19 months post op...have questions

Hey Everyone, I have not been on here in forever!!  I have a question.   I am now 19 months post op this week, and I started at 289lbs in August of 05.  I got down to 144, and maintained that fairly easily, no problems maintaining until now!!!  I have gained like 4-5 lbs this past week, and I am not eating anymore or less, although the past day since I have been watching it, less. What the heck is going on??  It is REALLY WIGGING me out to see the scale go the other way!!! :( I know I have seen it go up, but always right back down due to constipation (which is a major problem) and also water, or whatever, but it has slowly been creeping up and staying up! I am now hanging around 147-149!!!  I do NOT want to get back into the 50's as it was sooo hard to get to the 40's :( ANY IDEAS????   IS THE HONEYMOON OVER??  I notice I still can't eat as much, but I am hungrier more often now, I actually have an appetite??  Where the heck did that come from??   Most importantly, WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT YOUR APPETITE??  It is scaring me!! I have not been able to get to a gym because I have major troubles with my bile duct, and I have going to have to have surgery again, that I had last October, for my bile duct again, next month. So, I can't really exercise.  I am so scared, and I start nursing school next month as well, and that means I can't get my thigh lift done until I am done with nursing school, as I did not have enough time between now, the bile duct surgery, and when school starts, as I will need at least 6 weeks to heal properly as I did with my lower body lift.  I guess I am prefacing all of that to say that something deep inside is scared of if I don't get my thighs done now, I will be fat again one day and then I won't reach "my" goal of the body I wanted.  That is where my fear is based. SO, what do you recommend to keep all the weight off, and what works for us to keep our hunger pains in check?? I will starve myself before I allow myself to gain weight back again!! Thanks in advance for the caring answers on here, I really need some support!! :) Love, Deb :wave:

It is the scariest thing in the world to see the scale go up at all so I completely understand. I think as long as you're following all of the rules~ie. pusing protein first, not drinking w/meals, getting in lots of water, ect~you'll be fine. Its hard if you can't exercise~are you able to do any walking? As far as apptetite goes pre planning what I am going to eat for the day helps me alot~then I don't grab for the junk when I get hungry b/c I already know what I"m going to eat. And the hunger does come back. We just have to make the best possible choices on most days~its really hard. I am an emotional eater and a food addict so some days are tough. There was a good thread from last week I think about rebound weightgain. Here's the link if you want to check it out~  http://obesityhelp.com/forums/wls_grads/a,messageboard/actio n,replies/board_id,5491/cat_id,5091/topic_id,3295010/ Keep us updated on how things are going for you and good luck with nursing school. I am hoping to go back in the fall for nursing too!

Dear Deb, I am 18 months out and still working hard at getting a few more pounds off.  I have started thinking about the maintanance phase and any "bounce back" pounds.  They say to expect 10 to 20% regain.  That is simply too much regain for me.  So I've started getting my mind where it needs to be as, for me, thinking changes behavior better than mere will power.  So I've purchased The Beck Diet Solution and Winning After Losing--both about controlling your diet through cognitive behavior therapy methods.   I'm also trying to vary my exercise--as I'm one who still doesn't like to do it but I do.  Swimming and stationary biking are my standards, but now I've purchased a regular bike, tried some taekwondo (not for me), and am looking into fencing or dancing lessons.  There's even a place with a climbing wall I'm going to check out this fall.  I should do some weights, but I just don't like them much.  I'll have to save up for a personal trainer to get me going on those! I know that starting school, especially for nursing, can be tough.  (I work at a university with a strong nursing program.)  I'd start planning now some destressing techniques and have them in place before you start school.  Also, watch for eating while studying--you'll inevitably eat too much and thoughtlessly.   You don't mention your height--which makes a difference in what the weight number really means.  But it could be your body is just more comfortable a few pounds heavier.  I have a three pound "wiggle room" rule.  If I go up more than three pounds, I get back to basics--protein, water, supplements, exercise--until I'm back down.  It sounds like that is where you are right now.  sometimes it just takes our bodies a bit of time to readjust. Good luck with it and let us know how it goes. Sally

Deb:  I think you are right to be a little scared.  I don't think I was scared enough when this happened to me, and here I am 25 pounds heavier.  As I was VERY gradually putting this weight on, I kept thinking that my surgery would surely work its magic and the weight would come back off.  I found out how wrong I was about that.  We do return to normal after a couple of years - less absorption, more ability to eat "normally," more real hunger/appetite.  I wish I could give you an easy answer on controlling the appetite, but I can't.  I find it to be just as challenging as before WLS, perhaps moreso.  I guess it's a good thing that I still can't eat much at one sitting, but I can eat every hour if I allow myself.  Tracy's idea of planning out her daily food intake seems to be a good strategy, and it's something I need to do more of.  Since you can't exercise right now, you will probably have to be a little more restrictive with your food.  I hope that you'll get back the exercise portion soon.  For me, I believe that is what's keeping me from gaining even more. 

