Advice needed...please don't be snide.

[ybeach]

I had my surgery in 2014 I've done really well until now. At the beginning of the year I had several devastating life events happen and I can safely say "I checked out of reality". Now it's time to get back on track. I contacted the doctor and they were not very helpful.....they encouraged me to have a modification surgery done to my sleeve. I don't want that, I just want to get back on track. Now, please, don't laugh at this question. Is there a way to essentially reset my sleeve? A way to get back on track with it and jumpstart my weight loss as I've gained 15 lbs.

[Christie13]

You are doing something after only a 15 lb weight gain. Be proud of yourself for taking action now before it got really out of hand. You do not need a surgical modification. Here is some issue on a non surgical pouch reset. I thoroughly trust the info on this site. Sorry to hear about your misfortunes. It happens to the best of us. Good luck!
http://www.obesitycoverage.com/the-p...weight-regain/

[ybeach]

Thank you! If my daughter hadn't have said something about how my pants looked wrong I might not have noticed, to be completely honest.

[Sandra3]

Many studies do show that a regain is expected after 18 months/2 years and usually it's around 5 to 15% of the weight loss.
I think the best way to look at it is understand that with time we can eat more but because it's little by little you might have missed it which is completely normal.
Tracking your food for a while will make you realize what you eat. Also if you can get a scan to know your BMR, it could help you knowing what is your calorie expenditure. Note that it's not "perfect" because after a sleeve our metabolism could be a little different (It is for me) but in general it does work for most people.

Don't stress about it! you did lose a lot and maintain for a long time. So only a few small changes will probably put you back on the right track. Nothing drastic but changes on the long run will help the most! Good luck and take care!

[Kindle]

It really is pretty simple. Go back to doing whatever you did to lose 100 pounds (congrats, BTW) and stop doing whatever it is that caused you to gain 15.

For me, I do get lax sometimes, especially in the carb department, but I immediately counteract any regain over 5 pounds with a back to basics regimen.....100+ ounces of fluids, 80+g of protein and no white carbs (flour, sugar, rice, pasta, potatoes, alcohol). Sometimes even throw in 3-5 days of protein shakes only just to tighten up my sleeve and reinforce my willpower.

Good luck.

[sraebaer]

Don't be snide? Do you seriously think that any of us, all of which struggle with our weight, would be snide?

15 pounds isn't that much, I would think it would be easy to lose by just going back to every eating rule you learned when you had your sleeve done, and add exercise. Stick with protein and veggies, cut the carbs. I had my surgery the same year as you, and have been struggling with 5 pounds for months now. One day I'm down 2, next day up 1, always within that 5 pound range. But I still have total restriction (which I know when I eat a steak or chicken breast) so having surgery again would be silly. I also think that pouch reset it silly, but that's just me. I know some people swear by it, so if you want to try that, go for it. Best of luck to all of us trying to maintain, it is not easy.

I do weigh myself daily, to try to avoid any huge "surprises."

[zoey101]

You lost a really good amount of weight and that is absolutely fantastic. Remember that especially after 2 years we can eat sooooo much more that we could when we first started out. I also have gained back 15lbs. but I kind of welcomed it because allot of people kept telling me I was too thin for my frame and I have to agree. So in a nutshell weight gain is completely normal just keep a close eye on it so it doesn't turn into 30, 40, 50lbs.. You can definitely go back to basics like everyone said even go back to the plan that we all followed the first two weeks after surgery and if you do I bet the weight falls right off. Good luck and don't be hard on yourself at least your aware.

[Sammih]

I'm sorry for your loss/situations. We all go through tough times and that is when our own needs and health seem to take a back burner, when it really should be more of a priority to help you manage the added stress.
I'm new to this, not even approved, yet so I don't have any advice on how to reset but it is nice to see all of the support in this group.

[JoshMcC1982]

I'm in the same boat you are in. I've had a lot of death around me (friends and family) since October. To use the term "check out" is an understatement. I am glad to see someone brave like you to ask the question I have been afraid to. I wish you the best on your reset and thank you to all that replied to her. I will be trying some of your suggestions as well.

[Ann2]

Welcome back.

Congrats for getting on this after only 15 pounds regain. You can do this.

If I were in your shoes I'd be working on my head right now -- building up interest, motivation and enthusiasm about cleaning up my eating act. Like Kindle said, I'd clean up the larder / pantry / refrigerator / etc. Get the crap (slider foods, unnutritious foods, trigger foods and drinks, etc.) out of the house and stop bringing any new crap into the house. And get others in the house to support you in this.

Then resolve to weigh yourself regularly. I do it daily, which is fine for me. Less often might be better for you. But always, always weigh yourself on the days you're supposed to weigh yourself.

Don't expect to lose weight as fast as you did initially. If you do, great. But I don't think it works like this.

Realize that your goal here is not to go on some crash diet and lose the weight so you can go back to your new (regaining) normal. Understand that you NOW have to build or rebuild a healthy eating and exercise lifestyle. Figure out what that lifestyle looks like and start living it now. Who cares that if takes you 3-6 months to lose 15 pounds. The only point is to lose it and then keep it off. At least, that's the way I'd look at it.

If some protein drinks will be helpful to you initially, then use those. If not, then don't -- and use whatever will help you.

Get lots of protein in (I've been at maintenance for 1.5 years and still eat 100 grams of protein daily). Some people need to go low-carb to lose weight, others don't. Do what YOUR body needs to lose weight.

I have to give (once again) a testimony to the value (for me) of planning and tracking everything I eat on My Fitness Pal. I've done that since 2 months pre-op, and I'm still doing it. It's a fabulous tool for me.

Hug yourself. Love yourself. Respect yourself. You deserve all of that.

Realize that you've just experienced what stress has done to you -- it makes you eat. Soon you need to figure out different ways of dealing with ongoing and future stresses. Life's stresses will never, ever, ever end. It's almost a definition of life. There's one exception: If you have assholes in your life you can get rid of or spend only a minimal amount of time around, please ditch those energy-sucking vampires. Also consider therapy. I've been seeing a therapist since just before WLS, and I cannot express how helpful he's been as a coach / nag in helping me understand what I do when I do it and how I can change the self-destructive behaviors and build new self-caring behaviors.

YOU CAN DO THIS.

[enuffzenuff]

I believe that going back to your pre-op liquid diet will essentially give you the "reset" you are looking for. Using meal replacement shakes and a liquid diet will do the trick. My Dr had me do this once when I was having some issues with my body reacting to normal foods with a light dumping syndrome. His words were "you pissed off your stomach". It was a couple of days of liquids and things were back to normal. I think a reset in that way may help you get back on track. Good Luck!

[jaimaroo]

Hi there!
I put some weight back on too. I freaked out initially, but then met with my counselor and spent some time really forgiving myself.
For me...the pouch reset didn't work. It just made me angry and hungry. What is working for me....is making sure I got slider foods out of my house. I am drinking my water, eating my protein, eating slowly and stopping right when I start to feel full. I had been ignoring that. For me it is the little things. No soda, no drinking while I eat...I stay away from rice, bread, and pasta.
I am starting to really see the difference. I feel better too.
Life is hard. I am sorry that it has been a rough year. You've got this. We all believe in you.