was my surgery a failure?

I am now almost 11 months post op and have only lost 50 lbs with a considerable amount of effort on my part. I go to the gym 5 days a week but I find that even right after surgery I could eat more than anyone else. I never dumped and even after the first couple of weeks I started to experience hunger. At 3 months out I had only lost 23 lbs and at 7 months out I had lost another 17 lbs. Since then I have struggled and find that I feel hungry all the time. I am considering going to a hypnotist. I feel like such a failure and I am ashamed of myself. I would like to lose another 60 lbs to be where I think I should be. I didn't go back to my surgeon for my 9 month appointment because he was such a jerk to me the last two times I saw him that it made me just want to go eat. I talked to my gynecologist and am going to see another surgeon for follow up because the thought of going to see my surgeon gives me hives (plus he is an hour drive and spends all of 5 minutes with me). I have been having a lot of abdominal pain on my right side and swelling as well. They have tested my gallbladder and found nothing. You have no idea how hard this is for me to write this! Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated.

Kimberely: I feel the same way since this holiday season I was able to eat sweets and did not feel like I was getting sick. I have lost a little more than you but right now I am at a stand still. I was going to the gym frequently before the holidays and saw a great deal of difference with my weight loss. During the month of December I had an excuse of why I am not going. But I tell you, starting next week I will be back to my old routine since I have also noticed that my stomach seem to have grown some. I mean there is no muscle tone since I have not done any crunches in a month. I also plan to go back to the old routine of more protein shakes. I plan to have 2 a day so I can kick start the metabolism again. I hope this will help you some and another thing I was doing at the club is weight lifting. That helps with the muscle tone and the weight loss. The good thing since I fell off the wagon during the holidays is that I did not gain any weight, just lost a pound. Good luck and have a safe and healthy New Year Mary

Hi, Kimberly!!! YOU are not a failure! Sometimes, WLS doesn't give us the results we want or need. Your surgeon should be ashamed. He should be looking for ways to help you. Be warned about the gall bladder test results. It took about eight months from my first attack for specialists to find anything. Because of the excess skin from weight loss, it took "several" tests to find the stones. When the surgeon went in, he found "tons." Please, please keep going to the do****il you get relief. You should not be in pain! I am so glad that you posted, Kimberly. I think of you often! Please update your progress with the pain. I still remember how sick I felt. Hugs, Becky

Wow... I had Dr. Hart also... but never saw him again after the surgery... that really sucks that you could use some help and can't get the surgeon to help you... He is over 2 hours from me... not a fun drive.... I have also stopped losing weight... but I know why... I am eating the wrong things and not exercising or drinking water or anything else I am supposed to be doing... ..... but the New Year is almost here... that magical time of the year when there is more will power available! .... I think it's the Year End Clearance on the stuff.... You know what to do... so how about let's just do it on the 1st of the year!! I know I am going to try... and will just consider this to be a diet vacation Let's cut the quantities down to the right size... and in a couple of weeks the hunger will subside... especially if we cut the carbs also... and getting enough water (i.e. Crystal Lite) will also help tremendously... Whaddya say Kimberly?

I am sorry but it doesnt sound like something you are doing wrong but something your doc did wrong. you and Marc might want to get another doctor to check you out.

You've lost 50 lbs! Great! As far as your surgery being a failure...only another surgeon could really say after doing some tests. The abdominal pain would give me some pause My brother had surgery 4 years ago and lost 167 pounds and has pretty much maintained it with very little effort it seems (eating pretty much what he wants). I had surgery 2 years ago and lost 105 pounds...I've gained about 20 pounds back. My sister had surgery a little over a year ago and has lost 100+ pounds and is within 5-10 pounds of her goal (She followed the doctor's orders to a "T"). I stated the above to preface that everyone is different. Many of us have had different surgeons and different results. I have to say that I would be discouraged with a 50 pound weight loss. Definately check it out with a surgeon...probably should start with the one who did your surgery even if you were not completely satisfied for insurance reasons. You may even want to check with your insurance to see if you can get a second opinion. Keep your head up and keep exercising. Eating healthy is essential...something that has taken me 2 years to figure out . Phyllis V. DOS 11/17/03 Loss: 105 Gained 20 back