Good luck with everything - hang in there!

Carlita

 

i've had the same problem. i had surgery in january and wasn't able to hit the gym. well, when i was working out alot, my appetite was HUGE. that appetite doesn't go away just cause you can't hit the gym. i was still hungry and eating as much as before. thus, the gain. now, that i'm back at the gym, i know i'll get that weight back off. if you can't go back to the gym for a while, then i'd recommend trying to rid your body of some of the more carby foods and try eating heavier protein for a while. don't fret. you can do it!

Hi Deb, I had my surgery in September - we have a lot in common. I was at 281 + before and went down to 163. Now I am holding at 170 and very afraid. I had gone back up as high as 180 before I realized it. The first thing I had learned from support that was to maintain my weight with my body I needed to take in only 1350 calories. To loose I needed to take in less calories or exercise more. I had stopped exercising during the holidays. I had also slowly given into eating they way I had before surgery. A 100 calorie pack here, a few chocolate chips there. Not a lot of food but small amounts over the day. When I stopped and regrouped I realized I was packing calories in my day without even given it a thought. I have taken the time to make my weight number one priority again, similar to when I had the surgery. For a while I was putting other things first. I have started to loose again, I am taking the time to learn that I am not hungry. I have to eat 6 times a day. 3 meals and two snackes. I have learned again to wait to drin****il 1/2 hour after eating, even if it is just a snack. good luck hope this help somewhat donna

I hear everything you are saying. Today is my four years out anniversary and I have gained 20lbs through out the winter. I get really lazy. When summer comes I usually shed it but this winter was more then the last. I am seeing my appetite becoming larger and I am so scared my lowest weight was 169 now I am 189. I just don't have the motivation. I am an emotional eater my family went on a low sodium diet due to health conditions for others int he family and everyone lost weigh but me. I am frustrated and scared. Anyone have any suggestions or words of wisdom???

Boy, do I feel your pain!  You hit the nail on the head - lack of motivation!  I am frustrated and scared, too.  I have been maintaining lately, but the last week or so I think a couple more pounds have creeped on.  I just don't have the willpower to resist the junk food that I love.  Just today in our office, there were cookies, cinnamon rolls and doughnuts all brought in for special occasions that are going on in our school.  Whatever is left-over from the "occasions" gets brought to our office, and it's about 10 feet from me, and I have to walk past it all the time to do some of my work.  So I'm doomed here at times.  It's not every day, but it's enough - there's always candy or some other "bad" food that I shouldn't have, and I can't stop myself.

I wish we still dumped like we did after surgery, that would be a blessing if we did!!   I just have to tell myself that I still dump.  I do on some things, but not like I used to that is for sure!! Sounds like you need to put some lower calorie/sugar free candies or puddings on something near you, so you won't be tempted.  I add the divinci sf caramel to the sf tapioca and it tastes like creme brulee.  That helps me.  I also drink Starbucks SF Non Fat vanilla lattes and that also helps me. Take care, and you can do it, if I can, you can....I am getting back on track today!! :) Deb

Sel,  You can do it!!  The lower sodium was good for some, but I bet it was heavy on carbs, so if you just cut out your carbs, you should do great. I am doing the TIMEOUT diet for a week, I hope.  I will do the best I can.  I think it will help.  I do weigh everyday, which some people say is wrong, but if I don't, then the pounds can sneak up on me too easily. Take care, and you aren't alone, you can lose the weight, get a handle on it before it creeps up more.....just think, you are not that far from your goal, and if you go the other way, it will be harder.  Don't let the depression over take you.  Get up and go walk around the block and get back on your protein shakes.....you did it after surgery, so you can do it again!! :) I am pulling for you!! Deb