was feeling better, but disappointed with the slow weight loss (45 kilos over 3 years is not what I was expecting) (I have a lot of weight to lose - more than 100kgs)

So after my annual consultation with my surgeon, he suggested a gastric sleeve. I was so excited, a good friend of mine had recently been sleeved and her results were phenomenal! Bring it on!!

Band was removed after 4 years. 2 months of very careful eating and I was sleeved. I did everything right. Fluids for 2 weeks, mushies for 2 weeks, then small meals, gradually building up to solids.

Here is where my problems begin. After I started eating, I never felt the restriction I did when I had the band. Over time my portions increased, I have never felt any type of restriction, at my 3 month post op review a temporary surgeon. (My surgeon after performing 6 surgeries on my poor tummy is no longer practicing) I was told the sleeve had failed and I wasn't losing the weight they expected me too. Instant Soul crush!

I soldiered on and saw dieticians and doctors and no one to this day can explain what has happened.

Fast forward to now,7 years after my band and small loss and 2.5 years after my sleeve and I'm back to my pre. Band weight. I have absolutely nil restriction. I can eat a full size meal and have gained back every thing I ever lost.

I have been back to see 2 separate surgeons who have both said the sleeve looks to be fine, and have no answers as to why I'm gaining weight. (Have done 2 barium swallows)

Both of them have recommended a gastric bypass as the only way I will lose weight.

My head is really messed up. I don't know what to do, over the past 7 years I have had 7 operations 5 of them weight loss related (band in, port removed, port replaced band out and sleeved) Ive spent well over $30k on surgeries, Appointments hospital visits etc. and I'm really not wanting more surgery

(I was told due to the difficulty with scar tissue, infections etc I will need two bariatric surgeons to operate on me doubling the cost of further surgery)

Herein lies my issue.

Do I risk it all, spend a small fortune (that I don't really wish to spend) in the hope that this may be the surgery to help me lose weight.

Do I dare to pretend I can lose weight on my own (I'm 42 and the past 42 years have proven I can't)

Do I try to be happy and live my life as a super morbid obese adult?

I'll admit I'm scared, scared ill do it and fail, scared I won't do it and will be unhappy for the rest of my life, scared if I don't do it, my co morbidites will finally get the better of me

I wa so sure the band was the way to go. It took me a very long time to come to the realisation I needed surgery to help me lose weight. It worked but I never had the success others did. Then , I was convinced the sleeve would help, and now I'm back to where I began all those years ago.

My head is a mess, my body is a mess and I don't know which way to go......

Sorry for the mega long post, wanted to get it all out in the hope someone has had similar experiences and come through the other side ????

Ps. If anyone is reading this that is considering surgery, please don't let my post put you off. I'm a one in a million type person and no one else I know has issues like this. Ive made several great friends who have had differing weightless surgeries and they have all had great sucess. You will never look back ????

[RJ'S/beginning 5,357]

There are so many things I want to say to you but I will try to keep it as minimal as I can hun....First of all. You were never on a race. Whether you lost 1 lb or 2 oz's you were still losing. You were using your tool as it should be used to learn how to control your brain and how you see food. Second just because you can eat a plate like you used to doesn't mean you should. retaining the old habits are the worst thing you can do with any of the wLS's. your sleeve relaxes,but it does not stretch much. It is still there...

What you have done is formed a pocket under or above your sleeve that is allowing you to eat a lot again.

Basics. back to basics. Measure your food. 1 cup or 4 oz. no more no less. Learn to read your sleeve. Take the time to really examine your different sleeve behaviors and use them as a guide line. You body gives you signals that you have eaten enough to sustain you. But unless we change how we see food or why we use food as a comfort. You have the constant fear of gaining it all back.

The surgeries are the easy part of this entire journey. The rest is work and diligence to succeed and keep it up forever.

You most likely have reverted back to old eating habits and are not drinking 64 oz of Water each day. You are not putting dense Proteins in first. Followed by veggies, fruit and last carbs. You must start at the very beginning.

Giving up is not an option. Your options are get it together or let the weight engulf you for the rest of your life. You have to use tough love on yourself and believe me you are worth it....

Mind set and relearning to eat to live not live to eat is a whole difference in success of your sleeve. Keep us up to date and ask whatever you need to ask to become successful. It won't matter what surgery you have if you don't treat it like a tool and learn to fix your brain....

