Weight Loss Surgery If you've had it, or are considering it, share your discussions here

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Old 02-22-2014, 05:30 PM   #1  
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Cool New To Forum; Starting Again . . .

Hi, I'm new to this community & forum. I had gastric bypass in November 2002. I lost a tremendous amount of weight but in the past 3-4 years have re-gained a great deal.

I'm researching the 5-Day Pouch Test to get back on track. I can see where my depression has really gotten the best of me in the past 12-14 months and it took finding this community to realize there IS A WAY back to healthy pouch living.

After reading all the eating habits I do now [i.e. slider foods, protein last when eating, drinking with meals, etc.] it became obvious why I had regained so much of my post-wls weight.

I'm in hopes there are some still participating in this forum for support as I begin again. I'm hopeful that the coming days & weeks will result in me reversing all the bad eating behavior of the past months. I look forward to hearing from you.
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Old 02-22-2014, 11:26 PM   #2  
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welcome aboard, Beekeeper [do you really keep bees????]. you and i are in the same boat - it took a lot of re-thinking to get myself back on track, and while i'm doing much better, i still have a way to go - mentally. I'm only about 20 pounds or so from my lowest post-surgery weight [a major accomplishment!] but for me, it's more about the good habits and taking care of myself than a number on the scale.

if i take care of the one, the numbers will take care of themselves.

we'll figure it out!!!!
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Old 02-23-2014, 11:23 AM   #3  
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Default Hey, JiffyPop!!

Thanks so much for posting to me. In answer to your first question . . . no, I don't really keep bees. There's a really silly reason I have this userid & yours also correlates. I was a rabid X-Files fan when that show was on the air. One of the running myth-arcs dealt with bees carrying various types of alien "stuff". The first X-Files movie had several scenes where the africanized honey bees played a large role and strangly enough, the two main characters were walking thru a massive cornfield in the desert [long story] and happened upon several large structures that looked like . . . [wait for it], giant jiffy-pop poppers. How funny is that?

I'm so glad to meet you and am really relieved to know I'm not the only one on this path. When I get my courage up, I'll post my weight stats. To be honest, I haven't gotten on the scales in quite a long time. It's like I'm avoiding the painfully obvious. I'm working on my courage to do that before Monday.

I'm spending lots of time playing back my pre-op & post-op memories of how great I felt and WHY I underwent this surgery in the FIRST PLACE!!

I think I'm going to wait until next Saturday to begin the 5DPTest since I need time to gather supplies and work on my mental processes. In the meantime, I'm trying to wean myself off of liquids both 30 minutes before & after eating and started this a.m. with poached eggs. That's a huge deal for me because I'm always drinking either cold water or unsweeted tea with lemon. Some of the meds I'm on make my mouth dry so I'll need to REALLY focus on this part. I realize that my biggest issue with my current food choices is never eating protein first. Why? Because I didn't like to FILL FULL!!!!

How insane is that? Sooo, that's where I'm at and I know where I need to walk to now, with much more clarity. As you think of things, please let me hear from you and how your progress is going. I will be certain to do the same. Thanks again & very nice to meet you!!
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Old 02-23-2014, 02:23 PM   #4  
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I had the lapband on February 12th so you have no idea how much your posts mean to me. Even though I went a different route on the surgery, I feel our struggles may be similar. I lean more towards the liquid because I am afraid of how it will feel to eat more solid food. I am still on a blenderized diet for the next two weeks......my imagination runs wild if the glass is a little chunky. Does that make sense?
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Old 02-23-2014, 03:54 PM   #5  
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you're so right wurkit - it's a HEAD GAME more than anything else. the exact details are a little different - vitamins, liquids, eating schedules, which foods are more difficult than others - but it's all about our mindset ...
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Old 02-23-2014, 08:33 PM   #6  
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Hi there. I'm somewhat in the same boat. I had my VSG in October 2011, lost about 80 lbs very quickly, like in the first 2-3 months post op and then that was pretty much it. Right away that Xmas I started back sliding with my eating. Exercise is hit and miss. A lot of emotional crap still going on with my husband and job. I feel lost so much. I'd like to get my **** together and lose more. I started regaining, about 10 lbs and I'm scared that it is the beginning of the end. Some people have had a revision to a DS, I don't think I want that but I don't know what else to do.

