Almost a year out and I'm very concerned

[ddeegan 5]

Hi all,

I had gastric bypass Jan 2018. Before my pre-surgery liquid diet I weighed 334lbs. Right now I am floating between 260-265lbs. I've been gaining and losing the same 5lbs since about May of 2018. I lift weights and am very aware of how to eat healthy, but lately I make bad choices about half the time. I believe this surgery has uncovered and made me aware of a food addiction, because I can't stop thinking about eating! I always knew i loved food, but never viewed it as an addiction until the ability to eat tons of it was taken away from me. While I'm eating, I'm thinking about what I'm going to eat next. I'm hungry all the time and despite having a tiny gastric bypass stomach I feel like a bottomless pit. I'll eat, and yes I get full quickly, but then 20 minutes later I feel hungry again. It scares me! 99% of the time I don't even have a drink in front of me when I eat so I know I'm not washing food through. I experienced "dumping" for the first few months but that mostly has gone away. I also had an internal hernia complication 3-4 months ago and had to have another surgery to correct it. I don't recommend it to anyone. It was quite painful!

I'm not necessarily looking for advice on food addiction, it's something I am working on now. I've come here to ask for thoughts/opinions on a few other things that have been literally keeping me up at night. I'll probably ramble a bit so I'll put the main question of each thought in bold.

1) Have a I stretched my pouch? I've googled this a million times and can't find clear information on this. I've read that yes it's easy to stretch it. I've read that it's impossible to stretch it. My own surgeon and other doctors at his hospital have said conflicting things to me about it. If you're overeating all the time, does it take five weeks to stretch it out? Five months? Five years? I ask because I'd like to know if it's something I should even be thinking about at this stage. I don't know about the stoma stretching thing, because I do get full when I eat (albeit for not that long). I've read alot about the "pouch reset". Some swear by it. I've read doctor articles saying it's BS, and that you cannot shrink a stomach once it's stretched. I could see it helping mentally to re-acquaint you with the surgery, but I don't see how drinking liquid for a week or two can undo stretching. I digress. I just worry that 10-11 months out I have stretched my stomach irreparably and that's why I'm hungry all the time.

2) I've read that after a year, or 18-months if you're lucky, you are done losing weight. At least, the gastric bypass portion is done doing what it's going to do and anything beyond that is just eating right and exercise like everyone else. Biologically, does gastric bypass stop helping you after a year/18-months or can I still use it? I would hate to know that I pretty much wasted my time getting a life-altering surgery, and now I have to go back to trying to lose weight the regular way since it took me a surgery and year to finally realize I'm a food addict!

3) I recently read that if you get this surgery, you have to spend the rest of your life eating 900-1000 calories a day or you will gain your weight back, even if you exercise. I'm just curious what people's thoughts are, because I've read conflicting stuff about maintenance. And 900-1000 calories a day sounds extremely strict, beyond anything I was educated about before I got my surgery. In fact it's kind of depressing! I would hope that If I eat the same diet as my disciplined friend (who has a six-pack) and do the same workout he does that I'd be ok. I can't eat as much as he does in one sitting. If I beat my food addiction and just eat less than my friend, shouldn't I be ok?

Please let me know your thoughts, it could help me in my Quest to get my head straight! I'm afraid to go to my surgeon with this, because I feel like a huge failure and am embarrassed to go to my one-year followup and have them see I'm probably 3-5lbs heavier than six months ago. I've read through a few pages of posts (at least the subjects) to make sure i'm not just asking the same stuff 90 other people ask a day but don't see all that much that fit my exact situation. Thanks!

[GreenTealael 24,850]

Hi!

1. What are your food choices/patterns?

2. What are you hydration choices/patterns?

3. Can you tighten those things up to see if the 5lbs moves again?

[Walter.Sobchak 978]

I am in the same boat as you only I had gastric sleeve. I lost 110 pounds and have since put 20 back on. I believe you already know the answer to your problems, you are eating too much and eating the wrong foods. That is my problem and I have no problem admitting that. As far as stretching your pouch, I would say it probably has stretched to a certain extent but will never be as big as your stomach was pre surgery. As far as food addiction, it sounds like you are showing signs of that. I am a food addict for sure, I will abuse food like a drug. I see food as a reward or a treat or an escape, I do not see it as simply fuel for my body. I am considering going back to Overeaters Anonymous but haven’t yet.

[ddeegan 5]

12 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

Hi!

1. What are your food choices/patterns?

2. What are you hydration choices/patterns?

3. Can you tighten those things up to see if the 5lbs moves again?

1. mostly grilled chicken and broccoli when I'm on point (with various hot sauces), lousy and embarrassing when I'm slipping

2. black coffee and Water. Lots of water. I drink 32 oz. or more alone in one gym session.

3. I'm sure it will cause weight loss again, especially if I keep my gym routine up

I was hoping more for thoughts/advice/opinions on the three points I mentioned in my original post. I have plenty of technical knowledge about what to eat/how to eat/what to do. I'm going through some mental stress in regards to the surgery so if you have any insights on the questions I asked, feel free to share! I do appreciate the reply and the sentiment though.