[girliegirl 49]

wow...im not sure what I would do either. I am back and forth myself with the choice to have the sleeve or not and I keep changing my mind for the exact reason you posted. i wonder to myself when is enough going to be enough for me? i too had a lapband surgery then a revision surgery then a removal surgery 5 yrs ago and now I regained everything i lost. I ask myself when am I going to hold myself accountable for losing some weight myself rather than expecting the weight to come off with a surgery? im not sure what I will do? i want the surgery but im very afraid and I will pray for clarity for myself and maybe ill pray for the strength to be able to do for myself a bit. even if i lost 50lbs on my own Id be satisfied. its so hard.....believe me i know. good luck with whatever you decide!!!

[RJ'S/beginning 5,357]

You said it @@girliegirl (When are you going to hold yourself accountable for some of your weight loss.) Seems to me you know the answer. You just need to own it and find the strength to do it..Somewhere inside is a person who is trying to take a step forward and fix your trouble but you are responsible for it like I am. We are given the tool and we use the tool whether it is slow or fast or it takes 1 year or 5 years to get it together. That is the point we have to put it all together like a puzzle... we have a gift of the surgery to help us with portion size and time to get started. but it what we put into it that will make the difference. For me , for you, for all of us....

This is about your success, one day at a time, one foot in front of the other. You are the boss of your body and what you do to it. Your in control...That is how I see it..But I am not foolish enough to think I got it all together. Never will I ever be able to relax..Or I may find myself back at the beginning struggling with the same questions......Do this for you, you count, you are important and you are worth it......Okay hun!

Jane

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

RJ said it. I am 2.5 years from my band to sleeve revision and I have MORE restriction then I did a year ago. I attribute that to eating very low carb, eating small quantities and probably even doing 5:2. I don't know what advice to give you because i know how frustrating a failed WLS can be and I surely don't blame or fault you in any way. I am just suggesting that maybe you can start over again with following the rules really rigidly and see what that does for you.

Do you have any local support type options - a group or a counselor or someone experienced to talk this through with?

[1959JimmyJames 61]

Hi Circlegirl. You have really been through the ringer with this one. I pray that you will find the power to heal yourself. My situation seems like a walk in the park compared to what you have been through. I had to look at a Kilo to Lbs. conversion chart to know the numbers that you are stating. But that is all they are, numbers . They don't define you as a person. I wish that I had something to offer you that would really help, something that you could grab onto, but you need to find that inside yourself. Money for surgery isn't the answer. This topic and this thread that I have just read through are an inspiration to me. Lots of fantastic advice, from people that have been through it and have the success that I want to enjoy. I live in Seattle, and it rains alot but today is a beautiful day. Not a cloud in the sky and when it is like this, there isn't a prettier place in the world. I am going to get up, and get the 4 little munchkins, and go for a walk and enjoy it. Good luck to you Circlegirl.

[vincereautmori 323]

Hi all, I'm a newbie to this site, looking for some help and advice and hopefully some answers.

I had a lap band put in 7 years ago, I then had several complications and three revision surgeries and multiple infections.

I recovered from all my infections and surgeries, started eating better and exercising. The weight was coming over but very slowly, I managed to lose 45 kilos and was feeling better, but disappointed with the slow weight loss (45 kilos over 3 years is not what I was expecting) (I have a lot of weight to lose - more than 100kgs)

So after my annual consultation with my surgeon, he suggested a gastric sleeve. I was so excited, a good friend of mine had recently been sleeved and her results were phenomenal! Bring it on!!

Band was removed after 4 years. 2 months of very careful eating and I was sleeved. I did everything right. Fluids for 2 weeks, mushies for 2 weeks, then small meals, gradually building up to solids.

Here is where my problems begin. After I started eating, I never felt the restriction I did when I had the band. Over time my portions increased, I have never felt any type of restriction, at my 3 month post op review a temporary surgeon. (My surgeon after performing 6 surgeries on my poor tummy is no longer practicing) I was told the sleeve had failed and I wasn't losing the weight they expected me too. Instant Soul crush!

I soldiered on and saw dieticians and doctors and no one to this day can explain what has happened.

Fast forward to now,7 years after my band and small loss and 2.5 years after my sleeve and I'm back to my pre. Band weight. I have absolutely nil restriction. I can eat a full size meal and have gained back every thing I ever lost.

I have been back to see 2 separate surgeons who have both said the sleeve looks to be fine, and have no answers as to why I'm gaining weight. (Have done 2 barium swallows)

Both of them have recommended a gastric bypass as the only way I will lose weight.

