I know what you mean--I had an iron gut before surgery and I have one now after surgery. I do not think my surgeon made mine small enough. I still think that I can eat too much. It is no were near the amount that I used to eat--but I can eat a normal small size portion. My friend, who had surgery a month after me can hardly eat a cup of something. And I am stuck on a three month plateau and nothing is coming off. I have lose 96 pounds and now everything has stopped. HELP!!! Sandra

I thought I'd check in on the May 2004 board. My state board has gotten very cliquish and if they don't agree with you, you get snubbed. When you reach a milestone and only 1 or 2 people respond, you know it's time to move on. And just because I said an OH state weekend should be for adults only. Anyway, I'd like to join your board. And I'm NOT planning any weekend get-aways for the group! I had RNY 5/11/04, open because of adhesions. Recovery was slow because of a G-tube infection but finally turned the corner. I've lost 105 pounds with 15 to go. At the present rate of loss, it will be 2010 before those last 15 are gone! Part of the problem is that I can eat just about anything without any problem. I think I probably don't dump on sugar. I know I don't on fat. Meat is the biggest problem. If I it will be on reheated meat. You'd think I'd learn. Food calls to me. I'm working really hard to make it stop and am fully prepared to get some counseling if I can't get it under control soon. I WILL NOT REGAIN THIS WT! Another problem is exercise or lack there of. I hate exercise. I think the perfect exercise is turning the pages of a book! But soon it will be warm and I'll be able to walk outside and ride my new bike. That should help. Seems like I just like to hibernate in the winter. Health wise, I no longer have sleep apnea, high blood pressure and my fibromyalgia is pretty much gone. A major concern tho is bone loss. I had lost an additional 18% since 2 years ago and I was already at 80% of normal. Seems as tho I can't absorb enough calcium. So I now take fosamax and Vit D (1000 units) along with the calcium, B12, Vit C, iron, and multi. Other than being tired right now, I feel pretty good. This weekend I am getting back to basics. I'm doing 2 days of liquids to shrink my pouchie back up and then adding in soft foods. Hopefully that will kick start the wt loss and I can get closer to goal before my anniversary. Only 8 pounds to being normal wt. If I could just get my BMI to normal, I'd be happy! Not that I'm unhappy now! (I'm pretty goal oriented.) Lyn 262/157/142

I'm not trying to attack you or anything like that. I actually do have some advice that may be of some help to you. I DO have to address something though before I start because something you said was very upsetting to me. About it being easier for people who start off at 268, or wherever and that it is cosmetic for those people I have to share where *I* am coming from. I didn't start out at 268... I started out at 228. I was 5' tall with a BMI of 43. Wow, some people might say. Just 43? Just 228? Well you know, it was killing me. Quite literally killing me. The diabetes, the sleep apnea, the joints falling to pieces, the heart trouble.... do I need to go on? Any BMI over 40 is morbidly obese.... and as we all have been trying to beat into people's heads in this society obesity is a disease, morbid obesity being a severe form of that. To compare one person's disease to another with the same disease is very unfair as we are all individuals and all react to our illnesses in different ways. I am sure there are people on this site that had a very long way to go but made it to their goal. And likewise a lot of people who didn't have as much to lose that never made goal. I just think that for ANYONE who is morbidly obese (assuming it is true that 95% of the population can only lose and maintain a 30lb weight loss with diet and exercise alone, which is what a doctor told me) that right now where we are in medical science this surgery seems to be the only "cure". I don't "have" to explain my reasons and justifications for having this surgery to you. I really don't care what you think of me personally honestly and if that means you think I didn't need this surgery then that's okay. But it does concern me that you might not give people a fair shake that could really use your support and friendship just because in your opinion they are clogging up the system and keeping people like you who "really needed" the surgery from getting the attention they deserve. Like I said, I am not trying to be antagonistic here... just trying to share my point of view with you. Maybe you'll think it over and change your mind, maybe just a little. Maybe you won't. As far as your problem goes, perhaps if you keep a daily log of what you are eating and the amounts (www.fitday.com is a good site for doing this) then the next time you go in and talk to your doctor you can show him and he might have to really face what's going on with you instead of taking the easy way out and questioning if you're following the rules. Maybe because you're just eating meat and not getting some other things your body has gone back into starvation mode. Be really careful with the carbonation. I was drinking some carbonated drinks for a while and started to realize I could eat a lot more than I was able to before. Scared me to death! I immediately stopped and even went back on a liquid diet for a while and then ate things I knew I couldn't handle as much of (like things that didn't sit well because of consistency) so I had to eat less. My pouch seemed to agree with me and has seemed to shrink back down. Luckily it can't get too awful big anyway because I had the fobi RNY which is bascially the same thing as a normal RNY only I have a band around my new pouch to minimize stretching. Still not taking any chances though. Went through far too much to get where I am. I am sorry you are frustrated. Don't take no for an answer though with your doctor. It is his job to follow up with you and make sure your body is doing it's part. You deserve that attention... he certainly got paid enough to give you some support when you feel the surgery isn't doing what it is supposed to. Good luck and keep us updated.

1) My one goal now is to be able to do a pull up...I've never in my life been able to do a pull up. 2) No tattoos 3) I had many DEFINING moments, but the thought of not being here for my children was too painful to bare. Michelle

Okay, time for some accountability...I'm pretty dissappointed with myself today. B: Carbwell Bar & Water (after my morning workout) S: 1/2 LC pasta w/chicken L: Wendy's chili Okay...not bad so far...right? Then a coworker walks by and plops a hersey bar down on my desk. And, spineless jellyfish that I am...I eat it! No I didn't get sick, but I think that's only beause I was able to leave for my hour-long lunch walk immediately after. I'm still mad at myself. I work WAY to hard to be healthy and then fold to a candy bar I don't even like! I guess the truth is, I am still a food addict and I have to remember to take it one day at a time. This will NOT defeat me, but I am dissappointed in myself. Ah well. Dinner will be something healthy, prob'ly a grilled chx salad. Blessings, -Perry