Question:
I don't get full like I used to.Any suggestions?

I had surgery on march 2nd this year.Only lost 67 pounds so far.Granted I'm not exercising much due to alot of back problems right now.Seem to have lost motivation,since weight loss came to stand still. I lose a few pounds,gain them back,than lose again.Lately, I don't get full like I used to and can eat more and faster without getting nauseated like I did before If I ate quickly. Anyone had similar problems.Going back to see surgeon for six month visit on sept.15th.Starting to want to get into old eating habits again, and I'm scared. Thanks in advance for any replys. JoAnn    — JOANNFV (posted on September 2, 2009)

September 2, 2009
The first two months after my surgery, I couldn't exercise much either. It was mostly back pain that prevented me from doing much. I had my doctor increase my pain meds and was able to get up and going. Now, I'm down 95 pounds and am able to do much, much more....and without many pain meds. You gotta be careful with those, as cross-addiction is a concern among those of us who are post-op. I always hated taking pain meds, but if you think about it you are using the for what they are MEANT for if you are working to help yourself. Just get off them asap. Also, a part of success after surgery is being more responsible for what we put into our bodies. You have to develop an increased awareness of what you put in and think about what you are doing to yourself if it is a poor choice. It's normal to be able to eat a little more over time. Just be sure to eat slowly and STOP WHEN YOU ARE FULL. You might want to schedule an appointment with the psychologist who did your evaluation. They should be able to give you some helpful advice and techniques to get you where you need to be. Above all...DO NOT GIVE UP!!! It's a big adjustment and you will find a "new normal." Hang in there....for some of us, the loss is a bit slower. It'll pick up when you get where you can exercise. And hey....it's still better than gaining...right??? Good Luck!
   — PaulaJ

September 2, 2009
Your pouch will stretch out some on its own over time. Losing 67 lbs in a few months is great. Just think back, when you were trying to lose weight. The weight wasn't put on over night. So don't expect it to come off over night. Be sure to drink enough water too. That could be why you seem to be gaining weight. Don't be so hard on yourself.
   — Kristy

September 2, 2009
A lot depends on how much you had to lose in the first place. The bigger you were, the faster you'll lose. 67 pounds in six months sounds pretty good to me (that's over 10 pounds a month). I hope I do that well. I had my surgery August 7 this year, but in GB terms, I was sort of a "lightweight". I only had 100 to lose. I'm down about 20 lbs. Listen to the people who've been down the road before you. Try to drink more water and try to get just a little more exercise - and when I get to the point where I'm feeling like you are, please remind me to do the same!
   — agwc

September 2, 2009
Go back to the basics. Take small bites, chew thoroughly, and wait 3-5 min. between bites. Remember that it takes our brain 20 min. to register that we are full. Make eating a treat. Always eat at the table and use nice dishes (smaller dishes allow you to control portions better, and it seems like more than if the same amount is sitting on a bigger plate. Try tracking your meals on ObesityHelp's Health Tracker. Go to "my OH" and you'll see "Health Tracker" on the list. Nutrition is one of the tabs on the health tracker. You can also input your weight, measurements, and activity. Try adding just a little extra activity throughout your day. Make 3 or 4 extra trips across your house (for no reason other than to get the exercise). If you go to the rest room, get a drink, etc., it does not count. Once that gets easy, try going around the block 2 or 3 times a week on top of that. Gradually increase the number of days you do that, until that gets easy. Just keep progressing until you can add other activities you enjoy doing. Don't be so hard on yourself. You did not get to this weight and health condition overnight. You can't loose the weight overnight, and you can't get back into shape quickly either. You ARE worth it, so just keep plugging away at it. If you are not going to a WLS support group, I highly recommend that you do. The support of people going through similar challenges and successes is helpful. You can get ideas and answers to questions there also. Good Luck on this adventure toward Health...You CAN do it! KimM
   — KimM

September 2, 2009
Don't let yourself get out of the habit of chewing 20 times and waiting between bites. Even tho you CAN do it, DON'T do it. Feeling full isn't something youshould strive for. Just eat whats recommended for your time out..I think my clinic recommends 2 ounces until you reach goal. I am 14 motnhs out, reached goal at 10 months out and increased my meal size to 4 ounces to maintain. You will plateau if you consume more than you should be. But be sure to check with your nut and clinics for these answers. Congrats on the 67 loss thus far. Thats really great! Best of luck to you! hugs, kim
   — gpcmist

