Out of control and have hit rock bottom

It's been awhile since I've posted anything, but decided to post here rather than the main msg board because I see myself as a huge failure. I had my WLS on 9/7/05 and lost a total of about 80 pounds total within the first 6 months. When I was 2 months out I got a Depo shot and from there it has been all downhill and to this day I blame that darned shot and wish I had never gotten it. Within 2 weeks of getting that Depo shot, my period returned with a vengence and since Dec of 05 I have had a NON-STOP period I TRIED to tell my PCP that something was wrong and she shrugged it off and told me that the effects of Depo can mess up your cycle for up to a year and that I'd just have to ride it out..........so I did. No change. I went to my gyno with the same complaints and he did a biopsy, but basically gave me no answers and he put me on Provera pills to try and regulate my cycle. It's done nothing, and now after nearly 15 months of continuous bleeding, I'm about ready to give up. I haven't lost a single pound in over a year and have gained about 10 pounds back. My appetite is HUGE and i can eat as if I've never had surgery. I try to drink my water and still get in plenty of protein in, but I can't keep myself from grazing all day. I'm so discouraged that most days it takes all of my effort just to get out of bed. No, I don't exercise and have been also dealing with severe back pain for over a year now, and had to have an emergency appendectomy back in September. Is it even possible to get the weight loss started up again after all this time, or am I doomed forever??

I too feel like I'm out of control. I had my surgery on 3/7/2005, I went from 276 to 182. Because of my poor choices and bad habits I am back up to 218. What in the HECK is wrong with me? I'm so ashamed of myself that I cant even call the doctor for fear that he will think I have wasted his time and that I am a HUGH failure. I can eat anything I want. Nothing bothers me.. I hate that to. I also have been bad not to exercise. Maybe we could push each other along? Just needed to vent to someone who may understand. Thanks.

Hey Hope,  My name is Krystal, I had a Gastric Bypass in April 2001.  I was 18.  I was 490lbs and in high school.  When I was in college I was down to a "healthy" 240.  I have since gained back to 375lbs.  Truthfully I haven't had the heart to get on a scale so that is an estimate.  I understand your frustration.  I also feel ashamed and nothing seems to stimulate me enough to get my butt up and do something.  I am considering having a LapBand done, but it is just a thought and I have no clue what all is associated with that.  You know, doctor's, money, insurance...  The usuals.  If you want to "vent" anytime give me a [email protected]

Well...I havent been on these boards in awhile...but i can feel your pain...kinda....I had my surgery 8/5/05...lost 80 lbs also.....but thats it....i too have started to gain...BUT im not on the depo. Matter a fact right after surgery i was getting my period every month...before surgery i was lucky to get it twice a year.....now its been 2 months since I have had my period...and i know im not pregnant...took the tests and all. Im quoting you here "I haven't lost a single pound in over a year and have gained about 10 pounds back. My appetite is HUGE and i can eat as if I've never had surgery. I try to drink my water and still get in plenty of protein in, but I can't keep myself from grazing all day." THIS IS ME TOO! Ive been too embarrassed to tell new people that Ive had the surgery because it sure doesnt look it....Thank god my friends live an hour away because im too embarrassed to see them..I feel like such a loser to this weight loss surgery....and I SO want to get to exercising...but its so hard...I know what i have to do...its just DOING IT! ANyway...thank you for posting this...it made me feel a little bit better knowing im not the only one going through something like this. Now i just gotta get my butt back to doing what im suppose to...hopefully its not too late

After having an endoscopy and upper GI it was found that I had mechanical failure of my RNY, staple line disruption and stoma enlargement. Don't be quick to blame yourself for something you have no control over. My staples came loose one morning when I'd only had coffee that day. The RNY has a high % of regain. Come to the DS forum and read before you have a revision to another surgery which could (and most likely would) fail.

Hi There, I am just curious... how did you come to realize the staples came loose? Also, how far out from WLS were you when it happend?  I am trying to get in with another surgeon to help me figure out what's going on with me and I wonder if this could be a possibility. Thanks!

Marcie, when they broke loose, I felt them, it was painful and radiated out like a pebble dropping into a smooth pond.  Unfortunately, I didn't realize what caused the pain at the time.  Perhaps I thought it was a stomach bug.  It was only by regaining all my weight and reading on here on OH and other wl sites that I realized that I might have something wrong with me other than an eating addiction!  So, I asked my PCP to order the tests to find out.  Turns out I did have both staple line disruption and stoma enlargement.  No wonder I was hungry every 2 hours.

 

It really makes me sick how many people need revisions from their RNY's.  And it's touted to be the Gold Standard.  I really love my DS and there is nothing mechanical to go wrong (other than early complications which could go wrong with any surgery)  I have a fully functioning stomach now, although much smaller.  

So, it means the weight I lose will be gone forever.  I'm only 6 months out so of course, being the yo-yo'r I've always been, that still has to be proven to me but that's what I hear from long term DS'rs and my surgeon.

Good luck to you and come check out the DS forum. 

Dear Marci,        I am producing a segment in the Tampa area for Realhealthtv.net, an ABC sponsored online health network, on people who have undergone gastric bypass surgery and had complications afterwards. If you would be interested in taping an interview, please email me at [email protected]. Thank you. Damien Kincannon Producer, Realhealthtv.net

Actually, RNY only averages about a 20% regain according to recent studies. That means there's an 80% success rate. I don't consider that a high % of regain at all!

Hope that helps!

Please get your GYN or PCP to do a 4 hour Glucose Tolerance Test.  This sounds like you might have some endocrine imbalance which can mess up your estrogen levels.  You can miss periods or have extra-heavy & extra-long periods.  That kind of bleeding is bad and no GYN worth their salt would just stop with provera.  The endocrine system includes not just hormones and reproductive items, but pancreas and your insulin, etc.    As for the weight gain you are probably anemic and if your insulin is messed up it can mess up your appetite too.  YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE!!  I'm back to almost pre-op weight and continually grazing.  I know for me that this is my binge eating disorder rearing its ugly head.  If I could just stay with a counselor, it would help tremendously.  Unfortunately now, I'm unemployed and that won't help any.  Hang in there.  You can figure this out.  Just remember that you have to take charge of your health and if your PCP doesn't work with you FIRE THEM!