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

I eat pretty much what I want to, but still can't eat too much of it. I do drink coffee all day long though. Have you been drinking sodas? Most people I know that have gained their weight back started back drinking sodas again. I haven't had a soda in over 4 yrs except for a sip of my husbands.
You are not a failure. Just keep telling yourself you had the surgery for a reason and don't give up on that reason. You did it for you. Don't let the surgery go to waste.

Here is a sample of my meals:
Breakfast
2 slices of bacon
1 egg
1 biscuit
coffee


Lunch

1 Ham sandwich without the crust
1 can of beanie wiennies
water or tea


Dinner
1/2 peice of chicken or steak
1 spoonful of mashed potatoes
1 spoonful of green beans ( or some type of g reen veggies)
1 Roll
water or tea


Snack
Coffee
1 cup of Raymundo's Flan
Coffee

Get back on track one day at a time. Good luck to you.Remember to get up on that track with full speed ahead and don't quit until you come to the right station!  Good luck!

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. 

I don't know how much help I can be because I am pregnant right now for the second time since surgery.  With my first post op baby I gained a total of 8 pounds and this one so far, 8 as well but I have 3 more months.  However, I don't feel like my eating has changed at all during this time.  Here is what I eat.
Breakfast
1 egg
1 piece of toast
2 pieces of bacon, sometimes I can't eat all of it.

Lunch
1 small bowl of chili
1/2 peanutbutter sandwich, again sometimes I can't eat it all.

Dinner
1/2 small chicken breast
1/4 cup of green beans
1/4 cup of mashed potatoes, I NEVER eat it all but that is how much I measure out.

I drink alot!  I drink so much sometimes that I can barely eat.  I don't do it on purpose, it just happens.  I am at 160 right now due to the baby but before the baby I was 152.  I had been bouncing bewteen 148 and 152 for a few years now.  Have you tried the 5 day pouch test?  I have heard that helps alot.  I am going to do that after this baby.  Good luck.
Toni

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