Gastric Bypass Surgery Support Group

I am post surgical for almost 2 years now. I've lost 115 lbs. Over the past 6 months or so I've started eating "normal" food again. I'm scared to death about gaining weight back. I've already gained about 11lbs. I know that doesn't sound like a lot but what if it doesn't stop going up? Has anyone else had this problem also and how are you handling it? I know a number of people who've had the surgery who have gained a lot of weight back. They've told me that I'm not doing bad but even still. Also, I take antidepressants for major depression so sometimes I eat from that, or when they raised my meds I began to eat more carbs. Cookies, doughnuts, crackers, pretzels, bagels, bread, etc. My primary told me that some of the antidepressants can make you crave carbs. Ugh!!!! is it keep thinner or be crazy??? Now that I've vented does anyone have any suggestion?

Yes, over the holidays I gained 9# and what I started to do was watch portion size. Join Spark people gastric bypass and beyond, and track your calories for a week, you will be surprised!!. If you stopped exercising get back in the groove. My biggest fear after having lost 133# is gaining. The surgery is only a tool the rest of it is up to you. Good luck.

Hi- it is common to gain 10-20 lbs back after 18 months. I am on anti depressants too and I just nibble and not eat a hole lot right now. I am able to eat almost everything I want. I check my weight about every other week. I just make sure thatI stay within 10-15 lbs . If I go over than I will watch the time I am eating and change that if I am eating to late. Cappy

Thanks for the positive feedback. It's so frustrating right now. I've been using livstronge.com to track my calories and protein intake. I just made a follow up appointment with my nutritionist (who happens to be the best) and my surgeon.

Hi, there was a weird little tid bit on the web last week from the Eat This/Not That people. They stated that if you want to weigh a certain amount, you need to eat that amount of protein (in grams) each day. Example: If you want to weigh 180lbs. eat 180 grams of protein. I don't know if that works but I trust them, I think it's worth exploring. I'm only 8 months out so I'm not anyone to measure against, but I know your fears and understand them. I won't go on anti depression meds for fear of gaining. Can you wean off them and survive?

I'd love to come off of them but after about 2 weeks and most of the levels have lowered my wife can see it. She says I get more angry, worrisome, anxious, etc. So I end having to go back up to my old dosage.

HI. I'm not quite 2 months post surgery. If I eat any sweets I definately experience the 'dumping'. I'm glad about it. It helps to keep me on the straight and narrow so to speak. The thought of regaing the weight back once I get it off haunts me. I don't want to have taken such a life changing step and have it fail. Right now the weight is dropping of slowly. But at least it's going in the right direction I've lost about 20 lbs since the surgery. 50 more to go. I'm pulling for you. 2 years out, you've done great.

Thank you so much and good luck to you. Today I did well had high protein low carbs today.

I thought I was having a good day. I was until I after dinner. I wasn't hungry but I ate a half a bag of popcorn anyway. It's almost compulsive. WTF is wrong with me

What mental health support are you getting at the moment, any counselling sessiona and any psychology or psychiatric appointments?

One of the biggest arguments I have, and say this quite a lot on here, is that all too often, I find that people get referred for the surgery but don't seem to get a chain of appointments referred at the same time, so that the mental health side can be addressed too.

We all got big for a reason, we all ate a little too much for a reason...I know that comment always angers some people, who insist it's 'genetic' but if we exclude that small section of people who feel different from normality - the rest of us need to admit we had a reason for doing this. So, once you have accepted it, the surgery is great for helping you lose weight...but until you address the actual issues of why it happened, why the need to eat was, then it will always be there.

There seems to be many differences in Europe with this surgery, one thing I thought was good was I was assigned a psychiatrist at the same time as my surgery, and it was awful trying to investigate what made me over eat. I talked about stuff I didn't want to. But, in the end, we pretty much got to the bottom of it all.

I don't know you, personally, and I don't know you're life. But my inclination is that there are things from your past which have really deeply upset you, or are in your subconcious and I strongly suggest until you address them, face up to things you don't really want to, and talk through them, that urge to eat things that will make you feel better will always be there.

The surgery can do 75% of this, but the rest will need a little bit of digging to find the root causes of why it's happened. I hope you pick this up, once you do, I promise things will be easier for you. It's amazing how much influence your psychological state can make you eat.