Fear of being the exception...

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tianormie
tianormie Posts: 27 Member
I have this fear that I might become the exception to the rule... What I mean is this, I fear that my VSG may not work. Yes, I am losing weight but the fear is still there. My stomach isn't hungry buy my mind wants me to keep eating. Is this fear normal? Do you ever feel like the numbers aren't moving fast enough? :frown: I had the VSG on 1/24/13.

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  • Speedtrap
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    We all fear that, but it looks like you have already lost 38 lbs in 2 months, that is just short of 20 lbs per month!
    I do not think you need to worry about being the exception to the rule you are doing fine.
  • anitadanafit
    anitadanafit Posts: 38 Member
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    I am having those same fears now. I had my surger on 2/7 and I've lost some weight, but it doesn't seem like it is coming off very quickly. I am guessing that I had my expectations set way too high and the reality is that I am losing about 5lbs per week.
  • grim_traveller
    grim_traveller Posts: 627 Member
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    I am having those same fears now. I had my surger on 2/7 and I've lost some weight, but it doesn't seem like it is coming off very quickly. I am guessing that I had my expectations set way too high and the reality is that I am losing about 5lbs per week.

    Are you unhappy with five pounds per week? You should be ecstatic! That's what I averaged for a while, and I guarantee I was a lot bigger than you are. It helps to focus on what and how much you eat, and how much you exercise. If you do that, you will succeed.
  • tianormie
    tianormie Posts: 27 Member
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    Yes, I guess my expectations are still too high. I read about people losing 21 pounds in TWO Weeks and...well you know the rest. Thanks for your words of encouragement. I see the doctor this Thursday so hopefully he'll give me some advise on what goals I should be setting for myself.
  • MacMadame
    MacMadame Posts: 1,893 Member
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    It's pretty common to worry you'll be the one it doesn't work for. After all, how many diet programs did we all go on that didn't work? So it's normal to ask why this will be different. Here's why:

    Diets like Weight Watchers work for 1-2% of the population maybe. 90-99% who manage to lose the weight actually keep it off.
    WLS works for way more than that. Only about 30% have significant regain. That's 30% unsuccessful with WLS compared to 90-99% unsuccessful with dieting. Those are damn good odds!

    As for other people losing 20 pounds in a week -- how much do they have to lose to begin with?! I mean I only had 100 pounds to lose so when I lost 10 pounds, I was lose 10% of my excess weight. But someone else might have 300 pounds to lose and they'd have to lose 30 pounds to be losing 10% of their excess weight and keep up with me! Plus, one week is nothing. You notice the ones who lose 20 pounds one week but the next week they might lose nothing and you probably don't notice that. It's human nature not to notice the numbers smaller than ours and focus on the numbers that are higher.
  • stacylperry
    stacylperry Posts: 66 Member
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    I can promise you, YOU are not alone. I'm in a support group where I live and its a very common concern of both pre-VSG's and post ...
    I'm friends with several of the ladies and the procedure is simply a tool to keep us from OVER EATING.
    We have to watch what we put in our mouth, and We have to put out the effort to get the exercise.

    *Honestly, we don't want to lose too much weight too fast for a few reasons;
    LOOSE SKIN (that's a huge reason) and to give your body a chance to get acclimated to the CALORIE decrease and the ENERGY increase .
    2 pounds a week is awesome!! Be happy :) Its better than before.
    5 pounds a week with exercise is outstanding!! that's phenomenal !! :flowerforyou:
  • MacMadame
    MacMadame Posts: 1,893 Member
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    Diets like Weight Watchers work for 1-2% of the population maybe. 90-99% who manage to lose the weight actually keep it off.
    WLS works for way more than that. Only about 30% have significant regain. That's 30% unsuccessful with WLS compared to 90-99% unsuccessful with dieting. Those are damn good odds!
    I mean 90-99% DON'T keep it off. SO 1-10% keep it off, 90-99% regain most or all.
  • tianormie
    tianormie Posts: 27 Member
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    Thanks for offering new perspectives on how to look at my weight loss. I guess I wasn't thinking outside the box. My body seems to be changing faster than my old way of thinking. You guys are awesome. Thank you!
  • sclark70
    sclark70 Posts: 9 Member
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    I had my surgery one week before Christmas and am now 2 months out and down 36 pounds. I understand everything that you are going through. At first the head huner was so bad that I would get very mad and frusterated, I even thought about requesting my medical records to make sure that the surgery was done correctly!! Once I moved into different food stages, such as soft foods (no raw fruits/veggies or breads/pasta) the head hunger went away, but the desire to eat anything I was told "no" was getting bad. I can honestly say that I have only eaten according to what my doctor tells me, but I understand the struggle.

    On the weight loss, I think you sadi 38 pounds in two months. I am at 36 pounds in two months and feel like it is coming off so slowly. I work out 5 days a week and still find that the scale is not moving. I get frusterated every day, then I have to look back and think for a minute when was the last time I lost 36 pounds total? Um...never! Now I did that in 2 months!!

