I'm in the same boat. I am a little over 3 yrs post op. I don't think we want to think of any weight gain as normal. For me I got too comfy in meeting my goal and found out sugar didn't make me sick so was eating some things I shouldn't. But I also had to have a number of surgeries that left me unable to exercise and thats when the pounds started creeping on. I hadn't been diligent in checking my weight so by the time I noticed I had put 25 lbs back on. Thats why I joined here to get support and get back on track. Best thing is getting your eating back on track to where you were 2 yrs ago and get the exercise going. I joined a gym and finally after 3 weeks i've lost 2 lbs. I know not alot but at least its finally going down. Love to chat more if you'd like. Maybe can help each other out :) You can do this but its not gonna be easy. I'm finding it so much harder now to lose than before.

Sheila

Are there any long term gastric bypass patients out there struggling with weight gain?

Yes. There are many. Long term success is always our goal and this goal can be quite elusive. Here is a link to some (but not all) past discussions here on this topic:

http://tinyurl.com/gbs-weight-gain

My personal opinion here is that achievement of long term success with weight often requires us to identify, understand and work with our individual 'contributing factors' - i.e. the things that contributed to our obesity in the first place. That process is frequently extremely difficult and complex. No 'one size fits all' solutions here.

At just 6 months post op, I can make no claims about my own 'long term success' - but it is a subject that is of great interest to me because that is the future I seek and I've seen a great many of my peers here - people much further along than I am struggle with this very issue. I do not imagine myself to be immune from the same forces.

Yeah, I know, I just psychologically cannot get on the band wagon. I am sick of drinking protein, it just seems not to work anymore. I get on the scale and it says 166, so I freak, and I drink 6 protein drinks a day the first day, and my body is so weak by the next day, but I still try, but I get so weak and sick I need to eat, I just don't feel good. I get depressed, no energy, irritable, the SAME WAY I GOT BEFORE THE SURGERY. And like the same WAY BEFORE THE SURGERY, I would try to diet and exercise and my body just resists!! The more I exercise the more calories I need. I wish I could get ahold of some diet pills that they had available in the 80's, cuz at least they would work. I feel like I have to devote every waking single moment to dieting, it just rules my life, and I just want to live. Don't want to depress anyone, but man I just feel like that operation was soooo expensive and sooooo painful that I cannot fail, but I feel like before the surgery. The surgery kinda reminds me of that movie "Cocoon" where the old people jumped in the pool and became young again, but when the pool went away, they went back to their old bodies.

Stimpy, had to look up cvid - was not familiar with this but clearly that would add significantly to your struggle. Curious where 166 puts your bmi? Seems like you're not that far from the normal range or am I wrong?

Ya know cvids (common variable immunodifiency) just means I am lacking in the immunoglobulins that fight upper respitory tract infections, I receive an infusion once a month to replace them. Never have a problem with it. Alot of people on that website have major side effects, but honestly I don't. I am just hungry and want to eat to feel better. Even when I try to maintain proper calories, I wake up at 3:00 a.m. starving and can't sleep, so I just say fu@k it and eat, and yup, sure enough I feel better and can fall back to sleep and get some quality sleep. I am 5'7", 54 years old, and I should weigh 130, but would be happy at 140, but I cannot get the rest of this weight off. I am now 166, my lowest after surgery was 150. But it has slowly crept up. It just cracks me up that people that weighed 300 lbs., and now they are down to 120, like in 1 year, and it took me 2 years to lose 80 lbs. And then they're are people that lost alot of weight like 200 lbs. and have been able to keep it off for 10 years, and they are like recovering alcholics or something, like trying to insinuate that you are not trying or not doing something right. I know in my mind and in my heart I am making a wholehearted effort to do everything I am told to do, but I am HUNGRY!!! Either way, your either a slave to being fat and miserable, or a diet junkie and exercise fanatic, because the latter is what I feel like I have to be. Sometimes it doesn't bother me, but for a lifetime it gets hard.

Here's just a simple suggestion...maybe you could find ways of getting exercise where you don't really feel like you are exercising...like swimming or bike riding....perhgaps you can find someone with a trampoline...just find ways to stay active where it is fun! Maybe this will help....I am with ya! I get hungry sometimes too &I find that the sugar free popcicles help me with my hunger...especially at night...good luck Honey!