[ddeegan 5]

15 minutes ago, Walter.Sobchak said:

I am in the same boat as you only I had gastric sleeve. I lost 110 pounds and have since put 20 back on. I believe you already know the answer to your problems, you are eating too much and eating the wrong foods. That is my problem and I have no problem admitting that. As far as stretching your pouch, I would say it probably has stretched to a certain extent but will never be as big as your stomach was pre surgery. As far as food addiction, it sounds like you are showing signs of that. I am a food addict for sure, I will abuse food like a drug. I see food as a reward or a treat or an escape, I do not see it as simply fuel for my body. I am considering going back to Overeaters Anonymous but haven’t yet.

Since I started taking notice of this addiction business I go for small victories - Ignoring the treats at work, drinking a glass of Water instead of food when I think I'm hungry at off times (IE half an hour after lunch). After 3-4 weeks of doing this every time I would binge eat I'm hoping to get my mind reset. I'm glad to see you're aware too.

I envy that you got the sleeve. I wish I had gone that route instead of bypass. I feel like in a perfect world it's a year of weight loss at the cost of a lifetime of 9000000 Vitamins, potentially bad teeth and a toxic bathroom!

Edited December 19, 2018 by ddeegan

[Walter.Sobchak 978]

Yeah, it’s funny I wish I had done bypass. However, there is only so much the surgery can do for us. If we do not change our mentality and our eating habits we will not be successful.

[Walter.Sobchak 978]

Yeah, it’s funny I wish I had done bypass. However, there is only so much the surgery can do for us. If we do not change our mentality and our eating habits we will not be successful.

[GreenTealael 24,850]

2 hours ago, ddeegan said:

1. mostly grilled chicken and broccoli when I'm on point (with various hot sauces), lousy and embarrassing when I'm slipping

2. black coffee and Water. Lots of Water. I drink 32 oz. or more alone in one gym session.

3. I'm sure it will cause weight loss again, especially if I keep my gym routine up

I was hoping more for thoughts/advice/opinions on the three points I mentioned in my original post. I have plenty of technical knowledge about what to eat/how to eat/what to do. I'm going through some mental stress in regards to the surgery so if you have any insights on the questions I asked, feel free to share! I do appreciate the reply and the sentiment though.

1. Only a diagnostic test can confirm this. You should ask your team to consider one if you are really concerned.

2. Most RNYer slip into maintenance quicker than sleevers but it will all be individual. YMMV. Only way to know is when you maintain a weight for a long period.

3. It's all super individualized. Some higher some lower. Some can cheat the odds with exercise or genetics. There is no real true standard. You will have to find the pattern that works for you. Sorry that wasn't explained better.

Safe journey🎈

[mousecat88 2,279]

I can only reply with what my surgeon has told me, not from personal experience as I am still very much a freshman to this.

Yes, my maintenance calories are 800-1000 max for the rest of my life. I am only just shy of two months and just started tracking and eat about 350-450 daily.

Yes, I was told that by 18-24 months that's going to be your stable weight (with more off if you're actively exercising). My insurance considers 18 months your stable weight - that's when they OK plastic surgery.

I've never heard of a pouch reset. But you can have a revision done to shrink the stomach again once you tackle your food addiction issues. I would think if you can eat again 20 minutes later, it could be stretched? It stretches out naturally over time anyways. From 2oz to about 8oz or so. It's fixable, though, with surgery again.

What does your surgeon have to say about all of this, especially your long-term caloric intake? Do you have a dietitian on-staff?

Edited December 19, 2018 by mousecat88

[FluffyChix 17,409]

Look, it's as simple and as difficult as this...sabotaging with food stops forward momentum. It does. And the 6-18month honeymoon period is that time when it's theoretically easiest to lose weight due to more restriction/less interest in food/more psychological momentum, etc. But it's not "The End" of weight loss. There are plenty here who have lost past 3-4 years and or are continuing to lose. Or who regain and lose the regain.

But what 18 months does signify is you are towards the endish of the honeymoon period. I was not blessed genetically or metabollically. So every pound beyond those first couple of months have been "hard won". I honestly only had about a 3mo honeymoon period. And I'm not a saint. Like you, I string together a few weeks and then blammo! I make a poor choice. The diff is that I can't get away with it. The scale ALWAYS wins. The mofo. Some can and do get away with it.

I would really encourage you to look into counseling or into a support group in RL, or look into some regimented program where you aren't free-ballin'. Cuz I honestly don't believe the majority of people do well free-stylin' weight loss--even post surgery. I do not think once you arrive at the obesity ball, that the metabolic rules apply to you. I think we have to work harder, do more hacks, figure things out. And I also think that "everything in moderation" for "MOST" people who are obese or are in obesity recovery is a the biggest crock of horse shi* ever invented in psychology today. You can't suddenly intuit the concept of moderation along with the discipline and dietary habits of a lifetime if you've never known or practiced them in the first place. You certainly can't do it by simply applying "mindfulness." I call shenanigans on that crap! LOL.

Sorry you're struggling. But the first step is the...first step. It gets harder as you go along. But it's also more rewarding.

Edited December 19, 2018 by FluffyChix