Question:
does anyone else feel this way?
I am 10 months post-op and extremely grateful for this surgery. I have lost 120 pounds and would like to lose AT LEAST 20 more. Although I have read about this over and over, I don't think I was fully prepared. What I'm referring to is the lack of pouch function at this point. I truly feel like it's ALL up to me now. I can eat so much more food, I'm hungry ALL the time and it feels as though I'm back to square one. By that I mean, if I don't exercise all the time and eat really reduced calories, I will gain weight. Let me say this. . . in 10 months, I have not eaten any white carbs. No bread, no pasta, no potato, no rice of any kind. The only carbs I get are from vegetables and the few that are in protein drinks and bars, etc. I have been VERY compliant. I get in at least 80 grams of protein a day and drink well over 64 oz. of water. I guess it's just frustrating to be doing all that and lose NO weight. Actually, I'll lose a couple, gain a couple. I've gone back and forth on the same 3 lbs for several weeks. I'm not looking for advice, because I've read everything about plateaus and such. I'm just venting because I didn't expect this to happen so soon. I figured I had at least 7 or 8 more months before this all came to a halt. Anyone else feel kind of bummed (yet really thankful)? I just feel like I've put my body through so much and I dont want to still be overweight. Yes, I'm healthier and that's the important thing. But I want to be NORMAL weight!! — Kathy S. (posted on November 12, 2003)
November 12, 2003
Yes! I am grateful because I know without surgery I would have never EVER
been able to get a grip on my weight. However, I never really felt like I
had a "honeymoon" phase, like you, hunger, food volume etc kinda
disturbed me early on. I am 2.5 half years post and can eat a lot...but I
am working very very hard to not gain and to even loose a little more...15
lbs would be nice...but it is a struggle like no struggle I've been through
in my life...more so now, because I have so much to loose if I fail (or
should I say gain) I know this is my only oppurtunity ever in this life to
not be fat, and I do not want to blow it. I work very hard and sometimes I
could just cry, but more than anything in this world I don't want to be fat
again...so I will give it my all. I don't mean to bumm anyone out, but this
is NOT a get out of fat free card....you have to work it. Also, I am
learning slowly but surely what it means to eat healthy...I was always
under the misconception that eating was done to the point of full...it is
not...contentment is achieved by the types of food you choose, not the
amount...so even though I can wolf down FIVE PIECES OF PIZZA (whew, finally
admitted that one) I choose not to. I eat one and a small salad...and I
feel content, although not full...and the salad regulates my blood sugar so
I don't get hungry again too soon. Oops went off on a rant...sorry, but I
did want to say ...YESSSS! I can relate.
-Kim open RNY 7/17/01 282/140/125
— KimBo36
November 12, 2003
Congratulations on your terrific success. You are not alone. Lots of
people feel this way. I had someone explain long plateaus to me once.
Whether it's correct or not - I don't know but it kind of makes sense. If
you've reached a weight that you used to weigh prior to obese your body
gets confused and thinks it's where it's supposed to be. In other words -
I weighed 170 for years in high school and once I lost down to 170 after
weight loss surgery my body thought "Hey, I made it to where I'm
supposed to be so I don't need to lose any more". Then we end up
stuck on a plateau for a long time - even a few months. Then, if you
remain compliant, your body finally gives in and the weight loss starts
again. I understand what you mean about wanting to be normal but I think
Michelle Curran said it best "We have to understand that we will never
truly be normal when it comes to food". *sigh* I eat whatever I want
but in moderation and try to be good for several days if I've been bad for
a few days. I'd love to lose 20 pounds too but as many times as I've tried
to get rid of these last 20 pounds in the last 3 years I've finally come to
accept myself as I am. I wear a 10 or 12 and that's a long way from a
24-26 and I'm happy. Best wishes to you!
— ronascott
November 12, 2003
Been there, done that! Ah hell, AM there now. Stinks, but I agree with
the previous poster quoting Michelle. We'll never be normal. :>( Kind
of like an alcoholic. They are ALWAYS an alcoholic even if they've not
touched a drink in 20 years. They must forever daily, be dilligent and so
too must we. Sure would love to lose these last 20 to 25 pounds though
:>(
— [Deactivated Member]
November 12, 2003
I am a year out, about 40 lbs from my goal of weighing 130lbs. I look at
this this way - I know losing the rest is up to me, and it has been very
frustrating - I have been stuck since May!(That would be about 6 months
with no real loss.) However, there are 60+ lbs less that I need to lose. In
other words, losing 40 more is not as daunting as looking at trying to lose
100 lbs. Rona - your post gave me some hope - I am at a weight were I spent
a long time about 20 years ago. I keep plugging away with the diet and
exercise, because I have tried everything to try to break this plateau. So
yes, I can relate!
— koogy
November 12, 2003
Kathy, I am preop, and I have wondered about what you are asking. I pray
that I'm as lucky as many who post here, but have that fear, that I will
have to work harder than ever. I love the reply's you have gotten. I can
totally relate to this being like an alcoholic. I don't drink, but do eat.
I have a favor to ask you and anyone that reads this, please,please update
your profiles. It means so much to me, to read others profiles so I can see
how I relate to them, and what to expect. I went to read yours and it
states you are preop and your post here says you are 10 months out. Thanks
so much!
— D. K.
