Confused.....hard after RNY?

I amin the beginning stages of thinking about WLS.  I started out thinking lapband and now know that RNY is the way to go for me.  However, I check in on you all to see how you are doing.  I wonder if it is still a struggle after RNY not to eat too much or stay away from treats, what are the pros then to the surgery?    I do see many people saying it is tough t stay away from the cookies??? On another note   obsturction?      Is  thisomething to be alarmed about? I keep thinking I should be able to do this without surgery.  In fact I just lost 46 poiunds and gained 30 of it back.  You know the pattern.  :O(  Thank you for taking the time to deal with me in these beginning stages.  I bet you remember being here too?

Hi Lisa and welcome to the board! I've only recently had my RNYand this being my first holiday season around all the goodies, and i Haven't really had much issue with temptation. But one thing that everyone will tell you is that everyone's journey is different, we all lose at different rates, we all dump or don't dump on different things. There is a book on WLS where the auther quotes that "nothing tastes as good as thin feels" it's true, once you start seeing the pounds come off and start noticing collar bones, and your waiste ect those things become so much more important than that cookie could ever taste! This is my perspective. For me the relationship with food that I had isn't there anymore, I'm learning to eat to live not live to eat, many find that to be true, while others may need help to break free of it.  As far as the gaining/losing yoyo I think most of us can relate to that and I know for myself I also thought why =can't I do this on my own? I should be able to have the willpower to do this... I know I even gave it one last shot before committing to WLS. down 10 pounds and back up 30 I decided to go ahead with the surgery. I'm glad I did. For me this has been the kindest thing I've ever done for myself, and for the first time in my life I'm doing something for me for a change. My point is hon... where you are now we've all been there done that. It's normal. Whatever you decide, to go ahead or to give it that one last shot this is a great place and a great bunch of people to support your and or kick your butt along the  way. Good luck in whatever you decide to do. Lisa.

Thank you for sharing.  Your words are very sincere and comforting!  Thank you!   What you told me is very helpful.  I am planning on going to Methodist tonight at 5:30 to a informational meeting.  I have cold feet...it is a big deal and scary to me right now.  I like the part that you wrote about WLS being the best thing you have done for you!  Very interesting.  Thank you and congratulations on your succes......a collar bone...what's that Tee Hee!

It's normal to be scared. It's a big decision your trying to make.  As far as doing this for me it's true. for awhile I kept telling myself that I was doing this for my kids and my hubs, but in the end, those are secondary...  I wasn't happy, or healthy now I'm on my way to both!  I'm very excited for you and your new journey! Good luck

I remember!  I will never forget where I came from and the struggles to get where I am.  As far as the struggles after RNY, it is so individual.  Some can't tolerate sugar at all, some bread, some milk, ect.  The hardest part in my opinion is not letting the old habits start to filter back in.  Each stage has a diferent struggle but for me personally, nothing that has been too hard. Take your time, get educated in the different types of WLS, check your insurance for coverage and what you have to do and stick around!

                                           WELCOME! Knowledge is power! The more info you have the more armed you are to make the decisions that are best for you. WLS is a tool... a tool can not just lay there and fix, repair or build anything. A tool must be worked. your pouch is the same way. In the beginning you will loose weight and regain health....but you will still need to "work" your tool through-out the whole process. Cookies, candies and favorite foods...they are temptations that you need to work through in your head. They are like head cravings, or head hunger (where your head tells you to eat, not your stomach). It's a wonderful tool, wonderful life changing surgery. When you see all the changes, it makes it a bit easier to really want to work the tool and do the right things. And for some people, they can't eat the sugars, the breads or even drink milk...each person is so different. I had the surgery 6 wks ago and some of the foods I liked (cold peel and eat shrimp) I tried to eat it and it didn't taste like I remembered it to taste. No longer my favorite....which is ok...I use to eat a ton of them and get so full.....ick!! LOL

