Starting to Gain?

Has anyone found that being this far out, you've started to gain some of the weight back? I did a horrible thing! Almost 2 years out from surgery (my surgery was 5/1/2001) I had a taste of sweet for the first time... and it's been the death of me. It has complete control over me again, and I find myself craving sweets all the time. Since the surgery, I was always extremely hungry, and managed to eat more then most new patients (I had the Bariatric Rouen-Y surgery at the Bariatric Treatment Center in Dallas). I find myself consuming more calories then I should, and in this past year, I have managed to pack on 6 lbs. I was no where near my ideal weight when this began happening... I should still be losing, yet I am up to 178 lbs.... when I began, I was at 292. I just started working out again, but I find food just consumes me. I think about it all the time, I want it all the time. Please help - if anyone knows what I could try to do to get a grasp once more on my life! Thanks! Mary [email protected]

Hi Mary, I know this is late coming but I haven't been on this site lately. I too had my WLS on May 20,01. And I too have gained 10lbs just this last week. I have been holding since Jan 2003. Food is my every thought also unless I'm shopping. I have cheated with sweets, but not too often but I definitely eat too much regular food. I can eat as much as anyone else I'm dining with, sometimes more. I'm afraid as well. I just started some plastic surgery with an upper arm lift last week and I want to have a TT by May. I have a lot of flab to be removed. But I would like to lose 20-30 more lbs before that TT. What are we to do? I have no will power the only way I lost 165lbs was because I couldn't put down more than a small plate of food, I want that feeling again. Did you hear any good suggestions? If not, just to let you know you are not the only one out there with a gain-----Now there's 2 of us.

Nope...there's 3 of us! I had my surgery on May 25, 2001 and I AM TOTALLY hooked by the candy monster and scared to death! I have been barely maintaining my weight of around 165lbs. give or take a few pounds up or down. But, I know people who are further out than we are who have regained at least half of their weight back or more. I'm so terrified that this will happen to me too. I can certainly eat as much as I did pre-op, I must stop myself from doing so... and so far I have, but it's getting harder and harder. The sweats thing has taken control however. I find myself buying candy/chocolate on a regular basis anymore and I feel so guilty afterward that it's that viscious circle thing ya know? I do at least feel better knowing that I'm not the only one out there that this is happening to. I was feeling like a complete failure, like I'm one of the biggest screw-ups on earth. I went through this major surgery just to screw it all up??? I'm struggling to keep that from happening. I find that I just don't care how many grams of protein a day I have or if I've taken my vitamins etc. I need to get my act together and start caring or I'm going to end up weighing 420 lbs. again real fast! If you two find anything that you do that seems to help either of you please let me know ok? I'm so very worried that I'm on self-destruct here. Thanks.

I too have become by sweets again...its nothin for me to sit and eat a whole bag of carmel creams in a days time......takes me all day to eat them but I sure feel it afterward......I had surgery on May 9, 2001 and have lost well over 200 #, I have gained 15 back since Christmas and I am so afraid that I will keep gaining. I am so depressed and need help from someone to keep me on the right track. I will pray that you give up the sweets and continue your weight loss journey.. GOD bless you and keep you!

Hello there! I haven't singed on here in a while ... but I am with the rest of you in May 01, I too have started to gain and the candy thing is VERY overwhelming ... I have gone from not really wanting it to eating or "grazing" all day, then trying to eat a meal. I thought it was me, and I beat myself up about it ... then I realized that I needed to do some soul searching ... there is a reason I was fat in the first place, and not going to a psych doc to figure that out when I had surgery is and has been a problem I think. At any rate, I have found a group that I think will help and is overeaters anynomous. And surprisingly ... I am NOT the only one in there who had wt loss surgery and is gaining wt back!!! So go for it girls try to find a OA group or another support group. If you admit to what you are eating and have someone to report to ... it might help. I have only been once, but that one time felt like a lifetime. I am going to the gym and ridding my house of sweets ... none whatsoever. Im with you on the meal thing too ... I can eat a regular meal now. I dont like that at all ... but I got myself here and with the help of God I have made it this far and I will not let him or anybody else down by gaining my wt back! Good luck! take care hopey

