Question:
Do I really have any control over how much weight I lose?
I started at 310 and I am 5'7. I am now 134 and still losing. I do not want to lose another pound. I wanted to stop 10 pounds ago. I look at my skin and bones and cannot see an inch of fat and wonder just where the weight is coming from. I feel as though no matter what I try to do to increase my food intake and decrease my energy expenditures I still lose weight. If I get a cold I may lose 5-10 pounds. While other people may not see 134 as particularly skinny. When a portion of that is lose skin, it looks and feels very different. I hit myself in the pelvic bone with my pointy elbow the other night and it really hurt. I am getting more and more concerned. I know people who are having a very difficult time losing weight after this surgery and my heart falls for them and I was hesitant to even post this comment, but I am starting to get a bit fearful. P.S., I feel great and have had no complications to speak of. — Faith Pureson (posted on April 23, 2003)
April 23, 2003
Faith, I'm far from goal and do feel for you. Don't be afraid to post.
Can you tell us how many calories you're consuming? What type of workout
schedule you have? And if you're seeing your surgeon for a follow up about
this? And maybe a dietician? So many of us want to be so far away from
our highest weights that we don't pay attention to the risk that we could
become underweight. Thanks for reminding us that there is another side. I
hope if you can give us some solid info that you'll get a lot of positive
feedback, support, and advise. I wish you all the best.
— Shelly S.
April 23, 2003
Hi, Don't take this the wrong way..but reading your profile gives me hope
that maybe I can reach a"lower" weight after all after I have the
surgery. I am convinced I'll have the surgery and I'll end up at something
like 197...which to me, hardly seems to be worth the effort. I'm over 300
lbs ..okay 340..so you really do give me hope ...even though that isn't
what your post is all about.
I guess all you can do is have a good, long talk with your Dr. so the
bothof you can get a handle on this before you blow away..sorry couldn't
resist making a skinny joke...feels good to have one about you though
doesn't it? Good luck and God Bless!!
— kathleen-Joan piper
April 23, 2003
i know it seem hard but it will be ok
— Angela A.
April 23, 2003
I know when I do carbs, I tend to stop losing. Have you played with it, as
far as what you eat? I know it is a tough issue, and I have heard people
talk about it at support group. No one has had any real answers. I will
pray for you. Best wishes to you. Please take care of yourself.
— MF
April 23, 2003
This is from the Pouch Rules for Dummies:<br>
<b> TOO MUCH WEIGHT LOSS</b><P>
I have found that about 15% of the patients which exercise well and had
between 100 to 150 lbs to lose, begin to lose way too much weight. I
encourage them to keep up the exercise (which is great for their health)
and to essentially "break the rules" of the pouch. Drink with
meals so they can eat snacks between without feeling full and increase
their fat content as well take a longer time to eat at meals, thus taking
in more calories.
<p>
A small but significant amount of gastric bypass patients actually go
underweight because they have experienced (as all of our patients have
experienced) the ravenous hunger after being on a diet with an out of
control appetite once the diet is broken. They are afraid of eating again.
They don't "get" that this situation is literally, physically
different and that they can control their appetite this time by using the
rules of the pouch to eliminate hunger.
— John Rushton
April 23, 2003
Have you discussed this with your surgeon? Remeber, not all docs agree
with the "pouch rules for dummies."
— Delores S.
April 23, 2003
Hi Faith, your profile does not give us any idea of what you are eating,
and how often you are eating. Perhaps you could shed some light on that?
Have you tried grazing on carbs and grazing all day? Or drinking high
calorie milk shakes? Some of us would love to be in your situation, I know
I would, to be able to eat non-stop and not "watch" it. I'm not
trying to make light of your situation, I understand that for you, this is
a little scary, but I can't help be a little envious. Let us know what
your eating is all about-calories, types of food, how often so that we may
have some constructive ideas for you.
— Cindy R.
April 23, 2003
Oh.... cry me a river.... No, I know this a serious issue for you! I just
can't imagine (at this pre-op point)the possibility of this ever being a
problem for me! I hope your weight loss slows soon. Walk less maybe? Do the
opposite of what you should be doing?? lol.. I am trying to be sympathetic,
it's just I can't fathom what it would be like to have that problem! Please
don't take this as offensive, I am not trying to be sarcastic or anything
and I do hope that whatever weight you deisre to be is the weight you stay
at. Maybe a year from now I can post that question too :O)
— kjonhjk
April 23, 2003
Please ignore the ignorant comments. I understand your plight. I'm 5'6 at
goal (155) and would be concerned if I lost to your weight. I know exactly
what makes me gain and what makes me lose. Here's what you should do. 1.
Get on the scale everyday. 2. Pay attention to what your activities
(exercise and eating) are and how they affect your weight. 3. Break some
rules -- eat more carbs, exercise less.
I weigh daily. I travel frequently for my job. When on the road, I am
much looser with my water, exercise and eating rules. I've been on the
road for 2 weeks and have gained weight. I know that when I go home next
week and get back into my protein/exercise/water routine, I will lose these
pounds (I can gain 5-10 pounds while on the road). What am I doing
different? I teach training classes and stay in hotels. We have carbs for
the trainees as snacks. I slack on the water cause I don't want to
interrupt the class always going to the bathroom. I eat the snacks we
offer, I am exhausted and don't always feel like exercising. I don't do my
protein shakes like I usually do and I do eat 3 meals a day instead of a
bunch of little meals like I'm used to doing. When I get home, the scale
shows the results. I don't get too upset about this fluctuation because I
know that when I go back to my routine, the weight will come off again.
But I am well aware of what I am doing that causes the weight to come on
because I am very mindful of the scale. So try paying close attention and
breaking some rules and see what that does for you. If you're having some
"mental" issues (I have those too), it can't hurt to see a
therapist. Don't look at yourself as hopeless or a failure of sorts.
There are a lot of things you can do. Try the above for 2 weeks and let me
know how it goes. Good luck and God Bless!
— Kimberly L.
April 23, 2003
I am so sorry...reading what I wrote, I realize that I came off as not only
ignorant but also insensitive. I am ashamed of my remarks. This is a long
journey and the people at the beginning should not be hurtful to those who
have travelled through already, as we have not walked in their shoes. I
really am sorry for what I said.
— kjonhjk
April 23, 2003
Wow Joy. I've been on this site for 2 years and check the Q/A daily and
have never seen anyone apologize. That took a lot. Thank you for doing
that and having some empathy. Kim
— Kimberly L.
April 23, 2003
You know, I shot past goal also at 14 months. Of course, I thought it was
way cool. My family was not impressed. And you know, it stopped abruptly
& back popped on 6-8 lbs permanently. But many have had this problem,
believe it or not. You really do not want to eat sugars & such. Fatty
tissue is not going to help you. And rasising your sugar tolerance is nto a
help in the long run. It can nboing back the other way if you overshoot the
FIX, know what I mean? You might want to pop onto either or both these
groups, watch for a day or two, then post your dilemma.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OSSG-Protein/
— vitalady
April 23, 2003
Contact your surgeon about this. I remember a while back at a support
group, my surgeons nurse answered this very question for someone and if I
remember correctly, she said a medication could be given for a few monthw
to stop the loss and then your body would adjust on its own. Of course, I
would only do this if you have up'ed your calories and fat intak and even
the up'ed the carbs. Good luck to you and congrats on your
success!.......Karen (lap rny-9/20/02- down 127 pounds!)
— karmiausnic
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