HELP!! I'm a REVISION from BAND to VSG!! 6 MONTHS OUT!!!!

I'll try and make this short...... I had band surgery 15 yrs ago and lost 130 lbs!! In the last 3-4 yrs I had to have restriction removed from band due to complications....I put on 55-60 lbs!

My dr removed the band and replaced it with VSG on April 18, 2017. I lost in the first 3-4 months (39lbs) but then hit a plateau there.

I just went to my dr a few days ago and he pointed out how this is not like the band......he and I controlled that. Pretty much I'm on my own now and don't need the dr visits. He also said that those that had a revision to VSG lose less then those having the surgery as a first.

I left the office scared....where will my accountability be? Where is my support? (5 yrs ago I facilitated a bariatric support group for 7 yrs) I need help....like a sponsor or something :(

My Question to this group???? I lost another couple of lbs and am down in ONEDERLAND now....and don't get me wrong I'm excited...but where do I go from here?

Should I do the B-L-S-D-E thing on here daily? is there a support group through this site??

Help!! My goal is to lose another 25 lbs before my year surgerversary!!

Thanks in advance

deb

Check for the daily menu thread, it's a great way to stay accountable. You can read and chime in on other posts as well for general support.

Thanks so much! I did think that might help be accountable for what I eat.

This entire forum is a support group. You can participate in the daily meal post, you can make other posts to ask for help/advice or just to share successes or whatever.

In addition, you might be able to find a local support group where you are. And you could consider adding a therapist to your team as well.

Yes, I feel that may be good for me. I did try and check out some support groups but most are being attended regularly by 1 or 2 participants. Everyone does it online!

My dr has a psychologist starting a support group sometime in December and I may give that a try. She's not a patient but I feel I can benefit from the therapy.

BTW, that's my work.....for over 30 yrs in Mental Health field......which makes me the worst to GET care! I analyze everything! :)

Thanks for your words of wisdom!

It is hard to find local options! I had surgery 3.5 years ago and, at that time, there was a locally organized support group that was horrible - it was basically 2-3 people who got together once a month to enable their bad choices. Not a good environment for me.

I tried Overeater's Anonymous, which works well for some people but doesn't work well for me due to the whole self-efficacy/intrinsic motivation thing. I can't "let things go to a higher power." (Nor do I want to.) But, it works for some!

Now, though, I've got two local support groups! The local health care provider system started offering a bariatric support group once a month that's for pre and post-op people with their program. I'm not with their program, but they're happy to have me so that's been.. interesting? And there's also a new cognitive behavioral group therapy thing for bariatric patients pre and post-op that's meeting once a month. So I've checked that out once as well.

In theory, since this is your work, you also know how beneficial it is :D I've been seeing my therapist (well, two therapists since the first one left the practice and I switched to another therapist in the same practice that the first therapist paired me with) for about 4 years now and I would still be hard pressed to explain to someone exactly how it is beneficial to me. Sometimes it's just good to talk to someone who a) doesn't care about you and b) with whom you can be 100% self-centered. I feel like my therapist(s) have helped me to mortar up the cracks in my foundation. It's a subtle thing, but I'm not sure I could have made it through the last 4 years as intact as I am without that.

All that said, OH is still my primary "support group." I come here every day and, with a few gaps, have for the entirety of my pre and post-op life. The people who vanish due to "life got busy" tend to be the people who come back in a few years because "omg regain help." I figure that checking in every day has been helpful to me. (My exceptions have been "my dad is dying and I literally have no time" and "I'm recovering from reconstructive surgery and keep dropping my phone on my face." Even then I still came to the forums to read when I had moments of free time or lucidity, I just didn't participate.)

Oh! You know another thing that has worked in a way as a support group for me? Fitness classes. That probably sounds strange, but there's a certain amount of accountability that gets created with fitness class friends that you see every week. Knowing that they know what I'm working toward and that they worry when I'm not there is something that helps me stay on track.

Hi again Gwen,

First just let me say that I printed out your response to me because I want to read it again on my lunch break and I'm getting ready to leave my office to take a break. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking out the time (of your busy life) to answer me in such detail. I'm very sorry to hear bout your dad.....I'm humbled by the fact at 56 yrs old I still have both my 80 yr old parents and they're in good health! My thoughts of comfort are with you....

I love your humor and I love your success! I've been following what you eat daily before I got surgery this time. You're right about the fitness classes. I have arthritis in both knees and do swimming up to 4 times a week if I'm not "on the road". If I'm on the road I get a hotel with a pool and bring my pool weights with me for the week!

I'm certainly no stranger to therapy and imagine I may start up individual again, and I'm going to continue to look for a group locally. When I facilitated the group I did for so many years it helped me "keep it green" and it was a great help until I started struggling about 11 yrs after surgery. I too started seeing negativity in the group and almost HELPING each other fail.

Most of my group has regained and most don't keep in touch, but this is a personal journey for me now and I can't give up.

I again thank you, I am honored to get a long email from you.....you're like a celebrity on this forum!! You'll be hearing from me....here's hoping your recovery is a quick one also!!

Love from your VSG sista!!

Deb

it is all about what you choose to put in your mouth. Many vsg"failures" is because of user error. Your surgeon is right. You are on your own with what you choose to eat.

What does a day s menu look like for you? We can help trouble shoot it .

OA or Weigh****chers are pretty much it for support and accountability. I use My Fitness Pal, a Garmin Index scale, a Garmin Vivofit tracker, Paprika Recipe Manager and read the menus on here, but don't post mine here.

Find what helps you.

Thank you White Dove, I just checked out Paprika Recipe Manager and am downloading/sync it to my tablet. This is going to be really helpful, thanks for sharing!