Surgery Failure

[KathyFP]

Has anyone else been unsuccessful with surgery?

I had vertical banding October 2001. I initially lost 70 lbs. I have gained 35 lbs back.

I don't understand!!

Everyone else I know got as skinny as a rail. I am hungery all of the time. I seem to beable to eat more than they can at one time. I can not stick to eating twice a day because I am hungry.

The Dr said that he thinks that it is just the foods that I am eating.

I feel like such a failure. I won't even go visit my cousin who had her surgery a year ago and went from a size 28 to a size 4. I get sooo depressed.

I have been trying to get this back under control. Hopefully the support of this board will help.

Thanks for listening!!

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

I have to admit, I don't really know anything about the surgery and what it entails. I saw Al Rocker's story on TV, but that is about it. Please don't beat yourself up about it. You are NOT a failure, it is just a minor stepback in your journey. You mentioned your Dr. thinks it is the foods that you are eating, perhaps you can sit down with a dietician and your DR. and see what can be done for you. Sounds like you need a team approach. But one thing you have covered, the support part! We are all here for you. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[karebear1]

My sister had surgery to lose weight, about 5 years ago. In the beginning , she lost all the weighht,but over the yeras has out it back on. then , when we saw her not to long ago, it was all off again. She said taht the medications she was taking was the culprit. Once they adjusted her meds- it fell off all over again!

 

[wovenwonder]

Kathy,
You are at the right place to get back on track with your eating plan again! We are all here to help each other. Just take it one day at a time so you can feel 'sucessful' with the moment. The past is behind you ---- it's time to look forward!

YOU CAN DO IT!

 

[FergieTCat]

The most I've heard is that it's possible to regain weight because your stomach can stretch again. I've also heard of people who join Weight Watchers after surgery because they still need to learn proper eating habits.

 

[KathyFP]

I think that it would be hard to follow WW. My Dr. says that I am only allowed two caloric intakes a day. He doesn't care about calorie. All beverages have to be non caloric.

Although the support would be great. I might think about getting a meeting here at work. That is the only way I would have time to attend. I work 10 - 15 hours a day. That is why exercise has been a struggle.

I did commit to walking before coming to work. Today I forgot my walkman so I am going to walk after work.

Wish me luck!

 

[ahutton]

Although I have not had surgery, I understand completely how it feels to be cutting calories and starving and still gaining weight. I felt tired and weak all the time, one doctor said I wasn't trying hard enough. Then I learned about my blood sugar, and the problems I was having with it. Now I eat meals that are focused on lean protein sources, fruits and veggies. I drink milk with my meals, and include other dairy products in my meals. I find I am not as hungry, and my weight is coming off slowly but surely.

Please - don't feel like a failure. You are not. You are here, and we will support you. The simple fact you are doing something about it puts you miles ahead of many many other people...

 

[KathyFP]

I am diabetic. I am not sure what role that plays. I have been off of medication since the surgery and levels have been good.

I am concerned if I don't lose weight my levels will go up.

 

[KathyTX]

Kathy, sweetie, you are one complicated woman!

Originally posted by KathyFP
I had vertical banding October 2001. I initially lost 70 lbs. I have gained 35 lbs back. I don't understand!!

What were you doing when you were losing weight that you are doing differently now? Diet, exercise?

Generally, if you take in more calories than you burn, they've got to go somewhere. So that's where I'd start looking.

Do you keep a daily journal of everything you eat? If not, start one. That will give you a great resource to review your diet objectively, and something you can show to others so they can try to help you pinpoint potential problems.

The Dr said that he thinks that it is just the foods that I am eating.

Okay. Did he give you any more specific advice about what you should be eating? Did he have you consult with a nutritionist either before or after your surgery?

It sounds like a nutritionist is really who you need to see now.

I am diabetic.

Not something you want to mess around with.

Kathy, with everything you have going on here I think you really need to be consulting with your doctor about a nutrition plan.

You've come to WISH, and we're a great resource for you to get loads of encouragement and moral support. But your health history and nutritional needs are pretty complicated and very unique. If you can get a nutritional plan that's approved by your doctor, we can do everything in our power to encourage you to stick to it!

 

[dizneegirl]

Can you ask your doctor about low-carb?

I know a lot doctors that do surgical weight loss recommend a low-carb, adequate protein diet to help not only take off the weight, but keep it off.

Low-carb would be wonderful for keeping your blood sugar under control as well.

You might look for a book by Dr. Bernstein, "Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution". He advocates a low-carb diet to control blood sugar and other diabetes complications. Here's his website: http://www.diabetes-normalsugars.com/ it's got information on the book and Dr. Bernstein, as well as excerpts from the book.

It might be worth looking into for both reasons! Good luck.

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

I know how you feel. I had gastric bypass surgery in Dec 2000. I've lost about 100 lbs but not a single pound has been lost in 1 1/2 yrs! I haven't gained any weight either.

I am still fat. And I no longer tell people that I had the surgery cause they look at me like I did something wrong.

 

[SnackyStacky]

I am not a nutrionist, nor am I doctor, but here's my view of the situation with surgeries.

