RE: 8 1/2 Yr. Post-op Looking for others 8, 7, or 6 yrs. out

Hi everyone,
I post on the IN board.  I would like to communicate with other bariatric patients that are over 8 years out and had VBGB, RNY, or something similar.  If that request is not possible, I would be happy to talk with patients that are 6-7 years out with similar procedures.

Please don't misunderstand.  I am very happy to talk with any and all other WLS patients no matter what procedure they had.  But all of us like to have brothers and sisters that are "at the same place we are and had the same procedure we had."  

It is even harder to find those brothers and sister to bond with when you get over 8 years out.  People seem to have vanished.  They are either doing very well in their journey and have moved on with their life and don't feel the need to be connected with bariatric people, or they are doing very poorly in their journey and are gaining or have gained all their weight back and are too embarressed to get in contact with me or bariatric people.  

I had my VBGB Sept 18, 2000 at St. Vincent, Carmel, IN.  VBGB is vertical banding and gastric bypass.  Just like the RNY except I have restriction with the banding also.  It is very similar to the very popular Fobi pouch.

I lost 225# from my highest weight of 350#.  I lost all my weight the first 2 yrs.  I have maintained my weight within my BMI for the last 6+ years.  I've done this one day at a time, one choice at a time, one step at a time, one change at a time.

I have many bariatric friends that I am grateful for and blessed to have but it gets kind of lonely not being able to find any losers that are at the same place I am.  I hope to get some responses to this post or by PM.

hugs,
Kathy 

        

Hi Kathy.....I had the DS procedure sept 30, 2001....I lost 225 pounds in 1 1/2 years and have maintained at 162 since......yes I too do it one day at a time......I love to find people who are still interested in keeping touch this far and further out......this is most definately a journey of a lifetime.....

Hi,

I am nine years out.  I am very happy with the choice I have made.  I would be happy to chat with you any time.

I am 5.5 years out. I have maintained until this past 6 months. I have had thyroid issues and the doctor put me on meds to stop my thyroid from being over active and i gained 25 pounds like in a month or so.
i am so mad. I hope to be maintaining now and have been cut down on the meds to half a pill every other night so, hopefully now i can loose the weight again.
email me anytime.
I know the feeling about wondering about those in front of me. I cannot find very many in our area that are  in front of me.
One lady came to one of our meetings and she said she had moved on with life.
I have also moved on and would still like to be reminded i am still capable of gaining this weight back.
I was at 125 pounds and trying to keep from loosing for a while.
i am 5'4" and my goal was 140. I now weigh 150 and i feel big.
I had to buy size 10-12 capris this week where last year i was in 6-8 sizes.
MAD...............

I'll be 15 this year. Very distal RNY, 3 regains, 3 too much losses in all this time, but the same rough weight has held over all the years.

My dh also had the same surgery, he's 14. He lost his, one regain, lost it, so both of us hold within a few lbs of our goal. We pretty much have worn the same size, for example, since we reached goal in the beginning.

There's a gob of us on yahoo grads. List started in 99, had to be 1 yrs to post, so many are 11 years now. So, many your "age" or older.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG

Hi Michelle,

I posted to Kathy's original post.  I am almost 9 years out and have gained back 45 lbs. of the original lost 105 lbs.  I have re-developed my sweet tooth.  I still eat small amounts so I am sure it is the sweets, plus I am on thyroid meds, BP meds and anti-depressants.
I would love some advice on how to lose this weight. I hate the big size, but hate even more not feeling good.

Buffy

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-lowcarblifestyle/

that's the link for long termers who have had to fight to get the carb monster off their back. They are low carbing either to get off a specific regain or to guarantee the regain never comes back, as a way of life.

Either way, chock full of recipes, tasty substitutions and so on.

Hi, late post but I'm 6 1/2 years PO... I had RNY and went from 425 to 177 in just over 2 years and have kept all but 25 lbs off (working on that again).  It's been hard but I'm doing it slowly.  Congratulations on keeping it off!  I'm also working on this one day at a time, trying to get my workout more of a routine and focusing on what I'm eating and slowing down.  Anyway, I'll stop rambling now.. lol!  I'm glad to see there are people out here with more experience! 

Have a great weekend!

Sheryl

Hi Kathy,

Hallelujah....I am so happy to hear your plea...I feel exactly the same way.  I am almost 9 years out.  May 11, 2000 I had an RNY in Stl Louis.  My sad story is I lost about 105lbs. from 265lbs.  But, in the past two years I have gained back about 45lbs.  I need to have someone to talk to who understands what I am going through.  I have gotten back to sweets, and I am sure that is the problem.  I still eat a small amount and I do not feel as well w/ the extra weight back. 
I would love to hear from you.

Buffy (nickname)
[email protected]

I just posted on another thread about joining Weigh****chers last week.  I'm going to be 6 years out in May, and have regained 60 lbs (which regain started after my 2 year anniversary).  I've tried completely going off carbs and sweets in the past, but that has not worked for me.  WW seems to make sense (for me).  I've lost 3 lbs the first week, and am hopeful that I can whittle off this 60 lbs, slowly and healthfully, by the end of this year.  I have my 40th high school reunion in August so I'd really like to lose it by then, but that may not be possible. 

Betsy