Hello WLS family, the timing of this update is oh so special.  As of today I am 13 years post op of RNY.  I started my journey at 327lbs and lost 157lbs, including my tummy tuck.  That brought me down to 170lbs.  About 4 months after my tummy tuck, we found out we were pregnant with our 3rd child.  That was a bit of a blow, but I was so gloriously happy with that pregnancy because it was the first pregnancy I had that I wasn't super morbidly obese. 

After the pregnancy I had gained about 20lbs and maintained that weight for 6 years.  I truly believe my maintenance was due to the support group I founded in Connecticut.  I was not only accountable to a few people, I was accountable to over 100 people.  It fueled my motivation, and kept me on track. But then we moved to Florida, and I no longer had the support group.  Everyone here knew me at the new weight and I could eat whatever without any eyes watching over me. I was no longer accountable. 

In the years since moving to Florida, I've gained and lost another 30-40 lbs a couple of times.  I even got back down to 190, at one point and was thrilled.  Although, once again, I lost track and didn't pay attention.  Finally, this past April a cousin of mine decided to have VSG and it opened my eyes to this gift of a tool that I had just been letting sit there, and not picked up.  I decided to get on the scale, see how much damage I had done, and start my journey again.  I was dreadfully shaken to reality when I got on the scale and saw that I had ballooned up to 254.8 lbs.  How could I have let this happened?  I remember thinking all the things I had thought of myself prior to my wls. Yet, I somehow mustered up enough courage to say, "no more!" 

I was eating way too many carbs, eating Bugles for snacks and have popcorn almost every night.  I decided that the only thing I would change was to cut those 2 items out of my diet first.  I started in March and the following month I had lost 5lbs.  I knew that if I did what I had to do I would lose weight again and it would come off like anyone else.  In April I went back to hard core no carb eating, basically following an Atkins type eating lifestyle.  I'm ecstatic to say that since March I have lost a total of 30lbs and am now at 224.  Still, what seems like a world away of the 170, I had been but I'm doing it.  Everyday, one day at a time, sometimes 1 hour at a time, but I'm doing it.  I've given myself a goal of losing 52 more pounds by my birthday next August, when I turn 45.  And I truly believe I can do it.  I have the same motivation, I had when I had my wls, because I've become accountable to people again.  I've posted my journey to all my friends/family on facebook, and plan to keep coming back to OH so that I have a place to feel supported.

This Monday I will be taking a 4 day cruise and I'm a little concerned about it, but I've been reading a lot about what one can do when they are cruising.  I plan to stay on track, by making better choices and prioritizing what I want to truly try on the ship, verses what I can eat at any other time. Planning and awareness of what I'm eating will be key, and I think I can get through this, and still have a fabulous time.

Thank you all for reading my long post.  It's been a long while since I've posted on OH and it feels really good to be back. 

Muah! Liza

This has been the best years! I followed the rules, used the tools and I feel great.

Hi there. I had surgery in Jan 2001. shortly after needed to have the stomach opening enlarged as nothing was going through.  long story short, I hit my lowest about 2 1/2 years ago at 139 and now slowly have gone back up to almost 160.  How do you know when your stoma is large?  I feel like i don't get the full feeling anymore.. I still get full with certain things, chicken, noodles, and rice are culprits along with meatballs, to the point of uncomfortable.  but i am able sometimes to eat more than 1/2 sandwich which was my maximum before.  the last thing i want is to have more surgery.  but I really feel bad about gaining about 20 pounds.  i also had different things going on, neck injury at work and other stress related issues which probably compounded things and reduced my ability to exercise.  And now am also dealing with a sabotaging husband buying all kinds of snacks and crap that we don't need around the house, this was a problem before surgery as well.  i have nagged pleaded and argued about him buying that stuff. but it falls on deaf ears. By the way i did just get back this forum but it's all new to me and I couldn't find anyone around my surgery date who seemed to be having the same issues.  thanks for any and all suggestions!!