in need of advice and encouragement!!!

Hello everyone, My name is Theresa I had surgey Gastric W Phobi Pouch in 2001. I Lost down to about 225 starting out 330. Now I've gained back to 300. I still can't eat alot at one time but I graze. Never dumped, could always drink alcoholic bevs. I do fell fourtunate just to have had the exp. but I am a complete failure with no ins. I need some encouragement please.

Hi Theresa. I had an RNY back in 2001 and I only lost about 70lbs. My highest weight was 270lbs. I also regained about 60lbs. of my weight due to poor eating choices and my doctor left the state so I had no doctor's support and I did not attend support groups. But even with all that I alone was responsible for my poor eating choices and my weight re-gain. I now have a new doctor who is montoring me every three months and I attend monthly support groups meetings.We can still re-learn to use are pouches as we did when we first had our surgeries. How do I know that? I know this because I am living it. I have already lost 60lbs. in 6 months from eating like I should, exercising and using the gift the doctor gave me which is my pouch. I research and read all I can on eating right and exercise and I can honesty say that it has helped me a whole lot. Whenever I don't want to exercise I just kick my self in the butt and I get up and I just do it. I walk 2 miles 5x a week. You are by no way a complete failure and I wanted you to know that I two was in the same boat as you but Theresa if I can re-learn to use my tool "pouch" you can do it to so pick yourself up and dust yourself off and just do it. You are a beautiful woman and you deserve to be happy and healthy. If you ever need anything please e-mail me. God Bless! Melody

Wow Melody, I am so glad I got to read your post too. I am so impressed and so motivated. I didn't actually know anyone who had regained and then relost. I had faith that it could be done, but hadn't met anyone who had done it. YEAH! YOU EXIST! Oh my fears are gone. You are living proof that I can make it back to my goal. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for taking the time to post. You will probably inspire more people than you ever imagined. I am just so happy to see your success. Thanks, Angela

Theresa, You aren't a complete failure, you still originally lost alot of weight. That means success, right? The only time you actually fail is when you give up. I had the open RNY about 4 and 1/2 years ago. I lost about 110lbs and then slowly started gaining it back after my first year. I gained 80lbs back and have just recently started working to get it back off. You said youself, you still can't each much at one time. That's the key. Our pouches are still there, but we are finding ways to eat around them. The grazing and the food choices are keeping us trapped in these larger bodies! I assume you have done the cottage cheese test or have conisdered seeing the surgeon to determine your pouch is fine? If you think there is anyway that there is something mechanically wrong, you need to get it checked out. I was so embarrased to see my surgeon. I cried in his office, but he was not cruel. He was understanding and gave me honest sincere encouragement to get back to following the rules that are designed for us to succeed with this surgery. It isn't easy for me by any means. I love to eat carbohydrates and I also like to drink with my meals. I don't dump either and I also enjoy alcoholic beverages. Still, I have to keep trying. You can look at my profile if you like. I have been trying to write in it weekly. It has turned into an online journal for me. Don't give up. You know what it feels like to step on that scale and see it drop. You can have that feeling again. I lost 10lbs last month. I am struggling each day, but some days I keep my goals. I hope you won't give up. If your stomach is mechanically intact there is no need for a revision and even if we were to get one, we would still have to follow the rules. So, just make a few simple goals for the rest of this week. What are your top 3 habits that are holding you back from being thin? I mean easy ones. Do you drink with your meals or snacks? That's my biggest. If so, make that your only goal this week. Still enjoy your snacks, don't exercise if you don't feel like it, eat what you want. Just keep that one goal to not drin****il 1 hour after you have eaten. If your worst habit is something else, make that your goal. Let others support you. I'll be happy to help out if I can. I usually post on the forum Hunger and Food Issues because there are several of us that gained back alot of weight. We chime in and support each other, offer advice, and share our triumphs and defeats. I wish you the best of luck and I hope you find the encouragement you are looking for. Angela

Thank you to all of your for sharing your struggles with all of us. Theresa I think the key to getting back on track is to return to the basics. Find other things to do when you start to graze. Eliminate the foods that call your name, mine are bread and oatmeal cookies. As for alcohol although you may enjoy it, it is wasted caories and it can erode your pouch so for your health avoid it. Get back to support group so you have others around you that can support you. There is a longterm groupin Florida that Paula is the group leader of. I unfortunately lost her contact after the hurricanes last year but I know they meet in the Broward area. You may be able to connect with this group. They are amazing. Think about getting counseling to work on the underlying issues for why you eat....so often we don't make conscious choices and we need to know why. And last the BSCI (aka, Bariatric Support Center International) www.bariatricsupportcenter.com has a getting back on track program you can access from Georgia. Colleen Cook is a long term post-op that put the class together. You know you aren't alone. You can retrain your tool and get back the results you want. www.bariatriceating.com also has a board and group for getting back on track. It was once said on this board our lost pounds are gone but not forgotten. Wishing you the best!

Hi Theresa, My name is Judy and I also live in Ga. I had My RNY in April 2001. I lost 141lbs.Starting out @ 350lbs and lost down to 209lbs. I have had problems from the beginning so, I let my physician know and also that I can eat more than most people that has had the surgery. He asked me why was I trying to I told him that he told me to eat until I was satisfied. He told be not to return until I have lost weight. I need to go to Jenny Craig, Weigh****chers or anywhere. He's done his job so the rest is on me. Needless to say, I was very discouraged and did not go bac****il 2006. Only to find out that the Surgeon has retired and the surgeon that took over wanted to refer me to a Surgeon in NY. I have gained back up tp 294lbs and I and very discouraged. I have other issues going on as well such severe abdominal pain and some intestinal issues that I was born with and has gotten worse since I have regained the weight. I now have Diabetes,Bursitis, Sleep Apnea and have to sleep with a CPAP Machine. I finally got up the nerve to call the surgeon that my ins. will approve only to find out that he doe not do revisions anymore. Can someone help me ?and I have AETNA Ins. So, I really feel your pain and understand what you are talking about. I have the Ins. but not the surgen. Be encouraged and God will work something out. Judy