The ONLY way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you take in. There's TONS of factors that affect the rate that we burn calories, and HOW we burn calories.

With the bands surgeries, and with the gastric bypasses, it seems to me that the ONLY thing that has been changed is the volume of PHYSICAL food that can be consumed, NOT the number of calories.

What I'm trying to say is that while the amount of FOOD you can eat has been drastically reduced, the amount of calories is still pretty flexible. Suppose you had a choice of fresh vegetables, or a twinkie. Because I don't know exactly what it's like with the surgeries, let's say for arguments sake that the twinkie will make you feel REALLY full, and there are enough vegetables to make you feel just as full. If you were to eat that plate of vegetables, you'd feel full, but would have consumed drastically fewer calories than if you were to eat the plate of vegetables?

If that makes any sense, that's the way I see it. It's not that you're a failure. At all.

I think Kathy gave you the best advice. I think you need to see a nutritionist. With all of the different issues that you've got, a nutrionist will work with you to come with a plan that suits ALL of your needs; both medical, and your lifestyle needs.

Don't feel like a failure. As someone said, the sheer fact that you've taken the initiative to lose the weight puts you leaps and bounds ahead of a lot of people.

 

[nativetxn]

Oh Pooh Girl, you sound sad. {{{HUGS}}} my friend.

KathyFP, I don't really know anything about this "banding" surgery. You sound very frustrated and sad, though and my heart hurts for you.

You say your doctor said you can only have "two caloric intakes" every day? YIKES. Did he tell you what you should be eating?

I ask this, because my mother had her entire stomach removed in December (cancer) and she has to eat about every 2 hours. At first she was eating too many carbohydrates and she didn't gain (chemo and radiation took care of that) but she was ill. Who knew that a high carb diet would make you so ill.

She is restricted to low fat, low carb, high protein foods. Unfortunately because of her treatments she just keeps getting thinner and she wasn't big to begin with (I didn't get her genetics, doesn't that just figure?)

Will you explain more about the way you have been told to eat? I would hate to give you advice that might make you ill Not that I have any great advice but still...

Hang in there. You will be successful, it's just going to take a little time.

Katholyn

 

[KathyFP]

Originally posted by Pooh Girl 71
I know how you feel. I had gastric bypass surgery in Dec 2000. I've lost about 100 lbs but not a single pound has been lost in 1 1/2 yrs! I haven't gained any weight either.

I am still fat. And I no longer tell people that I had the surgery cause they look at me like I did something wrong.

I used to talk about it all the time when I was losing weight. Know I don't even mention it. I avoid the issue like a plague.

Now I just talk about my fluid intake and walking (OK it has only been four days)

 

[KathyFP]

ill you explain more about the way you have been told to eat?

He said since your stomach is drastically reduced, and the opening for the food to pass through to your tomach is small that you need to eat bulky foods that take a long time to break down.

Meat, pasta, breads. This way yoi will get full and stay full longer.

I know part of my problem was the fact that I developed this addiction to cheetos. I could eat a whole bag and not get full. Because the break down and get passed through easily. I also would eat soft foods (mashed potatoes, cheese and crackers, salads). Although I would get full, I would get hungry quicker.

Now, I am eating salad for one caloric intake and then something bulkier for the next.

My issues is the support to stay focused. I know what to do, but doing it is a different story.

Thanks for the support. I am growing to love this board.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

My Dr. says that I am only allowed two caloric intakes a day.

That is seriously the wildest thing I have ever heard. EVERYONE I have ever known that had gastric bypass/etc surgeries have to eat MORE OFTEN, smaller meals because that's all they can eat- but more often. NOT LESS MEALS! That just doesn't make sense. So everyone else is being told to eat atleast 3 meals a day, that more smaller meals per day is the best way to lose weight rather than a few huge meals..... yet you get your stomach banded off and are told to eat only 2 times a day? You can't fit as much in there- yet have to eat less meals?
Does that make sense to you? It sure doesn't me. I'd be getting a second opinion. But that's just my opinion. LOL

I agree on the low-carb suggestion. But then ofcourse I might be a little biased on that since I'd never lost trying anything else yet now low-carbing on Atkins I've lost 33lbs in 2 months! So yeah, might be a little biased there.

 

[kdibattista]

I don't have any advice (other than to keep on top of your doctor) but I just wanted to give you some hugs!!!!

 

[KathyFP]

I've lost 33lbs in 2 months! So yeah, might be a little biased there. [/B]

WOW that is great! When I see him on May 20th, I am going to ask about the low carb thing.

I will say that since the surgery, I have not had to take meds fro my diabetes. Everytime I have had my BS checked it has been good. Also my cholestrol was lowere. I can't remember the numbers. I will ask when I go to the next appointment.

Thanks for all of the support. The hugs and well wishes are definately keeping me motivated.

 

[dizneegirl]

I found this site a looooooong time ago, when I was first looking into low-carb... it's a woman who had WLS, and her journal entries afterward, while she's trying to lose weight. She's kind of a worst-case scenario, but it's very interesting reading... and her determination just makes you want to do it along with her.

URL is http://jessicas-swansong.com/, if anyone's interested in reading.