Post op 13 yrs & maintaining

[rperchard 19]

April 2019 marks 13 yrs since Roux-N-Y laparoscopic procedure. Peak weight: 305 lbs. I maintain between 155-160.

I have, & will continue annual follow-ups. Not only medically necessary, but makes me accountable.

My bypass continues to work for me: I listen to what it's "telling me" when I have those moments. You know..the voice in your head that leads you to haunt the refrigerator or cabinets; buy foods that you know could trigger cravings or worse (binge). Surgery can't eliminate the disease of obesity....which lives in my head. Your's too, if you're reading this.

I take action when I begin to see numbers trending up on the scale. (I don't wait til it's 20/40/50 or more lbs). Besides, I'm uncomfortable...along w gain comes bloat, discomfort, snug waist band, increased cravings.

After a few yrs, trying different "maintenance" approaches, Jenny Craig works for me...I feel better when weight is a pound or 2 on either side of 155. For me, I persist w weekley wrigh ins....keeps me honest. I've been as low as 145, but it's a struggle. And I don't want that struggle. I just want to be comfortable in my skin.

I'm challenged with anemia (intolerant of oral iron) & insufficient Protein intake. So, I do what I can to improve those values. I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for this. And so far, my bypass &, I pretty much listen to each other.

[Orchids&Dragons 9,047]

Thanks for sharing your success! I wish more long-term vets would post how they're doing!

[GradyCat 3,695]

4 hours ago, rperchard said:

trying different "maintenance" approaches, Jenny Craig works for me...I feel better when weight is a pound or 2 on either side of 155. For me, I persist w weekley wrigh ins....keeps me honest. I've been as low as 145, but it's a struggle. And I don't want that struggle. I just want to be comfortable in my skin.

Thanks for sharing and CONGRATS and your success. I hope to be a success story in the future. I'm just 3 months post-op and have a long way to go.

[GreenTealael 25,430]

💜 Congratulations on your Success 💜

[AnnieD78 82]

Amazing!! Thanks for sharing your story. What do the doctors do to manage your anemia?

[Healthy_life2 8,324]

9 hours ago, rperchard said:

April 2019 marks 13 yrs since Roux-N-Y laparoscopic procedure. Peak weight: 305 lbs. I maintain between 155-160.

I have, & will continue annual follow-ups. Not only medically necessary, but makes me accountable.

My bypass continues to work for me: I listen to what it's "telling me" when I have those moments. You know..the voice in your head that leads you to haunt the refrigerator or cabinets; buy foods that you know could trigger cravings or worse (binge). Surgery can't eliminate the disease of obesity....which lives in my head. Your's too, if you're reading this.

I take action when I begin to see numbers trending up on the scale. (I don't wait til it's 20/40/50 or more lbs). Besides, I'm uncomfortable...along w gain comes bloat, discomfort, snug waist band, increased cravings.

After a few yrs, trying different "maintenance" approaches, Jenny Craig works for me...I feel better when weight is a pound or 2 on either side of 155. For me, I persist w weekley wrigh ins....keeps me honest. I've been as low as 145, but it's a struggle. And I don't want that struggle. I just want to be comfortable in my skin.

I'm challenged with anemia (intolerant of oral iron) & insufficient Protein intake. So, I do what I can to improve those values. I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for this. And so far, my bypass &, I pretty much listen to each other.

Fabulous maintaining 13 years out. I'm glad you found an approach that works for you.

Maintaining is still some work. You gave the best advice ever - Don’t wait for a 20/40/50+ gain. Its easier to manage a small weight bounce range the to try to get back on track after a large gain.

Congratulations.

[rperchard 19]

New to this site, still figuring out the A-B-C's. Am delighted w responses.

We all deserve to be healthy, I figure. Took me a lifetime to own the fact that obesity is more than just a "challenge", or "struggle, it's life threatening. So, when I hear things like "oh, I can't afford that" (e.g. any commercial weight loss program), my response is: "Hey, getting fat isn't cheap, ya know".

Group support is incredibly important. Since I moved to Houston (from L.A.), haven't found bariatric support group w daytime meetings. I stumbled upon this group when searching for Protein Bars. So, many thanks, you guys, for warm welcome.

[ttnurse 26]

Thank You so much for sharing, your story in encouraging to me. I got married 6 months ago and have gained 16 pounds,it's a struggle to get off what came on so easy. Thank you again

[rperchard 19]

ttn: walking into this bariatric experience, I heard alot of stuff I've heard before (e.g. portion control). What was new, & novel, to me: using smaller dishes, smaller silverware. I literally switched to pediatric size utensils; sandwich plate replaced standard size dinner plate. I didn't care what it looked like, or what people said..all I knew was that it slowed me down. Altered the previous engrained behavior of "shoveling" it in, if you know what I mean. Imagine my surprise when I actually began to savor food! OMG, no lie. That goes for chewing thoroughly as well (a daily conscious choice).

It seems the world has gone super-size. Eating out, I divide those huge portions in half as soon as the plate is put in front of me. No doggie bags go home with me.

Meals w family/friends....the comments that inevitably arise ("have another, you've hardly eaten", or the killer "you've gotten too thin"). My responses of choice: "just takin' a break", or, "maybe later". No thank you's didn't seem to work.

Over time my tastes changed. I find fried, greasy, high fat foods (a previous staple)aren't palatable any more. As has red meat. Go figure. I was raised on beef, butter, & potatoes. All if which smothered in gravy. Your health is the priority. It's not about getting thin, or size 10 or beauty, or pleasing others.

It's a process, fer sure. But it's entirely do-able.

(Apologies for the rant).

[rperchard 19]

8 hours ago, AnnieD78 said:

Amazing!! Thanks for sharing your story. What do the doctors do to manage your anemia?

Hi Annie: oral Iron supplements. I gave it a fair shot, both over the counter, prescription, pediatric form. For a couple of years I tried, but could not tolerate the side effects. Primarily: colossal Constipation. Along w that came general misery (abdominal distention, loss of appetite, straining). I became an unhappy, unpleasant person. So I eat lots of dark green vegetables & cook up some beef of calves liver about once a month. I keep looking around for a form of iron that I can tolerate.

In the mean time, my values (hemglobin, hematocrit, iron) have continue to decline....in Jan. values lowest they have ever been. I discussed giving oral iron another shot.

Right now am experimenting w a liquid form. Ideally should be taken daily, but right now I seem to tolerate 3 times per week, without getting miserably constipated (with help of Miralax). Am due for repeat blood draw in a cpl months.

If lab values remain low, the only alternative is intravenous iron (also known ad Venofer).