Valorie/Adrienne
Hi Valorie,
Your post really distressed me and I can understand your distress. Our
surgery dates were only one day apart. Before I can answer you though, I
need to know a few things. You mention sizes, but not weights. I was 386
prior to surgery and I'm 5'9" tall. What have you been doing to enhance
your weightloss? Are you trying to follow your surgeon's plan anymore? I'm
not being judgemental in the slightest when I say this, but either you are a
lot closer to your goal weight than I was (i.e. you started out much smaller
than me) which would mean that you would lose a lot less than me or you've
decided to jeopardize your chances to reach your goal by setting yourself up
to fail at this.
Are you getting in enough protein? Are you drinking the fluids? Taking
vitamins and supplements? If you are not doing what is stressed by our
doctors, you cannot hope to have but minimal success with this. The
resection of your stomach is a tool to be used. They operated on our
stomachs, not our brains. You need to change your way of thinking about
food and how you deal with your issues that make you eat.
This is the time during which you should be doing everything in your power
to learn to eat properly and healthy. I understand the frustration of
eating when depressed, hurt, angry, happy, etc. I was a mood eater. I have
had radical surgery to change those old patterns. I cannot allow myself to
get back into that mode because I've had friends who've had this surgery and
gained back all their weight plus because they didn't adjust to the new
lifestyle. If I had no plan to readjust myself, I would never have
considered this surgery. Why go through all of this and add malabsorption
etc., to my list of previous problems?
My suggestion is to get more involved in support, both online and off. Get
friends that can be sounding boards for you instead of turning to the food
and the sweets. Go back to basics (i.e. the way you dealt with food when
you first had the surgery). Go back to liquids and soft foods for a week or
so and just start all over again. I've heard that this type of plan can
jumpstart a weightloss again. I wish you the best of luck. I hope you
don't take anything I've said the wrong way. I'm just reacting out of
concern for you and I hope things get better for you quickly, that you're
able to motivate yourself and get yourself started again. The longer you
get away from your surgery date, the harder it will be to lose the weight
(that's why it's called the "honeymoon" period). But it can be done. Get
started. Good luck to you.
Dear Adrienne,
So glad to see you post your apologies all around. We are a very supportive
group and, given time, you'll get more answers to any questions you ask than
you'd probably want anyway. Where are you from? (I think I remember
Michigan for some reason, but don't know why). Stick around. Your surgery
date will be here quickly and if you think you've got questions now, just
wait! Be well and hang in there.
live each day like it's your last... love like you've never been hurt...
Deb in Hazlet, NJ
"Debbie Dancer"
distal rny
September 3, 2002
386/237/160?
BMI 60/35/24?
-149
-69.5"
Angel to Bill (8/14/03), Debbie (waiting for a date) Ilene (6/26/03), Roy
(7/29/03) and Ro