Helllooooooooooooo everybody!!!!! A special welcome and hello to Susan and Becky!!!!! We're so glad to have you part of this group. I had my RNY on 11/30/11 and it was the best decision of my life! Has it been a bed of roses??? heck no! I'm still having issues with eating, and McDonald's Strawberry Banana smoothies with my protein is my friend....LOL! But each day is getting better and I'm getting stronger. Yesterday I learned that macaroni w/cheese is off the diet plate for a while. Certain foods (like eggs too) just don't sit well with me, so it's back to peanut butter w/crackers...LOL.

I have to get ready for WW (yeah I still go to weight watchers even though I can't eat like that), but I like my leader and the meetings so it's just another tool to keep me motivated.

I will write to Susan & Becky this afternoon when I get back. I have some words of encouragement!

Hugz to my peeps,

Linda

Good morning Becky and welcome to our group. You are in the right place for encouragement and support. I had the RNY on 11/30/11 and didn't have the band (I wasn't a candidate). I hope that some of our "band" members out here will read your story and provide some advice with the band. Some of the things you are experiencing I don't experience with the RNY. I am never ever hungry right now. I have to force myself to eat only because I know I need to. As far as sweets go, I watch anything with sugar that I put into my mouth. I try to find as much as possible that is "sugar free" because I don't want to do the dumping syndrome thing. I'm not sure if band patients have that or not.

Here's some advice from the "from what it's worth department". Remember that the "band" is only a tool. The doctor has given you a tool to use to help you lose the weight faster (at the beginning) and restrict the amount of food that goes in. It appears that your band needs an adjustment and hopefully after that you will lose at a higher rate. My doctor tells me that a rate of 1-4 lbs/week could be expected. The average will be 1-2 which is a safe loss (I had hoped to keep it at 4). The tool is only half the equation.....the other half is YOU. We have a responsibility to do our part and following the guidelines set forth by our dietician and to have a robust exercise program. I would like to encourage you to put away those sweets and replace it with protein or fruits instead. Some people think the surgery is a "magic pill". It's only the beginning and part of the success story. If we don't follow the food and exercise guidelines, we won't lose weight and we'll be miserable.

I know things are greatly different in the UK than the US as far as the healthcare system. I would encourage you to work closely with your doctor and dietician to get advice to help you with your journey.

We are here for you and will encourage you along your journey. Let us know how the doctor visit goes and I hope they are able to adjust it properly so it will help you.

Hugz from the USA

Linda

p.s. My husband currently lives in South London....so I have a soft spot in my heart for the Brits!

Hiyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Rebecca and welcome to the group! This is a great place to be for encouragement and support. I will send you a friend request so we can keep up with each other's progress.

Congrats on having your surgery in 2007. Life sort of gets in the way sometimes, but with determination and a lot of hard work, I know you'll be able to accomplish your goal. You are absolutely right about the vitamins. It's an important part of our recovery and it's for a lifetime. I just had blood work done a few weeks ago, and everything is still good. I was worried about the protein because my protein intake is not what it should be. I bought some Biotin today, so hopefully that will help me keep my hair and give me energy too.

I applaud you for taking the first steps to getting back on track and for becoming a member of our group. We are here to support one another and you are amongst friends. I would encourage you to add the exercise component in, no matter how small. All it takes is 10 minutes and you'll soon be well down the road.

Good luck to you in your journey.

Hugz

Linda

Hiyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Kim and welcome to our group! I'm so sorry for not writing sooner but sometimes I forget about checking the group site to see what's going on.

I'm going to ask my friends to send you a 'friends' request.....there is a wonderful group of ladies that are on my list that are very uplifting and encouraging....and it's helping me with my success. I had my RNY on 11/30/11 so just a few months after your 2nd sugery. I had originally wanted the sleeve, but I'm so glad now that I chose the RNY. Of all the surgeries, it's probably the best choice for meeting the goals that you set for yourself. My sister's boss had the sleeve and she's lost over a hundred pounds and is doing great....so don't give up hope.

Weight loss is kind of a funky thing. The "tool" we've been blessed with is just that. It's just a tool....a smaller stomach that doesn't hold much food. What I am learning throughout this journey is the "tool" is only part of the equation. The other part is nutrition (I don't use the word diet) and exercise. The nutrition part of my journey is laughable at best. If I get 500 calories in a day it's a miracle sometimes. I just had the 2nd EGD today and hopefully that'll do the trick so I can get solids down better. My doctor wants my food choices to be because it's healthy...not because it's something that will go down easily that I don't have to worry with throwing up later. The exercise part of the journey is great. I formally work out 4 days a week with a combination of strength training and cardio. My girlfriend and I meet up on Saturday & Sunday and work out together. We just bought new bicycles and will be starting that as part of our regimen as well.

