I am new to this chat group. I am not really a internet kind of girl but I feel like I am a failure at this weight loss thing. I had the sleeve in July and have only lost 48 pounds. I have not lost anything in 2 months. I have been eating some junk but not anywhere near the amount I would have before the surgery. Am I the only failure?
Help
- Thread starter lmcee
- Start date
No you are human we all struggle and have problems that's why we are here. I had rxny gastric bypass 06-28-08. I have had periods of large weight loss and slow weight loss. I was like 190 in high school when I was 16-17 and it seams almost like my body has decided this is the weight It wants to be, but I have gone from 415 to 212 during that time. I have put a little back on like 10 pounds during my monthly or after spinal steroid injections but I keep trying. I wish you luck.
npariseau
Member
Hello, this is what I honestly worry about. I have not had the surgery yet but what if I do and I do not succeed? What if it all comes back? Can it come back as easy as it seems to when I normally lose weight? I so badly want this to help with the ups and downs that I have been subjected to in the past five years! I weigh 255 I am 5 7 I dont want to be super skinny just be able to move and play with my kids and get off cpap . This constant battle of going from 270 to 230 is insane does this happen once the surgery has taken place? Oh I am in the process of trying to get surgery thought I should mention..
dianeseattle
Member
Gastric bypass surgery is a process. Weight loss doesn't happen like magic. Obviously there are some people who's eating disorder is stronger than their desire to be at a healthy weight.
I had Roux en y surgery in August of 2007. There are things that have happened, like my hair falling out and new wrinkles after the skin deflates. There are foods I would really like to eat and I cannot.
But there is one thing that I really wanted to do after I lost weight. I wanted to hike in the North Cascades. Not only have I done that many times in the last 12 years oh, but I always do it with my son, and it's always a precious family outing for us.
So I have a really big reward hanging out there for me. Because of that, I don't believe I will ever gain the weight back. I'm carrying about 10 lbs more than I want, but I can get rid of that very easily.
Assume that you will win. Follow the rules. Find something that constantly motivates you to stay healthy. you made a self-loving decision when you started planning to lose weight. Good for you! It's an attitude that will keep you winning.
I had Roux en y surgery in August of 2007. There are things that have happened, like my hair falling out and new wrinkles after the skin deflates. There are foods I would really like to eat and I cannot.
But there is one thing that I really wanted to do after I lost weight. I wanted to hike in the North Cascades. Not only have I done that many times in the last 12 years oh, but I always do it with my son, and it's always a precious family outing for us.
So I have a really big reward hanging out there for me. Because of that, I don't believe I will ever gain the weight back. I'm carrying about 10 lbs more than I want, but I can get rid of that very easily.
Assume that you will win. Follow the rules. Find something that constantly motivates you to stay healthy. you made a self-loving decision when you started planning to lose weight. Good for you! It's an attitude that will keep you winning.
army28thmed
New Member
My bariatric doctor mentioned that patients tend to plateau. I had my surgery only 3 weeks ago and I fear the same thing happening to me. I cannot seem to control my munching at night when I watch my nightly shows. I ought to just throw the TV! I have replaced my late night snacks to healthier foods like cucumbers and jellos. Also, I'm going to try to limit my TV time from 4 hours to 2 hours. Maybe I'll alphabetize the pantry canned goods.
Good Luck.
KCaudle
Member
How has the recovery been? I have bypass scheduled for April 2 and am worried about recovery. I had a lap band that is coming out and getting a revision. I lost 70 lbs with the lap band then gained 40 back. The band is causing pain now. I want to feel confident and secure getting the bypass. A bit scared here.My bariatric doctor mentioned that patients tend to plateau. I had my surgery only 3 weeks ago and I fear the same thing happening to me. I cannot seem to control my munching at night when I watch my nightly shows. I ought to just throw the TV! I have replaced my late night snacks to healthier foods like cucumbers and jellos. Also, I'm going to try to limit my TV time from 4 hours to 2 hours. Maybe I'll alphabetize the pantry canned goods.
