I decided to write things down this time around. MFP is a great resourse! I just found it... so far I have logged in 2 days of eating- YAY! I also need to change my vitamins to chewables. I don't want my hair to fall out this time! Also do you use flovorless protein powder??? How about psychologist? I attend synagogue every week now and prayers, helping others and expanding my inner self is slowly replacing my expanding outer self-lol. Still got to exercise- at least walk the dog!!!

I do use Unjury flavorless protein powder. It is awesome...you can't taste it and it mixes easily. Don't put it in hot food >130 degrees or it will curdle. I go to group therapy every week and see a psychiatrist everr 6-8 weeks. I just started exercising at the gym. I walk on the treadmill, do circuit training, use the NuStep and do water aerobics. I am suffering from hair loss now. My hair is so thin. I don't see my surgeon for another month. Do I call him? I don't really know. I am 4 months post duodenal switch.

It is possible to stretch your pouch by eating too much. Or you can eat the wrong foods to gain weight. I've only lost 5 lbs. this month and it is depressing. I should be losing more. I had the biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch surgery in Sept. and have lost a total of 70 lbs. but I have anothe 85 lbs. to lose.

Hi Smokey,

It is possible to stretch out your pouch, I also know that your weight loss slows down -and there will be many plateaus as your body adjusts.
So take it easy on yourself... 70 pounds is a lot of weight- be proud!

Thank you everybody for all your help. I think I will call my surgeon tomorrow and see if he wants me to come in before the middle of Feb. At least that way I'll know what's going on and what I can do about it. Have a great week, Kim

Good decision ((hugs))
Have a great week too!
Anitra

Just wanted to say to hi to all!!!
I had RNY 5/3/2004.
Starting weight 326, my 'nice' weight was 168.
Gained up to 188, 8 gone since joining MFP, yay!!!!!
Working to get that 20 back off!!
I'm here to support everyone!!!

I just wanted to comment about a post I just read...you can't really 'stretch' your pouch back out. The pouch is actually made from the strongest part of the stomach's muscle, the fundus. It is supposed to stretch somewhat over time. When you get to overeating what you actually stretch is the stoma, the opening into your 'new' stomach. FWIW, now that I'm tracking again, (and slowing down when I eat), I am finding I still have great restriction.

That is the only 'bad' thing...the size of your pouch and cm bypassed varies by surgeon, it's normally by their preference....I hope you get things worked out to where you want them to be!

Hello. I am new to this group. I had Roux-n-Y in Nov 2002 and lost 140 lbs from it. I was still about 60 lbs from my goal weight. I went through a few pretty rough years, finally ending in divorce. I have regained about 80 lbs and am absolutely disgusted with myself.

The real wake up call for me was the fact that my boyfriend of a year & a half broke up with me in August. After 5 months, I have re-entered the dating scene. The kicker was on a first date 2 weeks ago with a very nice gentleman I had met, the seatbelt in his truck didn't fit. I was absolutely humiliated!! I just acted like something was wrong with his seatbelt. He has since asked me for a 2nd date but I keep finding excuses because I just don't know what to say about the seatbelt thing.

I have re-started my desire for a healthier life. In October, I finally went back to my surgeon after 6 years. I am in the process of getting the Lap-Band procedure done. I've met with a psychologist to determine how I screwed things up so bad in the first place and have passed the psychiatric evaluation required for my surgery. She is requiring me to keep a food log, specifically concentrating on protein & sugar intake. Which is how I've ended up at MFP.

I have also joined Planet Fitness and met with the trainer to develop the best work out for me. I've been going there for about 3 weeks now. I've also recently gotten Wii Fit Plus and a balance board to use in addition to my time at the gym. I am already down 6 lbs since Christmas. Not great, but I'll take every oz I can!

Just looking for the kind of support that only those that have been in my shoes can provide. I hope to find it here!

Hiyeeeeeee Ronnie!!!! and welcome to MFP! There is an absolutely wonderful group of ladies out here in this group and we are all here to encourage one another. I am so thrilled to hear that you have made a life changing decision to have the RNY performed. I've had my ups and downs with eating (and it is different than the band), but I would do it all over again. Here's my advice to you during these next 4 months: don't wait until the surgery to eat healthy. Get yourself some Unjury protein (www.unjury.com) and begin having a protein shake every day. I am kicking myself everyday that I just let myself go those 6 months prior to surgery and ate whatever I wanted. Getting used to having protein shakes will help you pre- and postsurgery as you know. I would also be doing some form of activity or exercise just to form those good habits.

I am 8 weeks post surgery and have lost just under 45 lbs and feel great. I'm doing cardio 6 days a week and strength 3x week. I've just run into a road block and it's because I'm not eating enough (go figure). I've had food issues since surgery but it's getting better day by day. My dietician said today to eat atleast 800 calories or whatever exercise I'm doing is for nothing. arrghghgh!!!! So it's more food in the tummy for me!

You will be in my thoughts and prayers and I am here to support you any way I can.

Congratulations on your decision! 2012 is YOUR YEAR!

