HELP ME PLEASE.. I HAVE FALLEN AND I CAN'T GET BACK ON!!!!!!

Hello again everyone, Well I had my 1 year with Dr Aranow and he said all looked good. HOWEVER I was VERY upset with myself as I have put on 10 lbs since my lowest weight and OF COURSE it was HIGHEST when I went to see him. WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING WRONG. I have been eating Tuna fish sandwiches, and snacking on stuff like Raw green peppers carrots etc.. I think I am "DUE for my friend" so that could be a part of it. It seems the HARDER I try the MORE comes on.. One thing I CAN NOT do and have not been able to since surgery is the no drinking with a meal or after it. I tried that this week and OH MY GOD how hard.. Do you think that makes a MASSIVE difference. I think I know one reason for the weight gain... Before I would take a bowl of say Sausage and peppers to work for lunch that was like the size of a cups worth and now I bring like a QUART of it.. WHAT THE HELL DID I DO THIS SURGERY FOR IF I CAN'T STICK TO IT?? I get so jealous coming on here and seeing all the success stories seeing as I am not a success. ALSO I have been having pians on mu left side so I went to my regualr Dr and she said that she felt a lump there thinking that it was scar tissues.. Well Dr Aranow said it was where he stitched the remaining part of my stomach to the inner lining of my body. Does anyone else have this pain? He said that I can have it surgically removed IF I WANT but most people deal with it. HE also said that I definetly have ENOUGH excess skin to have a tummy tuck.. I am ashamed to go to the Support group meetings but he said I REALLY need to.. I am going to make it a point to get to the next one.. Is that tomorrow night?? Please don't down me I am just human and having a REALLY hard time.. I need someone to help me along this journey.. I also made an appt to go see the nutritionist next month so that is a start anyway right.. Please help.. Oh yeah and my dad said that next December he is taking the WHOLE family on a Carribean Cruise. I NEED to be smaller by then.

let's get back on track together Lisa...the Holidays are really tough, and I need to get back into the swing of things too...I started going back to the gym again, as I really need to do some weights..I get enough cardio with the walking and jogging i do , but I want to get firmed up for the summer...the meeting is tomorrow night, i am planning to go.... would be great to see you again....

Hi Lisa! I know exactly how you feel. I feel myself slip periodically (at some points I slip for days at a time). You are not alone. If you want to email me directly, I'd be happy to share and chat with you. Just remember how far you have come - you are NOT a failure! Keep that "before" picture close by and pat yourself on the back. You'll get back on track - I think you are brave for asking for support. ;) Love, Tammy

Lisa stop that stinking thinking!!!! Get back to the rules of the pouch, water load and banish the glass at meals, GO to support group meeting, ( I wish I cold but I work on call in evening) and stop the pity party. Love ya!

I agree, New year, New you. I am also going to the support group tomorrow. I will look for you!! Tracy

HEY GUYS!!!!! Is Dr A's after surgery group tuesday this week??? I've not been to one of those in a very long time and want to go. Whats the time? Location? Is it still in that building across from the hospital? It woudl be great to see everyone there. You'll all know me by my red nose from the cold.

Hi Pamela... There are no longer suport groups on Tuesday for RNY patients. They are all on Mon nites. Including post ops. Tonight's will be the 2nd Monday of the month, so, a general support group for pre and post ops. Held in the N1 Conference room in the hospital. (renevations are over) Here's the latest schedule. Print it out... Middlesex Hospital Bariatric Surgery Program SUPPORT GROUP SCHEDULE ***AS OF JULY 1st, 2006*** Monday Evenings: 1st Monday, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.: Pre-Operative Information Session (required session for those who have not completed surgery, with Liz Archamault, dietitian, and Kimberly Daniels, psychologist) 2nd Monday, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.: General Pre and Post-Op Support Group (For anyone who has or has not had surgery or who is researching the procedure) 3rd Monday, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.: Post-Op Only Support Group General Support Group for patients who have completed the surgery only (Sorry, no pre-ops allowed) 4th Monday, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.: Post-Op Panel Presentation (In-depth personal experiences presented by post-op patients) 5th Monday, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.: (If applicable) General Pre and Post-Op Support Group (For anyone who has or has not had surgery or who is researching the procedure) *All support groups are held at the North 1 Conference Room at Middlesex Hospital. **Note: There will be NO meetings on major holidays, such as Memorial and Labor Day. *The information discussed at these meetings is personal. Please be respectful of other support group members by maintaining their confidentiality. **If weather is inclement, please refer to WFSB Channel 3, and WTIC AM/FM for cancellation announcements.

It is not too late to go back on right track.... Go to support group, eat right foods and increase exercise and more cardio intake then you will feeling better and make your goal to go on criuse this end of December! Kathy K

Hi LIsa, I don't post often, but just wanted to say that the first step is recognizing the problem. You have done that. You know that the surgery was just a tool and not a cure. Most of us further out must deal with this everyday and we all have good days and bad. Never feel ashamed to go to a support group meeting. They are not there just for people who can be 100% successful. They are for support and you need some right now. Everyone at the meetings will understand where you are (even if they don't want to admit it). I just want to point out that 95% of post ops will put on some weight from their lowest recorded weight. It is sorta normal as long as it doesn't get out of hand. You do not say where exactly you are in your journey (as far as how off you are from a goal weight) but give yourself a fighting chance and don't beat yourself up. You have the knowledge now and the tool. After a few days it gets easy. I wish you luck and keep looking for support. Tee

For some of us, it helps to go to a support group meeting away from our usual program when we need to find some new motivation--- maybe it's easier to confess to strangers, or maybe we just need to get a different perspective on post-operative life, but I know that we often have visitors from other programs who will come to our meetings who are in a position similar to yours. We all have different monkeys on our backs that lead us to readily accept some, but not all, of the changes which are needed to for long-term success (which I tend to think should be measured more in terms of how we handle food than how we sustain a particular number on a scale). As for hitting your low weight and then bouncing back, if it helps know that you are not alone. Most, not all days, I guess I could feel like a failure because I had once gotten my weight below 200 and then bounced back to the very sustainable weight I'm at now-- however, when I start to feel like a failure, I force myself to appreciate that I have sustained a 300 pound weight loss and that I have minimized my use of food for emotional reasons. Success if where you find it--- when you reflect on your achievements, and the wonderful perspective you have on your journey (which is very inspiring to us, even those of us who are out a lot longer), I hope you'll see that you have been successful.