    I understand all of your frusteration because I am there too, people can put all types of different percentage and statistics out there but I know what I feel and what I see. And right now I feel great and see my pants starting to fall down, I would say that is proof that for now surgery worked and that I am NOT the exception.
  • Onaughmae
    Onaughmae Posts: 873 Member
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    Everyone feels that way I think. I am of the opinion that surgery doesnt fail, people do. Surgery is simply a tool. Your success depends on how well you work with it. Most important thing is to come to a good place mentally. We are all overweight for a reason. We have to deal with that reason and learn a new, healthy relationship with food...or yes...we will fail. The people that I know that are years out and are still successful all learned to eat like a "normal person" and are active. The ones that I know that have regained weight all reverted back to previous bad habits and stopped exercising.
  • Kylebeth
    Kylebeth Posts: 11 Member
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    I am the exception- I had WLS in 2005 and unfortantely I ended up with a faulty pouch from the get go... so here I am trying to do it on my own!

    I suggest keeping a diary or consulting with a friend about your head hunger. Find activities to keep your mind off of food- All of this is way easier said than done!! I wish you the best of luck!!!

    14090309.png
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  • MacMadame
    MacMadame Posts: 1,893 Member
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    Have you considered a revision?
  • tianormie
    tianormie Posts: 27 Member
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    Thanks everyone. I've taken up some of your advice and amd trying different things to keep my mind occupied. It seems that's the best thing for me right now. Also, each time I want to eat unhealthy food, I just stop and think about how sick I became when I had a bite of solid food before my stomach was ready for it. Yuck!
  • annwyatt69
    annwyatt69 Posts: 727 Member
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    There are so many times that I think I am hungry and I am really thirsty. The times I KNOW I am in need of more food are the times that I get dizzy or see black spots. Usually, though, drinking more water is the answer for me. Hoping beyond all hope that I never revert back to wanting the "old" comfort foods that were my go to's in years past.
  • Bootjockey
    Bootjockey Posts: 208 Member
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    I was thinking the same thing!

    -BootJockey
  • mhorn2142
    mhorn2142 Posts: 319 Member
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    I am having those same fears now. I had my surger on 2/7 and I've lost some weight, but it doesn't seem like it is coming off very quickly. I am guessing that I had my expectations set way too high and the reality is that I am losing about 5lbs per week.

    I only lost on average 12 lbs a month for the first 7 mos. now I am only loosing 4-6 lbs a month at 10 mos out. 5 lbs a week would have made me ecstatic. I hit a plateau only a week after surgery and that held for 3 weeks. It's not magic, it's a tool to a magical life. I've lost 120 lbs in total including 22 lbs pre-op.

    Good luck you will be fin. Feel free to friend me.
  • mhorn2142
    mhorn2142 Posts: 319 Member
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    I have this fear that I might become the exception to the rule... What I mean is this, I fear that my VSG may not work. Yes, I am losing weight but the fear is still there. My stomach isn't hungry buy my mind wants me to keep eating. Is this fear normal? Do you ever feel like the numbers aren't moving fast enough? :frown: I had the VSG on 1/24/13.

    I always feel like the numbers aren't moving fast enough. I have even been up 3 lbs recently then in 4 days boom... 3 lbs gone plus 3 more. Don't over react to the slow scale. your body needs to adjust to the changes. Feel free to friend me. btw I had RNY
  • tianormie
    tianormie Posts: 27 Member
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    I am having those same fears now. I had my surger on 2/7 and I've lost some weight, but it doesn't seem like it is coming off very quickly. I am guessing that I had my expectations set way too high and the reality is that I am losing about 5lbs per week.
    [/quote]

    I only lost on average 12 lbs a month for the first 7 mos. now I am only loosing 4-6 lbs a month at 10 mos out. 5 lbs a week would have made me ecstatic. I hit a plateau only a week after surgery and that held for 3 weeks. It's not magic, it's a tool to a magical life. I've lost 120 lbs in total including 22 lbs pre-op.

    Good luck you will be fin. Feel free to friend me.
    [/quote]

    Thanks for sharing. :smile:
  • koalajazzie88
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    I just had my VSG on 1/10 and thought the same way for a while. You are doing great! It is common to have "Head Hunger" that is how we all got here in my opinion. I always used to eat for something other than needing to. There is a great website called Shrink Yourself that specifically deals with emotional hunger check it out. It has really changed everything for me.
  • tianormie
    tianormie Posts: 27 Member
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    I just had my VSG on 1/10 and thought the same way for a while. You are doing great! It is common to have "Head Hunger" that is how we all got here in my opinion. I always used to eat for something other than needing to. There is a great website called Shrink Yourself that specifically deals with emotional hunger check it out. It has really changed everything for me.

    First of all, congratulations on your progress. I know it is not easy. I'll check out the website you recommended. I'm hoping to get some help on helping me undo so many years of poor eating behavior. Wish me luck. =0]