What's in your head, WLSers?(11-6-17)

I was just thinking that same thing Mahonia. =)

Julie...thank you so much for this new thread! It's so good... I'll be tuning in every time. Nancy

I'm 8+ years out from my RNY. I stayed below goal for 5 years and then began to creep up. I'm currently 12 pounds over goal and working to get it off. I've started attending bariatric support group and keeping a daily food journal. I'm re-reading "The Beck Diet Solution" (audio and hard copy). It isn't a diet book but it is cognitive therapy - helping with thoughts that sabotage my success.

Our 42 year old son, wife and now 19 month old daughter have lived with us for 4 months - CHAOS - nice, but very disruptive to my empty nest life. There is stress and when I'm stressed I want to eat. Fortunately, they are moving to a new home in two weeks. (They were living 12 hours away - so he got an interim full time job and will continue seeking a ministry position (he's a pastor).

I've had unplanned surgery (back for ruptured disc L4-L5), my mom hospitalized 3 times with pacemaker inserted this summer, said daughter in law fractured her ankle and had rods and pins (baby was totally breastfed) so I drove 12 hours each way and stayed a week on two occasions to help out - just a very stressful year. Work has been OK, thankfully.

I'm optimistic that I can get the weight off - even though the holidays are upon us. Keeping a food journal helps so much. When I'm tempted by something and look up the nutrition info, I often decide it's not worth it and will take me over my allotted calories - so I say "oh well) and just move on. I'm gluten intolerant and have reactive hypoglycemia.

If you read all this - bless your heart.

Penny

Great idea, thank you for doing this. After reading all of these posts I am sending a hug to everyone on this thread. Be kind to yourselves. You are all amazing

I like this post concept a lot.

Mentally I?m currently at the ?what did I do to myself" phase of post-leg reconstruction. I didn?t feel this way after the last two surgeries! I think it?s just the complication of using the toilet that?s getting to me. And I feel smelly since I haven?t been able to shower yet. Hopefully I?ll get to do that later today!

I think I?m doing okay otherwise.

After your description of using the bathroom after surgery I happened to watch a video by the surgeon I will probably end up using saying he leaves a catheter in his patients for several days after lower body work just so they don't have to worry about the bathroom so much and the stress that puts on the incisions. It can't help you now, but I thought that made a lot of sense!

A thoughtful and cool idea for a thread. I've been out for a few days and just read through all of these responses. I'm sending love to all here.

This time of year is tough for me because I miss the sun--go to work in the dark, go home in the dark. And it's getting colder. So, I'm more tired than I should be and slogging through a depression. How all of this relates to WLS...well, I have a much harder time making good choices because my mind just isn't as clear.

Even though I do not wish these negative things on others, it is helpful to see so many people struggling with similar thoughts and difficulties. Alleviates some of the lonliness.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is the worst. Have you tried changing the lightbulbs in your home to full spectrum bulbs? That small change made a huge difference in quality of life for me.

Thank you both! I will start researching. I'm a Minnesotan, so I guess I accepted the blues this time of year, just haven't looked into changing light sources.

I've been getting full spectrum bulbs since 2008 and they're a life changer for me. I basically just look for "full spectrum" on Amazon. I've gotten CFLs and LEDs, depending on the fixture. I still have a few old bulbs, just because they haven't died yet. Someday they will and eventually the whole house will be full spectrum :)

I prefer the ones listed as something like "crisp white daylight."