Hugz

Linda

Hello! My name is Jennifer and I am 33 years old. I have my bariatric surgery in July 2003 and I lost 110 pounds. I had my son in 2008 and also quit smoking. I have since gained back 50 pounds.
I am so unhappy with my body and I really want to change and be back to where I was before I gained the weight back. The surgery is so expensive and it was so difficult to get back to "normal" that I feel horrible about gaining the weight back
I joined MFP on 1-17-12 and I am DETERMINED to get my old body back. I need to exercise and eat right and I know that things will fall back into place.
I wish that I could capture the feeling of being healthy so that I don't forget what it feels like when I want to eat something unhealthy.
I am gald that this support team has been created so that we all can support each other!
Good luck to each and every one of you!

I had the Rou and Y. My surgeon is about 2 hours away. I was thinking about calling the office and seeing if they could provide me with a diet to get me back on track. I have this sickening feeling that I have "streched" my pouch out and it makes me so sad. I can tell that I can eat so much more now than I have before.
I appreciate any support that can be provided. I wish you all the best of luck and if anyone has any food diary's that they follow for 1200 calories a day, I would be interested. It seems like I am eating the same items each day and I don't want to get bored. Thanks for all of your input!

Thank you very much! I will take a look at it

Hiyeeeeeeeee Jennifer and welcome to our wonderful group!!! I can't believe we are up to 35 members!

First of all congratulations on joining MFP and this group. You've taken the first step to getting back on track. Here's the good news: you only gained back 50 lbs! You are putting on the brakes before it gets totally out of control. That is totally awesome!

I agree with Pokemom.....my doctor's office follows it's patients for 5 years. You're outside that parameter, but I'm sure one of the nurses would not have a problem discussing your situation and giving you pointers or advice. Secondly, I would contact a dietician that works with your doctor's office. They can give you a wealth of information to help you with meal plans, etc. Is there a support group in the area? If not....try a Weight Watchers meeting. I am actually going to Weight Watchers. It's crazy but I enjoy the meetings and learning about eating healthy even though I can't eat anywhere near the amount of food that "those' people can eat. If you can eat 1200 calories a day, WW would be helpful.

What are you doing to exercise? You not only need to eat less (or at least a lot more healthy), but exercise is a key ingredient to burning fat. I know it's winter and no one wants to get out an walk, but if you don't belong to a gym, there's always walking...even in the mall. You will need a combination of strength/resistance and cardio to be successful with the loss. Before I had my surgery, my doctor had a long heart to heart with me and told me that healthy eating AND exercise would be a way of life. I needed to commit to a change of life in order for this surgery to be successful.

I don't know if your pouch is larger and I honestly don't know how it feels if that happens. I would think it would take more food to make you fill full...and that's where power foods would be helpful. Under the WW plan, you could have additional fruit and that's 0 points under their plan. Do you feel full after you eat your protein and veggies/fruits? Do you find yourself not able to eat the carbs at meals because you are full? Those are things you would want to reveal to your doctor's office.

I am a newbie and just had my surgery on 11/30/11. I have not experienced what most people have in this group. One other thing you might want to consider (which I will if I gain back any of my weight), is seeking advice from a counselor who works with bariatric patients. That really helped me prior to surgery. I am even considering going back just to make sure I stay on track.

We are here to support each other and I am here for you. I am so excited that you found our little group and hope that we can help one another.

I wish you the best in your journey.

Hugz

Linda

Thank you very much for your support. I am watching my calories (most days) and I try to exercise at least 4 times a week. I have been doing the exercise bike, WII games and Jillian Michaels. She is really tough but I do know that it is working. Thank you for welcoming me and keep me updated with regard to your weight loss. You are doing great!

hello all im becky 22 live in derbyshire england! had a gastric band fitted may 2011. lost 3 stones, but had a few problems, and after my band being deflated, ive slammed on half a stone in a month, which im so embarrased about. im now on the slow road to refilling the band, in hopes of some restriction. i have a fill booked next tuesday. so im really hoping i have some restriction this time!!!
hoever even when i do have restriction, my weight loss is so slow. because i cant stop binge eating at all. on sweet snacks, i hate myself for it. you would have thought after loosing a few stone i would be motivated. well i want to loose the weight, i just cant seem to do it. i started the gym, for about months i went. ended up pulling my sciatic muscle and was on the couch for a week. plus i lost no weight whilst going. so i desided i know people rant and rant about excersize. but i think its much better and safer, to have a steady stream of excersize all through out the day, rather than a short burst which knackered me out, and injured myself. each to their own.
i really need this weight of. i have another 4 n half stone at least to get of before i hit 11 stones. and i really need to get there. so dimotivated. thought the band would be easier, it does help. oh i dunno (rant over) LOL anyway hello to all you bariatrics patients out there. im really happy someone created this group on here

It sounds like you are doing everything right. Don't put more in your pouch than the doctor told you, though. That was my mistake. I had duodenal switch 9/6/11. I lost 30 lbs. almost immediately, well over 3 weeks.