mi75

Hi all, just checking in. I had a rough week. My job has been switching back and forth between daytime management and night time management. I'm beat. I have really had a tough time getting good restful sleep and I know that it's taking a toll on me. Hoping everyone is doing well.

True enough. Thank you both for the insight. I tried to hire a trainer at my local YMCA in the past but this was a major barrier. They really condoned eating a high amount of carbs and I just couldn't do it. I'm attending a new support group (only went once so far) but I think i'll also ask around at that group and see if I can find some referrals.

I am 3 years post VSG. I made a HUGE mistake of not joining any formal form of exercise after my surgery. I did walking for the first 10 weeks because I was home on a medical leave. However once I went back to work my days were JAM PACKED-as they had been in the past, and the stress was a huge factor in my highest weight- and I jumped back into work without thought. I suffered for it, because I stopped walking and my weight loss slowed. After I moved and changed jobs the following year, I tried to exercise again but found it became harder and harder as the honeymoon period slowed and ended. I REGRET THIS IMMENSELY. Because of my move I also had to change surgeons and leave my support group, and this too added to a serious back slide for me. As a true veteran of bariatric surgery, I urge everybody to PLEASE heed the advice of your surgeon and support group. Please find some form of movement/exercise that you will be able to keep doing long term, and start doing it as soon as you can post op. Please stick to your eating plan exactly as you are instructed. Please consider changing the parts of your life that were causes of your food addiction. I ignored much of this. For that, I have regained a major part of the weight I lost and I find myself having to deal with doing it all over again.

That was my pre op diet and I did it for only a few weeks to shrink my liver. The point this time is to get my restriction back.

Hi everyone. LOVE all the pics, beautiful women and families. Everyone looks happy. I have been struggling so bad. I am attending a new support group this week and hopeful that the people there will be really helpful to me. Ultimately, getting myself back on track is UP TO ME. I have had so many life changes since my surgery. I have moved to a new area completely, changed jobs/career paths, went back to school, lost a parent, etc. These are not excuses, but definite clues into my struggle. I have used food as a crutch for so long. In addition, I am the breadwinner and during my graduate education I have worked all sorts of crazy hours. I do what I have to, and keeping the check coming in' is the most important so I do everything I can at my job. Normally I work an afternoon/night shift but currently on days for at least another month, so I'm really going to try and use these weeks to focus on my health and get my eating back under control.

I'm a vet too. almost 4 years out, and totally off track. I can't believe that I am one of those statistics, and I REFUSE to be a statistic. I'm NOT a failure, I'm simply derailed big time. I agree with Kathy, a huge factor is that we take time to come here, post and keep up with each other. I too have regained a lot of my original loss, but we get a new start every day, and tomorrow is my focus. I'm excited that I found a new support group to attend this week. I think it will really help. I'm going to be doing a true reset by utilizing the plan of my original surgeon. 4-5 shakes a day, sugar free yogurt, pudding, jello. Broth, and one meal a day (pick either breakfast, lunch, or dinner, shakes replace the rest). This is pretty much his pre-op plan and it will work. Compared to what I'm eating now, this is very little. I'm still aware of SOME restriction but I think I have done a doozie of a job on my sleeve and stretched it. over time, I am eating WAY too much and have been drinking soda for over a year so i'm sure there is stretch. Also tomorrow going to focus on getting OFF the soda and going back to coffee, tea, water, etc.

I have struggled for quite a while. Generally, what I do is get super fired up to hit the 'restart' button, then I do well for a few days then crash and burn. VERY reminiscent of a 'diet' mentality. So....I have decided to do a full out reset (again). They have worked in the past. I also have found a sort-of close by support group that I'll be attending this week. I think that will make a good difference for me. I have been seeing the psychiatrist at my surgeon's office and that seems to have helped a lot too. I haven't seen her in a while but when I was seeing her I noticed that I seemed to have more control. For me, this is almost like starting all over from the beginning. I have changed everything in my entire life since surgery, including moving to a new area, changed houses, changed jobs, lost a parent, went back to school etc. So I have had major changes. No excuses, but I realize how much I used food. For me ENTIRE life, including now. Post op I did great for about 17 months then started slipping. I've also been on pop/soda for quite a while and that has had major impact too. I have regained a major portion of my original weight loss. But, I'm here for the duration. I WILL get control again. I think that for me the reason was turning back to old habits, taking on too much change in a short time, not seeking out support, and using all those facts as justification for my bad habits.