November 12, 2003
Before my surgery my doctor told me that this surgery is a tool and that I
would have 7 to 8 months where i will lose the bulk of my weight and then
it will slow down. I went into this knowing that I still have to watch
what I eat. I have never been will not begin to be a slave to the scale.
I get on the scale only once a month or when I see my doctor. As long as
I'm watching what I eat and exercise I know I'm on track. At times I'm
losing inches vs weight and I'll take that any time. I'm 7 months post-op,
I went from a size 32 pants to a size 16 dress pants or 18/20 jean. Thats
all that matters to me is the inches.... Keep up the good work.
— Linda R.
November 12, 2003
I have went through something very similiar to what you are feeling. I
have been angry lately that no surgeon in our area was performing distal
surgeries when I had my surgery performed. I had a lap R&Y performed
2.5 years ago, and I am pleased the majority of the time. I still have
about 20 pounds that I would like to lose. I feel as though this would not
be an issue if I had been able to have a distal performed. Now there is a
surgeon performing them in Nashville. I am jealous and angry everytime I
hear of someone getting this surgery performed. I fail in the diet
category from time to time, don't get me wrong, but I stay good the
majority of the time. I lift weights and do cardio five days a week, so I
guess I just wanted to join in and rant just a little bit. I don't know if
I will ever get down all the way, I am trying, sincerely trying to be
satisfied that I have lost 185 pounds, and for that I am grateful.
— sheron H.
November 12, 2003
Kathy, I know you are not looking for advice, but honestly, I doubt that
you are done losing weight at just 10 months post-op. I thought I had
stopped at 13 months, about 7 pounds shy of goal, then at month 16-17 (I
forget which), I lost another 4!! Only thing I did different was move to a
new home, so apparently that lifting and packing type of exercise moved the
scales. My point is don't give up! Kudos to you for staying so good-your
certainly not in the majority there to stay totally away from the white
carbs! I hope your exercising too-that is my saving grace in keeping the
weight off and certainly helped me lose too. And if possible, look at the
bright side, in just ten months you lost 120 pounds. Do you know how
awesome that is?? There does come a point though where you do have to work
to get the rest of the weight off. Its not the lack of pouch function.
Your pouch is still functioning..and if you don't think it is, ask the
doctor to scope you. Then you would know for sure. And finally, without
knowing the numbers, is the goal weight you have in mind for yourself,
reasonable? Some people set their goals too low (like the insurance
charts), and when they can't achieve ridiculously low weights or sizes for
their age/height/bone structure/metabolism, they think they have failed...
— Cindy R.
November 12, 2003
Hi Kathy: I would imagine that most of us who didn't make goal, or made it
or got close and then gained back all feel the same. It's a big surgery,
and it was supposed to be the one thing that would work where all other
diets fail. So even though you hear about it being a tool, etc. you don't
expect you won't reach goal when so many others are able to. I can't see
any rhyme or reason to why it works so much better for some than others. I
have some post op friends who are very causual about working their tool and
they got to goal and one is actually worried about going below. I followed
the rules better than most I know, and regained. It's disappointing. So
you're not alone. I do think it's likely that if you hang in there you
haven't actually stopped losing. But it'll be slow going. Sorry. S
— sherry hedgecock
November 12, 2003
YES! that is me too! I have lost about 116 lbs. I am 21months post op
(3/13/02). I basically quit loosing at about 1 year out (only about 5 lbs
since). I would like to loose 30 more too. However, I must admit... I eat
ANYTHING I want...gain a couple, then start watching it and lose it. I
agree, I am grateful because I have lost around 80% of my excess weight,
but I really want to lose the rest and I know it is all up to me now.
Sometimes I feel the same way...like I never had surgery, because I can eat
anything. Unfortunately, they don't do surgery on our brain. I weight 170
and would like to get to 140. But I also look at it this way... I am 41, a
size 16 instead of 28-30, and MUCH healthier now than I was. So what if I
am "pleasantly plump". Maybe someday (soon I hope), I will kick
my self into gear and jump start this weight loss again. The difference
between you and I is, I am NOT doing the right things. Maybe today is the
day I will start....good luck to you... you are not alone!!!
— Kay W.
November 13, 2003
Hi, Kathy! I'm only 2 months post-op, so I can't really help you with your
struggle. But I have a friend who is 17 months post, and didn't lose
anything for about 4-5 months. She just recently started to up her protein
to over 100 grams a day. I believe she is also drinking well over 100 oz.
of water per day. Her exercise routine consists of cardio almost every
day, and weight training 3 days per week. She had lost 100 pounds, but
wanted to lose 25-30 more. I think this regimen is working for her, but
the loss is very slow. The other thing I've heard people here say is that
they varied their eating and exercise routines to jump-start weight loss
again. Personally, as a 2-month post-op, I'm really into the "isn't
this amazing" phase of loss. I'm down 42 pounds so far, starting at
254 the day of surgery. To me, this is just incredible, because I've never
experienced good weight loss on any other diet I've been on. I told myself
that if I got under 200 (which seems pretty likely), that I'd be one happy
camper, since I haven't been under 200 for 25 years! Remember when you
were MO, didn't you laugh at people who "only" had 20 pounds to
lose, and were complaining about how "fat" they were? Please
don't think I'm blasting you here, just hoping you'll remember to put
everything in its proper prospective. Good luck to you.
— Carlita
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