army28thmed
New Member
Hi KCaudlel! I also had the gastric bypass. I stayed in the hospital for 2 nights. My doctor gave me pain meds to use when needed. I took them for 2 days once at home but it was making me feel loopy so I replaced it with extra strength Tylenol. On my 4th day at home, I started walking my dog slowly. My doctor gave me some type of support wrap to put around my stomach when I walk, this seems to help alleviate some pain. Pain went away after 7 days. My biggest struggle was not to cheat during my post op liquid diet. I was sooo ready to eat anything other than Jello, broth or protein shake. Tomorrow is my 1 month anniversary.. whoo hoooo... I lost 32 pounds so far. On my 3rd week, I was eating different types of fish and lean pork and poultry. I'm also back at eating veggies, fruits, nuts, healthy cheeses etc. I have not dared to eat my #1 most favorite food in the whole universe.. "Hershey's chocolate". Instead I buy the sugar free Russell Stover peanut butter cups or chocolate mint. They're not bad at all. I've experienced dumping syndrome the other night, it wasn't fun. I'll have to remember to eat slower. I've since replaced my spoon with chopsticks.
Good Luck on your surgery! Every one heals differently. Remember to always take sips of water, and walk frequently. You got this. Keep us updated.
Good Luck on your surgery! Every one heals differently. Remember to always take sips of water, and walk frequently. You got this. Keep us updated.
KCaudle
Member
Hi Army28thmed,
Wow! Sounds like you have really done well post-surgery. Thank you for sharing your story with me. I’m getting ready to begin my pre-surgery diet and prepare for the things I need at home afterwards. The Russell Stover factory is here in my town, so getting sugar free candy can certainly be a good treat. I’ll keep an update going. Thanks for your support.
Kyle
Wow! Sounds like you have really done well post-surgery. Thank you for sharing your story with me. I’m getting ready to begin my pre-surgery diet and prepare for the things I need at home afterwards. The Russell Stover factory is here in my town, so getting sugar free candy can certainly be a good treat. I’ll keep an update going. Thanks for your support.
Kyle
dianeseattle
Member
Hi to everyone on this particular thread!
First up, the recipe for super milk or magic milk. It's simple but also kind of hard. The recipe is 1 quart of nonfat milk that you put in a blender and then pour in 1 packet of Milkman dry milk & blend. Now a cup of milk has 16 grams of protein instead of eight. That is a big help.
But the problem is, for some reason Milkman was taken off the market a few years ago. It's most likely due to lack of popularity. I looked in a store yesterday and I couldn't even find any brand of dried milk. People just aren't loving it and so many people are now telling us they are lactose intolerant or have some other digestive problem, so milk in general has become very unpopular.
I bought a box of Milkman on Amazon and I could have also bought it on eBay. It's about $25 which is pricey but the payoff is big.
Once you have made the milk and put it in your refrigerator, you can use it for any dish in which you would add milk. My favorites are fat-free sugar-free Jello butterscotch pudding made with magic milk, cream of wheat made with one half cup of magic milk and one teaspoon of cereal, then cooked on the stove top. Thirdly I use it as a base for any smoothie and I think you chocolate lovers could probably retrofit a chocolate milkshake with this by using magic milk, unsweetened dry cocoa, and your favorite sweetener.
I think my post-surgical experience was different than a lot of people because I had an open procedure and had my gallbladder removed at the same time. This meant a 7in incision from my sternum down to my navel which took many many staples to close. I was in a lot of pain and I took a lot of pain medication and pretty much stayed in bed as much as possible until the pain abated.
My surgeon told me that the RYGB procedure would decrease my hunger because apparently, part of the stomach is removed that really wants eat everything. You also don't have any stomach acid so digesting things is difficult.
In my case my body told me what to do and it's often said no no no you are not eating that! I also ate baby food and eventually I added in really light fat-free vegetable soups with tomato or milk bases. And of course another use for super milk is to make that can of cream of mushroom soup taste fabulous which it does. I was also allowed how to make instant mashed potatoes using just a tablespoon or two of the flakes and stirring in the hot magic milk. This was a godsend.
To get bigger protein hits with fewer calories ingested I ate a lot of roasted turkey breast. A 4 oz portion gives you about 35 grams of protein. You don't eat the skin and you don't do anything else with it but I did use pan drippings, a little magic milk, and a little tiny bit of flour to make a turkey gravy which is my favorite.