Karla~

Yeah I sitting here at the computer tonight, I made myself walk about 1-1/2 miles, got home, watched t.v. started getting hungry, had a bowl of cottage cheese with half a banana, now it is 9:30 hungry again, so my husband gave me a bowl of yougart with banana, he always gets pissed with me obsessing, he always says whatta ya think your gonna get fat like that lady "Ruby" on t.v.!? And I'm like, yeah......see I can get obsessed with food and calories, and everybody is like GET REAL, they all just eat....even though they are fat, they still enjoy food and don't get cranky!!!!! But I am going to start exercising again everyday, but not overdo it like I was doing, like walking uphill (in mountains) 8 miles. I have to be satisfied just walking 4 miles 3-4 times a week and eating normal. I am always trying to outsmart food... and hunger. God I can't even IMAGINE being an alcholic or drug addict. Long ago I went to like an overeaters group and they used the twelve steps program, and all I can say is food and appetite are CUNNING little devils. Food is good, guilt, and can be boring all at the same time.

The weight loss progress was described to me as a "J" shaped curve. That most people came up a little from their lowest point and that the trick was to catch it there and not let it get away from you. I'm 5'6" and my target is 165 - had to pull out a number from a hat because I really had no idea. It seems to me that perhaps 130/140 may not have been a realistic goal and if you are healthy and can live a good life with those few extra pounds (some of which are extra skin, not fat) then maybe you should stop beating yourself up and find a lifestyle and approach to eating that leaves you happy as well has healthy. Take care of all of you, not just the number on the scale. Remember you're a loser - not a failure.

Lin

Stimpy, cravings aside, which I understand are a big issue you constantly to work on, your BMI is currently at 26 according to:

http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

This puts it just barely into the 'overweight' range - not even close to obese. At 130, your BMI would be 20.4 - in the 'low normal' range. At 140 pounds, your BMI would be 21.9 or roughly at the mid-point of 'normal' range.

I also assume you were informed prior to surgery that on average, patients lose 75% of execess weight. Given that your starting BMI had to be at least 35 simply to qualify for the surgery, what percent of your excess weight have you already lost? Are you not already well above this 75% average number?

I'm not saying that you shouldn't try to lose more if it is your desire to do so. I'm just saying that it appears you have already done exceptionally well so far and that maybe you should not let the perfect be the enemy of the very, very good.

I say all this because my GBS team did not give me a 'goal weight'. They said they never give patients goal weights. Rather, they advised me of the 75% average loss number associated with the procedure for a rough expectation and stated that, FAR more important than a goal weight, was getting the 'new normal' - i.e. a balance of diet and exercise that was sustainable over the long term and which resulted in healthier nutrition and a stable weight. They urged me NOT to focus on a goal weight.

stimpy, just wanted to also add here that I'm also aware that sometimes, we feel the way we feel... that 'logic and reason and numbers and facts' are not always a big part of that equation. I tend to be a strong 'facts and figures' person but I also have times where I get down or frustrated -- and looking at the 'facts' doesn't always make a difference.

Unrelated side question - with respect to allegies/sinus infection/bronchitis - have you ever tried sinus flushing/rinsing? Just curious if it has ever been recommended to you?

I am 5'6" tall and my lowest weight was 164 but my body, til I added weight from not exercising, seem to be stable at 170. I'm large boned and 140 would just be too small for me. Maybe like Jerry says shouldn't concentrate on the goal weight but what your body says you should be. My goal is to get back to 165-170. You sound like you are doing everything right. I was exercising at the gym 6 days a week doing everything-cardio/machines-and found out its too much. Like Karla said maybe find something that is fun but still exercise. I went and played tennis for the first time in 30 yrs and we had a blast. Wasn't great at it but was still moving and having fun. As for the protein drinks I never could drink them in the beginning so I imagine afater eating food and trying to go back to them I"d be sick too. I love the pure protein bars which I use for breakfast but maybe your snacks in the evening, although healthy ones, need to have some protein in them to really satiate you. Takes longer to digest the protein thus you stay satisfied longer. Evenings are my hard time too cause I get bored and i'm running out of things to do to keep me busy.

