Question:
Almost 2 yrs out, feeling blah??

I'm almost 2 yrs out, I've lost 156lbs. I've been at a stand still for months. While I'm very happy with my weight loss, and love how I feel physically, and am enjoying my newfound lease on life, I'm feeling blah. I don't know if it's because all the attention has died down a little ( I guess people are used to seeing me "thin" now and it's not a big deal anymore) or I miss food, ( little "no-no's are creeping into my diet.) Unfortunately, the support group meetings around here are a bit of a distance away, and are at times that I can't make it regularly. What does someone do when they don't get the support from their "peers" ? Is it normal to feel this way this far out? I look in the mirror and am very happy with the loss, with clothes on, but I'm also having issues with the way my body looks right now, too much excess skin. I really can't afford to have a tummy tuck at this time, don't even know if my insurance would cover it. My wls surgeon no longer takes my insurance, so I can't use him. I know I'm babbling. I think I just need a little support and encouragement. Any words of advise to get me out of this slump? Thanks.    — KellyJeanB (posted on January 26, 2005)

January 25, 2005
oops I meant I lost 126lbs. sorry
   — KellyJeanB

January 26, 2005
Kelly, I don't know that I have any advice for you, but I too am almost 2 years out, and I know exactly how you feel. I have lost darn near 300 lbs and I am almost an hour from the closest support group in my area. I just take each day as it comes and am happy to be alive and thin. I too have the excess skin and am having difficulty coming up with the money to get the TT and others done. The only advice I can offer is Keep Your Chin Up. We are all here for you and I look to my Wife and family for support I cant get elsewhere, and my wife sure keeps me on the wagon, when I try to get off. I hope you can take comfort in knowing that you are not alone and that we are all here for you. *Hugs* Have a wonderful day! -TJ
   — TJ M.

January 26, 2005
Oh Kelly, Im feeling you girl! I will be two years out this June. My weight loss was amazing, I am completly happy with the way I look and feel. I am 5'6 130 in a size 4. What should I have to be unhappy about? Well, I think what we are feeling comes from the fact that for so long all we knew how to do was feel bad about our weight and our bodies. Then after surgery we went through the period of sucess as we lost all the weight. Now that the weight loss has slowed(or completly stopped in my case) we feel like we should automaticly go back to feeling negative. Or at least thats the way I have been feeling. God forbid I gain a pound. Then I will go into total melt down. But recognizing these feelings as untruths we tell ourselves( ie, "I've gained a pound, I'm a fat pig") is a big step in the battle. As for the bad habits creeping back into your diet, honey they marched back in and brought a parade with them into my diet. It was so easy in the begining. I couldnt hold as much food so my appitite shut off quicker. Now that I can eat more I am tempted to eat alot of things that in the begining I wasnt.I dont dump as easily as I did before so I am in a constat battle not to have that cookie that wont make me sick where as in the begining it would. I know it sounds sick, but I miss those days of dumping. Now I have to try and rely on somthing I clearly didnt have before surgery, will power! Good luck to you, I hope it helps to know that your not in that boat alone. LIndsay
   — Lindsay F.

January 26, 2005
I'll be 2 yrs out in about a week. I have way more problems than a few littl no-no's creeping in. I have gone through extensive PS (3 major procedures in 2004 and a total of 27 hours of surgery) and while I look and feel much better it hasn't been enough to stop me from falling into old habits. My life is about as good as it can get. I found a wonderful man and we got married last year. I had long ago accepted I would not get married, so this really was a shock to say the least. I also gained a 4-1/2 yr old step son as part of the bargain, so I became an instant mom. <p>I am sort of feeling the same as you, the hub bub is settling down. Every once in a while I run into someone who hasn't seen me in a long time and they are shocked. I have spent so much time with my PS this last year and it's sort of a let down to know we will be going our own ways. I know that sounds weird but he has been such a huge supporter of the progress I made and really took an interest in me and my life. All I can tell you is once you start PS it is damn addictive. You really start to nit pick. I still need arms and breasts and some more on the legs done, but I'm out of money. Insurance did cover a lot of it, but I still ended up putting out about $20,000. YIKES! I don't like it when I add them all up and see that number. I lost 252 lbs, so I likley required a ton more work than you will. It seems that the skin is somewhat bothering you so why not find out if insurance will indeed cover it. What have you got to lose. Just realize that it won't solve what is bothering you inside but it will be one more closure piece to your morbidly obese life. For me the plastics is a critical piece to my journey. I needed closure on my SMO life. I will never forget but it's nice not to be reminded all the time. I still have plenty of skin that I won't forget. <p>I have gone through some different phases the past 6-9 months or so and I know for me that staying in counseling before surgery and all through this past two years has been critical. I am able to attend support group but because I am so far out I don't get much from it. Fortunately they are starting a 1 yr and out group soon. Can you hook up with a few people who are further out from your support group that you could communicate with by e-mail or phone? Talk to the nurse in your program and see if they can recommend some people. I'm sure there are some others that could use the support also. <p>I've been trying to work on making slight slow changes so as to hopefully make some changes I can live with and get off of the all or nothing mentality when it comes to food and weight. Finding balance is so critical for me. The bottom line is you need to find yourself and figure out what you want and need to be happy. Other peoples opinions won't carry you through as you are finding out. You have worked hard and have come so far. You deserve to be happy and enjoy life. Consider seeing a counselor. Maybe they have a group therapy that would be helpful to you. Just know you are not alone. I truly think when we are further out we need WLS support less than overall support as all of the old demons, whatever they were, start to come back. As they always say, surgery isn't done on our brain, just our stomach.
   — zoedogcbr

January 26, 2005
Hi Kelly, I'm a little over a year post-op and have never been to a support group. This place is my support group! I have met so many wonderful people online! I too am having issues (severe issues) with the excess skin and the way my body looks right now. I'm more self conscious than I was when I was 330lbs! But at least I can walk and move now and that's what counts. I'm boonikki29 on Yahoo and MSN Messenger if you ever need to chat. - Nicole
   — boonikki29

January 27, 2005
WOW YOU LOOK GREAT I just stopped by you page and saw your pics. I think everyone goes through times like this. You may want to talk to your PCP and see if they can give you a little something to help with the blue feelings. They may also know of a PS that will take your ins. So BIG HUG and again you look great.
   — Peggy R.

January 30, 2005
I have often heard that people miss the fuss of the wt loss phase. I guess mine was so abrupt that I never saw regular people become bored with the new sized me. I moved when I was almost to goal, so the people I met here have trouble believing that I WAS morbid. And if I go back THERE to visit, they don't believe I AM me. sigh. Talk about confused. Since I am so very involved in the WLS world, I see people daily and kind of get my fix from them. I watch people arrive here in a wheelchair or walker and see them progress to a cane, regular walking, then biking, exercising, 100% wt loss, better labs than they had pre-op, so I get to live it over & over with them. I think that helps and it certainly helps me go forward and not forget "who I am" and my what my disease is. I'd recommend the Grad list for anyone who is 1+ yrs out. Because so many os uf are many years out, life has a different perspective when we are dealing with post-op issues, like maintenance, regain, reactive hypoglycemia, failed surgeries and the triumphs of those who became so much healthier than they were before. Here's the link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG
   — vitalady