And I love jello. I could eat jello everyday. If you only use half the water, you end up getting something that's kind of chewy and sweet, like candy, but almost no calories.
I also depended upon cottage cheese and yogurt. Cottage cheese has tons of protein in 1/2 cup, and fat-free yogurt isn't quite as powerful but using 1/2 cup, then adding fresh fruit or homemade chunky applesauce with a drop of vanilla, artificial sweetener and cinnamon was a big treat.
If you are a cook or a baker and have a pretty big food imagination, you can actually make a lot of things that are high in protein and low in carbs sugar and fat. You can actually buy all kinds of extracts like banana, pineapple, lemon, maple, and you can make a virgin pina colada out of yogurt or milk and the Pina Colada extract they sell right over the counter.
To be honest, I really didn't have many food cravings. Eventually when I got sick of eating cream of wheat, I would buy a really big protein bar. I get MetRX with peanuts and pretzels and that would be a couple hundred calories but it also be about 20 grams of protein or more.
I was highly motivated 2 lose this weight. I was pre-diabetic, has severe sleep apnea, high cholesterol and all of this was happening in a family that where everybody always ended up dying of these things. My father died just a few months before I had the surgery. Losing him was agony. I love my dad he was my pal. And he died a long complicated death over several years involving diabetes hypertension stroke and heart valve replacements. He spent so much time in the hospital and he was the most outdoor guy you ever met. So when his body started to fail on so many levels oh, he became super depressed and that is how he lived the rest of his life.
I really don't like talking about that. But after he died I started going to the YMCA, where I had had a membership for a couple of years, but had not used as much as I wanted to. I went to the Y at least 3 days a week and often 6 days a week. I used treadmill and I have a record of how many miles I walked with a full pack on my back but I can't find it and I can't remember what the number was. It really helped with my weight loss and my muscle tone and it set me up for my big goal in the spring of 2008 when I started hiking mountains in North Cascades.
I hit a plateau after losing 75 of the hundred 15 lb eventually lost. It seemed like it lasted forever but I don't think it did. Calories started burning big time in the summer and buy Halloween I had lost 115 lb. And I wouldn't want to lose any more than that. In fact my mother just gasped when she saw how thin I was and gave me such a hard time about it that I actually gained some weight back deliberately. That was hard to do!
I went to my support group every month and I was enrolled in a study at University of Washington about the effects of bariatric surgery. So once a year I visited my surgeon and then I went and did diagnostic testing with the University study. This was where the rubber met the road for me because not only had I lost enough weight, but I also had fabulous numbers in terms of vitamins calcium iron all those metabolic test they give you the BMI you know those things. I was super healthy and I have to say this was actually the first time in my life that my body matched my energy.
This is such a long post that I'm going to end it now. I'll try in the next couple days to answer specific questions that I missed. Believe me when I tell you that I read your postings and I want to reply to every single person and I want to say don't give up, you can do it, your life is worth living. But I'd be in front of my computer all day if I did that and I gotta move, man.
Don't leave. Stick it out. Post to this forum, to every topic, and create your own topics. Upload your own photos and make sure you comment on other people's photos and posts and give them a thumbs up for goodness sake. This is how we support each other. Feelin the love? If not, believe me, you will!
BEFORE! go look at my albums to see The Afters
First up, the recipe for super milk or magic milk. It's simple but also kind of hard. The recipe is 1 quart of nonfat milk that you put in a blender and then pour in 1 packet of Milkman dry milk & blend. Now a cup of milk has 16 grams of protein instead of eight. That is a big help.
But the problem is, for some reason Milkman was taken off the market a few years ago. It's most likely due to lack of popularity. I looked in a store yesterday and I couldn't even find any brand of dried milk. People just aren't loving it and so many people are now telling us they are lactose intolerant or have some other digestive problem, so milk in general has become very unpopular.
I bought a box of Milkman on Amazon and I could have also bought it on eBay. It's about $25 which is pricey but the payoff is big.
