A story of success and failure

[pear425 32]

I have been following RNYTalk.com for a while now and decided I should share my experience.

I had RNY in January 2005 at age 24. I was 249 lbs at the time of surgery. I did fantastic with no complications other than needing my gall bladder removed in December of that year (which is very common). I lost my weight steadily and at six months I had got down to 152 lbs. I never had a specific goal in mind but this was a great weight for me. After that I stabled out at 157 lbs for four years. In January 2009 my life dramatically changed when my very painful divorce was final. More or less everything that had been my life was gone. I was going to be 30 in just a couple months and I was back living at home with my parents in a dreary basement apartment with no job, no insurance and no hope. As many of us know all to well when depression strikes food becomes our medicine, our friend and are only consistent source of love.

Needless to say I started to gain my weight back. I was in complete denial that it was my eating habits but instead something was "wrong" with the surgery. I even went to my surgeon who performed an exploratory abdominal procedure and found nothing of significance. Sinking deeper into my depression my weight gain continued and for a long time I just denied it all together despite having to buy bigger and bigger clothes. My self-esteem was down to an all time low and was now I was trying to attempt to date for the first time in 8 years. Boy, what fun was that! When I finally found a good man (who I married last summer) I was up to 200 lbs. I didn't care anymore and my husband loved me for who I was and not for how I looked. Now exactly 3 years since our relationship started I am 225 lbs and have been at this weight despite efforts to lose the weight. I have decided to see a new surgeon that is a revision specialist and have my RNY revised.

I am now in the beginning stages of getting the process rolling. It is treated just like I never had the surgery before. Supervised weight loss, seminars, NUT meetings, blood work etc. I am having an EGD in two weeks and next month I will be done with the supervised weight loss requirement. My own therapist will provide the pysch eval and we will be doing that at the end of the month. I don't have an actual surgery date yet.

My main point in sharing this is that this surgery is just a tool. I know we all hear this but it is so, so true and not a lifelong fix no matter what. If you stop eating right, stop taking Vitamins, stop following up with your surgeon you will gain back the weight. I am not writing all this to scare anyone or make anyone reconsider their decision. Having GB was the best thing I every did myself and I know I will be able to do it again. My mind set is 100% different and I know so much more than I did 8 years ago.

This is my story and I look forward to be getting a second chance on my life and getting control of my weight once again.

[deaddemmama 474]

I have been following RNYTalk.com for a while now and decided I should share my experience.

I had RNY in January 2005 at age 24. I was 249 lbs at the time of surgery. I did fantastic with no complications other than needing my gall bladder removed in December of that year (which is very common). I lost my weight steadily and at six months I had got down to 152 lbs. I never had a specific goal in mind but this was a great weight for me. After that I stabled out at 157 lbs for four years. In January 2009 my life dramatically changed when my very painful divorce was final. More or less everything that had been my life was gone. I was going to be 30 in just a couple months and I was back living at home with my parents in a dreary basement apartment with no job' date=' no insurance and no hope. As many of us know all to well when depression strikes food becomes our medicine, our friend and are only consistent source of love.

Needless to say I started to gain my weight back. I was in complete denial that it was my eating habits but instead something was "wrong" with the surgery. I even went to my surgeon who performed an exploratory abdominal procedure and found nothing of significance. Sinking deeper into my depression my weight gain continued and for a long time I just denied it all together despite having to buy bigger and bigger clothes. My self-esteem was down to an all time low and was now I was trying to attempt to date for the first time in 8 years. Boy, what fun was that! When I finally found a good man (who I married last summer) I was up to 200 lbs. I didn't care anymore and my husband loved me for who I was and not for how I looked. Now exactly 3 years since our relationship started I am 225 lbs and have been at this weight despite efforts to lose the weight. I have decided to see a new surgeon that is a revision specialist and have my RNY revised.

I am now in the beginning stages of getting the process rolling. It is treated just like I never had the surgery before. Supervised weight loss, seminars, NUT meetings, blood work etc. I am having an EGD in two weeks and next month I will be done with the supervised weight loss requirement. My own therapist will provide the pysch eval and we will be doing that at the end of the month. I don't have an actual surgery date yet.

My main point in sharing this is that this surgery is just a tool. I know we all hear this but it is so, so true and not a lifelong fix no matter what. If you stop eating right, stop taking Vitamins, stop following up with your surgeon you will gain back the weight. I am not writing all this to scare anyone or make anyone reconsider their decision. Having GB was the best thing I every did myself and I know I will be able to do it again. My mind set is 100% different and I know so much more than I did 8 years ago.

This is my story and I look forward to be getting a second chance on my life and getting control of my weight once again.[/quote']

Thanks for your heartfelt and honest post. I know you'll be fine.

[nursejb 38]

thank you for your story I appreciate it. I wish you much success the second time around.

[DevilBlueDress 189]

Thank you or sharing your story. May your revision go smoothly and put you back on track!