HELP!!!!!!!!!!

I had the RNY 4 years ago now. I got down to 198 I am now back up to 230. I am really upset with myself. I had this done to get down to a healthy life. Everyday I tell myself I am going to stop eating all the fast food and junk food!!! I just find it easier to stop and get something after work. I am a single mother of 3 i work an 8 hour day. By the time I get the kids picked up get home it is late. So most of the time we just stop and pick something up!!!!! I have also had a baby sine my surgery. I did not gain one pound while I was pregnant. I lost 25lbs while I was pregnant. I gained it all back after I had her. and more!!!! In January I had emergancy surgery. I had an Abdominal Abstuction. I died on the operating table. I now have a huge cut all the way down past my belly button. I was in the hospital for 2 weeks. I lost 30lbs after all that. I kept telling myself that I was not going to gain it back. But guess what i have gain every bit of it back!!!!!!!! I know what I need to do it isjust getting myself to do it!!!!!!! I have not been on this site since I had my surgery. I am going on here and looking at all the pictures of the before and afters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so depressed. PLEASE HELP!!!!! Janette

Oh Janette, I'm so sorry to hear of your frustration but please know you're not alone. We're all 4+ years post-op now and for most of us, can eat whatever we want and drink whatever we want without much reprocussions. I've been fighting the scale myself but my vice is soda. Not diet either - full sugar - full calorie - yummy soda. I've gained 17 lbs in the past 3-4 months! I'm challenging myself to get off the soda and at least onto diet but the goal is water. Then I'll tackle the sweets and carbs. I can totally see how its possible for WLS patients to put the weight back on but its up to us to put a stop to it at some point and say "I WILL NOT GO BACK!!!". It requires more planning and preparation on our part but it can be done. You mentioned its late when you get home with the kids and usually stop on the way home for soemthing to eat... perhaps you could swing into a grocery store with a deli and get more of a balanced meal; Or pack a cooler with turkey/chicken/ham/etc... and cheese sandwiches for the drive home. Toss some fruit and veggies in the cooler with some bottles of water or juice for the kids and you've got the making of a healthy dinner (not to mention, cheaper in the long run!). I applaud you for reaching out in your time of need. That's what this site is for and I think it'd be helpful to everyone to check in once in a while. I know I am more weight concious when I've been on here recently. Best of luck to you. Jessica

Hi Janette!
I agree with Jessica-we are all out four plus years and facing new challenges in our journey.  But you musn't give up!  You have to try harder to keep healthy choice foods available.  Not just for you but for your kids too.  They can and will benefit from eating healthy too.  Whenever you feel hungry try drinking some water.  I feel for you and I wish there was something I could do to help you, but you know and I know that YOU have to make the decision to get back to the basics.  I gained back 12 pounds from the lowest weight I originally got to, but I have also heard that it is not uncommon to gain around 10 pounds after getting close to or at your goal weight.  My goal weight was 150 but I haven't made it yet.  I'm going to though!!  And you'll get back to the 198 and even less than that, but you have to really want to do it.  I know it's hard, honest I do, but you have to do it for YOU because YOU deserve it!!!!
Laura

OMG I cant believe I found this board!  I dont feel alone any longer.  I had my surgery 4 yrs ago. a little more now.  And I got down to 168 but have since came back up to 196.  I feel like I have failed.  I honestly was thinking the surgery has failed.  I see so many people that are skinny (sickly skinny as I call it) and think my gosh what happened to me.  Why cant I be like others?     I can eat just about anything I want, except milk or ice cream.  I wish chocolate made me sick, or diet soda....NOT!   Never have made sick.   I exercise some, I stay active, but I think I have stretched my pouch out.  I am going to talk to my PCM to see if he will do a barium swallow on me to see if I have messed it up and go from there.  I so need to start losing again. 

Most people I know that have gained their weight back started drinking sodas. I have not had a whole soda in over 4 years except for maybe a sip of my husbands. I am down to 102 from 260.
It was my understanding that you weren't supposed to have sodas or any typed of drink that had the fizz to it.
You have not failed though, you have just gotten off track a little. Get yourself back on the track. Think of all the reasons you had surgery to begin with. Good luck to you.

Janette,
Don't feel bad, because I am going through that same thing myself.  I had surgery 5/10/04.  I got down to around 130 lbs, a size 4-6 P, I am now up to size 8-10 R, I am so afraid that I will gain all of my weight back.  I started going to the gym about two weeks ago, and I am feeling better in my clothes already.  I am not where I want to be, but I feel that I am on my way.  I have got to get this weight off.  My job is a customer service rep and I sit all day long and i know that does not help the me at all, but I just started gaining weight in the last year, and I could eat almost anything without gaining.  When I saw that I was putting on some weight I would just got back to salads and eating right.  So I know that I can do it, and you can too.  The surgery was just a tool, not a cure!!  We still have our part to do on this journey.

Good luck Janette

Hettie