Question:
Weight gain scare?
I had open RYN in Sept. 2001 I'a 5 years post op and have gain back 40lbs. I can not seem to lose the weight. I have been gaining and losing the same 5 pounds for months now. I went to my surgeon he did and endo scope, which reveiled the pouch was still intact and had not changed size much. the stoma was strecthed some, however he will not consider doing a revision to make the stome smaller. I'm scared. I can eat more than at times. Sometimes until I'm miserable. I know that sounds bad. I want to have control and eat less than 1000 calories aday. I'm a stress eatter, and have many stressfull issues in my life. I want to lose the weight. I know the rules eat less exercise more. I need some words of encouragement. I'm so depressed I thought I would never weigh this muchagain.Rain W. — rainbow (posted on November 11, 2006)
November 11, 2006
Hi!
A practice here in Michigan is doing a procedure they call Sclerotherapy
which involves a scope and injections of a substance around the stoma which
causes it to scar and shrink the opening without surgery. It's an
outpatient process. Check this site: http://tinyurl.com/yxltr2 or, if that
doesn't work, this one:
http://www.mmpc.com/specialties/michigan_weight_loss_specialists/serv/bariatric/sclero
Maybe someone else near you is doing it as well.
The only other suggestion I'd have would be to go back to the rules!
They seem to be different everywhere - are you drinking with meals? How
soon before and after? Do you use a food diary? I had stopped losing for
awhile, and decided to start tracking my intake again. The weight started
back down! Just a couple of suggestions. I'm only 17 months out, so it's
hard to identify with where you are, but everything (credible) I've ever
read/discussed tells me that the pouch is still there and most people that
go back to the basics start to lose again. Good luck, don't give up!!
(Don't starve yourself either, that has complications of it's own!) Chip
— Chip Locke
November 11, 2006
I'm only 4 months post-op, but have noticed I can eat a lot more now and a
lot more variety of foods...
I haven't gained, but will if I'm not careful and stop falling back into
old grazing habits...it's SO easy! Remember that our surgery IS a
"tool" and that we are the ones that have to continue to control
WHAT goes into our mouths and when and how much!
I'm planning on doing what the other person suggested this week for myself;
go back to basics. Log my intake and see if that gets me going down
again...
Keep the vision! You CAN do it! You've already proven that! Trish
— zoeysgrami
November 11, 2006
I am sorry that you are going through some issues now, but try not to focus
too much on what is wrong with the situation. I think you identified the
culprit. I don't think the answer for you to control yourself is for you
to have another surgery to force your body into submission. You have
identified that you eat when you are under a lot of stress; therein lies
the problem.
I am actually still in the pre-op stages of my surgery, but I have to say
that my medical group/health-insurance company is arming me with the tools
to prepare for my surgery. I am required to take lifestyles and nutrition
classes and am required to lose weight before they will consider setting a
surgery date (even though they have approved me for the surgery).
Initially, I simply thought these were stall tactics, but now, I know much
better. Taking me through these steps and providing me education about my
situation and my eating habits has been the best thing that could have
happened to me. One of the trouble spots for many people, I have learned,
was stress eating.
I can be a stress eater, too. But I have learned that stress is only
stress because we perceive it that way and allow issues to take a toll on
us. I had to 1) learn to orchestrate my life in such a fashion as to
mitigate as many issues arising as possible, and 2) learn to look at the
issues that inevitably seep through as learning and growth opportunities.
I have learned that life is full of issues and will continue to be until we
meet our Maker. We cannot avoid the issues (i.e. reality) but should face
them. For me, when issues did arise, I made it a point to get to the core
of them so that I could formulate some type of solution to bring a
resolution. Stressing was simply another way for me to avoid reality and
to commiserate over the many problems of my life, which subsequently gave
me permission to eat incontinently.
Resolve to work on your perception of situations, events, and troubles in
life, and I think you will be able to better control your weight gain and
loss.
I hope this was of some assistance to you.
