Real Advice from someone who is over 5 years postop

Hi Everyone, 

I had the RNY in December of 2008.  At my highest point I weighed 273 pounds, today I weigh 149.  I am not one who dumps when eating sugar which in reality is a problem for me.  As much as I will probably get blasted for this here is the truth.  I eat sweets pretty much daily and I have been drinking real pop.  I know I shouldn't but I do.  It doesn't bother me in the least.  Somethings do bother me like really greasy foods or certain brands of ice cream but not candy or cake or brownies.  The purpose of this post is to #1 let you know that after surgery you are not going to die if you consume sugar.  I was so scared I would never be able to eat a cookie again and that is what they told me during my supervised diet.  Should you eat them, probably not and definitely not on a regular basis like I do.  I am trying to change but losing the weight is only half the battle.  Let's face it being obese has a big emotional component to it and this needs to be addressed as well.  Sugary foods for me are a mood enhancer.  Its like a drug I am addicted too.  I got fed up one day and said I would not longer eat sweets and my boyfriends response was, No, you can't do that because then how will I pull you out of one of your funky sad or bad moods.  That made me think for a second and realize I truly have a problem with sugar and I need to deal with it.

#2 and most importantly take your vitamins!  I didn't and due to this I have low iron and am on my way to having osteoporosis at the ripe old age of 32.  Yes it is a lot of pills but it is necessary and I have learned my lesson.  That is all.  I am willing to answer any questions you have honestly so if you have a question feel free to ask.

I've met a lucky few with WLS who have maintained their loss for years while eating sugar and regular pop.  One person I met was munching on a bag of Double Stuffed Oreo's and chugging regular root beer like it was going out of style and she said she did that every day.  About 11 years post op, at goal and no problems.  I guess some would say she got dealt a good hand.

My cousin also had a RNY nearly 14 years ago.  Same thing except she still has restriction but she still eats all day.  Both drink with their meals, too.  They follow none of the rules yet they are doing well.  The only thing I can think of is that since bother started well over 300 lbs maybe their surgeons gave them a very distal surgery.  They both did complain about bathroom issues.

My point is, there are some who can do this with no problems. I was able to eat like that with my first WLS.  Until I started gaining about year 3.  Before that I remember thinking to myself "Am I still a compulsive overeater if I don't gain weight?"  Of course I am.  It has to do with my eating, not my weight.

Truthfully, I may be able to do that now.  I don't know because I have never tested it.  Never tried to have some bread or candy.  I did have sugar accidently and I know I dump but I also know that if I were back to eating the way I had been it wouldn't have stopped me.  The side effects I lived with after WLS #1 didn't deter me one bite.  So, even though I might be one of those who can get away with it, I choose not to find out.  

Because I like not practicing my addiction and today I can honestly say that even if I had no physical consequences from eating those things I am sure the mental effects would still be there.

As far as the way you eat, if it works, and it's not hurting you, why fix it?  As I am sure you know, there have been people coming back here after 5, 10 or more years who did have a free ride for a long time but it eventually ended for them.  But those are the ones that came back.  Who knows how many, like the person I met or my cousin, can do it and don't mind and don't come back?

I am sure others will say you are lucky.  Isn't it every obese persons dream to eat whatever they want, when they want, as much as they want and not gain weight?  I don't know about that.  It was my dream for a long time, a dream I thought was answered with my first WLS.  But that dream turned out to be a nightmare for me.  I can't speak for anyone else but in a way I am glad that I don't want to do that any more.  I am satisfied with my eating and my physical and mental health are good right now and that is good enough for me.

And your caution about vitamins is right on.  I did wind up with osteoporosis and low iron, plus low D.  I learned my lesson as well.

I have something small and sugary almost every day (something under 100 calories such as a snack size candy bar, a couple of dark chocolate Hershey Kisses, 8-10 M&Ms, a spoonful of real ice cream).  Some days I don't want one but most days I do.  I, too, find that sugar is a slight mood enhancer.  I have learned that I can exercise control over most sweets, but there a couple of things that I cannot bring into the house (ANY kind of cookies other than RF Nilla Wafers, and mini powdered doughnuts).  I am 51 years old, but my "mommy", who lives two streets away, keeps my Girl Scout cookies in her freezer and I go retrieve them half a dozen at a time, LOL!)

I am almost 7 years out and maintaining my weight, and I believe that not feeling deprived of small amounts of foods that I enjoy is a big part of that.  Every single time I failed at a diet it was became I became obsessed by foods that I wasn't "allowed" to have.

(In the interest of full disclosure, I did gain 8 pounds after my knee replacement surgery, but the whopping 700 extra calories a week in my treats were clearly not responsible for that... The complete lack of activity was.  I am working on getting it back off.)

I also drink soda again, but I drink only diet.  It takes a lot of sugar to make me dump, but a sugary beverage does it very quickly (I was once served a regular lemonade and had a severe dumping episode.)

What is boils down to in the end as far as weight goes is, as it always has been (for both WLS folks and regular folks), calories consumed vs calories expended. (Beyond that, it is a question of the quality of the calories you consume. Not all calories are created equal in terms of nutrients, of course.)

Glad you have found what works for you!

Lora

Actually a healthy diet would better serve you then a handful of pills.  I am sorry you didn't get or understand the nutritional component of wls.  Soda robs your bones of calcium, i.e. could lead to osteoporosis.  I am nine years out eat none of the crap you mention unless it is a treat and take few vitamins because I don't trust drug companies and I don't believe I absorb pills better then food.  What I cannot get from food I am forced to take as supplements.

OMG!!! What you have just described is me. My iron was so low I am now getting weekly iron infusions.  This is a nightmare for because along with the iron you also get steroids and my weight is increasing.  I need help gaining weight is the very  last thing I want..... #imsoscaredanddpressed