Stomach Illness after VSG

Hi all,

I've been trying to keep the scale ticker at 160 or above (I'm pretty tall with significant excess skin in areas and pretty creeped out by the way my bones jut out). I was eating several times a day and incorporating high calorie foods in order to accomplish this and all was fine.

Until...I got very sick Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and could not keep anything down. The result today is a loss of 6 lbs. I'm thinking this has got to be water loss and am trying to stay hopeful that this will be easily regained when I can really eat and drink again.

I'm just here looking for some reassurance for those who have had a little stomach bug post-surgery that happened to push him/her into an uncomfortable range. Was it fairly easy to get back into your comfort range? Even if it wasn't easy, what did you do to get back to the comfort zone?

Thanks,

Lindsey

Hey Buckeye Girl --

I'm so sorry you have been sick.  Do NOT worry about the weight after the crud.  It will stabilize when you are able to return to normal eating.  I have been sick a couple of times in the last couple of years, and I lost an alarming amount of weight.  As soon as I got back to healthy, normal eating, I popped right back to my normal weight. 

I emphasize HEALTHY eating, because one time I was in the hospital and in a nursing home for over a month (back surgery), and I turned into skin and bones.  The doctor said to gain the weight back any way I could, and, not knowing about my weight history, she suggested I eat lots of ice cream.  Well, I did as I was told, and before I knew it I was 30+ pounds over goal again!  ACK!  Once I started back on the sugar and junk carbs, I couldn't stop ... until I got sick again with another back thing.  Lost the 30ish pounds and more.  This time, I have been more careful, although I have still eaten more crap food than I should have.  Consequently I'm still struggling, just not as much as before.

Hang in there Buck....  You will be fine :-)

--Dorothy

Thank you, Dorothy!

I have kept your story in the back of my mind because I was already incorporating some high calorie foods in just to maintain my weight and I remember reading about your doctor's ice cream comment. I hop on the scale every day waiting for the upswing because I know this will all even out one day and my body won't need so much to maintain. 

My losses have really slowed, but even 2-3 lbs begins to make me uncomfortable. I was staying with my brother's family when I got sick over Christmas and as I was leaving, I saw my face in the mirror and felt like I just looked sunken and gaunt and I could just tell I was down a couple of pounds. I got scared when I came home and saw that it was actually 6 lbs.

Funny how a 6 lbs loss used to seem like so little and now it makes such a big difference!

Anyway, some random thoughts there, but thank you for the reassurance. I've eaten more today than yesterday, so I'm on the way to wellness and I'll just trust that when I hydrate again, some of this will bounce back.

So I'm going to be honest: not necessarily.

I had what I bet was the same bug the weekend of December 8-9. I had just gotten my weight back almost to 139 (I'm trying to get to 140) and by the time I started to be able to eat again I weighed 132.8.

I made it back to 136, but am now back to 134.8 even though I made some lousy food choices (somewhat deliberately in hopes of gaining) over Christmas.

You and I are similar at this point in our journey in that we're battling to keep the weight on, not keep it off. I believe I'll get back up to 140, but I won't pretend the sickness wasn't a significant setback.

Hang in there.

Not exactly what I wanted to hear, but similar to what I expected to hear!

Thanks for the reply, best to you and yours in the New Year!

Lindsey

Hello,
First, Congratulations on all your weight-loss!!

How is it that some people keep losing weight?
And have a hard time stopping?
I am 3.5 years out and have gained 25 back.
I fight the carb devil everyday.
I am just wanting to educate myself..

Thank you!!

I wish I had all of the answers! I'm guessing there are too many factors to name, but it likely has something to do with the fact that I'm only 2 years out. I jump on the scale every morning and since I've been incorporating higher calorie foods in order to maintain, I'm just waiting for the momentum to change to where I have to stop the creep up. I figure it is only a matter of time.

How long did it take you to put the 25 lbs on? Did you lose below your goal initially? If so, by how much?

Thanks,

Lindsey

 

I am 3.5 out. seems like yesterday... My goal was 125. I got down to 137 and then I started craving the carbs. aka slider foods.Then, boom, the weight climbed up.

I am never hungry. I never feel like my stomach growling or any signs like that. If not for my" head hunger" I would be a rail and probably be in the same boat you are in, not able to stop the loosing . I just don't understand this carb craving thing.