Keeping it real...how much can you eat!

I truly believe that it stretches or grows or was too big to begin and then we overeat.  It ended up my surgeon told me he gave me a 2 oz pouch and used the large stoma hole punch.  They use the tough stomach tissue to make a 1 oz pouch.  If he used some of the stretchier tissue to make a 2 oz pouch and then put the stoma in the stretchy part that would have stretched easier.  All I do is eat low carb and high veggie.  Daisy

There is a procedure that could have been done to prevent stretching your stoma.  They could have placed a special mesh around your stoma to prevent this. Sadly, they did not.  Not you have problems.

I'm so sorry, I cannot imagine how you must feel. :o(

It is what it is.  I have to look forward not back.  thanks for your concern.  Daisy

I haven't been to McDonalds is ages, but I can eat most of a Double-Double (not all the bun though) and a few fries! 

One thing I still can't do is drink after eating, it makes my pouch hurt.

Michele

Hmmmm......"lets talk McDonalds"???  I know this thread is all about "keeping it real" but I'm still kind of surprised that people are comparing McDonald's meals with portions they can NOW eat?

I can eat a lot too.  I can eat an entire grilled chicken breast with some veggies on the side or I can eat an entire salad with some type of grilled meat if I take my time....(eating the entire elephant one bite at a time!).

Bread, french fries? I wouldn't use those as gauges as to whether your weight loss "tool" is broken.  Maybe it could be a gauge though as to whether there needs to be behavior modification WITH the revision?  I know that I attend a zillion support groups to keep me totally AWAY from those kinds of things, .....and it has nothing to do with my revision; but more a realization that I want to keep driving right past McDonald's if I'm going to stay on track.

....just saying.....maybe we should all hop over to Cathy's BOTT support forum (Back on Track Together).  You can type it in the search.

Before someone goes postal on me.....just know that I'm reflecting my own frame of reference out loud and seeing what I STILL need to work on ....even after all these years with the WLS battles.

Not going to go postal:) I have three young children and we eat at McDonalds from time-to-time...I used that as a reference simply because I know that no matter the state or even country that this place is going to be there; thus, people will be able to use it a as a measure...EVEN if they simply ate there prior to WLS. 

AS far as needing behavioral modifications?  No doubt.  I maintained my weight for eyars staying away from places like that even though my surgery had failed early on and I had ZERO restriciton.  It wasn't until I had two babies in two years, entered my master's program, and married a man with undiagnosed bipolar disorder who becomes verbally abusive as he cycles into mania that I reverted back to poor eating habits.

So, how will Revision help me?  Well, I am in counseling to deal with what I went through with my husband...we have found a really awesome church...and following a severe cycle he was hospitalized and finally got on the right meds...SO, now he is pretty stable and we are able to work through it.  In ADDITION, I am returning to work as a school psychologist and will not have the issue of being at home all day and exposed to temptation...FINALLY, I am at now at a place where I respect myself and want a new place in life.  The surgery worked for me the first time and I maintained the weight even though there was a problem.  So, I know that once the restriction is returned and I am able to get that "full" signal...that I will again be successful.

I will definately check out that forum and use it as a support system during this revision process and also my journey following :0)  Thanks!  This time I am also blessed to have found a local surgery center with an established support group for after care...last time I wated the "best" center so I went to Cedars Sinai in Los Angelos...but, it was too far from my house to attend groups and they are so busy that the 3mo post op is the only follow up the surgeon does. 

You TOTALLY Rock!!!!

Weigh 2 line up a NEW you!!!! 

I can't wait to hear all of your success stories on your new journey! 

I too ditto what you are saying.  Alot of this.... ALOT, rings true for me as well.  The behavior modifications, the counseling.... and You now being at a place where you respect yourself and want a new place in life.  <-- "That's ME!!"

Good for you... Keep up the EXCELLENT work!!!!!



Take Care
-Jamie

Yeah,, I took the McDonald's reference just as a universal point of understanding.  I haven't been inside a McDonald's in I don't know how many years but I do eat fast few once or twice a year and have no problem with that.  I adhere to a strict low carb regime as well but I know many who do not and do just fine.

The thing is I believe strongly that my weight loss came from my low carb diet and not the surgery.  I don't even feel like I had surgery.  I stalled out for a year and then only with strict dieting and willpower was I able to get the scale moving again.  I get a big angry when people just assume I am weak or stupid and don't follow the rules.  Something is wrong with my surgery but I'm not sure losing another 20 lbs is worth another surgery.  My HMO will NOT pay for revision because they are thrilled with what I weigh.  They don't care that I have to starve myself and they don't want to hear how difficult it is for me to maintain.  I could pay for it myself but I still need more plastic surgery since THAT was botched as well and that is far more important to me right now.

Anyway, I am just happy to know that I am not alone.   I really thought I was the only one.

I have never felt like I have eaten anything.  I eat a ton of food before I feel like I don't crave anymore.  I gained 65 lbs. from Oct. 2008 to April 2009 by eating both volume and too high calorie.  2 vacations and the holidays and giving up.  Then I started eating veggies and protein.  I routinely eat 6 oz of chicken breast and a cucumber with peel.  Or something equivalent to that.  After a while I feel like it absorbs or something so the need to eat more goes away.  Since I started low carb I don't have the ravenous hunger I used to have.  On Mothers day, however, I ate 4800 calories of fat and sugar and I returned home a couple of hours later and had a major blood sugar crash.  I was at my sisters and she had chocolates, chips and salsa, brat, roll, 2 kinds of potato salad, cucumbers soaked in real sour cream and chocolate cake followed by more chocolates.  I haven't eaten like that since because I know I have no limit and need to limit myself.  At McDonald's I eat the whole southwest chicken salad.  I could easily eat any sandwich too except that I am grossed out by fat and grease.  I will throw away a bun if it has too much fat on it.  I will dab a burger with a napkin to get the grease off of it.  I have had a change in taste as far as fat goes.  I NEVER eat fries...they disgust me.  I made a junk food run to a store for a piece of cake and I pitched it because the frosting tasted like lard.  But the volume I can eat appears to be endless and carbs lead to increased appetite.  I am actually confused by the whole thing.  I just keep chugging along.  Daisy