Sorry I don't mean to make this about me but just know that you are not alone. They fix our digestive system but they don't fix our heads.
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Old 02-24-2014, 06:03 PM   #7  
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Talking Same Boat, Different Paddles . . .

It's so great to hear from each of you!!

Since my last post, I finished reading the "5 Day Pouch Test" e-book & the "Day Six, Beyond . . ." e-book. These each reinforced the fact that I have been exclusively eating "slider foods" and drinking water straight through each meal & snack every single day for several years. I honestly don't think I ever was focused on the 30 minutes before/30 minutes after rule and can see how both matters have led to me regaining so much weight in the past 3 years. During those years I also buried my mom, had to settle her estate, had two shoulder surgeries and have found myself unemployed. Bad habits are easy to fall back into when we lose that laser-like focus on ourselves and our own well-being.

The past 48 hours I've been tracking my food intake, staging my fluid intake & doing whatever is necessary to eat protein FIRST!!! - regardless.

The book referenced above strongly suggests eating 2 bites protein to 1 bite complex carbohydrate every time I eat. I've been focusing on that and thus far, it has served me well from the constant hunger I usually have when ingesting solid "slider food" meals & snacks. Maybe I just became obsessed with the "need" to chew & slider foods made it so much easier to chew away my emotional triggers. Not an excuse - merely a profound realization.

Exercise is the next item of the "Four Rules" that I must re-incorporate into daily living. I know that mentally, once some of this recent weight gain is gone, my "fight strength" will pick up steam. I realize now that even though my gastric bypass was way back in 2002, I'm the one responsible for daily living the FOUR RULES for the rest of my life. My pouch & I have to become friends again and we must work TOGETHER - as it is meant to be - to have & regain my wls success. I hope that makes some sense!!

The more honest I am in discussing my renewed journey, the more free I feel mentally & emotionally.

Jen, the thoughts of having another wls procedure have weighed heavy on my mind as well but when I started reading the 5DPT book I came to realize that my pouch may be fine; it's my eating behavior that sucks. I'm trying to now work with my pouch and not against it by "sliding' empty calories right through it at 70 mph. I allowed my imagination to picture my pouch as part of a giant water slide in an amusement park. The way I've been eating, I was putting my food on the water slide mat and turning the water flow valve to flood volume. No wonder . . .


Thanks to each person participating in this thread - it means the world to me!!
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Old 02-25-2014, 05:05 PM   #8  
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Ladies, my name is Tammy (ladyrider bc I ride motorcycles).... But thank you so much for this thread. I am having VSG on Friday. I have learned soooooo much from researching and listening to people like you!!! I am going into this surgery with very wise tips... As well as well informed from real life stories. I will always have to watch what I eat.....that is just a reality for me. But being with people with like minds and excellent advise will help with this journey!

Thank you so much! And I hope we can support each other.
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Old 02-25-2014, 05:16 PM   #9  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ladyrider72472 View Post
Ladies, my name is Tammy (ladyrider bc I ride motorcycles).... But thank you so much for this thread. I am having VSG on Friday. I have learned soooooo much from researching and listening to people like you!!! I am going into this surgery with very wise tips... As well as well informed from real life stories. I will always have to watch what I eat.....that is just a reality for me. But being with people with like minds and excellent advise will help with this journey!

Thank you so much! And I hope we can support each other.
** Welcome, Tammy!! I'm actually very new to this website & forum but like you am thrilled to find a support outlet. Good luck with your upcoming VSG & please keep us updated as you progress!! I know you will do great.
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Old 02-25-2014, 05:39 PM   #10  
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Okay!! I did something today that was VERY HARD for me to do.

I actually called & made an appt to meet with the Nutritionist affiliated with my surgeon. It's an hour-drive and I have to wait a month to see her but I've needed to do this for a veeery long time. I realize now that I need that guidance to see what, when, how & why.