I'll be brutally honest with you.  This could possibly one of the hardest things that you will ever do for yourself.  For some it's easier, with others its more difficult.  I had surgery 8 1/2 months ago and am down 105 pounds.  The last 5 have taken over 3 months to shed.  Unlike many others, I still see this as a diet.  It's about restriction and limiting yourself - just like any old diet.  The plus side is that you're given this tool to help you manage the diet.  You're only able to eat so much, you can get sick when you eat too fast or too much or the wrong thing and your body is only able to absorb so much of what you eat. I've pushed the limits of testing and dumping is a daily event for me and I've learned to deal with the consequences at a tolerable level.  Although, I still stay away from the foods that make me miserable when I dump. Because of this though, I've learned that I have an eating disorder and some other issues (i.e., complusion, ADD) that I need to deal with that cause me to want to eat even when I'm not hungry.  I'm getting myself into therapy because I really DO want this tool to work for me and I want to be thin"ner" some day.  I don't want this to be a yo-yo AGAIN! So to tell you the truth, RNY is HARD.  Just as hard if not harder than any other diet.  You have family and friends judging you because you're going to such drastic extremes to try and once again lose the weight.  After surgery, they will watch every morsel you put in your mouth and at times they will watch you with the expectation that you will once again fail, because you have EVERY other time you tried to lose weight. With all that said, would I have surgery again?  Absolutely.  At the weight I began at, the chances of me losing weight any other way and maintaining that weight loss is miniscual.  It just isn't successful.  For me, losing weight isn't about controling what I put in my mouth, it's all about how screwed up my head is. I've learned that I truly need to fix my head if I'm going to be successful.  I don't plan on failing.   If this is similar to your journey, I STRONGLY suggest that you work through those things as soon as possible - even before surgery.  I believe it's the head stuff that is going to help you succeed, because the tool can only restrict what and how much you put in your mouth and even after a while you can push your limits. Your head is what's going to keep you honest and keep you from sabatoging your efforts. Please remember that this is just MY experience and everyone is EXTREMELY different and has a unique experience of their own.  I just share what I did, because I'd hate to sugar coat this and lead you to believe that this is a magic bullet that will cure everything.  It's not, it's hard work and at times, especially around the holidays, it's going to test your limits.  However, there are far more people having success with the weight loss than not.  Just remember to set your goals realistically and you WILL succeed!  I highly recommend this surgery to anyone who fully understands the journey their partaking in. But this surgery ain't for sissies! I wish you the best of luck in your journey!  It is by far the greatest gift you could ever give yourself! Love and good intentions!

Welcome to the boards, and this incredible roller coaster ride you are about to embark on. I would like to share the fact that even though I did suffer complications, some pretty serious ones, I do not regret this surgery at all, and even if I knew what the outcome would be, and what I would have to go through, I would STILL do it. I have regained my health, my body, and my life. This is by no means an "easy" way to loose weight, it is just a quick way. You have to change your life, but you will soon see it is SOOOO worth it with the results you will obtain. Feel free to pm with any questions!

Welcome to the board and good luck on your journey! The first 2 weeks after surgery were pretty hard.  I will openly admit to that.  Now that I am starting to eat real food though, things are getting so much better.  I feel almost normal again, I can see changes in the mirror, and my body is complaining just a little less.  I haven't had any real trouble (like dumping, though I did develop lactose intolerance), and my tastes have changed, so sweets don't even look good to me right now.  In fact, I have trouble with some of my shakes and such because they are too sweet.  Different foods give me the feeling of satisfaction quicker than others.  For instance, a few bites of salmon is much more "filling" than the equivalent in cottage cheese.  Is it hard to not overeat?  For me, not at all.  I have done the one bite too many, and it sucks because it sits in your tummy like a brick and I feel like I really need to burp, but I don't actually need to or want to, it's just my body trying to convince me to get rid of the excess (I've also never vomitted, or had the foamies...knock on wood).  So I learned pretty quickly to stay slow and to pay close attention to every bite I swallow.  I've learned to enjoy the whole experience of the food. It took me several years to admit that traditional diets were not going to get me to a healthier state.  I kept thinking that I should be able to do this on my own.  Just a little more willpower.  For me, when i seriously started to consider WLS, there was kind of sense of giving up, of admitting failure.  But then it turned around to understanding that I was fully taking control of my life, and my situation, by asking for help. Bottom line though, I want this so badly that I have no desire to snack and ruin it.  I am 4 weeks out, and I can happily say "I love my RNY."  It was the right decision for me.  I hope you can find the right method for you.  Don't let anybody pressure you in any direction.  This is a very personal decision.    One comment on the cookie thing, though.  I expect that someday I will want, and will eat, a cookie.  This is a tool that will help us rapidly get down to a healthy weight, and if we allow it, will teach us healthy eating habits and portion control.  It doesn't mean we quit enjoying food altogether, we just learn to be smarter about it. 

Hello Lisa and Welcome to the MN board.  Everyone else has said it all pretty well. This is not an easy thing to do. It is quick weight loss but there is so much more to it then that.

I have been one of the lucky ones. I had complications with surgery but once I got home things have gone great for me. I haven't experienced the dumping and vomiting and the gas pain etc. that so many others have dealt with. It has been smooth sailing so far. I am almost 4 months out and have lost about 80 pounds.  I feel wonderful. Would I do it again........in  a heartbeat! Good luck with your decision.  Hugs, connie d