More than 10 years post Op/other Oldtimers out there?

lmdh2o
lmdh2o Posts: 20 Member
I had gastric bypass in August 2001.I lost 200 pounds and kept it off for 5 years. Over the next few years I gained a 100... I have now lost 25 of the recent gain. 75 to go.
Yes the struggle doesn't end with the surgery

Replies

  • shrinkingkathy
    shrinkingkathy Posts: 13 Member
    I'm close. I will be exactly nine years out in two days. For some reason, I've been thinking I was seven years out but it just dawned on me today that it's nine. And I completely agree that it's a continuing struggle. I regained 50 lbs. Way to go on losing the 25!
  • gravitygirl76
    gravitygirl76 Posts: 5 Member
    I'm 13 years out!!!
    RNY gastric bypass 2/2002 right here!
    Starting weight: 330
    Current weight: 165
    Goal weight: 140
    Lowest weight reached so far: 142

    These last 25 pounds are still KILLING ME!!!
  • delano1972
    delano1972 Posts: 96 Member
    I am almost 8 years out, I had the DS in October of 2007. I have let carbs in too much of my diet and gained some back. Working on losing 30 pounds. Yes, it is hard when I have allowed myself to be so lackadaisical with eating habits.
  • JamesAztec
    JamesAztec Posts: 523 Member
    Don't forget to celebrate the weight you lost too.
  • Trayjay33
    Trayjay33 Posts: 122 Member
    Wow, I feel so much more confident now that I will be ok. For you weight loss veterans I am amazed that you maintained the weight loss for so long and have the resilience to be here to lose the pounds you have regained. It's not a perfect journey but a lifetime one.
  • greenbaymichk
    greenbaymichk Posts: 85 Member
    Thank you for posting - I am relatively new (10 weeks out) and need to hear your counsel, advice and wisdom! I suspect that KEEPING the weight off may be more difficult than losing it. Again, many thanks and keep this thread going!!
  • lmdh2o
    lmdh2o Posts: 20 Member
    In some ways trying to lose weight again after the a surgery is more difficult but in some ways it is easier. The good part is...i can be satisfied with a small meal. The hard part is psychological... I got pretty angry at myself. Unhealthy snacking of high calorie crap was still possible and I still fight to stay away from it., especially chocolate and cookies.
  • shrinkingkathy
    shrinkingkathy Posts: 13 Member
    lmdh2o wrote: »
    Unhealthy snacking of high calorie crap was still possible and I still fight to stay away from it., especially chocolate and cookies.

    I can totally relate. This is so true!

  • Madwhizzard
    Madwhizzard Posts: 29 Member
    Hi everyone. I had lapband 6 years ago at a high of 225 lbs. I've lost 50 lbs, and kept it off...of course, I need to lose more. I am very silly and continued to (and still do sometimes) find ways to "bypass the band"...meaning, ice cream (slides right through), soups, etc.

    The biggest benefit of the band is that once the weight is off, it's very difficult to gain it back...mostly because I just can't eat lots of food in one sitting anymore. My problem has just been dieting. I'm great at maintenance, haha.

    Just joined MVP last week, so far doing great, I love it and love this community. Thanks for listening.
  • KarlaYP
    KarlaYP Posts: 4,436 Member
    Just wanted to put my two cents in here! I was sleeved in 2010. Managed to lose 110 pounds over the next year (but didn't feel healthy) for about a day and a half (really). I then proceeded to balloon back up 70 pounds over the next year. I became unstable psychologically. I was lucky to find some help in the spring of 2012, and I learned to love myself (I never had). I began to slowly lose again, but I was still "sick". Vomiting bile, heartburn that was relentless, even with medication, I didn't feel good. Spring of 2014 I find out my bariatric surgeon has been fired for malpractice! I begin researching my multiple xrays, ultrasounds, cat scans... since I could finally see them myself on the computer. Everything he had ever told me about my tests results were a lie! The radiologist told me, "I don't know exactly what he did, but it wasn't a sleeve". WHAT? Yes! Livid doesn't describe it! Anyway, January, 2015, I converted to RNY (different surgeon, of course). Vomiting bile is gone! I have dropped a total of 37 pounds since then, bringing my total to 120 pounds! (With 16 more to goal and it's in my sights!!)

    My greatest lesson has been acceptance of the fact that weight control is never ending, there is no "finish line" so why would I want to return to eating the same foods that made me fat? That's been life changing. Learning to love me has been a long process that I work on everyday, but I deserve it! Another thing I learned: don't trust your doctor, no matter how much you love, or think you know them! If you feel something is wrong, it usually is! I worked side by side with this surgeon, we were friends! I believed I could trust him. I was proven wrong!
  • KarlaYP
    KarlaYP Posts: 4,436 Member
    I noticed this thread died here after my two cents. I understand that bariatric patients don't like seeing the potential negative things, but, just know they can happen!
  • grim_traveller
    grim_traveller Posts: 625 Member
    Karlottap wrote: »
    I noticed this thread died here after my two cents. I understand that bariatric patients don't like seeing the potential negative things, but, just know they can happen!

    I don't think what you wrote is negative at all. Just very realistic, and people need to see that.
  • anbrdr
    anbrdr Posts: 619 Member
    That's a scary story. Sorry you had to go through that!
  • Trayjay33
    Trayjay33 Posts: 122 Member
    Karlottap wrote: »
    I noticed this thread died here after my two cents. I understand that bariatric patients don't like seeing the potential negative things, but, just know they can happen!

