Need Help!!!

Dear Nov 2004 Brothers/Sisters, I need Help!!!My weight on the day of surgery(265lbs),my lowest weight(190lbs @ 6mos. post op).I've bounced between 190-195 for the past 18mos.I'm now at 200lbs!!!!!! I'm still med free (reason I had surgery),and my labs are great!!I'm still very upset that I'm still OBESE!!,according to the BMI chart.I'm still doing my vites,shakes,water/crystal light,walking.I would like to attend my support group but I now work 3 to 11 pm (since mar.).What do I do now??Has anyone experienced this??I only see people that have reached their goal.Am I the only one STILL OBESE????? Please help!!! Paula RNY 11/30/2004

Paula, You are most definitely NOT alone!!! I just blogged about this a few days ago.. I get so frustrated with myself and it's so hard to keep plugging.. but my doctor always told me that at some point the surgery will be done doing its job and I will have to do the rest. I'm down nearly 140# but I still have another 75 or so to go just to get to "normal" and another 50 to get to my surgeon's goal of 200. When I wrote my blog, I said, "I just wish I'd seen more people who weren't superlosers when I started this journey." Not that it would have changed my mind, but maybe it wouldn't have set me up for disappointment. And I think there's a stigma associated with NOT reaching your goal "like everyone else has" -- be kind to yourself. Look at all you HAVE accomplished.. and now, doesn't doing it the "old fashioned way" seem a lot more achievable to you than it did before?? I know it does for me. I have told myself to think of it like this: I was able to go REALLY FAR thanks to this surgery.. and the timeline for "the rest of the way" is my own. I'm not in a race. If it takes me another two years to lose 75# with diet and exercise, then OKAY.. at least I am healthy. At least I am able to exercise without causing more damage to my body than good. At least I am more likely to SEE two years from now than I was two years ago. Maybe your body is just used to the way you've been eating and you need to change it up? Do you or have you ever used a program like Fitday (www.fitday.com)? It's a great way to figure out what you're putting into your body vs. what your body needs. maybe you're just missing something? Don't be discouraged.. plenty of us did not lose all our weight.. PLENTY of us are still working towards our goals.. and with the right attitude and a realistic set of goals, we WILL get there in our own time. Stef Lap RNY 11/12/04 5'11" 390 -> 258 -> 175 (AND NOT GIVING UP!!!)

Hi Paula! I haven't been online here in a very long time, mostly out of shame. I had open rny Nov 04 at 207.5 pounds (on the light side but very diabetic and wanted off meds) I am still off meds, like you. BUT my lowest was 3 months after surgery at 165, down to 159 in July then premenopausal, some medical problems, and poof....I've crawled up to 203. I'm sick to my stomach about it. Whenever I allow it to sink in - the reality of it - I crawl under my blanket. My only salvation? That I know if I exercise I will lose weight faster than most people and then I ever could before because I DO eat alot less now! But Oy, I'm beside myself. I CALLED curves the other day and I'm inching my way to going to back. I'm at the point that heck with any pain I have physically speaking, nothing in the world is worse than having the surgery and ending up back where I started. Your not alone, but that doesn't make it any better, I think. Love to you! Good luck to US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sincerely, Julie

It has been a long time for me but I have finally made it back to the boards. I guess I have not been around because of the same shame. I had surgery 11-16-2004 at a starting weight of 315. My lowest weight was 203 at around the one year mark. Since then I have slowly gained weight. I am at 228 now. I am just sick about it. I think the main thing now is that I can eat so much more and eat sugar too. I have been back to drinking diet soda as well. I felt alot of hope by reading your post. I guess I am not alone. I have to try to get back on board with the basics and try to get to my goal weight of 160. Shelly