Dear Barbara,
I had Vertical Banded Gastroplasty surgery in January 1997 when my weight was 293 lbs. I had revision RNY surgery in January 2004 when my weight was 240 lbs. My weight went down to 168 lbs. which was my lowest in December 2006. I am currently up to 218 lbs.  

Is it really possible to begin losing again; to reach goal at 150 lbs?  Did I totally miss the time period of effectiveness of my RNY surgery?  Does the intestines continue to mal-absorb after this length of time?  I can't seem to find a straight answer to the last few questions.

Thank you,
Teresa

Hi Teresa,
It is never too late to start losing weight again. That said, it will never be as easy. After RNY surgery, we do have a small amount of mal-absorption, but our bodies adapt to our bypass over time. We are organisms and as such, we naturally adapt. You probably haven’t gotten a straight answer on that question because we all react differently and no definitive studies have been done concerning how much mal-absorption there is. Also we have even had different lengths of intestinal bypasses. So there is no one answer to the mal-absorption question.

However, if you don’t adopt a multiple approach to losing weight that leads to a healthy lifestyle, then this pattern of losing and regaining weight will repeat. Don’t just look at going on a diet until you lose the weight. We all know what happens then – we just regain the weight. Consider a plan of attack that has different facets. Consider dieting along with counseling and an appetite suppressant. Or try dieting along with a personal trainer and behavior modification. Just remember that it has taken you 12 years to regain this weight after your surgery so be patient and expect to lose weight slowly

Also, give yourself credit for the 75 pounds that you have kept off since 1997. That is truly admirable.  Although you may want to strive for that goal weight, it is OK to be in between. What you shouldn’t do is to give up and just keep regaining weight.  As long as you are in there trying to lead a healthy lifestyle, you will be OK.

Sincerely,
Barbara

A research study published in the International Journal of Obesity compared people who had lost massive amounts of weight through dieting and exercise and those who had lost the weight with surgery.  What the research discovered is that those who dieted their way to the lower weight had better eating and exercise habits.  They apparently learned a healthy lifestyle on their way down. 

Without an educational program, you are vulnerable to weight regain.  It is important to learn how to maintain that weight loss so that you don’t get right back to your starting weight and morbid obesity. 

To learn more about this study go to http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-12/l-ktw120808.php 

Back on Track with Barbara Program

Are you... Suffering from emotional eating and can’t stop? Grazing on carbohydrates and can’t control it? Lacking inspiration to lose the weight you have regained? Feel you don’t know what to do now that you have had surgery? Dying to be in better shape for 2009?  Then you are in luck! My Back on Track Internet Mentoring Program is just what you need! Start Now To Be In Control in 2009! View a FREE Lesson and Listen to a FREE Telephone Seminar by clicking here and scrolling down to the bottom of the page.

I am very pleased to announce that I have been elected Vice Chair and Chair Elect of the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC). I have served on the Board of Directors since its start and this is such an honor.

The OAC provides a voice for those afflicted by obesity. When there is an unjust ruling or action regarding the obese or when the media wants the viewpoint of the obese, it is the OAC that is there.  The OAC lobbies for fair treatment and increased research and provides educational material to the public at large.

I hope each of you will consider joining the OAC. It is a wonderful way of giving back. To find out more, visit their website http://www.obesityaction.org .

I want to offer a special thanks to Claudia for sharing her story with us.

Hello, my name is Claudia and I am happy that I was able to have gastric bypass surgery! I am 46 years old, separated since Sept. 2007, with one 12 year old son from my second marriage.

I had problems with my weight since high school. I weighed 155 lbs. at 5'5 until I gained 10 lbs in my senior year. I left home at 18 and within 9 months managed to gain 45 lbs. I returned home to live with my parents at age 19 and lost 30 lbs. Then I got a job at 20 years old working grave yard shift and managed to gain 50 lbs in 1 year.

My doctor put me on a diabetic eating program and gave me medication for my thyroid which was a little low. I tried the cabbage diet and then discovered the Richard Simmons Deal-A-Meal program at age 32 and managed to lose 35 lbs. My weight was then 229 lbs.

At the age of 33, I got pregnant and gained 79 lbs. My weight at the time I delivered my son was 308 lbs. I managed to lose 39 lbs of pregnancy weight, but it was a constant struggle to eat right and exercise.

My son's father left us when my son was 2 years old. I went through emotional eating and not caring about anything. I tried diet drugs and joined Curves and followed their eating program which I failed miserably.

Then I got married to my current husband whom I'm separated from. I was very unhappy with him. He was constantly trying to control me. I finally reached my highest weight of 325 lbs. I had sleep apnea, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, I was pre-diabetic and my left ankle swelled 3 times its normal size.

Every December, my colds would turn into pneumonia. The second time I contracted pneumonia my doctor suggested to look into gastric bypass surgery. I started investigating weight loss surgery seriously in February 2004. I was told to lose 10% of my weight which was 32 lbs. In December 2004 I lost 16 lbs and my doctor sent in my paperwork. From that time to June 2005, I lost another 23lbs. By my surgery date of June 22, 2005 my weight went down to 285 lbs.

My doctor was Dr. Suh of Inland Medical Center, Wildomar, CA.  I wasn't one of his most successful patients only losing 71 lbs with a total of 111 lbs lost.

After surgery I struggled with my husband. We were constantly arguing and fighting. He disapproved of me having surgery because I wouldn't be eating normally. He became the larger of both of us.

I feel better now than in my twenties. I'm off my blood pressure medication, off the c-pap machine and my cholesterol is normal.  I'm amazed at all the energy I have. I'm eating small amounts of food and a normal amount of calories so my body is not starving or feeling deprived in any way. Losing weight will create a healthier body, but in my case I lost my marriage. Emotional and other problems exist still and I deal with those with prayer and counseling. I may be alone but life is not as hard as before surgery. I'm willing to experience more opportunities than before my surgery. I traveled to Argentina in April 2008 and look forward to many amazing times to come.

Claudia Goldstein
bflyedie@yahoo.com

Congratulations Claudia

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