One year ago today...Happy New Birthday

Congratulations, Andrea! You have done a great job! You have gotten some great feedback so far and I can't think of anything else to add about your worries that has not already been said. Just know that I too worry about what the future holds. I think you're on the right track to long term success because you are in fact worried about regaining weight. I think it's when we quit worrying about it that we start to stray. For me, visiting this site daily and weighing myself daily helps keep me on the straight and narrow. You look beautiful! Keep up the good work. Wanda

Thank you so much Wanda. What is so great about this site is the amount of support and positive comments you get here. Sometimes, this group is easier to talk to than my own family. I guess it is because we truly can relate to one another. I am just glad I have this site... Andrea

Hi everyone & happy anniversary! Haven't been on this site or posted for quite awhile, and I am coming up on my 1 year as well. I can identify with the concerns of gaining back the weight and I think it is very possible. We had surgery on our stomachs, not our minds. I believe food and avoiding weight gain will always be an issue for me, and that I need to do all I can to maintain the success I have so far acheived. Many of my bad habits have crept back in; making wrong choices and grazing. I haven't gained any weight, but I have been struggling to lose the last 15 lbs. I want to lose. I am 3 lbs away from being 199 and I am hoping to make it by my anniversary. I am scheduled for a hernia repair and panniculectomy on 2/18. I'm sure that will get me below 200! I don't EVER want to go back to the hell I came out of!! Hardly able to walk 1/4 of a block, pain, shortness of breath, embarrased, hating and isolating myself. It is so helpful to have the support of others to stay and get back on track!! Thank you all for being here!

I also just past my one-year post op on Feb 4 and I lost roughly 104 lbs in eight to nine months. I dialed in just before surgery at 344. 40 days post op I knocked out DM, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, and IBS I will also worry about gaining the weight back, every time I put something in my mouth I think about it . I had a few speed dumps along the way before I was able to have a normal life. I spent seven post op days in the hosp. the nurses lost me for about eight hours, (no call bell no meds). Developed pneumonia Pulse Ox at 86-88 on 02 and nebs , four weeks later blisters from under steri-strips an open wound infection, six months out of work traveling 147 miles one direction each week to have the hole reopened. Babysitting the hole three times daily was no pleasure. I still need to go back in for a large hernia repair and plan to have a little extra tummy work done. I would still do it over again even with the hurtles , I would just bring my on call bell LOL . I noticed you also work in health care; I am a medic on a very busy 911 truck. It got to the point it was hard to do my job. I also never wanted to be one of those patients health care workers talk about. I work just outside Philly, most of the buildings have no elevators. We end up carry these people out of five and six story buildings, and it kill's my body. You can see the look on their faces, mortified about how much they weigh. I make the effort to tell everyone how RNY has changed my life and show people a picture of my old ID. I always take the time to educate patients with obesity the benefits of some type of weight loss program. I never had any problems with dumping, matter fact not one time. Now constipation is a different story was ready to call 911 myself. I just take fiber pills every day, three one day two the next and that worked. I never really liked sweets but after surgery, white chocolate calls me all the time. I try to weigh most of my food when possible, I attempt to keep it around 7-8 ounces. I work out three four times a week with heavy weights and cardio and try to burn at least 1/3 of the calories I ate. Gaining the weight back will always be in the back of your head. I believe this is a good thing; we all should worry because it just may. Keep up the job work, ya look great, besides the health issue of weight loss, it had to feel great to get out and shop for real people clothing and styles. I said my goodbyes to the big guy shop and have no plans of looking back.. Hey ! we all know they never made clothing that looked good for heavy people. LOL