5 years and up 20 from goal and SCARED...

this wee****lebrated my 5yr WL anniversary .I am not feeling very good lately I've been feeling scared that I'm going to gain all my weight back..I am up 20 lbs from my goal weight. I'm not sure where to start I no longer have medical coverage that woul cover my visits to any weight loss Dr. My primary has been helpful but my lack of family support has been the difficult part for me to overcome. I just feel so lost and would appreciate any help or support anyone can extend. I'm a very private person and asking for help is hard for me. I received a Happy Anniversary email from OH at the right time for sure.. 

Hi there,

congrats on your success.  You can go to support groups - they are free.  Yale has one the first Tues of each month.  I am 11 yrs out and have struggled from time to time with a gain.  Doing total low carb gets me back on track.  Does your insurance coverage include a nutritionist?  There is a great lady in Guilford who works with bariatric patients.  It's called JMM Wellness google it.  Jackie is great for helping get you back on track.  Don't give up...keep plugging along...you can do this!!

JA

Thank you for the encouragement . I don't think my ins would cover it but I will look into the center and see if I swing it myself. I was hoping to find a support group just never had a clue where to start looking . I look into the Yale one .. Again thank you 

she is wonderful i just finished my 6month nutrition with her

So glad you were able to meet with Jackie.  She's the absolute best and really does understand us!  Good luck!!

K-

I'm very late on this, and you may now never see it... But Id like to give you some advice, if I may.  

1. It's NOT abnormal to be up 20 lbs from your lowest 5 years after surgery.  You have nothing to feel embarrassed or ashamed about.  
2. It IS normal to be afraid that you're headed right back where you started.  

You should definitely seek out the services of your surgeon's affiliated support group.  They are free.  And VERY VERY helpful.

You should call your surgeon and speak with his office.  Let them know you're not feeling well, gaining weight and that you've lost your insurance.  Let them look into it and see if there is something they can do for you.  I'm 1000% sure my surgeon would NEVER turn me away if I called and was in your position.  We would absolutely work something out- even if it was a payment plan. 

Lastly- my advice, being 10 years out is simple:  GET BACK TO BASICS.  You need to put yourself in a position of priority in your life.  Your needs and your health must be at (or very near) the top of your list.  Look back at your basic maintenance diet and start simplifying your eating. If you don't have access to those resources any more for some reason- think about this balance in your eating:  Protein first, then vegetables then carbs, if there' any room left over (and if there's room you're probably not eating enough protein and veggies!).  Atkins stage one or induction (but keeping an eye on calorie intake in addition) is usually a very nice simple way to pair down your eating to a small list of 'acceptable' foods and still gain a feeling a satiety.    

Finally, Exercise every day- ANY exercise - just get moving.