Remember its not a diet its a lifestyle change and you seem to have done that and maybe your body is telling you this is where it works best and just try to maintain that. I was 365 to start and lost 200 lbs and I was happy with that. 165 is still alot to some people but for me it felt good. I never did this to be a skinny,minny just a comfortable, healthy weight. As I said i've gained 25lbs back due to my stupid snacking and not being able to exercise cause of the numerous surgeries I had last year, but i'm back to exercising and getting the snacking under control and I know it will happen it will just take longer than before but I know in the end I can do it. You can too. You are in my prayers.

Sorry your post was included in mine was just trying to remember all that you said as I replied. My memory sucks lol.

You know your absolutely right, I guess I should be happy just that I am in the 160's, I guess in my minds eye, I SEE myself at at least 140, God I don't know why, it's probably stupid but I feel more worthy. Last night I was eating cottage cheese and yogurt and bannana to stave off my hunger and by the time I went to bed, my internal body was so under stress (its the only way I can describe it), just shaking and FREEZING because I was hungry, but I did not want to eat, because I felt I had eaten enough calories, not even diet calories, but at least 2,000. God I was so miserable, so instead of eating, I took a xanax to make my body stop shaking and tensing up because I was hungry, well I did fall asleep, but miserably. And I woke up this morning feeling crappy and really hungry so I had about 7 ritz crackers and a piece of toast with butter on it. Its a constant game. But today I am going to buy lots of food, protein, drinks, cottage cheese, refried beans, yogurt and I am going to once again start all over and see what happens. I am going to start slowly walking 1 mile a day until I can build up. Thanks for listening to me. Sounds like your dealing with your situation in a sane fashion, I need to hear from sane grounded rational people. Thank you. You to are in my good thoughts and prayers. You look great!!!!! That is awesome that you lost that much weight. Once you recooperate from the after effects of your surgeries and your body slowly gets back it will hopefully get easier for you. Thats smart trying something out of the ordinary to exercise. Your picture is beautiful. Stimpy

Jerry - Wow you put it all into perspective for me. Your right. Ya know I felt so good and YOUNG, really, after I lost the weight, I wanted to look like I did when I was in my 20's. 5'7" and 128 lbs. How irrational, huh? But man I felt so good losing all the weight, that really I was walk/running 5-8 miles 3 times a week, riding a bike 10 miles, hiking. REALLY FELT GOOD. I guess I wanted to maintain those feelings at the same time getting skinnier and skinnier like I did in my twenties. Boy am I irrational. Your right, as I remember the doctors said that the best you can expect I think they said is to lose 60% of your weight, so I suppose I am within normal limits. I guess I read stories of people that are 300 lbs. and lose 180 lbs., and I am like what? I need to FOCUS ON FACTS AND STATISTICS instead of the emotional thinking. You brought things into focus for me. I need to hear from rational, grounded people to bring my thinking back into focus. Thank you. And YES I do sinus rinsing EVERYDAY and IT WORKS. You know I could blame my general physical well being on the CVIDS but honestly it doesn't effect me. I am extremely lucky. Because I know alot of the people have very difficult lives with the constant battling of infections. And yes I need to put things into perspective, I AM HEALTHY. I am grateful and blessed for that. Thanks for bringing that into perspective for me. I know you probably have an analytical mind, but you also have emotions and frustrations also, please consult me if you ever need any help with anything sure hope I can help. Stimpy

Stimpy, I asked about the sinus rinse because I discovered it myself about 3+ years ago. Initially, it was recommended as a better alternative than immunotherapy injections - 18 months of injections which produced little results.

The first time you ever do it you think your drowning. But I very quickly got used to it - about a week. within days, I noticed a huge difference in post nasal drip and asoc. coughing.

But the totally unexpected result was a dramatically reduced incidence of sinus infection and bronchitis - from my usual 3-4 times per year to just once in the last 3 years. I definitely think this works well for me!

I never go a day without it now. I actually took my NeilMed bottle to the hospital when I had my GBS!