Hi Paula, I went to a group 8-week program that Kim led - can't remember the name of it but it was more about how NOT to regain the weight; how to manage the weight loss. This was about 3 years ago. Is this the group you're talking about? Otherwise, if not, I didn't know Kim was doing a group for re-gainers. Maybe that's what we should all sign up for! Maureen

I've had diarrahea for almost 15 days now and I've been to the doctor and am waiting for the results of fecal speciman tests to see why this is happening...

My hubby had a form of food poisining 4 weeks ago and it was contagious, so, we'll see if I have that or something else. 

But, for the time being...I cannot take anything to stop the diarrahea (per docs orders) and have to be on the BRAT diet...bananas, rice, applesauce, toast...broth w/ unjury is my only form of protein..

You'd think I'd be losing weight, huh?  NO..not an ounce.  Bob lost 15 lbs...damm men!

I have to drink full sugar sodas cause the diet ones can give you diarrahea and I need some form of nutrition from the sugars and to avoid dehydration...

I'm weak as all heck and feel like crap.  I hope this goes away soon.  I'm used to diarrahea cause of IBS for years and dumping/too much fat, etc...but, this is much different...sucking the life right out of me.

We just got back from a week in Orlando and it started while I was there, so, who knows what it can be?  rotovirus, ecoli, c deficile, __lobactor type, etc.  My blood work came back normal.  The specimens will probably be the same...and I'll be stuck with someone telling me this is all in my head!

Sorry for ranting...just frustrated.  Can't go to the kid's games, Tim is 9 today and can't celebrate properly...(he just had the vacation of a lifetime, so I'm not too worried!) and hubby is frustrated that the house is a stye and I'm too weak to do it and he's beat from running around doing my motherly jobs like carpools, etc.

Oh well..tis is life.

Thanks for letting me spiel!

Paula

Thanks! It does scare the crap out of me. I never thought I would be only a little over a year out a feeling this bad.

You know the thing about advice is it's easy to give and hard to follow (your own)!

Just so you know - you do not have to gain a ton of weight during pregnancy - actually you shouldn't and there are many women on the post op pregnancy board that have kept their weight gain to a minimum - I myself gained 60 with my first pre-op and only about 20 with Sarah and it was AWESOME not to gain a ton during pregnancy - it makes a big difference even though you feel like you are entitled to eat whatever you want because you are pregnant - it only hurts you in the end - trust me I've experienced it both ways - You might even end up at a lower weight after pregnancy.......

So what's your goal for today?

Maureen- I'm late on this- so I apologize.  I rarely find time to get to the boards.  I have a few thoughts...hope you'll be ok with hearing them

First- I know it's disappointing to 'gain back'  and YES you must keep your regain under control.  HOWEVER- it IS normal to regain a percentage of the weight you lost.  In fact, it's part of the process.  You have NOT gained excessively, from the numbers I see here.  Dr. Aranow is not- NOT going to be disappointed in you.  Your WL surgery has been and still is very successful.

I'm going on 7 years now.  My lowest weight was about 128- for a day or two during an extremely stressful time.  I averaged 135 for quite a while  My current weight is 148.  I'm OK with that.  I work hard to make sure it stays there.  I have to yank my chain hard and often.  i still seek regular psychological counseling and use fitday.com to track my intake and hit the gym hard whenever I notice the scale creep up a few pounds.  I weigh myself regularly. 

I believe the reason we continue to have probelms after being very successful is simple.  I don;t mean to make a complex subject overly simplistic- but it boils down to this:  Complacency. 

That, of course is MY belief.  I'm not judging you. 

Sooner or later we allow food to become the center of our social lives again...sonner or later we begin eting like more 'normal' people and loose focus (we stop counting calories and stop paying attention to portion control and sometimes eat out of balance... sooner or later we believe we can live the way we used to for so many years- and devolve to a more sedentary lifestyle.  Sooner of later we give in to the old demons- you it's M&M's- me it's potato chips.  And then the weight gain begins...

Overachingly- I'm concerned about why you now FEEL so hungry.  What is that?  Where is it coming from?  Is there any possibility you might have an ulceration or a fistula or the like??  Go see Dr. A and get it checked, right away.  If it's not physical- then that leaves one thing... psychological.  That can be delt with as well. 

My advice to you is this:
1.  Don't think you have to be perfect every day.  Accept that you make mistakes and don't beat yourself up over them or else you will turn to MORE food. 
2. Seek nutritional counseling and psychological counsling for food addiction and your own personal issues (we all have them- mine revolve around self esteem).  if you can't afford both- the MOST important is the pshychological.
3. Go back to the gym at least 3x a week for cardio.  YOu don't need to go everyday- but you do need to go.  Also- try to find something you enjoy doing that is physical in nature and has nothing to do with food that you can do regularly.
4. Start planning out your meals again like you used to a long time ago and use fitday or another calorie/carb/protein counter to make sure you understand what your intake is on a daily (paying close attention to portion sizes and weighing/measuring as necessary).
5. Go see Dr. Aranow.

That's about all I can tell you I think.  Except that I'm proud of you Maureen.  You've done excellent and been very successful in regaining your health.  You're recognizing your issues now, and you've showed that you have had the courage to deal with them in the past.  I know you'll employ that courage again to do the same.  You wouldn't be here talking about it unless you were willing. 

PS I feel the need to mention... There is no one out there that has regained an inordinade amount of weight while doing everything 'by the book' unless they have a technical failure of their surgery or an underlying medical reason. A revision is not the answer to a surgery that is intact.  Sorry.  The saying used to be much more popular that:  The surgeon only operates on your stomach- you have to operate on your brain.  I haven't seen that said in a long time.  It bears thinking about. 

Take care & good luck to you.