Keeping weight off - Decisions to make

If I had a dollar for every pound I lost that I put back on I would be able to buy a new car I'm sure.

I have seriously lost 80 to 100 lbs about 4 or 5 times.  What's funny is that I would start eating again and regaining I didn't have the ability to stop at 10 or 20 lbs.  I went all the way back to where I started and more.

Losing weight was doable for me.  Keeping it off was not.

Even after my first WLS I managed to regain most of the weight.  I pretty much saw myself as a hopeless case but due to health issues I had a revision and I figured I might as well give it another try and do what I was told instead of thinking I could eat whatever I wanted and still not gain weight.

I have managed to avoid being morbidly obese, obese and overweight for about 5 years now.  Never have I stayed the same weight for any amount of time.  I don't diet but I certainly changed how I ate and what I ate.  And I do have help from the surgery as far as not getting as hungry and not being able to eat a whole lot.  And I have a lot of motivation to avoid sugar since I am one of those who dumps and it really isn't worth it.

It is like I was telling my son.  WLS may not be perfect and it is definitely not a cure but at this point in time it is the best treatment out there for obesity.  You can argue about what surgery is best and all that but no matter what surgery you have it still gives you better odds than if you didn't have surgery.

I had the VBG back in 2004.  I lost about 145 lbs in 14 months, and have kept it off this long.  Yes, I did fluctuate a bit and gained 9 lbs, but have since taken them off with a job that doesn't require me to sit behind a desk anymore.  What I wanted to say is that, despite the criticism and opinions expressed by so many who think their type of surgery is superior, EVERY SURGERY WORKS, but they only work as well and for as long as the patient works it.  My surgery is purely restrictive, so I can only eat about 1 cup of food at a meal.  I absorb every calorie I take in, so there is no bypass.  If you have a good surgeon, he/she should have a plan for you, including multiple visits with the dietitian to make sure you are well educated on what your life changes will be and to prepare you for them.  Also, visits with a psychologist prior to surgery are important to make sure you are ready, not only for the surgery, but for the lifetime of changes that will occur, ensuring that you know what you need to be successful.  Surgery is not a quick-fix.  It is taking what you have known and practiced with food, eating, and your relationship with it all your life, and changing it to start over.  There are a lot of doctors out there that can perform the surgery, but make sure you find the one that you are not just a number, that a pre-surgical treatment plan is in store for you, that post-surgically you are cared for and have access to the dietitian and psychologist, and that the best type of surgery is chosen to match your type of eating/cravings/lifestyle, etc.  

You said it yourself-- you are willing to track your eating but you can't control your appetite. WLS will control your appetite for you (at least for a while) and your job is to track your intake.

Take your time and do what's best for you :)

Hi - for me it was all about statistical facts.  Diets work 5% of the time.  RNY works 75-80% of the time.  Factor in that 20-25% of people don't get honest about the psychological aspects of the disease.  Its just the facts. I had dieted and lost and gained all my life.  At 65, I had the surgery and never looked back.  Yes, I have to watch what I eat and PTL, I can do that because it is based on my success.  The success is the motivator.  The WLS gave me my life, it gave me my health, it made it possible to exercise and it made a difference for once.  I will count calories until I find that regime that works for me. I will likely do overeaters anonymous online forever because WLS did not come with the lobotomy and the nasal surgery required for me to no longer desire food and no longer smell food. LOL I understand how you feel.  My husband declined the surgery because he couldn't face giving up foods that he believed he could never have. He tried again but died a year later from a disease that would have been eliminated by the surgery.  I couldn't face going down that same road. I support whatever you do and certainly understand any fears about WLS but it was time for me and I thank God I did it.  Would it have been better if I did it sooner?  Likely not. I was ready when it was time and when it was right for me. Good Luck.

I like what you wrote, but I am sorry about your husband. 

I was out of work for several months due to complications from my WLS. Don't let that scare you, I'm a bit of an oddball. In any case, my eczema cleared up, my face stopped breaking out, the chronic pain in my shoulders and neck went away. I also lost about 45 pounds and felt good when I returned to work where I had to face a break room full of crap like donuts and other junk food, people who wanted me to go out to eat, And lots of stress... The job itself is very stressful as we deal with life and death decisions that can include locking people up or sendinding them for mental health treatment or substance abuse treatment.

first day was fine other than my computer account having to be deactivated. Day two was okay. Day three the drama with the secretaries started and as a supervisor, I had to wade in and sent one of them home. Immediately, the pain in my shoulder came back. And I wanted nothing else but a cream filled donut. I then realized it was all head hunger and since it was time for my protein drink, had that instead. But I can see how the next couple of months are going to be interesting.

Two weeks before returning to work, my dh and I decided it was time for me to retire even though we will be very broke  the paperwork was filed and my last day will be April 1. This will give me time to get in my exercise and cook for myself and avoid lots of stress.

We are snowed/iced in still so no work for me since last week. And since I'm also fighting a wicked cold...which I also attribute in part to stress.