Totally Stressed Out..Anyone Else Ever Have This Problem?

Hi Everyone, It's been a while since I posted last but I try to pop in a few times a week to see what is all going on. Once again, I need some advice or just some oppions or words of encouragement. I am almost 10 months post op and I have stopped losing. I still have about 15 pounds to lose to reach my own personal goal. For over a month now I keep going back and forth with 2 pounds. I will weigh myself first thing in the morning and one day it will be 148 pounds and the next morning it will be 150 pounds. It has been like this for over a month now. I am so stressed out about this and of course when I am stressed I want to eat. Oh Yeah I can now eat just about anything which is another thing I worry about. All I think about is what if I gain my weight back, that is my BIGGEST fear! I am so worried about gainning weight. Have any of you gone through this? Have any of you long time post ops gainned any of your weight back? Please let me know I am sooooooooo worried about this!!!!!!! I do need to state for the record that I am truley Happy about the weight that I have lost and I don't want the pre ops to think that I am whinning, I am just really worried that this too will be another failure of mine. Thanks again for all the help!!!!! Your WLS Pal, Jennifer V.

Hi Jennifer I think everyone of us go through what you are going through now. Let me tell you this, just because today you can eat anything, doesn't mean it will be the same tomorrow. I was just like you and could eat candy, coke, anything. Then at twenty months out BOOM the dumping kicked in and set me straight. The last few pounds are the hardest to get off. Here is the best thing to do. Load up on protein, the more the better.....protein also keeps you full longer. Next thing, as much water as you can stand, then make sure to get out and walk every single day. If you do all of this i guarantee you the weight loss will kick back in. Stay away from the junk foods, you don't need it anyway. Hugs Linda

Hi Linda, Thanks so much for the words of encouragment. I really appreciate it. It sure helps to know that I am not the only one to experience this. Monday I did start walking again and I am sure that will help some. I really need to watch the grazing. I have noticed that TERRIBLE habit is creeping back. Thanks again for your help! Your WLS Pal, Jennifer V.

Hi Jennifer, Linda is right....if you do what she tells you, you will be successful! The problem is...doing it! Believe me, I only say this because , first of all, you asked and secondly, I've been having trouble with weight gain so I am talking from personal experience. I'm one of the long time post ops and I did great til I got about 20 lbs from goal, and then I just stuck there. Well, lo and behold, you find out (by testing foods you should NOT be testing) that you can tolerate more, eat a little more than before, etc... I guess I found this out really about 2 years out....It gets more difficult to lose, to maintain, etc. I won't kid you. I think what happens is that the longer you have been out from surgery, the more the memories fade of what you "should" be doing, the tiny amounts that should be our "normal", the dumping doesn't occur as often (if at all), and this is where some of us get into trouble.(ME, for one!) Now I'm ashamed to say I struggle each and every day to even maintain the weight I am, which is about 30 lbs more than I was at my lowest from WLS (so 50 from my personal goal). Who do I have to blame for this??? ME! I got lazy. Lazy about walking, lazy about drinking, lazy abou****ching the bad things, and the list goes on. Yeah, I think I went through (and still am going through) a funk in my life, and THAT will trigger the old habits quicker than anything. After all, isn't that the way we "always" dealt with everything stressful in our lives? Eating! But I sincerely don't want to scare you Jennifer! Trust me, you sound like you are doing wonderfully and that 2 lb float may just be where your body wants to be, at least for now. I only tell you my story to let you know to watch out for the traps.... Don't let yourself go there. I still am emensely happy that I had WLS!!! I'm still about 100 lbs down and feel WAY better than I had in years! I just don't want you to make the same mistakes I have. I continue to come to this site for inspiration, and I try not to "whine" too much about my trials because I don't want to scare anyone, especially the newbies, but then I decided that if I don't speak up, who will? Everyone needs to know to beware of the things that are bad for us. And if you hear it from one of "us"...one of us in this group, I think it's more real...not just out of some book. Of course, we all learned this prior to surgery, but as the years go by, it's easy to forget. Anyway, wow, what a long post for me! I guess I needed to get that off my chest! Just know that I am in your corner as many of us here on the Board are! YOU are in charge of YOU! You can do this! Now I will spend the rest of the day following my own advice! I take it one day at a time! Big Hugs, Theresa

Hi Theresa, Thanks so much for you help. As always you are there with great advice. I do need to get back to the basics. I have been testing the waters and I sure wish I wouldn't have. I did start walking again this past Monday, I am sure that will help some. I also notice that TERRIBLE habit of grazing creeping back. I need to nip that in the bud before it gets out of hand! I too need to just take one day at a time. I get so stressed out worrying about gainning my weight back and then I want to eat. It is so crazy!!!!!!! Thanks again for all your help! Your WLS Pal, Jennifer V.

Theresa, I thank you so much for your candidness. I'm glad you and other long-term post ops speak up about the problems you have - you are right to do so! Reading about experiences like yours is what I hope I will learn from and what will give me the power to be successful at avoiding the bad behaviors that trip us up. I'm only 4 months out so I'm in the "easy" stage but my biggest fear, like everyone else who's had WLS, is that later I'll repeat my same old bad behavior and gain the weight back. One of the things I did that I think will help me was to tell EVERYONE that I had WLS. Everyone at work, everyone who knows me. Hopefully, knowing that they are watching me (and they are) will also help me to keep on the straight and narrow later when it gets more difficult. I'm also trying not to think of numbers when it comes to my goal. Right now I'd be very happy with any number that started with a "1." Thanks again for writing like it really is. Karen

Thanks Karen...I'm glad what I said will be of some help to you. It's good to know what can happen if you let it get away from you. I am seeking some help for this right now, so hopefully I will begin losing again. You guys don't realize it but you inspire me each and every day. Newbies, Oldies, it really doesn't matter. I see all of you doing what you have to do to "get it" and it's great to see! Thanks again for the kudos! Theresa

Jennifer, From my own experience, try NOT to weigh yourself everyday. The scale changes so fast...sometimes good and sometimes bad. I am 3 years post op and have lost 153 pounds. I still have about 15 more to go. These last 15 are killing me. I have not changed me eating at all..I have been eating the same way for the past 3 years. I will say..my water intake is terrible and I should do better. I just now started to add flavored powders to my water and I seem or try to drink more. Maybe this will kick start my weight loss, I am really not sure. I can only hope! Best of luck Robin

I too, am experiencing this problem, but my stress come not from eating but from other things going on in my life. I fought to have WLS and won - now I am fighting with Michigan Works! to get them to pay for my going back to school so I can become employed again (I've been on disability for over 16 years). I swing with four pounds, and I have yet to get below 143 after being out for 53 weeks. I weigh myself once a day, first thing in the morning and after I've used the bathroom. I try not to panic when there is a weight gain, but it's hard...