Did I even have surgery??

I know that everyone asks this question at some time or another, but I have tried to hold off. I can eat a LOT!! It seems like I have been able to since surgery. I asked my surgeon and his reply to me was that he doesn't cut the pouch as small. He says that he doesnt see better wt loss with the smaller pouches only more vitamin deficiencies. I had surgery on 3/5/2004 and for example, I can eat a six inch sub from subway with the bread. Sometimes I am a little uncomfortable but sometimes I feel like I could add a bag of chips to the mix. I am very bothered by this issue. I even dream about it. I have a hard time controlling my overeating and the huge pouch doesn't help the issue. My surgeon is 3 hours away and it's hard for me to get there. My main questions are... since your all marchers, how much can you eat??? Also I have a hernia that needs to be repaired. Do you guys think my surgeon could cut my pouch smaller at the same time?? Thanks in advance for any replys. Angela 330/225/180

good morning angela, i had my surgery 3/30/04 and while i can't eat a 6" sub I can eat alot. Somethings like bread bother me. So I limit that. I do watch the amount of calories that I eat and try to keep it within 1200 - 1400 per day. Somedays I could eat alot more than that! I find if I do the water overload and drink 8 oz 15 minutes before I eat that I do much better. Its just trying to remember to do that cause when I get hungry everyone better watch out! hahaha When my protein or blood sugar drops I get alittle cranky. Heres a list of what I ate yesterday. I still try to write it down. B. egg, slice of cheese, slice of diet raisin bread S. banana, soy chips L. 2oz chicken, lettuce, onions, diet dressing, 6 tiny croutons S. protein bar D. fresh fruit, protein bar, S. 2 peanut butter crackers When I look back at it its not all that much but it fills me up! It stays within the calorie amounts that I do. I've not lost anything in about 4 months and "play" with 1 to 2 pounds. Meaning that over the weekend I gain 1 or 2 then during the week I lose them. I'm not doing anything drastically different on the weekends if anything my activity level is higher. I also with my job need to be flexable becasue I'm out on the road all day in sales. I didn' tget home last night til 8pm and had started the day at 6:30 with my workout. So far I'm down 117 pounds and am wearing size 8 & 10's. Mostly 10's but geesh I'm so thrilled with that 8!!!!! I had been wearing size 26 that was tight. good luck and god bless, pam

I can relate to this, I think I can eat alot too..but it depends on the food. I don't think I could eat a 6" sub with chips. My usual everyday diet consists of this: breakfast - South Beach Cereal Bar snack - perhaps a second bar, or nothing at all lunch - 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1/2 cup low carb yogurt snack - Power Crunch Protein Bar dinner - varies - sometimes cheese and crackers, sometimes a Lean Cuisine and sometimes my daughter and I go out for dinner and I get a big salad with chicken in it or something. snack - low carb ice cream bar This varies A LOT on weekends or when my boyfriend is around. When we go out for dinner, which is alot, we order one meal and split it...I don't even eat half, but I taste everything, including dessert. If we take my daughter out for ice cream, I get a kiddie cup and eat half. I am 5'6" and weighing in at about 148. I wear a size 6 or 8, but my goal weight is 134, and I really don't think I'm going to make it. I was 247 before my surgery. At 5'6, and with my body structure, the weight was easy to hide, and a lot of people felt that I didn't need to lose 100 lbs, but I know I did. the scale moves between 146 and 148, and I'd kill to lose the last bit of weight. I know I don't drink enough and I'm going to try water loading to see if that helps. Take care and good luck! Joan

How is you weight loss? How do you feel? How is your bloodwork? Can I eat an entire 6 inch sub? I do order a six inch subway sub toasted, and with limited veggies. I can't quite eat the whole thing, but could if I wanted to feel a bit uncomfortable. I quess I look for at my food choices now then I do on the portion size. And there are some days when I get full eating half of a six inch and others when I eat most of it. I stick to the "Protein First" mantra, then move to veggies. I try to avoid too many carbs or starches and try to limit my carbs to whole grains. I'm far from an expert, but if the whole package is working for you, then I wouldn't be too concerned about being able to eat a six inch sub.

Angela we live inthe same town! where did you have your surgery? there are 2 support groups in town maybe having some people IRL to connect with would help. I think I can eat a larger amount but then when we go out to eat I try to look at what other adults eat and THEN I think oh yep...I eat LESS lots LESS! I can eat a 6inch sub without the bread, bread seems very heavy now to me so I usually give the bread to my DH or to the dog LOL But that will often make me feel FULL for HOURS and hours. I hope you get some relief. If you want to email me or heck even meet up let me know! LOL small world isn't it? Nic 291/161/???

