Some individuals turn to surgical interventions, like gastric sleeve surgery, to treat obesity and the conditions that accompany it. Initially, they lose weight, but after a while, it seems that the procedure has stopped working and their weight loss stalls, or even worse, they begin to gain weight.
Around 35% to 40% of the people who have gastric sleeve surgery find themselves in this situation anywhere from 2 to 5 years after their operation. Some wonder how to get back on track 5 years after their gastric sleeve surgery or if it is even possible to restart their weight loss journey.
Today, we are going to talk about a non-surgical procedure that can help some gastric sleeve patients obtain another chance to reach their weight loss goals. Suture ReSculpt is an endoscopic procedure that is performed by Dr. Steven Batash at Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center in NYC that can restore the restrictive capabilities or further reduce the stomach capacity for patients who have undergone gastric sleeve surgery.
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Is It Common To Gain Weight After Gastric Sleeve?
Weight regain is common after any type of bariatric surgery, including gastric sleeve. Immediately after surgery, most individuals experience fast and substantial weight loss, but maintaining their new weight soon becomes challenging. In fact, research shows that around half of the people who lose weight after surgery end up gaining a good portion of it back, and some patients even gain more weight than they initially lost. Individuals who are severely obese are at a higher risk for weight regain than those with lower BMI levels.
Why Would Someone Want To Reset Their Gastric Sleeve After 2 Years?
People who experience weight gain often report that it starts to happen around the two-year mark. There are different reasons why this weight gain begins to occur, not all of which are within their control.
Some of the things that can influence an individual's ability to continue to lose weight or sustain their weight loss include changes in their lifestyle, such as returning to old eating patterns or unhealthy food choices, easing up on their exercise regime, hormonal changes, or the fact that their own body may have made adaptive changes to offset those made during the surgery or their new eating habits.
Our Body Adjusts
Our bodies have the capability to heal and adjust to changes that affect our metabolic systems. One way it does that is by micromanaging our intake of calories vs. the ones we burn for energy. This is a very frustrating cycle because we are trying our best to create a calorie deficit so we can shed some pounds, but our body continues to slow our rate of energy spent (or caloric burn rate) to ensure we do not run out of resources before we are able to obtain more. This built-in survival mechanism can prevent weight loss or may even trigger our body to store fat.
Hormones
Additionally, the stomach manufactures and releases hormones that cause us to feel hungry. When a large portion of the stomach is removed during gastric sleeve surgery, it takes much of the tissue that manufactures these hormones with it. This helps keep cravings and hunger pangs away for a while, but after about 2 years, the small intestine can begin to help replace some of these hormones. This causes a reduction in satiety and an increase in hunger, which can make weight loss even more challenging.
Ineffective Restrictions
Another thing that can happen is that the changes that were made to the stomach during the initial surgery were not drastic enough to begin with, or they are no longer working. If an individual eats a little too much, it is also possible for your stomach to gradually and allow you to eat larger portions.
How Do I Start Losing Weight Again After a Gastric Sleeve?
If you have had gastric sleeve surgery or gastric bypass surgery and you have gained some or all of your weight back, there is help for you. You may have wondered if you can shrink your stomach back after a gastric sleeve, and the truth is, there is nothing you can do, but a specially trained doctor like Dr. Steven Batash with Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center offers a few options that can help.
Suture ReSculpt is a procedure that can be done in under an hour and may help restart your weight loss journey, depending on the reasons for your weight gain. This procedure is non-surgical and performed through an endoscope to restore the portion control capabilities created by the initial surgery. In some cases, the patient's stomach was not reduced enough initially, and Suture Resculpt allows the doctor to make these changes so weight loss becomes possible.
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How Does Suture ReSculpt Work?
During ReSculpt procedure, no portion of the stomach is cut out or removed, but instead, it is tightened up or made smaller by placing a series of strategically applied sutures that bind the walls of the stomach together.
The sutures are administered from inside the patient's stomach, using their mouth and throat as an access point for an endoscope. There are no incisions or hospital stays, and the average recovery time is between one and three days.
The smaller stomach will help you learn how to limit your portions and keep you feeling full longer, so your weight loss journey will resume. In fact, because there are no activity restrictions after the procedure, you can resume pursuing a healthier lifestyle and an exercise routine right away.
How To Speed Up Weight Loss After Gastric Sleeve Revision
Your Suture Resculpt procedure can help you manage portions and not become as hungry between meals, but most of your weight loss potential is tied to the choices you make. One of the most common causes of weight regain after gastric sleeve surgery is individuals slipping back into their old unhealthy lifestyle patterns. They return to making unhealthy food choices or reduce the amount of physical activity they are getting when they need to actually be doing the opposite.
Earlier, we discussed how your body can make metabolic changes to slow your digestive system down in response to your weight loss efforts. When this occurs, it often halts your weight loss progress, which is known as a plateau. When you hit a weight loss plateau, you may need to implement new strategies to break through so you can continue losing weight. This may mean adjusting your diet or ramping up your level of exercise, but slipping back into your old habits during this time would be counterproductive.
The Right Strategies Need To Be Implemented
Everyone’s body responds differently to the strategies used for weight loss, so working with a doctor who has received specialized training in obesity management can greatly increase your chances of speeding up your weight loss progress after a gastric sleeve revision. Specialists like Dr. Steven Batash can help pinpoint underlying issues that are hindering your ability to lose weight and create a customized plan that will maximize your efforts and result in weight loss.
In addition to a Suture ReSculpt procedure to ensure the stomach has been properly restricted, you may be a good candidate for prescription weight loss medication. These FDA-approved injections work with the natural hormones released during the digestive process to maximize metabolic efficiency and suppress your appetite.
Also, the Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center team includes various professionals that can help you with diet and nutritional guidance, exercise plans, behavioral and lifestyle guidance, emotional support, and more.
Get The Help You Need Before Things Get Worse
Navigating the path to weight loss is not easy, and you are sure to face what may seem to be impossible hurdles. It is normal to feel overwhelmed and frustrated when you encounter setbacks, but you don’t have to go through it alone. The compassionate and knowledgeable team at Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center understands the complexities of obesity, including the hidden conditions that can impact your weight loss efforts.
Regardless of what caused your weight gain in the past, if you are dedicated to your weight loss journey, the experts at Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center can help you get back on track.
Schedule a consultation today so we can help uncover the reasons behind your weight gain and work together to create a personalized plan to help you reach your weight loss goals.
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