I totally relate to your posting. I'm up 30lbs, and I'm putting myself on CHECK! I had a baby, and he's now 1yr old, and I'm +25-30lbs. I attributed it to the mommyhood weight, but that's just an excuse. After the baby, I stopped taking my vitamins, stopped checking my portions, and just eat whatever I crave. I still eat moderately, but my choices have been a bit too relaxed. Again, I attribute it to the mommy mentality of being too busy, or this or that, but no more excuses! I'd rather get my act together NOW that I'm at 20-30lbs, and not when it's 50, 70...By then, I would have failed myself and would be extremely disappointed with myself and my choices. I started going to the gym today, and started back up on the protein shake morning breakfast. I know I need to do more, but feel that I'm motivated enough to stick to it. Best of luck with everyone, and let's GET BACK ON TRACK so we can look and feel AWESOME for/by our 5th yr anniversary! 

xoxo
-Norma

Hi Lisa, ! 

Sorry to hear of your weight issues! But I guess having a Healthy Baby is a great reward, no matter what.    Do you still see your WLS Surgeon?  My teams of MD's required a 5 year plan.  I just have my last visit with my MD in Aug.  It is a bit sad to say good - bye.  I Had a different MD for the surgery and then because of a move I was followed by a "friend" of my MD.  It feels like I  will be saying Good-bye to a close friend ( but being Military, you do that a lot) I DO HOPE I will get to see my surgeon when I am a back HOME this summer. The last visit home he was on vacation.  

Because of related health digestive issues, it seems I see my MD just about every 6 months, Both he and the gastro md I see, as wel as the diabetic MD I see all feel that I am a "great Success story!"  I know they mean this, but as I have gained close to 1/2 of what I lost, I do not feel like much of a success.   About 2 years ago I got a serious viral infection, leaving some nerve damage. The meds I had to take caused most of this weight gain.  I had been holding steady in a size 8 for close to three years before I got sick. Now I just bought a suit in a size 16, I guess it is still better than the size 22 my small 5 foot frame was wearing before WLS. 

I guess the question is.. DO we feel better ?  Yes in general I do. I am hoping that now that I have stopped taking the meds (meds for post infection nerve pain-- against MD's advice) I will be able to loose the weight at least 1/2  of the 36 pounds I re-gained   I stopped taking the meds about 6 months ago and I have not gained a pound since then! 

How is your Son Doing?  I bet he is the love and joy of your Life.  Try to enjoy your time with him as they grow up so fast.  My oldest is now 30, and has moved across the country. (yes Military as well) I miss him so much. My three other children are close to "home " for now but I know they too will be soon off on their own.

Maybe you could try walking with your baby.  Go out and Play with him. Lifting a  2 year old is a great work-out.   Try not to beat your-self up either.  Accept what you are doing and try to make small  changes to get "back on track"  Do you measure out portion sizes?  I stil do every so often.  I find it is so easy to take more than I realy need. ESP with Post Grape nuts!    I also try to keep my house free of foods that can sabatarge me.  No Chips, soda, cookies, candy and such.  I never thought I'd say this but I have even begun eating Yougurt ! On my grape nut with fresh fruit.   I have not managed to join a gym, and I do know this is a missing part for me.  Walking just does not seem to help.

Another suggestion is to sit down and write out the pro's and con's and your feelings about the weight gain.   I also just re-read your reply, and have you talked too your MD about post partum depression? Even a minor case of "baby-blues" can sabatarge you.    My "new MD" has a post WLS group, I went on a fairly reg basis until I got sick and then just about everything in my life came to a screatching hault.  When I felt better I also had gained so much weight I felt out of place in the meetings.  so I never went back. Now I am wondering if I should return and see how others are doing, as well as re-connect with other WLS folks close to me.    There is a shrink in the same medical clinic my MD is in, and she is begining a new therapy/ weight loss group.  It is a holistic approach, and I just might look into that instead. Who Knows.  

I do hope you can find some way to feel good about yourself and that  precious little boy.     As for the low bloos sugar -- Have you seen a diabetic specialist?  Yes Low blood sugars are related to diabeties.  I am  sure the dietician can give you a list of suitable options.  I know for me when my glucose levels are low, I also reach for something fast and tasty.    I still struggle with that.  I try to keep bananas or other fruit handy.  If I am out though --- it is usually the first thing I see, even if it is candy. 

ALso I know I say this over and over again, but lok into using www.fitday.com for me using the food diary for a few weeks really helps me get back on track ( of course that track is a bit rusty !)

Thanks for you reply.  As you see I do not get online very much, but I do check in here once in a while.  ( I tend to  KILL computers! so not may folks let me near their's  )  In fact this one just came back from the shop again.

Lisa

I am sorry to see that I am not the only one who is saddened by after-surgery weight gain.  I know that once my pouch healed, I resumed some old eating habits.  However, after gaining about 50 pounds back after my lowest weight, I managed to take off another 10 pounds after taking a much less stressful job, taking the stairs every day (because my new job is on the third floor and there is no elevator), and cutting out all the snacking.  Just those few changes helped me lose about 10 pounds, so I'm hoping that with a little more effort on my part, I can lose at least another 10!

Certainly, there are many things these days that stress us all out, but when I think about how unhappy and unhealthy I was when I was over 300 pounds, I just thank God that I had the surgery and feel as good as I do today.  Sure, I may not be as THIN as I'd like to be, but I feel so much better...and I can work really hard (the old fashioned way) to try and take off the excess weight that I put back on.  I'm just going to have to make it happen.

Wish me luck...and good luck everyone!

~Laura

I have gained a considerable amount of weight back as well.  I started out at 286 got all the way down to 258 and am now back at 210.  I am frustrated with myself as well.  I have started and stopped going back to basics so many times now that it makes me sick.  Good luck with whatever path you take to make yourself healthy, my insurance no longer covers anything surgery related so a revision is not an option for me.  I have not given up yet, so don't you either.  We can beat this weight gain if we don't let it beat us.  You sort of sound like you have given up, don't.  Continue walking those three miles and cutting back, eventually you will see a difference and then you can come back and encourage the rest of us.

Take care and good luck
Saundra

Well since my surgery I went down to 219 and now back up to over 320 lbs probably more. I threw the scale out at 300 lbs. I have fallen into a bad habit of making myself throw up to rid myself of food when I feel stuffed. I can eat whatever I want, I don't feel hungry, I don't feel full. I can drink and eat at the same time, and occassional I do have dumping but not often enough. I along with my conscious bad habits.For several moonths I tried to watch what I ate and walked 3 miles 5 days a week religiously, nothing seemed to take the weight off. Then it has gotten cold here so I am not walking any longer. I am doing also what I call "sleep eating." This started about 2.5 years ago. I have woken up in the middle of the night and found that I had made something to eat and had no memory of it.  I have actually woken up with a sandwich in hand and not remembered getting it.  I don't know what to do or how to do it.  I currently don't have insurance so going to see what has caused my RNY falure isn't an option right now. I am getting married and my fiancee has Aetna HMO that sems to cover all WLS procedures. Pleasse no lames, I beat myself up daily enough as it is. Im just looking for support and maybe someone else who has or is going through the same thing.

In the deep abyss I call my life,
Susan