Once you have made the milk and put it in your refrigerator, you can use it for any dish in which you would add milk. My favorites are fat-free sugar-free Jello butterscotch pudding made with magic milk, cream of wheat made with one half cup of magic milk and one teaspoon of cereal, then cooked on the stove top. Thirdly I use it as a base for any smoothie and I think you chocolate lovers could probably retrofit a chocolate milkshake with this by using magic milk, unsweetened dry cocoa, and your favorite sweetener.
I think my post-surgical experience was different than a lot of people because I had an open procedure and had my gallbladder removed at the same time. This meant a 7in incision from my sternum down to my navel which took many many staples to close. I was in a lot of pain and I took a lot of pain medication and pretty much stayed in bed as much as possible until the pain abated.
My surgeon told me that the RYGB procedure would decrease my hunger because apparently, part of the stomach is removed that really wants eat everything. You also don't have any stomach acid so digesting things is difficult.
In my case my body told me what to do and it's often said no no no you are not eating that! I also ate baby food and eventually I added in really light fat-free vegetable soups with tomato or milk bases. And of course another use for super milk is to make that can of cream of mushroom soup taste fabulous which it does. I was also allowed how to make instant mashed potatoes using just a tablespoon or two of the flakes and stirring in the hot magic milk. This was a godsend.
To get bigger protein hits with fewer calories ingested I ate a lot of roasted turkey breast. A 4 oz portion gives you about 35 grams of protein. You don't eat the skin and you don't do anything else with it but I did use pan drippings, a little magic milk, and a little tiny bit of flour to make a turkey gravy which is my favorite.
And I love jello. I could eat jello everyday. If you only use half the water, you end up getting something that's kind of chewy and sweet, like candy, but almost no calories.
I also depended upon cottage cheese and yogurt. Cottage cheese has tons of protein in 1/2 cup, and fat-free yogurt isn't quite as powerful but using 1/2 cup, then adding fresh fruit or homemade chunky applesauce with a drop of vanilla, artificial sweetener and cinnamon was a big treat.
If you are a cook or a baker and have a pretty big food imagination, you can actually make a lot of things that are high in protein and low in carbs sugar and fat. You can actually buy all kinds of extracts like banana, pineapple, lemon, maple, and you can make a virgin pina colada out of yogurt or milk and the Pina Colada extract they sell right over the counter.
To be honest, I really didn't have many food cravings. Eventually when I got sick of eating cream of wheat, I would buy a really big protein bar. I get MetRX with peanuts and pretzels and that would be a couple hundred calories but it also be about 20 grams of protein or more.
I was highly motivated 2 lose this weight. I was pre-diabetic, has severe sleep apnea, high cholesterol and all of this was happening in a family that where everybody always ended up dying of these things. My father died just a few months before I had the surgery. Losing him was agony. I love my dad he was my pal. And he died a long complicated death over several years involving diabetes hypertension stroke and heart valve replacements. He spent so much time in the hospital and he was the most outdoor guy you ever met. So when his body started to fail on so many levels oh, he became super depressed and that is how he lived the rest of his life.
I really don't like talking about that. But after he died I started going to the YMCA, where I had had a membership for a couple of years, but had not used as much as I wanted to. I went to the Y at least 3 days a week and often 6 days a week. I used treadmill and I have a record of how many miles I walked with a full pack on my back but I can't find it and I can't remember what the number was. It really helped with my weight loss and my muscle tone and it set me up for my big goal in the spring of 2008 when I started hiking mountains in North Cascades.
I hit a plateau after losing 75 of the hundred 15 lb eventually lost. It seemed like it lasted forever but I don't think it did. Calories started burning big time in the summer and buy Halloween I had lost 115 lb. And I wouldn't want to lose any more than that. In fact my mother just gasped when she saw how thin I was and gave me such a hard time about it that I actually gained some weight back deliberately. That was hard to do!
I went to my support group every month and I was enrolled in a study at University of Washington about the effects of bariatric surgery. So once a year I visited my surgeon and then I went and did diagnostic testing with the University study. This was where the rubber met the road for me because not only had I lost enough weight, but I also had fabulous numbers in terms of vitamins calcium iron all those metabolic test they give you the BMI you know those things. I was super healthy and I have to say this was actually the first time in my life that my body matched my energy.