Mary, Hi. I had surgery on May 15th, 2001. I weighed 340 pounds. I am now at 205 pounds. I was down to 183 pounds but have gained some back. I also have the sweet craving and also carbs. I try to be good and eat healthy but at times it gets the best of me. I also am afraid that I am going to gain all my weight back or more of it. This scares me to death. I never made my goal weight set by the doctor. But I had a lot of complications from the surgery. I have not yet had a tummy tuck done but I eventually want one. We are currently trying to have a baby first before I do the tummy tuck thing. Although the doctor told me that once I have the tummy tuck done that I will loose another 20 to 40 pounds of extra skin. I am not losing anymore weight but I gain some and loose some but I am still struggling with trying to get back down to the 183 mark or lower. It is a constant battle. Have you found anything that helps you to control the urge of junk food or carbs? How are you doing since you posted this? Any advice that you have that has worked for you? I am up to any help that one wants to suggest to me. I do not want to gain the weight back. Look forward to hearing from you sometime. And anyone else that reads this and may have help for me also. I think that the best advice can sometimes come from people that have been through the surgery and know what the challenges are like first hand. I have also been felling depressed lately over gaining some weight and not making my goal. I know I need to get focused again but nothing I seem to do works. Any suggestions? Thanks, Laura [email protected]

Hey guys, thanks for all of the replies. My general doctor is the best... he's the type of guy who has struggled with his weight for forever as well, and would always try out all of the diet pills with us - and tell me which worked, which didn't. For the past two years, he's been doing the Fat Flux plan, and had suggested it to me. I tried it for a while... but it's a DIET! Yuck! And, to be honest, the flaxseeds really tore my tummy up! I went to see him again Friday. Man is he skinny! He's been that way for a while now. I asked him about the cravings I'm having, I'm hungry all of the time, I want sugar all of the time... He told me that my body is really craving fats, not sugars, and explained, that's why I get so tired when I eat sugar. This is not what my body was craving, and I eat it, and my body did not want that. He said to do this... Just to take 2 Tbsp. of Flaxseed oil (or fish oil - but I'm alergic) every day. He said to have it on a salad or work it into a smoothie. He said there's another product that may help, he didn't notice a huge difference, but he said it did help a little. It's called Sugar Ease.? It's only available via some special phone number, it wasn't on GNC. Well, for now, I stopped Friday and picked up two bottles of Flaxseed oil from GNC (also at Whole Foods and Central Market). He said to make sure and refridgerate it! It's only been since Friday, and he said it takes a while to get into your system. It may be in my head, but I really did eat less this weekend! ? I'll let you know how it goes, but thought I'd share. I really trust my doctor, based on his help in the past! So, hope this helps others! Mary

Mary, I learned about the flaxseed oil while reading Jorge Cruz' "Eight Minutes in the Morning". Unfortunately I did not continue with the morning exercises, but I am finding the flaxseed oil does work to cut down and nearly eliminate my sugar cravings. It also seems to suppress my appetite. And it works as long as I do not run out of the oil. Since it is sooo slow at work today (catalog order entry), I decided to finally come back to www.obesityhelp.com to find out about my cravings for sweets. I have been out of the flaxseed oil for about a month and today at lunch I am going to a health food store to buy another bottle. Thank you for reminding me...and thanks to you and the others in this thread for letting me know I am not alone in this craving. Kathy/Middletown I will be back....learning to not be a loner...way too lonely...

I am SO glad I found this message board. My anniversary is May of '01 too and I've gained from 175 to 192 and it is TOTALLY bothering me. I'm also experiencing hair loss. I was found to be severely anemic back in January but have since got my levels up to normal but my hair is still falling out. I am now pushing the protein. I'm back to some old habits as far as my diet and I know I shouldn't be eating the way I am. Is it really possible to change? I'm struggling. Hoping the nicer weather will get me out more and away from food! Hope everyone has a great day!!

Holy cow, you guys, you are really scaring me! I'm a post op from 5/01, too. I also crave sweets, now more than prior to surgery. I just assumed the carb cravings were because they are easier to fix and digest. You have all given me "food" for thought! I haven't gained any weight back but you have me very concerned. I can't eat nearly a fraction of what I did, and too many candy bars make me sick. Lucky for me, I guess. Do any of you drink regular soda or diet? I can only drink diet, but that helps with my sweet cravings.