September 2, 2009
Hi JoAnn....I had MY surgery on March 2nd, too!! And I have substantial back problems - lumbar spinal stenosis and severe arthritis of the lumbar spine, and my spinal cord was being compressed so badly and I had sciatica so painful that I could hardly walk. I looked like Boris Karloff - step forward with your left foot six inches and drag your other foot up to meet it. I had been seeing back doctors and they just weren't working out for me. Before surgery, I was in physical therapy that was just making things worse, until I could hardly walk. After surgery, I knew I was supposed to exercise daily (my surgeon's preferred method of exercise was walking, which was waaaay too painful for me to do), so I asked him if I could ride a stationary bike. It seemed to be the only option. He said that was fine, and I had one here, so that's what I did. I was trying to be superwoman, though, and one day I increased the time and intensity on the bike, and the next day I couldn't walk at all. Had to get a friend's walker to get around. It was so bad that I was using the handicapped cart in the grocery store, and my PCP got me a handicapped placard, and I went to another back doctor. Unfortunately, he wasn't any better than the first. At this point I was six weeks out and also had a stricture, so I was throwing up a lot, and I'd totally stopped losing weight. I went in for my six month checkup and I was sobbing with pain and frustration - I'd worked so hard for this and I wanted it to work so bad. My surgeon was REALLY concerned, and when I told him what was going on, he said the first thing we had to do was take care of the sticture (that was a breeze - no problems whatsoever), and the second thing we had to do was get me in to see one of his colleagues (a neurologist) for my back pain. That was the best thing I've done in my whole life next to this surgery. That little doctor (a young woman who looked like she was about 13) made a game plan for me and ticked off on her fingers what we were going to do. FIRST - get a series of epidural pain shots to reduce the inflamation. THEN - go to a physical therapist who was an EXPERT on lumbar spine problems. FINALLY - wait 6 to 8 months and see what effect the weight loss had on the pain and then if it wasn't significantly reduced, we'd talk about a new minimally invasive surgical procedure called the X-Stop (done on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia) where they put spacers in your lumbar spine to relieve pressure on your spinal canal and thus your spinal cord. Well, I had the first series of shots on May 1st, and within 24 hours I was PAIN-FREE. I actually began going to the gym with my daughter, and I went almost daily for the two weeks I was visiting her. When I came back home, I hurried to Costco, and bought myself a two year membership to 24 Hour Fitness, and have been working out at least 4 - 5 days per week since then, and doing the stationary bike or the treadmill at home when I don't go to the gym. The shots wore off after a couple of months, and I went and got another set of injections at the end of June. This time they were only about 50% as effective, so I've had to make use of my Norco and Flexaril (pain meds), but I generally only take them once a day, and I even skip some days. My physical therapy has now progressed to doing some Pilates exercises, and balance ball work, all intended to help me strengthen my core muscles so that they hold my back in the proper alignment better. I have at least 90 minutes worth of physical therapy exercises to pick and choose from each day, and I do those at the gym, too....along with 30 minutes on the treadmill at 3 miles per hour (which is easy if I can distract myself by reading a book or listening to my iPod), and 30 minutes on the stationary bike at 10 - 11 mph (also with a book - or if I'm at home, I pop in a movie or watch tv), and I've recently added in the elliptical (didn't think I could ever do that because I have bone-on-bone arthritis and no ACL in my left knee - but I'm determined) and can now do 15 minutes on it (what a workout!!). My last set of pain shots has totally worn off now, but I'm doing my best to work through the pain and continue to exercise. I will be making an appointment to have another set of shots done when I get back from vacation in two weeks. I've now lost 105 pounds and am down to a size 16 from a size 28, but I DO have those days when the scale goes up and down 2 - 3 pounds, and I have no idea why (unless it's because I haven't had a bowel movement) because I follow the program faithfully. I use the SparkPeople program online to log all my food and I eat (or drink) my fiber and get in at least 85 - 100 grams of protein a day, and try to keep my carbs down to around 50, and my fat under 25. I have a kitchen scale that I found for $20 at Target, and it weighs things in grams, ounces and pounds, and I weigh everything faithfully. Sometimes it's hard for me to get in the 6 meals per day, but I try. I am determined to make at least my surgeon's goal for me, which is to lose another 30 pounds, and would really like to make my OWN goal, which is to lose another 50. I know that if you reduce your carb intake and up your protein, it takes away those carb cravings, which might be what is side-tracking you. And, like you, I often feel like I could eat more. But I set out my portion size, and tell myself that that's what I can have for right now. I also eat on a sandwich plate, and I eat with a baby spoon (tiny bites). I try to savor each one. I will also try to make some things more "hearty" - like I'll take the Kroger CARBmaster yogurt and add a tablespoon of Nutricology Ground Flax Seed, and it seems to be more filling than if I'd just eaten the yogurt by itself. Then, when my hour wait is up, I fill up on water or tea. You might ask your surgeon if he has a support group you can attend. Mine does, and they even have a once a month session called "Plateau Busters" - on ways to jumpstart your weight loss again. I go to the support group whenever I can, because it's important to hear other people's stories and how they've handled problems with their progress....and just to know you're not alone. I hope this helps. Take care of your back pain, it'll make all the difference in your willingness and ability to exercise, and I'm sure your weight loss will resume. I'll light a candle for you.
   — Erica Alikchihoo

September 3, 2009
JoAnn, Great Job! I had the sleeve March 10th this year (cardiologist recommended) and as of this morning I have lost 67 pounds also. I hit a plateau for 8 LONG WEEKS! My doctor suggested that I go back to softer foods for a few days and add my protein shakes back. I only drink the Slim-Fast LOW CARB shakes that have 20 grams of protein. And to my surprise this morning I had lost another 5 pounds...finally! I also incorporated some of (don't laugh) Richard Simmons toning DVD's. I love them!! I started these a little over a week ago and they are great! I also eat on a small "Mickey Mouse" plate. The kids get a kick out of it. Now we all eat on our little plates. I take my time and eat very slowly. Usually full and can't eat it all. Good Luck!
   — NewBeginnings4Me