I'm currently about 2 1/2 weeks out and I'm the middle of my hormonal tears stage (so please bare with me), but amidst all of my current pain and inability to progress in my diet I'm beginning to wonder why doctors don't recommend diets of less than 800 calories due to "safety reasons" but seem all too happy to invite this suggestion AFTER my body has been mutilated beyond repair with surgery?

I lost almost 30 pounds during my 2 week liquid diet, and have now stagnated in my 2 weeks post-op. My highest weight was 249 and I am now hovering around the 209 pound mark. Does anyone else feel as if surgery recommendation was, perhaps, some kind of industry farce? Since surgery, I've seen an alarming amount of posts regarding regaining weight in these forums and, overall, it seems like my chances with a clinically monitored <800 calorie diet may have been as successful (long-term) as a surgery diet. I've heard of buyer's remorse but I feel particularly pessimistic lately - can anyone help with their own stories of success, recommendations on how to control my current pain (methods other than continual painkillers, preferably), and provide some suggestions on how I'm going to manage these feelings after returning to work? Any help would be appreciated thank you

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The feelings are normal . It has been said that the sleeve is a tool to help you keep yourself in check. You are still ultimately in control. Good luck, hopefully you will feel better by the time you hit 199.

Edited December 29, 20169 yr by Ldyvenus

I am in the pre-surgery phase. I've lost 120, 100, and 170 pounds in my life through good diet and exercise. Every time, the weight loss itself was relatively easy, but I absolutely couldn't keep it off.

My doctor said the current thinking is people have between a 2-4% chance of keeping off weight they lose on their own. So while you're thinking you could have just done a low calorie diet without surgery and lost weight, you're probably right. But it very likely would come back and then some.

I'm not doing the surgery to help me lose weight. That's the easy part for me. I'm trying to give myself better odds than a lousy 2-4% to maintain my weight loss. It'll still be a lot of work, but I feel like at least I'll have a fighting chance.

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Patients with the surgery are much more likely to maintain loss. Surgery is about minimizing regain.

"The only weight loss method that seems to avoid metabolic pitfalls is gastric bypass surgery, Hall said. People who undergo Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery experience a similar dip in metabolic rate along with massive weight loss at the six month point, but after one year they have the expected metabolic rate for their size...it may be that there is something special about bariatric surgery, resetting some set point in the body to not resist the weight loss"

(https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/6-years-after-the-biggest-loser-metabolism-is-slower-and-weight-is-back-up/)

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@@Vinasu, very interesting. I guess it depends on the individual because losing the weight is great, it's the lifetime lifestyle is the kicker. Can a person who has had the RNY surgery still have dumping syndrome 20 years or more out?

I need to do further research on long term complications if any for that surgery. Just my 2 cents...

Patients with the surgery are much more likely to maintain loss. Surgery is about minimizing regain.

"The only weight loss method that seems to avoid metabolic pitfalls is gastric bypass surgery, Hall said. People who undergo Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery experience a similar dip in metabolic rate along with massive weight loss at the six month point, but after one year they have the expected metabolic rate for their size...it may be that there is something special about bariatric surgery, resetting some set point in the body to not resist the weight loss"

(https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/6-years-after-the-biggest-loser-metabolism-is-slower-and-weight-is-back-up/)

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I found this on bariatric source. I found this helpful as well.

"The average excess weight lost following laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery is about 65% (in other words, at 100 pounds overweight the average patient loses almost 70 pounds). And many patients have seen results of well over 80%. “Most patients keep at least 50% of their excess weight off after 10 years.”Dec 10, 2016

Weight Gain After Gastric Bypass Surgery & 9 Ways to Avoid or ...

www.bariatric-surgery-source.com › wei...

yes, I could have lost weight on a <800 calorie diet. And I would have gained it back. I've done it more times than I can count over the last 40+ years. This is the only thing that's worked for me. That being said, I've had to work very hard to get down as low as I got (I've lost 100% of my excess weight), but the surgery made that easier, and it should be possible (although not easy...) to maintain.

A lot of people have a 10-20 lb rebound, but those who gain back a ton of weight (or even all their weight) aren't sticking to their program. They're letting bad habits slip back into their lives and/or aren't following the rules.

@@catwoman7, that makes a lot of sense.

Much of what you are feeling is happening because of the significant change in hormones, it will get better with time.

That being said, you should not be having significant pain at this stage. Most people are completely off pain medications within a few days post op.

What kind of pain are you having at this point? You might be having a complication such as a stricture. Have you called your surgeons office?

OMG - I could have written the first post on Monday. I was so miserable. But those are the thoughts I had before I made the decision to do this. And all of the responses here are what caused me to go through the surgery.

• lileryn87 - I hope you are feeling better by today. DH literally drug me out of bed on Monday, made me walk, and made me eat. It all helped.

your feelings are normal I remember having several questioning weeks.. but remember your body just had surgery It will create extra fluids to help you heal .. it happens I didnt lose the weight I gained from surgery (I went home 23 pounds heavier than I went in) for 3 weeks.. I was devastated then all of a sudden it started coming off. I go through periods every 15 to 20 pounds where my weight stays the same for a week or currently 13 days.. it happens our bodies have to adjust. I can say that Im almost 5 months now and Im thrilled where I am and where I am headed. You will feel that way to one day. So dont regret happier days are ahead

I am 21 years out on RNY. I have maintained a decent amount of my loss. HW 320 LW 150 CW 200. I didn't have regain until I had a hysterectomy about 5 years ago.

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@@bakergurl67, wow! 21 years out? ? That's amazing!