This is such a long post that I'm going to end it now. I'll try in the next couple days to answer specific questions that I missed. Believe me when I tell you that I read your postings and I want to reply to every single person and I want to say don't give up, you can do it, your life is worth living. But I'd be in front of my computer all day if I did that and I gotta move, man.
Don't leave. Stick it out. Post to this forum, to every topic, and create your own topics. Upload your own photos and make sure you comment on other people's photos and posts and give them a thumbs up for goodness sake. This is how we support each other. Feelin the love? If not, believe me, you will!
BEFORE! go look at my albums to see The Afters
Texnoble
Member
Army28thmed- How is it possible to eat cucumbers after only 3 weeks post-op? Are they pureed? No, seriously....what kind of surgery did you have?My bariatric doctor mentioned that patients tend to plateau. I had my surgery only 3 weeks ago and I fear the same thing happening to me. I cannot seem to control my munching at night when I watch my nightly shows. I ought to just throw the TV! I have replaced my late night snacks to healthier foods like cucumbers and jellos. Also, I'm going to try to limit my TV time from 4 hours to 2 hours. Maybe I'll alphabetize the pantry canned goods.
army28thmed
New Member
Nope not pureed. My doctor gave me instructions on what to eat and when can i eat them. If your doctor says puree the veggies on the3rd week, puree them. Mine didnt.
I'm on my 6th week now, and have lost 37 pounds I had gastric bypass.
I'm on my 6th week now, and have lost 37 pounds
I had gastric bypass.
Last edited:
ttyson
Member
How are you doing now?
KCaudle
Member
All is going well. I’m 3 1/2 weeks out. I’ve lost 16 pounds. I’m eating soft mushy foods and feeling good. I eat by the clock. My doctor said to eat something every 2 hours so I’m not getting hungry. Breakfast, then a small snack. She said it would regulate my metabolism to keep working. Sometimes I have to make myself eat a little to keep the fire burning, if you know what I mean. My evening snack is usually SF Popsicle or Fudgesicle or SF pudding.
My energy level is getting better. I’m getting out more, shopping, Happy Hour with my friends. HH for me is iced tea but the time with my friends is so great who needs wine?
I’m so glad to have this forum to keep up with everyone.
Updates anyone?
ttyson
Member
I feel pretty good. I have lost 15.5 pounds since surgery 4/2/19. My stomach muscles are still sore. I haven’t been released for anything more than walking. The lap band had lots of scar tissue and I had an umbilical hernia repaired. 3 for 1 surgery! It’s all a bit of a mind game right now. NO REGRETS! Excited for the future.
MamaBearOf4
Member
Good for you keep your head in the right place and you can go so far. Everything will get better with time. Just take your time. For having 3 surgeries in one I can understand the restrictions still.
You are not a failure! You had the courage to have the surgery and lose 48lbs.!
Every time I have to get back on track, I have to re-read the post-op eating instructions. No fluids right before, during or right after eating. Each meal should last at least 1/2 hour. Take smaller bites and chew everything to mush before swallowing. Focus on getting enough protein and water. I restrict my junk food indulgence to once every 2-3 weeks and keep that one day's total calories to under 2,400 calories. Just some examples of what works for me.
I'm sending positive energy your way.
KCaudle
Member
You are NOT a failure. My doctor said to get lots of fiber into my eating habits. 30% foods with cholesterol, 70% fiber. Try adding more fruits and vegetables and less meats. Plus it is healthier. Shy away from added sugars. For sweets I have sugar free fudgesicles and sf cookies. You can also bake some great sf deserts.
Set you mind to basically begin again. We all have set backs and plateaus to get through. Never give in to that failure mindset. You got this!
Hello I am the exact weight I was on surgwry day, 203lbs and I am so disappointed. his is a revision surgery and i expected more reults sooner.
MamaBearOf4
Member
Don't be disappointed sometimes it takes a while to get started. Give it some more time and if it don't start going down talk to the doctors. They should check why
dianeseattle
Member
K, I miss your voice. What is up with you?