Bariatric surgery alone will not help you meet your goals. It really takes an awful lot of work. I'm just 3 months out, and I have to focus on it every single day. Here's the thing with your journey. You're past the honeymoon phase where you get the greatest weight loss. Now being a year out, it's going to be a slower progress.....but you can do it. You've taken the first step by meeting with your doctor more. That's great. Secondly, I would recommend that you get with your dietician to go over what you're eating. They can really help you with the nutrition part. Third.....you've got to move your body! I am 10 years older than you....so you need to take this opportunity before 'mentalpause' hits and work on moving more. My doctor gave me lots of little "sermons" prior to surgery about the honeymoon phase and exercise. Eating properly and exercise will be our life forever. This was a life changing event and we have to change what we were doing in the past so that the future is what we want it to be.

You CAN do this.....one pound at a time. And we are here to cheer you on every step of the way. One of the things that is helping me stay focused is that I'm training for something special. This month I'm going to do an indoor triathlon at my gym and in August I plan to do the Danskin down in Pleasant Prairie. It's so crazy....but it is keeping me focused on the exercise in order to be able to accomplish this goal. For easter I'm going home to Georgia....so that too is keeping me focused so that I'm doing the right things to continue losing weight.

I wish you all the success in the world and I know with healthy eating and an exercise plan you can accomplish your goals. Don't give up and when you're feeling blah or down, just look in the mirror.....see how far you've come.....and you'll never want to go back to the old Kim.

Look forward to following your successes on your journey. You've come to the right place!

Hugz

Linda

Hi, Kim,

My name is also Kim. I had a duodenal switch last September and the honeymoon phase is definitely over. I have to work hard for every pound I lose. I have to watch what I eat very carefully, although I, too, am an emotional eater. I haven't been able to work out like I should since I had my back adjusted 2 weeks in a row. I intend to get back on the treadmill and return to the gym this week.

I have a husband that is underweight and I have to keep cakes, muffins and donuts on the table for him to eat all day long. He is in the process of getting dentures and can eat those foods. I also prepare special food for him. That makes it difficult to say no to those things.

You can do this. Just keep focused on diet and exercise.

Kimberlee

Hi Guys. I had Lap Band 9/2010. I lost 30 lbs really quickly, struggled to lose another 10 and now have gained all but 10 back. I am so discouraged and frustrated. My doc actually told me my band just isnt working. I have restriction so I can't eat just anything, but it's random. Some days I can eat whatever I want and some days everything gets stuck. Sometimes, I just want to have the darn thing taken out. I started MFP about a week ago and so far, I love it!! I'm glad to know I'm not alone in this.

Hello ladies,

I can't believe I have not found this group of encouraging ladies before this! I have just sat and read the several pages of conversation and I can surly say that you are very motivational and up lifting.

I had gastric band surgery in June, 2009. I am hoping that with my weigh in on Monday, that I will be at my goal of 130. It has been a very long, slow road. I lost about 12 pounds before surgery and then another 13 in the first 3 months after surgery. Then things didn't change much. In January of 2010, I joined MFP. In the next few months, I lost another 18 pounds. In August of 2010, I switched gyms to one that had classes that fit my schedule. I have been working out 5-6 days a week. The weight has been coming off very slowly. I have been pretty stable since last June (2011), so on January 27, I underwent abdominoplasty to remove the extra belly skin. I was very worried that I would gain back some weight during my recovery. After 2 weeks, I was able to walk for exercise. After 6 weeks, I could start a bit more exercise. Now I can do most things except for ab work. I have decided that I need to push just a bit harder to reach my goal. I actually think I made it, but it won't be official until weigh in day, and my weight does fluctuate within a few pounds. I would not be where I am today if it wasn't for both my band and MFP. The band was the tool that helped, but MFP helped me to limit my daily intake-- I am a grazer, and the band will let me graze all day long. I have gone from wearing a size 18 to a size 4 (at Christopher Banks- their clothes run bigger) or a 6. Now the trick will be to stay here!

Hello.everyone.
I am back again. I forgot to bookmark the post and finnally found it again. I started fresh again on monday weighing in at .. 242. GASP.. That was what I weighed 10 min before giving birth a year ago. SIGH. However after tracking all week, trying to sqeeze in even 10 min workouts, and getting back to the rules, I have lost 6 lb this week. What an encouraging restart. I know every week will not be this way but I am glad to have a small group of you ladies to hang in there with. Hope everyone is having a great day. Hang in there we can do this.

