failed on sleeve and others don't get it

Man I am feeling so depressed but understand I knew what I was getting myself into. IT IS A TOOL...that is for sure. I feel like I just will always have this struggle, I went to the 6month class at kaiser and lost 50 pounds before surgery which I thought I am so ready for this. I was wrong, I had surgery went down from 255 to 201 now I am up to 225 and it has not been a year (9 monts) I stopped losing in Jan which was only 3 1/2months did not gain or lose for a few months then started to gain. I will be seeing my surgeon on tues and when I saw him last I had gain 15 pounds so now it is 10 more...I am seeing a therapist which is recommending me to get ADD meds since I have impulsive issues, my life is so not managed or organized. the only thing I do right is Homeschooling. Just venting and very scared

First of all, big hugs to you! I understand how you feel. I stopped losing at about 6 months out. Carbs are my demon, I'm sure you heard that from other people. I think people can eat around ANY surgery type. I know if I went full bore back into eating carbs I would have gained, too. Thankfully, I caught myself, went back to journaling my food and tracking the carbs and am glad to say I am losing again.

It's a good thing that you are going to therapy and meeting with your surgeon again. I was also recently diagnosed with ADD, so I know where you are coming from with the whole disorganization thing, too. The fact that you can homeschool is awesome, my twins are entering 4K this year and I have a lot of friends that homeschool who ask if I am going to. Hell no! I can barely keep myself on task, I can't imagine homeschooling.

Good luck with your dr appt, maybe your surgeon will find that your sleeve is too large or something that can be fixed. YOU are NOT a failure. Hang in there! Keep coming to the board for support & advice.

Having weight loss surgery does not "cure" us of being fat. It doesn't "make" us lose weight. VSG does not magically make us eat only the foods that are healthy for us.

It is a daily struggle with food, with temptation, coupled with the knowledge that we HAVE to eat to stay alive !

None of this is easy. And I think if you posted on the VSG board you will get support for coming back and posting that you need help !!!

Personally, I struggle every day to get my rear end to Curves to exercise. I MAKE myself do it 4 times a week. Am I an exercise buff who says how great it makes me feel ? HECK NO. But I'm not going to get to a near normal weight without it. Do I feel hunger ? Yep. Get hungry all the time; darn it.

The only promise the doctors made was to make my stomach smaller. The rest is up to me to do. All I can suggest is git back on the horse, and ride.....you know what you have to do, just do it.

if you read my post closer I wrote that I knew it was a tool and not a cure...I don't understand why you had to remind me of something I already posted...I am struggling in my head, I am in pain, I am depressed that I know what to do and choose not to do it. next time I advice you to be more sensitive to pain when a person already made it clear that it is not magic

Please forgive me if you found my response to be offensive. 

I read your post closely, and was reinforcing YOUR words about our sleeve being a tool, and not a cure. 

Your post that I am responding to above is also clear that you are in quite some psychological pain about yourself, that you did not mention in your first posting. If you truly are making choices to sabotage yourself, and feel depressed, and cannot find the way out of depression, please, see a professional who can help you with that.  You may be vitamin deficient which can add to your depressed feelings.  Get some labs run and please consider seeing a therapist who understands the dynamics of depression and weight loss and gain.  

thank you

You are smart to get onto this issue fast.  I started regaining weight at about six months out (after losing 100 lbs) and at almost four years out from surgery I now have regained 50 lbs.

My surgeon has done 500 sleeves and only has three that have reported no weight loss or weight regain.  He is now suggesting I have the RNY but I am trying to lose weight conventionally.  He suggested early 2012 for the bypass, so I am trying to lose as much as I can before then.

He doesn't know if the sleeve stretched, or whether I have an "overly efficient" stomach (that digests quickly, allowing me to put more food in my sleeve quickly.  I have depression and problems with binge eating and emotional eating which don't help...  I really understand what you say about impulse issues.

Anyway, good luck with getting some feedback from your doctor.

Lil xx

thanks for your support...there is so many out there that want to remind us it is not magic. I rally just needed understanding

Hi Faedra:  I'm a bit older than you and have done a lot of the mental work first...sometimes changing your coping strategies, like not having the comfort eating anymore, is a huge challenge...some people I heard of switch to alcohol or worse.  Give yourself credit where credit is due and persevere...you are naturally going to have struggles...as we all are day to day...you can do it...maybe overeaters anonymous can be helpful or my favorite, cognitive behavioural therapy/rational emotive therapy.  It's not quick but long term, you'll come out a better person.

Pat

Does your surgeon not do DS?  It seems that since you already have the 1st half, that would be the progression for a revision.  May be something you may want to research since it has better statistics for weight loss than the RNY.