anyone hear five years out or farther?

Hi there. I"m new to this site. My doctor has his own forum but not as many posts or people on that site. I haven't updated my profile so i'll let you know I had surgery 1/24/2001. I weighed 260 and 1yr out I was at 165 with very little effort. Though that was my lowest weight. I'm at 177 now so with struggle i've kept it off. It's very hard to lose weight. I still would like to be 150 or lower so it's a constant struggle. YOu think because you had this surgery you won't have to fight so hard to lose weight but the struggle to me is the same if not harder. I have severe hypoglycemia & anemia since the surgery so having to eat a few hours or I get sick it's hard to lose weight. I'm turning 30 next year  i'm sure the battle doesn't get easier. Anyway I'd love to hear how others are doing so far out and any questions you have i'd be happy to answer.. thanks.. snapongirl..

10/5/94 I usually hang out here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG

Have you checked to see if your staple line disrupted? Being an oldie.. maybe?

I feel your pain. I had the mini gastric bypass 8 years ago and did great the first 2 years and then I started putting it back on.  I am in the process of seeking a revision.  Of course I weigh more than you.  When I had this surgery the first time I thought my problem with weight was behind me but what a rude awakening I had.  Because your weight is still below 200 I would suggest that you find a wls support group or get into weigh****chers to try and get back on track before you find yourself over 200 lbs.  Weight is a hard battle and I know where you are coming from.

I wanted to get my pouch checked to make sure it's ok and nothing disrupted but unless i'm sick it doesnt' seem the doctors will check it out.  I have tried weigh****chers and nothing really seems to help. i"m going to do the five day pouch test and see if that helps. I probably just need to excerise more. I am not consistent with working out and life gets in the way. I'm very hypoglycemic and anemic. So I get weak alot super tired easily and with hypoglycemia it seems i am constant having to eat something and excerise lowers your blood sugar so i feel I eat more. I guess it's just a balance of nutrition and excersise. I stress out alot about my weight, comparing myself to everyone so it's hard sometimes. I probably keep even more weight on because of stress. I really like this website and having so many people to talk to that understand what your going through. Thanks for the info.  I'd like to wake up one day where my weight isn't my main focus/stress in my life God Bless Misty

Hi ! I know how you feel. I'm 40 & had surgery 8/02 (230)  so I'm @ 5 yrs. too. I was at my ideal 105 & now 176 . Been real depressed but, I try to shift my thinking. Being back here has already motivated me. I'm on my 2nd day of the 5 day pouch test and am so determined to get back on track. NEVER imagined I'd gain like I have. Learning a lot from the other posts & forums helps tons too. Hopefully some kind of change will help & I'll stop here & not gain any more. I want to be that biggest loser again ! When the last two sizes of my favorite jeans didn't fit anymore I knew I was in trouble ! So sorry that your struggling. But, please don't feel alone hun. I know the feeling. Yah...you'd think we wouldn't have to fight so hard...it kinda P'z me off. We're in the right place tho & just hafta do the best we can every day. Take care, T.

Misty I am not as far out as you by far, but you keep mentioning having to eat all the time because of hypoglycemia... Are you eating the right things?  How is the Carb Monster?  Are you getting in good carbs with protein?  I know going from a brittle diabetic with an A1C of 11.9 to 5.5 and now having the issues of hypoglycemia that I eat 5-6 times a day, but my "snacks" usually consist of protein bar, cheese sticks, jerky, things that are high in protein.  Especially if I am exercising more then I increase the protein.  Helps me to feel lots better.  Those nasty shakes from hypo SUCK...  Also, how are your vitamins & supplements? Taking them regularly? Bloodwork?? Hope you get to feeling better soon !! Huggs Debbiie

thank you . Yes I take my vitamins and have the same snacks i just forget to eat sometimes and then I get sick. I only eat wheat bread sometmes.. brown rice sometimes.. but pretty chicken, fish and veggies. I do have snack size candy here and there. I know that's where my trouble is. if i want a cookie. i have ONE.. but i still can't take that so i have to get things under control. thanks again..

Hey there!  My surgery was 9/6/01 so I'm right there with you.  What you're experiencing is quite normal for long term post-ops.  You're looking at a 12 pound variance in 7 years.  Pre surgery I could have a 12 pound variation with a 2 day fast and a good poop. :)  Then get off the diet & gain it all back in 2 days.  You're talking 7 years here!  CONGRATULATIONS!!!  Dang, that's amazing.  My body made it down to size 2/4  (SICKO!) but now is happily humming (for me) in a size 10/12 for 3.5 years now.  She kinda has settled into a "set point". I have experienced, however "below goal" and "regain" and also the victory of "re-loss" and now "maintain".  When I really paid attention to regain - my personal experience was from drinking with my meals & ingesting just too darn much.  Often it was too much of my fav cracker snack - wheat thins.!  Take a real, hard look at what you're really doing.  The whats & how much's - then you'll know where to make adjustments. I too, battle low blood sugar if I don't maintain good choices (protein + complex carb) and small portions often.  My latest craving (this winter) is oranges & apples which gives a nice slow burn & no "shakes" with 3 or 4 cheese cubes or 2 oz pepper turkey breast. At 51 years old I've come to figure this life is just making choices to give me one more amazing step closer to EXCELLENT health (heck I walked the breast cancer 3-day last August - 60 miles!:) and each battle in my choices gets me one overcome-battle stronger. Which changes my outlook on that dreaded term "battle".  Oh - no doc here, but I would think If you had a staple line disruption, that your gain would be MUCH, much more. AGAIN - CONGRATULATIONS on 7years of new life!  You're  doing awesome!!! Great to hear from  someone farther out than I am! ( 8 months)  Keep in touch - we need to hear from you! 289 start 128 low 159-164 for 3.5 years and happy to be here!

Hi Snap.  I had my surgery in 2002 and I have recently experienced a 12 lb gain.  I freaked out and just decided I needed to up the exercise and be more conscious of what goes into my mouth.  I was also told I need to eat more often.  6 small meals a day instead of the 3 larger ones I usually do.  I also started to kick back into old habits with the carbs and that did it for me.  I am now trying to get back to the rules and take it one day at a time! Hugs!

I am over 5yrs post-op and never quite made it to goal, but since my lowest weight 3 years ago I have gained back almost 50 lbs. My regain was seriously ruining my life. I felt so weak and deflated and worthless because of it.  Believe me I know how hard it is.  It's easy as a post-op to become complacent.   I am now trying to get back on track. I'm just finishing up the 5 day pouch test today and my new year's resolution is to take BACK my control over food and my body.  I got to the point where I was eating anything and everything without considering the consequences, and I was feeling so gross that I didn't have the energy to exercise, or the self-esteem to take care of myself.  I was in the "I have failed my body and my body has failed me, so why bother" mode.  (I remember feeling this way before I found out about WLS.)  I don't want to be that way anymore. I came back to the forums here about a month ago and have felt very encouraged and uplifted by this awesome community.  Even though I am still overweight and I have a LONG way to go before I consider myself a successful WLS grad, I'm learning all over again that it's a one-day-at-a-time deal for all of us here, it is REALLY HARD work, but we are worth it, and we can do it.