My head is really messed up. I don't know what to do, over the past 7 years I have had 7 operations 5 of them weight loss related (band in, port removed, port replaced band out and sleeved) Ive spent well over $30k on surgeries, Appointments hospital visits etc. and I'm really not wanting more surgery

(I was told due to the difficulty with scar tissue, infections etc I will need two bariatric surgeons to operate on me doubling the cost of further surgery)

Herein lies my issue.

Do I risk it all, spend a small fortune (that I don't really wish to spend) in the hope that this may be the surgery to help me lose weight.

Do I dare to pretend I can lose weight on my own (I'm 42 and the past 42 years have proven I can't)

Do I try to be happy and live my life as a super morbid obese adult?

I'll admit I'm scared, scared ill do it and fail, scared I won't do it and will be unhappy for the rest of my life, scared if I don't do it, my co morbidites will finally get the better of me

I wa so sure the band was the way to go. It took me a very long time to come to the realisation I needed surgery to help me lose weight. It worked but I never had the success others did. Then , I was convinced the sleeve would help, and now I'm back to where I began all those years ago.

My head is a mess, my body is a mess and I don't know which way to go......

Sorry for the mega long post, wanted to get it all out in the hope someone has had similar experiences and come through the other side

Ps. If anyone is reading this that is considering surgery, please don't let my post put you off. I'm a one in a million type person and no one else I know has issues like this. Ive made several great friends who have had differing weightless surgeries and they have all had great sucess. You will never look back

Has any of your medical team suggested the duodinal switch? It's the other half of the sleeve technique and does pretty much the same thing as bypass. It's got to be frustrating and depressing, but never give up.

[thesupportedhalf 66]

Ok, so I was sleeved in December 2012, I followed everything exactly how it should of been, my diet was 100% spot on BUT I never ever felt restrictions never felt nausea never had dumping. My meals got bigger and bigger and started to eat what ever I wanted, I lost 50kgs and gained 50kgs. Went back to my surgeon who did swallow tests and blood tests to see why but just referred me to another surgeon. I did the cream rice test and stopped eating cause I wanted to not because I felt full. Surgeon said that although the sleeve was only 5 months old, it was like a sleeve of 12 months. I continued to put on weight. Now I am 1 week away from having an Omega loop bypass and can't wait, I really hope this helps me change my life. Just to mention, it's really easy for people to say "do it on your own, you don't need surgery" well I am an ex personal trainer and studied nutrition, yes I know what I'm suppose to do but can't do it alone

[sleevendown 21]

I know how you feel!! I'm in the same boat. I haven't been to the surgeon yet, but my appetite is out of control! I'm trying everything... Gods blessing on your new surgery!

[Circlegirl 1]

Hi all, thanks for the support, it's nice to know I'm not the only one dealing with issues like these.

@girliegirl. Be strong you will know what is right for you, please don't let anything stand in your way. If it helps, I have an awesome buddy who went from band to sleeve and has had awesome results. They are at their goal weight and never had one single issue (frustrating for me to watch them lose whilst I am gaining) but I am so mega proud of them. To see the difference in them makes me know it is all worthwhile.

@1959JimmyJames. Duodenal switch has never been mentioned, both surgeons have gone straight to the bypass option. I guess I always assumed it was the second step after the sleeve. Will be looking into this. Thanks

@Thesupportedhalf. Yours is the reply I most relate to, minus all my "extra" surgeries you and I are on very similar paths. I've never heard of an "Omega Loop Bypass" but will definitely be researching that one! I'm so glad you are excited. I have absolutely everything crossed for you. Please keep me updated as to your progress.

@Sleevendown. It's the out of control eating that gets me the most. It's like I've never been sleeved at all. If it wasn't for the scars that cover my stomach ( and my seriously depleted bank account) I'd think it was all a bad dream The hardest part is eating and the attached mindset that goes with it. I look at a cup of food and know I should be satisfied after I eat it. But my brain thinks, no, you need more than that to feel full. So I keep on eating. It's that mindset I need to get away from These are the hardest first steps to take. All the way back to square one (again) the little meals , feeling hungry after I eat but knowing I'm only doing myself a disservice if I keep going, that gnawing feeling that makes you think of food all the time. I wish it were easier. But at the end off the day I have to remind myself. It took 42 years to get here, it's going to take some time to get to where I need to be. I'm working on my mindset first, food second, then getting my body moving and maybe then I'll look at further surgeries

I've also read about plication surgery. Has anyone's doctor mentioned this one? It's just another thought I've got going on in the back of my mind.

[Susan.davis 1]

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