Rebecca

hi

joined this site a while ago and forgot about it!

Now I had RYN three years ago and lost 70kg and it was awesome. I felt amazing so much energy and it completely changed my life in positve and negative ways.

Unfortunately I regained weight and have ongoing issues with my hypothyroid being wickedly out of order and the usual nuturitonal issues. I have never had access to a dietician which has made it so hard but do as well as I can.

What I didn't do before was realise that I needed to put daily exercise in my life but I have changed that. I have gone from being a non swimmer (cant cope with boats either) to do up to an hour of laps at the pool daily. I really love it.

So I hope by using these online diaries I can keep myself on track and if I can be part of a supportive group that understand the challenges of living with a RYN that would be a bonus.

Scribetwo,

I can relate to your situation.

I am going through my own little drama marriage wise at the moment thanks to my dear husband but I have no appitite. I go to the supermarket and look at the food and think yuk... nothing appeals. Mind you I am so confused as to what I should eat anyway.

I would love to know what other RYNs eat?

I am still about 20-30kg under presurgery weight and I am seriously working at it. But its a battle but my attitude is so much improved.

I am really focusing on not drinking my schweppes (I was diet coke addicted Preop and havent drunk it since). I am going several days between bottles of schweppes which is awsome. I am probably 90% free of it. I have noticed my fluid retention is dramatically reduced which is great.

What is a pouch reset? Is that like a 5DPT?

Hello Everyone!

I am so glad I finally found a post like this. I've searched a couple of times over the past few months, but couldn't find anyone specifically gaining weight regain. Thanks!

I had RNY in Jan 08. I started off wrong! Since I was losing weight in my sleep, I did not exercise... period. Therefore the initial weight loss was only from 234 to 159 and then the slow regain began. The bariatric nurse warned us repeatedly to lose as much as we could in the beginning, because we would eventually regain 10-20 pounds when our bodies settled. As of this morning, I am back to 190 lbs...and hate it...hate myself....(back to old feelings and thinking)

I do feel like a failure because I say to myself "How do you have a surgery that changes your insides....and has side effects and other issues in the long term, and you're back to 200 lbs (I tell myself the big 2 number in order to try to look at it realistically)

So here I am...I've searched the net for support groups (none in this area) accountability partners (if there really is such a thing) and some success stories that will let me see that maybe there's still hope.

Hi Everyone. I've belonged to myfitnesspal for quite awhile (BBS - Before Bariatric Surgery). My surgery was Dec. 2, 2009. I never got to my goal weight. At 5' tall, and presently at 181 pounds I've decided that I MUST get back to keeping a diary. I began my weight loss journey at 260 pounds and got to 159 pounds. So after gaining 21 back, I'm ready to commit. I've realized in the past week that I am the only one who can control what I put into my mouth. I also must put my health needs before everything and everyone else so that I can be better for everyone I care about. I've succeeded in keeping a diary for 3 days now and can tell by it that I've been putting way too many calories in and way too few out! I'm happy to find other Bariatric friends here. I belong to a support group that meets twice a month, but sometimes I need more. Thanks for being here.

I wish I could only eat a cup of food. I am 7 months post-op and for the last month or so have been at a stand still. I was finding myself eating alot and fast. Also, I have been feeling hungry alot of the time. I called the surgeons office and spoke to nurse. Mainly she just reminded me of the things I already knew but wasn't practicing.
However, I did follow her advice and make sure I get in all the water and it really made a difference in the hunger issue. I also started going back to the psychologist that oversaw my pre-op diet for 36 months. I have only had one appointment so far , too early to know if it will help.
I am so fearful of not losing all my weight or worse yest starting to gain it back.
P.S. I noticed that this group looks like it has died down. If any of you are reading this and still around, let's try to post some new topics!

Still here. Still working hard. and still consistently losing. How are you doing?

I can understand what you are going thru and it helps to know that I am not alone with those feelings. I am 11 months out from the sleeve and have been struggling already with bad habits creeping back in. I have been ashamed of myself because I think if I had the surgery and can't do it, I am hopeless. I haven't gained but it has been a couple of months at staying the same and I still have quite a ways to go until I reach my goal.
I did start back to the gym this past week, and felt so much better even doing just the little that I did. I have a little over a month to go beforte my 1 year follow up and feel like I am missing my opportunity to benefit from the sleeve.
I think that since you have caught yourself and know what is going on, you will be able to get back on track. I know I should really get back to basics and it would solve my problem. We just have to get in the right mind set like when we started this journey.