I am back and I need support!

Hi, I haven't posted or checked in my weight or even browsed other posts in about 3 months now. I was embarrassed that I was doing so badly when everyone else was doing so great. In the past 3 months I have been gaining and losing the same 5lbs. My eating has gone totally crazy. I have gone back to my binging and my old eating habits. I am amazed and saddened at the large quantities that I am able to eat. I don't dump unfortunatey and I can eat anything and everything. Sometimes I feel like I am eating almost as much as before the surgery. I probably stretched out my pouch and I feel lie such a failure. I have decided to come back and try to get my eating back in order again. I know this is something that I can't do alone but if I have a support network I am sure it will be more doable. If I start to post again and post my weekly weigh ins then maybe I will feel like I am accountable to somebody and that will help me get back on track. I had almost given up hope of losing any more weight but then I came back to the forum and saw how great everyone else is doing and that really gives me hope for the future. If anyone has any advice on how to feel full, what the correct way to eat is and to get back into good habits and any support, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks for all being here, Sharon HW 240lbs SW 230lbs Weight 3 months ago 168lbs CW 172lbs

Hi Sharon, It seems that you are doing fine and that your body may just be adjusting to all the weight you have lost. We all lose at differently. My weight is also up and down 5lbs here and 5lbs there, but don't give up. Yes, our appetite has changed and we can eat more, but remember the weight loss surgery is a TOOL not a cure all. You will gain the weight back if you don't follow the program. You must continue to follow the program basics and eat sensible, healthy meals. We all cheat every now and then, but we can't afford to fall totally off the wagon. Some things make me dump, some things don't and there are alot of things I can eat (mostly junk foods) which surprised me. I realized like you that if I went back to my old eatting habits my weight was going to come back on. Go back to the basics Sharon, you know what to do. If you're eatting carbs cut them out for a week or two and just eat protein & veggies and see what happens. I bet you'll be surprised. I have done it and lost 10lbs. Exercise is a MUST; take a walk, dance in the mirror. Drink your water, Crystal Light or fluids (at least 96ozs. or more) eat your protein 80 to 90 grams, and get your meals and snacks in. Snacks should have some protein value. You should be eatting 6 times per day; 3 meals and 3 snacks. Don't give up, you've come too far. Let me know how you're doing and if I can help. HW 265lbs CW 173lbs Goal 145lbs

I know it seems hopeless, Sharon, but it's not! You know that you need to be accountable, and that is the first step to getting back on track. Cutting out anything that you wouldn't have been allowed to eat in the first weeks after surgery will help you to purge yourself of the need to eat carbs...I'm guessing that it one of your major downfalls as it is for most of us. Get back to protein first!! Fill up on dense protein, then veggies, then fruit, and then complex carbs if you have room. Measure everything!! Log everything that goes into your mouth! Get in at least 64 ounces of water and all of your vitamins and supplements. Exercise at least three times a week for 30 minutes....then increase that at regular intervals. If you do all of these things (just like in the beginning) you will lose more weight and get back on track. And, you're right...we are all here for you. Anytime you feel like you need support or help of any kind...just let us know! Our greatest strength on this board is our ability to support and encourage one another. Take care... ~Suz

Sharon - I'm glad you came back here for support. That's what we are here for, to lift eachother up and help eachother to keep running the race. You have lost almost 60 lbs and you can keep going. 172 is great and I know you can do it. Go back to basics, stay away from the carbs and exercise. I think it's so easy to start allowing more junk food into our diets the further we get out, so don't be so down on yourself. This surgery was and will continue to be a success. Please check in with us when you are feeling down. Also, drink, drink, drink TONS of water and eat as much protein as you can. (((((((((hugs))))))))) I will be praying for you hon.

Hey Sharon!! ((HUGS)) I just wanted to say ditto to what everyone else has said and to let you know that I find lots of good advise on the living after wls surgery website. I am in the process of doing the 5 day pouch test and it has really help me get back in tune with the feeling of fullness. http://www.livingafterwls.com/index.html I am also inspired by the emails I get each with from Kaye Bailey. Check that site out and let me know what you think. And please know that you are not alone. We all fall down, at least I know that I have but the blessing is that we can get back up and our pouches will continue to work for us if we use our tool properly. So what if you had a few months where you felt out of control with your eating.....opening admitting to it is the first step to changing things and you are on your way to life time of making healthier food choices. Thank you so much for posting this message. Alot of times we don't want to share what we are embarrassed about but when we do, we unknowingly help someone else make it thru a difficult time. I am here if you need anything so hang in there!

Hi Ladies, I've been having trouble going up and down on the same couple pounds for a while too. Thanks, Stephanie, for posting about the 5 day pouch test. I had never stumbled across that site before and it's just what I needed. I'm on day 3 today and I can tell a difference already!

I am so happy you found this helpful! I really enjoy reading the weekly emails I get from the site as well. And when I did the 5 day pouch test and start to pay more attention to my level of fullness, it made a big difference for me. Keep me posted on how things go for you and get luck getting those couple pounds off and gone for good!

Welcome back Sharon! First stop feeling like a failure... you're not! Think of it as the learning curve on your new stomach :P You didn't ruin it, you just took a short detour. If you listen to what everyone else said (get all your protein 70-100g, min 64oz water and exercise 3x or more a week) you will be back on track in nothing flat. Alot of us have success with going back to the liquid phase and using protein drinks only for several days... it shrinks your pouch right back down, believe me! I have definitely been having my ups and downs... I have been in the same 10 lb range for a few months myself. I'm slowly going down again, thanks to the support and advice of our fellow January peeps So please, don't give up, ok? If you need to vent or would like a buddy to get started, send me a message Michele

Hi Sharon - I'm so glad you came back. I've been wondering about you and think about you often. It was so great to actually meet you pre - surgery, it felt great to actual see someone in person who is going to go thru the same process at the same time. ( for those of you who don't know - we share the same surgeon). Have you called or been back to see Gio? I know you said that it is hard to get to the office, but maybe you can call and he can talk to you over the phone. He is full of great suggestions to get you to start losing again. I think that you have done great since surgery..... lost what ? 68 pounds!!! Believe me everyone of us has have rough patches that we've been thru, not all of us lose at the same rate, but stay postive and look at all that you have accomplished since january. It also takes alot of courage to come back and admitt you "fell of the wagon" - but it's not to hard to jump back on -- everyone here is great and full of love and support. I'm so glad you came back and if you ever want some ideas for what to eat - or just chat, please email me. Marta

Welcome back Sharon! We are here for you! I so much wanted post surgery to be a life of not worrying about my weight but as I have gone through this process and my head has gotten away from my self, I have realized that everyone, no matter who they are or how small they seem, struggles with their weight. Stephanie was so right to recommend the 5 day pouch test. I had a couple of weeks where I was starting to worry and did the test. What a huge difference it made. I am going to make it a routine thing to do every couple of months just to keep "feeling" my pouch. Right now you are down on yourself. Are you exercising? I have found any little bit of extended (at least 30 minutes) of exercise lifts my mood and controls my stress. There is something that happens to your brain chemistry when you exercise. Don't think of it as having anything to do with weight loss but go for a walk if you can out of doors and relax and enjoy how much more you can do now. It will really impact how you view yourself and it will empower you. I promise. Hugs, Katy