Four Truths About Regaining Weight After Weight Loss Surgery

I was born with the disease of obesity and by the time I finished college I had progressed to morbid obesity. At 33 years old, my disease was treated with gastric bypass surgery that affected a weight loss that put my disease, morbid obesity, in remission. Three years later I relapsed from my disease with a 20 pound weight gain. Through adherence to diet and lifestyle, like a person with heart disease relapsing, I was able to put my disease, obesity, back into remission. I will always have the disease of morbid obesity and I am fortunate to be able, at a young age, to be treated with the best option medically available.

The facts:

• The obesity is an illness.
• Weight loss puts the disease in remission.
• Weight gain causes a relapse of the disease.
• Like most diseases, obesity sufferers are responsible for making diet and lifestyle changes that work with medical treatment to keep our disease in remission.
• Like most diseases, relapses occur, obesity manifests relapse in weight gain.
• We are not the disease, we have the disease.

My four truths:

1. You are likely to recover: In general, it is believed that 80% of people who undergo weight loss surgery (WLS) will experience a weight gain (relapse) of 10 to 30 pounds, depending on the initial weight loss. Furthermore, it is believed that 20% of them will revert to their previous weight and possibly gain more as the disease of morbid obesity progresses. This relapse may be the result of failed gastric surgery (the surgery was performed incorrectly or the failure of the medical device); a non-compliant patient who does not evolve his eating and exercise habits; the active intestine becomes more efficient at absorbing calories; and possible stretching of the stomach pouch. Dr. Anita Courcoulas, chief of minimally invasive bariatric and general surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, said: “Regaining weight in the future is a common phenomenon for weight loss patients. These patients should be educated and prepared. for it if it happens. “
2. 100% conviction: In my experience, 100% of patients who go to the operating table for their disease treatment say: “I will not be one of those people gaining weight after surgery. “You can bet the whole farm that I said that, and imagine my shame and shame when I actually became one of the those people. At the time I did not understand that my disease had relapsed, partly because I had relaxed my new eating and exercise habits, but also because my body has a disease that wants to store excess fat. I thought I had gained weight because I had failed surgery.
3. I failed AGAIN! I am not alone in my feelings of failure to regain weight. Dr. Courcoulas said, “These are people who feel like they have failed in everything they tried in their lives. If they feel like they are failing surgery, they feel ashamed and don’t want to go back for help.” How sad for us. When a cancer patient relapses, do you take it as a personal failure? I sure hope not. The popular media perpetuates the belief that weight gain equals failure. WLS celebrities appear in the mainstream media and in the tabloids to regain weight. But the celebrity with cancer who relapses? Charitable benefits are held in your name and your bravery is commended. With a relapse into obesity, celebrity becomes the worst part of jokes for late-night comedians. It’s no wonder we don’t want to become one of those people but the statistics are not on our side
4. I am not obese. From kindergarten the word “fat” defined me and in fact I thought that was what I was because “You are fat” and “I am fat” were constant phrases in my world. Around 40 years of age I finally realized that I was not fat. I have obesity, a disease. Have you heard a heart attack patient say, “I am heart disease” or a leukemia patient say, “I am cancer”? We are not the disease! We have a disease that is part of the whole person and that makes us the wonderfully unique and powerful person that we are.

Relapse to remission: Like other diseases, relapse of obesity can be put into remission. There is hope! As noted above, there are (at least) four reasons for relapse, including: failed gastric surgery; a non-compliant patient who does not evolve his eating and exercise habits; the active intestine becomes more efficient at absorbing calories; and possible stretching of the stomach pouch. Bearing in mind that statistically the weight is likely to regain, that you are not a failure, and that it is not the disease, you can pragmatically plan a plan to combat your relapse.

• Seek Medical Help and Treatment – You’re Fighting a Deadly Illness
• Evaluate your diet and exercise progress and return to the prescribed lifestyle at the time of surgery.
• Educate yourself on nutrition, physical and spiritual health so that you can work in harmony to heal your body.
• Reach out for support, family, friends, community, and other patients to help you maintain your personal motivation.
• Educate others to stop ignorance and blame and promote understanding of this disease we are fighting.