X-Post: Maybe I'm really NOT a WLS failure. . .

  ........because the RNY is working for me!  

Yeah, that was kind of random, but even though I was successful temporarily with the Band I still felt like such a failure, like geez, I can't even manage to get weight loss surgery right, I'm such a loser, I deserve to be fat, miserable and unhealthy!

I am 4.5 lbs away from my lowest Band weight of 187 lbs. . .and I am not yet 3 months out from RNY. . .this blows my mind!!!!!  I am shrinking out of clothes left and right. . .ummm yeah,  bras too, let me tell you how bad THAT sucks. . .waaaahhhhhh......okay, done whining. Depending on the cut, I am in either a 38D or 36DD bra, down from a 44DD pre-surgery.....that's a BIG drop!!!!! (Yes, I know this is an ongoing complaint and not everyone sympathizes , but that's okay)

I am in XL shirts, even some 16/18 shirts, and mostly size 14 jeans, yup, I said it, JEANS. . .not the stretchy kind either!  In skinny/stretchy jeans I am in a Juniors 15-17....O-M-G JUNIORS!!!! Aaaaand my favorite pair of Juniors 17s that I wore religiously when I was this weight previously are TOO BIG and I can't keep them up. . .(please refer to my prior postings about me having a pancake butt and needing to buy one off of Ebay )..........sooooooo it looks like I need to find a NEW favorite pair. . okay, maybe I have, they are a 15 in Juniors, light gray skinnies, and cute as can be.. . I uhhhh sort of stole them from my 15-yo daughter 

I go back in September for my 3-month visit with my surgeon.  He likes you to have lost at least 25% of your excess weight at that point. . .wow, really?!!?!?  Cuz I thought I was losing SLOW and here I'm at almost the 50% mark of excess weight lost..... in 10 weeks!!!!!!!  Not looking a gift horse (or RNY) in the mouth, just VERY grateful that I am doing something right and am not a WLS failure.  Having felt that way for so long, you sometimes check, double check and triple check yourself and STILL don't believe it to be true. Especially when you have a surgeon telling you that "it's not the Band, it's you".  Ummm, NO, it was the reflux that caused you to EMPTY my band, so I don't have a properly functioning Band!!!!   (Edit -- This was my Band surgeon, not my current surgeon) 

Now, am I worrying about the future and maintenance?. . .yup, sure am, because that's what I do lol.  THAT was the hard part last time, maintaining my weight without the Band, but this time around I have a tool that is actually working, so say a prayer,  do a happy dance, cross your fingers and toes and hit me with some fairy dust  that I will be able to maintain my success, and not fail my tool in the future when I am out of the "honeymoon" phase!

Congrats....!!!!!!  

As long as you are following the RNY  rules of Protein first, limiting carbs, no drinking with your meals,  and getting in your liquids you should be successful in Maintenance too.

 
Thanks, Roz!!!!!  

I'm planning on following the rules and continuing forward with my new RNY lifestyle, but those insecurities and worries have a tendency to creep up on me from time to time, especially after my Band experience.  

Coming here and hanging out with you guys will definitely help me keep those fears under control! 

Congratulations on your success so far - great job!!

My advise to you would be to stay connected to some type of support group whether it is in person or here on the internet.  Accountability is so important.  Log your food, protein first, no drinking with meals and try to stay away from bad carbs and sweets(if you don't dump) as much as you can- they are so addicting.

If you worry about maintenance, there is a group of us in maintenance now and I am trying to post a weekly maintenance post so we can check in and talk about maintenance - read this and see if you get any ideas.  If you have ideas, we would love to hear them!!

Linda

 
Thanks, Linda! 

I am planning on staying here on OH for support and attending my surgeon's support group when I can, which will only be a few a year because of my work schedule and getting time off.  I just went Monday night and am going in September, but not sure about Oct-Dec dates yet.  

I agree with you about logging food, between my RNY and my diabetes, I am a tracking fool lol. . .it REALLY does help though and the Dietitian loves when I print out my food pages (I track with SparkPeople) because it tracks calories, fat, carbs and protein. 

I haven't tried and don't plan on trying sweets, other than natural sugars in fruit, things like that.  I don't want to "test" and see if I dump.  I know I do on fat, though that was an accidental finding, and that I can drink a glass of fruit juice if necessary without dumping (have done that to raise my blood sugar) but that is good enough for me.  I didn't really enjoy the whole dumping episode that much lol.

I still have 50 lbs to lose and yes, I am already worrying about maintenance . . .I will definitely check out your thread, and add anything that may be pertinent, thank you!

You go girl!!!! Skinny jeans????? You succeeded for sure. Be proud!

Meg

 
Thank you!!!! 

Yup, rockin the skinny jeans lol. . .my daughter says "ewww mom, you look kinda cute-ish".   In teenage-ese, I have discovered that that is actually a compliment! 

I may have to post my goofy pics. . .I got my hair highlighted last week to ahem, hide the gray, and was trying to take pics of the highlights and ended up making goofy faces at the kids, but I kept them because I realized I could see my cheekbones AND my jawline !!!!

Sounds like you are doing great.  Yes, the doubts do creep in but that is because we have a lifetime of failure at losing and maintaining our weight.  But this time you have a tool to help.  Stay logged in and we will help you too.

 
Thanks, Price!  

Yes, things are definitely different this time around, I have my RNY and all of you to help me stay on track!!!!!