Discouraged

[Dani83]

A little about me...I'm 30 years old and married with 3 children. I'm a stay at home mom and am also bipolar. I wanted to do a bariatric surgery for 3 years. I finally decided to look into and 4 months later my surgery was done. I have a great team who has educated me well, but nobody could prepare me for the emotional ups and downs. My meds are regulated so my ups and downs don't seem to have a direct correlation with my bp.

So I have joined this forum for some support from people who know what I am going through. I have a ton of support people, but nobody who truly understands. I'm feeling so discouraged right now. Tomorrow will be 4 weeks since my surgery and although I have lost 24 pounds as of last week...I don't look at myself and think wow, you look like you lost 24 pounds. I haven't weighed myself in the last week, but don't feel like I have lost anything. I know that sounds stupid because obviously it's been a week, I should weigh myself and maybe my worries would be put to rest, but I don't own a scale and for a good reason.

I can't get this full feeling down either. Breakfast I do fine with, but come lunch and dinner I end up stuffed and uncomfortable. I'm so scared I'm going to stretch my stomach just in learning how to tell when I'm full. Tell me I'm not the only one that has gone through this! I'm so frustrated. It's been a lot of work to get to where I am and I don't want to mess it up. Thanks for letting me vent.

Dani

 

[Javajoy]

Hi Dani,

I believe we all get discouraged from time to time. It's normal.

I only have a lapband and at the time I lost 24 pounds I couldn't see it or feel it. Everyone was asking me "don't you feel better" and I didn't yet. Everyone said how good I looked but I could not see or feel it.

The center where I had my surgery picked up on it and were so supportive. For example the lady who had surgery the same day I did had lost twice as much as did in the same amount of time. I had to be reminded that everyone loses at a different rate and my age and activity level were hindrances for me. I was reassured that if stuck with the program the weight would come off and it has although at the moment I am on a plateau.

Regarding the fullness, try chewing your food really well and maybe eat a little less or divide some out into a snack mid afternoon and evening. Don't drink anything 30 minutes before or after your meal. Remember to exercise as well.

Dani, you are doing great and before long you will begin to notice the changes in your clothes. I liked it when my queen sized underwear started falling off (ROFL). What an accomplishment to lose 24 pounds this soon! Take measurements periodically because often when you don't lose your measurements will become smaller.

There will be weeks when you don't lose. We all experience that - it's like your body is saying ENOUGH and wants time to catch up. If you stay with your program the weight will come off. The emotional roller coaster is normal.

Good luck,

Joy

 

[Dcepello]

The most crucial thing you can do for yourself is attend the live support group meetings. It sound like you need impartial outside observers to bounce your concerns off of and people who can look at you objectively and tell you what they see. Because sometime we can't trust our own feelings and take on ourselves. We all need that outside input and it is best coming from a safe environment like a support group.

We had surgery that reduced the size of our stomachs too almost nothing. One of my biggest problems starting out were my eyeballs were still normal sized. I wanted to eat the portions that I was used too, but that didn't workout so well. I would get ill, vomiting most everything I had eaten, mind you, I hadn't eat all that much. I had nausea attacks nearly everyday for the first four months after surgery. Well I learned the importance of portion control. Your stomach in it's own way is telling you the same thing. Eat less like only one or two mouthfuls and you will feel way less uncomfortable. Your eyes and your mind need to catchup with your stomach so to speak and they will catchup eventually.

Getting frustrated and or discouraged is not a bad thing, so to speak, it is telling you what you're doing may need to change and change is what WLS is all about.

 

[okieatheart]

Hi Dani,

I don't have bipolar, so I can't know what you are going through with that. I do attend support group through the hospital where I had the surgery and that is helpful because you are with a lot of people who know what you are going through.

I think you've done great losing 24 pounds since your surgery. If you are like me, I could not have done that without the surgery! I started noticing the weight loss first in my shoulders, neck and face. I've had ups and downs and times where I haven't lost as fast as I thought I should and even went up a couple of pounds, but it is still coming off. I'm really glad I had the surgery. Best wishes and continue to follow your surgeons guidelines. You're doing great.

 

[maisonville]

haven't had my surgery yet, but I can tell you that losing 24 lbs in 4 weeks is great, I am happy for you even if you aren't happy for yourself. you keep on doing what you are doing and getting used to the small pouch and the feeling of fullness will eventually come to you. you will know what you can eat and what you just cant eat. it takes time to adjust, I only know this because I had the lap band that slipped and had to be removed, now I am having gastro bypass. I cant claim to know how your feeling being bipolar, but just keep your chin up because I think you are doing great. good luck to you