    I just saw your thread and that's really tough what you have been through. It's interesting you say don't trust your doctor because in many ways we have to rely on them, even to do major surgery. However, I have seen many times that Doctors and medical professionals in general are just in it for the money. I think it's good advice you give.
  • BarbaraR5563
    BarbaraR5563 Posts: 115 Member
    I had my RNY in 2003. I'm 5' tall and weighed 321 lbs. It took me about 2 years to get down to 119 lbs. In the last year I have dropped 54 lbs and weigh 108 lbs. I understand the struggles to. I went up to 160 and I woke up and my doctor said shrink the stomach by eating less and exercise everyday. I listened and here I am and maintaining. I suffer from anxiety and depression. The exercise not only helped with the weight loss but has completely healed me of my depression and anxiety. My doctor thinks it is God and exercise. I tend to agree.

    Congratulations to all of you that fought the battle and don't give up. I understand the battles too. I went through dumping too. Not an easy road but I'd do it again.

    Warmly,
    Barbara
  • pawoodhull
    pawoodhull Posts: 1,759 Member
    Sleeved 4.5 years ago.
  • JamesAztec
    JamesAztec Posts: 523 Member
    Thank you all for posting. o:) I was sleeved just this past March and am trying to take a long view of my health goals. It's good to see real stories from real people about the benefits and challenges of weight loss surgery over many years. <3
  • Trayjay33
    Trayjay33 Posts: 122 Member
    I had my RNY in 2003. I'm 5' tall and weighed 321 lbs. It took me about 2 years to get down to 119 lbs. In the last year I have dropped 54 lbs and weigh 108 lbs. I understand the struggles to. I went up to 160 and I woke up and my doctor said shrink the stomach by eating less and exercise everyday. I listened and here I am and maintaining. I suffer from anxiety and depression. The exercise not only helped with the weight loss but has completely healed me of my depression and anxiety. My doctor thinks it is God and exercise. I tend to agree.

    Congratulations to all of you that fought the battle and don't give up. I understand the battles too. I went through dumping too. Not an easy road but I'd do it again.

    Warmly,
    Barbara

    Thank you for sharing, you are an awesome inspiration who gives me hope for the long term.
  • petunia773
    petunia773 Posts: 473 Member
    I had RNY in February 2008 and went from 283 day if surgery to 158 at my lowest. Then life happened...divorce, a couple of failed relationships after the divorce that left me devastated and heart broken and I let everything slip. I was drinking more than I should have and did no exercise to speak of. Got up to 203 then I met my SO and he's overweight which didn't help. I let myself go even more by not watching what I ate although the drinking decreased. I finally had enough this summer and after we got back from the motorcycle rally in Sturgis I made the decision to get back on track. I stepped on the scale and was back up to 234!!! I had previously made the decision to eat low carb because it had worked for me prior to the WLS. Low calorie didn't work for me because I was hungry all the time. Since starting low carb August 14, I've lost 28 pounds and am down to 206. I really want to get under 200 by the end of the year.

    Question...that is if you're still reading, for those that are a number of years out from surgery and have gained some weight back and are now trying to lose, do you feel like your stomach could be shrinking again? I feel like I stretched out my pouch when I wasn't watching what and how much I ate but now I definitely feel like I'm getting fuller faster like I was after having surgery. Or is it that I'm eating more fat and protein with low carb and not so many empty carb calories?
  • PaulaKro
    PaulaKro Posts: 5,776 Member
    petunia773 wrote: »
    Question...that is if you're still reading, for those that are a number of years out from surgery and have gained some weight back and are now trying to lose, do you feel like your stomach could be shrinking again? I feel like I stretched out my pouch when I wasn't watching what and how much I ate but now I definitely feel like I'm getting fuller faster like I was after having surgery. Or is it that I'm eating more fat and protein with low carb and not so many empty carb calories?
    VSG surgery June 2013 - went from 317 to 138 over two years, then got complacent and gained back 25 pounds. It just kept sneaking up and I needed to get back on track!
    • started tracking again on MFP - maybe the most helpful non-surgical tool!
    • drinking more water (surprisingly this really helps)
    • fighting the urges and stopping eating when I'm at limit and eating good
    • low carb helps; but for me getting more good protein (not starch protein) gives energy and quiets hunger - and getting enough protein and vegetables (and fruit for treats) just doesn't leave much room for carbs...
    • walking again, walking walking walking... my favorite gentle exercise
    • going to support groups and staying active with MFP fitfam, helps me remember this is forever
    It took a couple weeks to kick in, a lot of little ups and downs until finally five pounds came off and stayed off. I need to loose 10-15 more.

    Yes, my stomach must have stretched, because I could definitely eat bigger quantities. But it's gotten smaller again. That might be why the liquids help, maybe they don't keep the stomach stretched? It's easier to lose now than it used to be (1) because I've learned to do it; but (2) because of the small stomach.

    Good luck to us all!
  • anbrdr
    anbrdr Posts: 619 Member
    I think it's also an eyes v/s stomach thing. You get used to seeing bigger sized portions and expect to eat bigger sized portions. Then you get sad when you start weighing food and see how much you're over-eating. But I'm still a newb in this game, so I'm just going by personal experience.
  • lmdh2o
    lmdh2o Posts: 20 Member
    I started this discussion 8 years ago since then i gained some of the 2015 weight loss back and have lost it and more.. I am now 10 pounds away from my goal weight. I was 336/340 in 2001, lost 200, kept most off but ended up fluctuating between 190 and 230. Now I think I have found my Groove. I am down to 180, my doc says at my age 72, there isn't much health benefit going below 170, that i should start focusing on Trying to build, or at least keep, muscle as i enter my elderly years.
    It really took a devastating life change to succeed this time. My husband died unexpectedly after a 50 year marriage. Doing something about my weight and health seemed the only thing i had any measure of control over. And I wasn't cooking for others anymore and could eat what I prefer, which is Healthier than what my husband preferred. He had trouble keeping weight on so i cooked high calorie foods for him... And I ate them. Don't do that anymore