I went back to a very basic pre-op diet. I fact I'm just starting another round of it. It worked great for me. I focused on my original surgeon's pre-op instructions which included 4-5 shakes a day, sugar free jello, sugar free pudding, broth, lite yogurt, and fresh veggies, and 1 meal of choice (pick either a breakfast, lunch, or a dinner, shakes replace the other). I got a great start but then got derailed because I was working split shifts (some days, some nights) and my eating is always so screwed up when I do that. I end up eating during the day AND the night. Now I'm a bit more balanced at work so I'm actually starting round 2 tomorrow. I know from other people I've talked to that get derailed, this approach works pretty well.

husband and I are on our way. got the fridge stocked with bari friendly foods. not specifically naming our effort (no defined diet) but trying to get back to a very bariatric based diet: dense protein, low carb, very low sugar, lots of water etc. Portion sizes measured and for me, elimination of soda. I've done that part several times in my life so i'm ok with it (I generally make the switch to unsweet tea first, then thin that out and eventually go to straight water or water with stir-ins). I'm so happy with knowing that I am in control and that I have the ability to get this back for myself.

doing ok. got asked to pick up a bunch of extra stuff at work so stress is high. having little slips but trying hard!! tomorrow is a new day

i'm 3.5 years out; gained about 25 lbs. have little control. don't have great access to doctors-had to change docs due to insurance change and new doc only wants to see me if i'm going to discuss revision. don't feel I need revision. yes I have reflux again, but I've gained a lot of weight back which was always the cause of my reflux in the first place. NUT recommends a 'balanced diet' which I don't agree with. I can't eat hoards of fruit, sugar, and carbs and be successful. just looking to connect with some true vets and try to tackle this together. hubs needs some help too. we're both drinking pop, although i'm drinking mostly diet. trying very hard to get off the pop. we're just not sure if we should be doing a 'bariatric' type diet with protein base, shakes, broths, etc like post op and progress from there, or if something like Keto is the correct route. honestly I've had issues with milk post op-lactose intolerance- so doing shakes makes me a little nervous, also experiencing serious dumping syndrome with heavy fat meals, so that makes me nervous about Keto. thinking that a baseline bariatric plan is they way to go, and maybe try Fairlife milk, or coconut milk??? I appreciate ALL help, advice, etc. I feel very lost, 3.5 years ago I was the MOST driven, focused patient that my former surgeon had. he was convinced I would be totally successful, and I feel like a total failure.

hubs and I are starting today. just planning on getting going on a bariatric type diet, some clean proteins, low sugar, lots of water, etc. Cutting the fruits, carbs etc. don't know how it will work out but it has to be something of a starting point. as we go along we'll see how we both do and tweak our needs. eating in a bariatric style is very comfortable to both of us because I've done it (surgery) and my husband did it by default. incidentally, he lost about 28 lbs during my pre and post op phases (over about 4 months) and really enjoyed the food. So we'll be doing things like eggs for breakfast, shakes for snacks, lunch of small condensed protein (he will eat more) and some good bari recipes for dinner. for both of us it will be the greatest challenge to control portions, and for ME the major challenge over the next few days will be eliminating pop. But I've don't that in my life several times so i'm ok with it,.

ok I am still pre-op and on my 2 wk liquids so i am just sitting and dreaming about food that i can't have. (of course, i'm having a Protein shake and not really hungry, just my brain working). I am very ready for this, it has been 3 years in the planning. However, one of my very favorite things is a simple Mcdonald's cheeseburger and small fry. I know what it's made of, i know all the media coverage of lipids, liver enzymes, etc...BUT, i still like it every now and then. Considering that my taste buds may change and i may never want it again, i'm also wondering who still indulges in McD's post-op? if i WANT to, will i eventually be able to account for it and enjoy this every few months?

I don't drink milk at all, or eat ice cream because of the issue. but yes, cheese and butter are A-OK. I know, it's weird. it's hit and miss. Meats- well i'm generally ok with most everything that I make at home, but the same meats from the work cafeteria don't sit. It JUST occurred to me that while I use lard, butter, etc...they are most likely using some cheap vegetable oil. I see a new GI doc in September as mine has retired (I swear, ALL my docs are gone and I've had to get a new family doc in the past year too)...i'll be having an EGD in October. I'm going to talk frankly with her about this issue and see what her thoughts are. In the meantime, hubs and I are going to give keto a try and start on the weekend as I work the next 2 nights and don't want to be suffering the onset of keto flu at work. already got my chicken bones and chicken feet to put a batch of bone broth cooking tonight. also got some new eggs, bacon, and going to put a few staples in the fridge like deviled eggs, asparagus, cheese, and salad. Ate (loosely) keto for several weeks while having a health issue recently and did good, but always kept my carbs higher than true keto, so this may prove differently but i'm excited to start and try

I dump mostly with fatty dairy (ice cream level fats) and greasy meats (but not ALL). I can have bacon that I make myself but don't do well with the one from the cafeteria at work. I also do fine with butter, yogurt, and cheese. it's kind of hit and miss but when I get it, it seems like i'm even more miserable 3.5 years out than I was initially!! I think that adding many grain products back into my diet have only added to the issue, as I am convinced that i'm gluten sensitive....