— Xavier Smith
November 12, 2006
hi rain...thanks for your post. i'm just returning to the website after 5
years of surgery myself. i returned because i have gained at least 10
pounds. i remember, reading the posts years ago when i was preparing for
surgery where people wrote about gaining back the weight. at the time, my
focus as only to have the surgery but i guess unconsciously, i put this
information on "the shelf". so, surgery was completed (i self
paid and had my surgery in mexico). i followed all the tools, rules and
suggestions. i didn't even try to eat some of the things i realized people
are eating after their surgery. i have drank tons of water, still drink
protein shakes to this very day...and try to keep up some sort of exercise
even if it is walking. this weight gain is as a result of forgetting the
basics including gettin in protein before anything else as well as water
intake. i am back to reading posts to remind myself that i am not exempt
and to identify with people who struggle with the same story as myself. as
i read posts like yours from people who have gained weight since their
surgery, i am very grateful that i returned back to the site before things
became much too out of hand. i have recommitted myself to the process
which means that i am back to protein, protein, protein. water like crazy
when i am at work. letting go of the starch that i love to eat like i'm
headed to the electric chair. i am grateful for this surgery and to be
honest rain, as a self-pay, i paid too much money to be defeated. i have
started running 1 block and walking 2 and plan to push myself to do that
until i am back on track. guess what? something amazing has happened
since i've returned to the basics: i am eating less! not that i cant eat
more but after reading the stories on this site and doing the things that
worked for me in the past, i am eating less. i feel your pain regarding
the depressing feeling and welcome you to write me. perhaps we can buddy
up via email. we share the same amount of "clean time". if no
one has told you they love you today, i love you. stay true to yourself
and give it another try. [email protected]
— trofie99
November 12, 2006
Hi Rain: I am a pre-op patient right now - but I know how it is to be a
stress eater - I have done it all my life and I am terrified that if
anything will defeat me in my journey it will be the stress eating - that
is why I am going to stay focused on the boards here and all the wonderful
support that I am getting already even though I am just starting out on my
journey. I am sure there will be others who will be glad to be a buddy to
you also - but I am offering you my hand in friendship and understanding
right now. I believe you can do it and without any further surgery too!
When you feel stressed out just reach out to one of us on here and we will
be glad to be there for you! I hope that I have helped some small amount
here since I don't really know the post-op side of things yet - but I am
always a good listener when you need one and the best listener of all is
our loving father in heaven. He will always be there for you when no one
else is - sometimes we feel he has put to much on our plates but he knows
just how much we can tolerate and how far to push us - this may be his way
of bringing you back to the friends on this site because you need them as
much as they need you hun. Take care and if there is ever a time when you
need to just email me at [email protected]
— nanniemidder
November 12, 2006
You said you have many stressful issues in your life and I'm sure that
your re-gain is one of the big ones. Have you thought about seeing a
counselor or a therapist? S/he could help you learn how to deal with
stress without eating. Also, I think that if you are able to get over/deal
with the depression, you'll find that life (and weightloss) a whole lot
easier.
— mrsidknee
November 12, 2006
Hi Rain.... Sorry to hear that you are having a rough time. I think what
you need is to go back to basics. Start measuring and going back to high
protein, low carb foods in controlled portions. Make sure you get your 80
grams of protein daily. Make sure you are drinking 2 qts of WATER daily,
no caffeinated drinks, as they are dehydrating. And, if you are not
already going, go to a therapist and find out why you are falling back into
old habits of stress eating. You are going to have to find some other
outlet for de-stressing that is not self destructive. I know that this
doesn't sound easy and, to be truthful, it won't be. But, it WILL be
worth it. So, knuckle down, put them big girl (not fat - adult) panties on
and start doing what you have to do.... Be good to yourself ... Be well.
— Kari_K
November 13, 2006
I'm thinking it's time to join the Grad list. No guarantee that you'll get
the rest of the wt off, but there's also the trick of maintaining the loss
you have achieved. There is a lot of combined long term experience on this
list and I'd recommend it in conjunction with this site and any local lists
you use.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG
The relaxed stoma issue is discussed often!
— vitalady
November 16, 2006
Hi Rain. I totally understand your situation. I am 18 months out and have
just recently gained 20 pounds. I am absolutely mortified. I can eat more
and try not to but I am hungry. I don't know why my appetite has increased
but I am scared to death. So I am trying to back to square one with protein
shakes and really keeping a good log of my intake. I am becoming very
depressed over this too. I've worked so hard for this to come on so
quickly. So hang in there and I will too. If any other post-op pt's have
and good ideas to help us get things started again I would love to hear
from you. Nancy B.
— NANCY B.
November 23, 2006
I understand how you feel. I am also a stress eater. I had a complete
hysterectomy about 1 year ago and I have gained 40+ lbs since then. I can
eat large amounts of food and I need help. I would like to know what to
eat and how much to eat in order to loose this weight. My surgeon never
required me to have any counseling before surgery and now I don't know what
to do. Melissa
— MELISSA L.
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