I had my surgery in Peoria because that is the only place that OSF insurance covers. I would love to meet up and go to a support group or something. I have been wanting to go to the OSF group but have been kind of embarrased I guess. I feel like I should have lost more wt by now. Oh yeah and I forgot to mention in my post that I got pregnant six weeks out of surgery. How are the groups?? Do you go to either or both?? Give me the detail. Times, dates, place, # of members, etc... I won't be able to check my e-mail 'til next Thursday. Thanks for replying!! Angela

SWEETIE!!! hang on wait a minute... so what you are saying is that you had WLS in March 2004, got pregnant in April 2004 and STILL lost 100 pounds??? DARLING I THINK THAT IS FREAKING FANTASTIC! I keep missing the OSF group it is on Thursday nights. ( my son plays baseball on thursdays til mid july) The Barix Clinics group meets the 2nd Monday of the month at 7:00. I know in July they are having the new Plastic Surgeon talk. I would like to hear him. I WILL meet you at any meeting ya want to go to! That said my friend is now19 months post op and is still loosing weight. I think you will keep loosing slowly. My doc says 18-24 months! hugs! Nic 291/161/???

Hi there, I hope this note finds you well and healthy! The March 2004 Board needs your help. Please go to the Board and read the post, AND THE SURVEY SAYS, and PLEASE respond to it by answering the few questions. We really need to hear from you. Thank you! Maureen

I can eat that much. I find that if I really pay attention, though, I leave a messier plate--I pick over the last half and leave a lot of the bread. I also find that if I eat that much at one meal, I tend to not eat much the other meals of the day. You know--I used to eat a footlong, with the chips! I think the trick is to focus on quality instead of worrying about quantity. That is hard for me. I still fall off onto carb binges at times, even though it makes me feel yucky.... You have lost over 100 lbs girl! You are doing OK, and yes, you had surgery!! (When did you ever lose 100 lbs before???) Hang in there... Joy

Okay- I read through and considering you were pregnant so soon out, you have done incredibly! Second, I am right there with ya sister. I can eat the whole 6 inch sub and a few chips to boot. I haven't tried eating the whole bag of chips, but it wouldn't surprise me if I could. Some days I can eat that much and others it seems maybe just a little less. Probably has to do with how hydrated I am. I started out with a 4 oz pouch and now I suspect my capacity is around 12 ounces depending on what it is. I know with the Subway subs, I load up on veggies and I discovered that this is one reason why I can eat so much - the veggies go through me very easily. But now I tried other experiments. I can eat a whole $1.00 double cheeseburger at McDonalds. But when I went to eat a sausage egg McMuffin, I couldn't eat it all. In fact, I could eat just a little over half. The look similar in size, but I discovered that the english muffin is chewier and stays in my pouch longer than the bun on the burger. So I have found that if I seek out those things that can fill me up quicker, I am able to do better. I have to say that it has caused me some distress to be able to eat more. I don't feel funny eating out though because rarely do I get asked if I liked something or not because I can eat a decent portion. But one thing I had to come to the realization of is that it's my situation and I have to make the best of it. I was stalled for 2-3 months (can't remember exactly) and it was because I was eating the wrong things and too much of them too often. Well, I had a struggle going on. I didn't want to diet. I still don't want to. But somewhere along the way it hit me that my "window" was about to close and I needed to step up the effort so I could get it off. Of course, I've always been the kind of person who packs an hour before the plane leaves too! The point I am trying to make in my sleep deprived stupor is that we didn't luck out with those tiny pouches. We got bigger ones. Right here and now we have to cope with it. I would rather not have another surgery and I would rather try to find tricks to help me get it off as it is. It is still do-able and likely that I can do it. No matter how hard it seems to put our effort into it now, it is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING like it was before. The effort isn't quite as gruelling now. These are thing things we need to concentrate on at this point. Now that I've gotten on my losing streak, I see the finish line ahead and I'm super motivated. I needed this kick in the pants to do it. Sometimes it works when we put out the effort we don't think we have, because picking up the rear is that motivation you were looking for in the first place. I know I will have a greater chance of regaining than someone with an inflexible micro pouch. I know that it will be harder to get it off for me. But I do have advantages that others do not have. I can eat until my mouth is as satisfied as my stomach and still lose weight. I do get more nutrients from my food, as well. I don't have issues throwing up or things getting stuck, so all in all, this is not so bad. Just have to work around it. I think of it this way: It's a heck of a lot better than it used to be, and knowing that I am here having to put a little effort into it gives me a sense of self-control. It's still doable for both of us. The point is that we need to step up and take an active role now. Good luck to you! I do hope you find you are able to finish this job without a big struggle! Dina