I have been a little MIA for a while trying to finish up my final graduate school classes-and I finally graduated! In the midst of the last year I've had some regain and trying to lose it. i'm also dealing with a ball out of left field- a possible cancer diagnosis. I have had a very persistent ovarian cyst for about 15 months. I've changed forms of birth control during that time and the thing has grown and shrunk multiple times. My Ob-Gyn has been very appropriate, following the ACOG rules and seeing me every few months and doing many MANY ultrasounds. Now it's changing and I'm having some strange symptoms that she (nor I) will dismiss- and Friday I had a CA-125 blood test. Because I'm a nurse and going through Nurse Practitioner education right now I have access to very professional scientific databases of research. The research has shown over and over that a Ketogenic diet seems to show great results in various types of cancer treatment. This has to do with the fact that insulin/glucose cycle feeds tumors and on a keto approach you drop your glucose intake and stabilize insulin resistance... So today i'm doing some cooking and tomorrow the hubs and I will embark on a full blown Keto journey. i'm a bit nervous because without a gall bladder i'm sure i'll have some dumping syndrome, but in any case my doctor ALSO fully endorsed this approach when I saw her-which I was happy about (since many doctors look at you with glazed eyes when you mention any change in eating). I know that many bariatric folks don't do keto but this is much more than a weight loss attempt right now- it could be my life on the line... Thank you for letting me ramble. I would just like to ask each of you-regardless of which religious/spiritual approach you take, to please pray for me/send me positive thoughts,vibes, etc. I really need them and will update as I know more in the next 2 weeks.

Well my time away is over. I've had my health evaluated, and my cancer fears are eliminated. doc has reviewed many ultrasounds, rounds of blood work, etc. I am well. no ovarian cancer. back to ME. back my health, and focusing on getting my regain to be 'relost', what a great week to start. got some new protein powders and pre-mixed, and stocking the fridge. so excited to be back. ready to get rolling.

YAY right!!! so glad to be back. just headed to the shops with the hubs for groceries and stocking today...BIG start tomorrow

PRAISE GOD- no cancer. doc has reviewed almost a year worth of ultrasounds, multiple blood draws and looked at everything. I am well, no surgery necessary. now it's time to get back to really focusing on ME and my health. trying hard to get back on track and get my regain to be 'relost'!! thank you all for support, prayers etc. so glad to report this.

I love to read my old posts. i'm now well over 3 years post op. I had great success but have had some regain recently. i'm still a work in progress. yes, I still occasionally have mcdonald's, and my meal is a cheeseburger and fry. now here's the real scoop- I rip about 75% of the bun away, leaving just enough thin material to hold it all together, and I can eat about 8 fries with it. that's it. sometimes, though, this really hits the spot!!!

thank you everybody for your support. Well the blood test came back with good results, the blood level doesn't indicate malignancy, however the number is a baseline number and I'll have a secondary test done in 10 days. if there is any change, then we have a problem. Diet isn't going so well. Eating the increased fat gave me some serious episodes of dumping syndrome. Like really bad. So i'm trying to just stay on track with lower carb and eating as whole/natural as possible. I am focusing on plants and organic foods, pastured meats and have been reading the Primal Blueprint.

i am now 7 months post op. Doing good. feeling awesome. but i have stalled right out. scale is barely moving, and it's sometimes 0.5 up, then 0.5 down, then maybe 1 down, then 0.5 up again... feeling very frustrated. i know part of it is that my exercise has slowed down a lot. going to re-commit to exercise twice a day again TODAY. also going to try and start writing down everything again. i know my capacity has increased a bit so i am eating a little more than i did a couple of months ago, and that may be accounting for more calories a day than I want. just wanting to stop in and put this in writing for accountability! hope everyone is doing well

Hi everybody- I have been seriously MIA for a few months. I was in the last semester of my master's degree program but now I'm done and graduated!!! I am glad to be back and want to really focus the next few months on getting my regain off before I start my doctorate studies in September. I love BP and I have gotten so much good advice and direction from here. Please don't think I abandoned everybody. I just had to put my school as my only priority- trust me my family barely saw me in the last few months too! The good news is that I got a little bit of my regain off and have not regained any more. It's good to be back.

I am 3 yrs post op and need help with some regain. I am trying very hard and have lost SOME but want to try and get all of it back off. I was thinking about changing it up and trying the diet from Dr Now, since the folks on My 600 Lb Life seem to do pretty well. However, when I went to the website I was kind of shocked. Their 'outreach' page lists nutritional information and advises women post op to consume 5-6 servings of grains a day INCLUDING RICE and 8-9 servings of FRUITS/veg... okay, I'm confused. I hear Dr Now tell people on the show to totally restrict carbs, fruits, etc. So why is the website so different??? Any input?

Yes everybody I have met with the RD at my surgeon's office. Dr Nowzaradan is also a surgeon, and his practice is a Center of Excellence. The person that wrote his post op diet is also a RD. As a Nurse Practitioner, being a Center of Excellence holds a lot of clout with me. I'm not looking for reality show advice, I'm researching other surgery centers to see what their post op diets consist of. Because I am already 3 years post op I have been at it for a long time, and just looking to change up my normal routine. I am just looking for some input from an actual patient who utilizes this surgery center.