Hey everyone! I don't come here much anymore now that I'm 4 1/2 years out, but I wanted to share with you what happened to me a couple of weeks ago. I was sitting at the computer when a horrible abdominal pain came over me and wouldn't leave. I waited 5 hours and the pain only got worse. My husband rushed me to the local ER and by that time I knew I was dying. I don't know how I knew that but I felt things shutting down in my body. I screamed the whole time I was there until they gave me something to sedate me. They tested me with a CT scan and many x-rays and blood work. The tests revealed I had two things wrong. One was pancreatitis which was caused by the main problem - a bowel obstruction! I had heard many horror stories about them and how scary it is when you have them. I remember one guy almost died from it. All I know is it is the most PAINFUL thing I've ever been through. They wouldn't let me eat or drink for 7 days straight and I kept dry heaving the whole time. Finally the general surgeon told me that if I didn't have emergency surgery I would die. So, I went under the knife again and he removed over 6 liters of fluid (a gallon and a half) from my abdomen. When I came to, he had put an NG tube in my nose (BIG NO NO) but he knew I had the GB surgery and knew to scope first. I also had an epidural for the first time in my life and it really helped with the pain. He told me that I almost died and he was glad that God helped him through my surgery. I knew I was dying but to hear him say that really shook me up. I'm just glad God took care of me through it! The funny thing is that they kept me on IV's that whole week and when I stepped on the scale the first time it said I weighed 228! OMG! I weighed 175 when I went in! Then, the second time I weighed after they took the IV's out, I weighed 200! I still freaked! By the time I got home, within a week I was weighing 180. After a week I'm down to 160 and I'm so thankful that the weight wasn't permanent! That's a hard way to lose 15 pounds but it feels really good to lose that weight again! I thought those 15 pounds I had gained were permanent! I took my measurements and they are the same as when I was 155 before so I'm elated! However, I'm still on the mend and my tummy is a little puffy still but I'm only 2 weeks out of surgery, so I know it will continue to go down! Anyway, the reason I posted this is that the bowel obstruction was caused by 'adhesions' that were on the sides of my intestine from the original GB surgery and TT I had years ago. When you have abdominal surgery of any kind (hysterectomy, gall bladder, etc.,) you have a much greater chance of having these adhesions. They act like fingers which wrap around your intestine and block off any flow of what is inside. When that happens, if you don't have surgery immediately, it CAN kill you! So, if you have any kind of abdominal pain after your surgery, don't just assume it is food poisoning like I did! Get to the ER within an hour or so and get x-rays done to make sure you are ok! Don't suffer and almost die like I did! God bless you all!

Mary, First of all, it is true that most of the people that have this surgery gain some weight back. However, from what you said, you didn't lose as much as you should have in the first place. Sometimes, when that happens, there are reasons that are beyond your control. Sometimes, there's something wrong with the pouch and you need a revision. I would go to my original GB surgeon and get an x-ray of the pouch to make sure everything is ok before you just blame yourself for the weight gain. I also had my surgery in 8/01 and I've struggled also. I know if I don't stick to the protein regimen I will gain back as much as my body will let me. However, I really think there could be something wrong with your pouch in your case. Please consider what I've said and God bless you on the rest of your journey!

I had my rny surgery in August 2001. Lost 96lbs. I have been struggling since 2003 to keep from gaining weight back. I have found that obesity is a disease and a large part of this disease is denial. Denial that my appetite is back, denial that I am gaining weight back, denial that I am eating uncontrollably, etc., etc., etc. I have gained back 27 lbs. of my weight loss. I have been on anorexic meds for the past 2 years to help control my appetite. I know that if I hadn't been taking these meds my weight would all be back on. If I only ate 3 meals a day and had only non-caloric liquids in between, I would never gain the weight back. My mind keeps telling me that if I just eat some small amount of candy, I can eat more small amounts of candy over a longer period of time and not get ill. My downfall before surgery was sweets. Also, before surgery I was a raging bulimic. I vomited 7-8 times a day eating tremendous amounts of food. Of course, it didn't help me to control the weight gain. It just added another addiction to me. Thank God that because of the surgery, I am not able to do that anymore. I never told my surgeon this because I thought he would not give me the surgery if he knew. The reason I am telling you all this information is that it might help people to share what is going on with them after their surgery before it is too late. There are many people out there that I personally know of who have put all of their weight back on and are too ashamed to admit it because they think they are failures. It is difficult for me to admit what is happening to me also but I know that by being honest with you it is making me be honest with myself. Hurt pride never killed anyone but obesity has. My husband has also had the surgery in March 2001. He was 507 lbs. He lost 200lbs. He actually felt skinny at 307 lbs. I have noticed that his weight is creeping back up. He went up a size in pants. He thinks the dryer is shrinking his clothes, water weight gain, he is not eating that much, etc. All symptoms of getting back to old thought patterns. Our surgeon said that this surgery is a tool and not a cure. He is absolutely right. It helped to get us healthy again. It took us only so far in out weight loss. Now we are having to do the very thing that we could never do before. Diet. If we could diet, we would never have gotten so overweight. I have found that for me, I must focus on what and why I am eating every day. I am never going to be cured but I must be forever vigilant. I have a friend who mortgaged her home to have the surgery. She not only gained all of the weight back but now has a mortgage on her home. I have tried to start support groups in the past but the surgery was too knew in our area and people thought that they didn't need one. I am praying that those who are in danger of gaining the weight back will contact me to start one. Please, please do not be ashamed that this is happening to you. I understand. I am one of you. Sorry for the long message but it took a lot of courage to admit all of this.

Hey Judy Congrats on 4 years. Keep up the great work, enjoy! Wendy

Congratulations Judy! You did great. I didn't see any pictures on your profile. I am glad you are doing well. Good luck in your new home. I am going to be 4 yrs out next Monday. Where did you have your surgery? I had mine in Pittsburgh PA. I am now finding it more difficult to keep my weight off. Hope you enjoy your 4th year out! Have a happy day!