I continue to strictly monitor what I'm eating, what time of the day & doing my best not to drink anything 30 minutes before & 30 minutes after eating.

The biggest hurdle for me today has been dealing with mental "wanderlust" for the carbs. It comes in waves. As I type this, they seem to have settled down because I just ate a poached egg with cheese. That made them shut up for the time being. Thank goodness!!

I'm still drumming up the courage to weigh & get that over with. I know it sounds ridiculous to be afraid of the scales after everything I've been through. Anyone know the best time of the day to weigh ourselves??

As you can begin to see, I've taken my post-wls behaviors & procedures off radar for quite some time. If I dwell on it, it makes me soooo depressed.

Any input from any of you on the mental part of this would be most appreciated. Thx!!
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Old 02-26-2014, 09:16 AM   #11  
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Oh Bee. you sound SO familiar. And i'm so proud of you for making an appt with the nutritionist. you're keeping a food diary, right? along with the emotions as well? it'll help you track.

i wish it were easier.

Like you, I had horrendous stress with taking care of the alzheimer's mom with little outside help, a stressful fulltime job, and, well, let me just say this. Ya know those lists of 'stressful life events?; I had HALF OF THEM in a year.

I'm still recovering. And that might be part of the reason that i've been throwing up several times a day most days for the past year plus, and 90 or so pounds lost.

long story that i've posted about elsewhere on the forum, so i'm not going to repeat it here. BUT my issues right now are getting enough protein. Meat just isn't sitting well with me. AT ALL. i keep trying - cooking it different ways, serving it different ways, and some are more successful than others.

and i have to add that the head issues have decreased A LOT. wouldn't it be nice to say that they're gone? yeah. Can't believe it.

for me, it's been a lot of distraction with knitting, recognizing that i need to TALK TO PEOPLE about anything and everything. And most important, i need to be honest with MYSELF about whether i'm thirsty or hungry, whether i need to eat, whether i'm having an emotion that's sending me in one direction or another, whether i'm overtired, or whatever. THERE'S A LONG LIST HERE!!!!

And over the past couple of months, there's been a huge realization that if i'm not happy, I NEED TO CHANGE SOMETHING. Now, of course, some things are easier to change than others. For example, I'm currently in a miserable job, but it's at least meeting the bills. It's going to take awhile to find something else, and I know what I want to be doing. I have to move TOWARDS it in some way or other. I CANNOT allow myself to sit with negative emotions without doing something about it.
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Old 02-26-2014, 07:44 PM   #12  
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JiffyPop!!

You really pointed out two items that hadn't even crossed my mind: the food diary & emotions chart. I've been using post-it notes on the food & times eaten but I do need to start using something more "official". While we both have been & continue to struggle with our crazy stresses, I think we both need pats on the back for pushing forward regardless!!

Do you have a method that's worked best for you in tracking your food & emotions? I have to admit, I tend to get "overzealous" with forms, etc. and if you or anyone has something they have created that helps with charting, please let me know!!

The most positive thing I've noticed in the past few days is that holding off on my water intake both before & after meals/snacks is making a world of difference in my hunger pangs - which is a very good thing. I'm going to see my psychiatrist tomorrow and will share with her the positive things that I'm incorporating thus far. Next step, my areobics dvd. Hubby has to return to work from his knee replacement before I have some private time to do it. Should be soon though!!


Final question for now - does anyone have a favorite brand of protein powder and/or protein bars? I need to restock my wls supplies and want to prevent wasting money on products that taste like crap. I've been reading about the Unjury protein products. Anyone have experience with them? :

Thanks for being here. I'm beginning to see rays of sunlight down a previously very dark horizon - one that has been shrouded far too long in depression & despair.

Last edited by The Beekeeper; 02-26-2014 at 07:45 PM.
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Old 02-26-2014, 08:33 PM   #13  
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glad to help - if the NUT is any good and knows what she's doing, she's going to be asking you about the emotions-food thing, so you might as well be prepared, especially since you'll have several weeks of information and you'll be able to track your progress.

XCEL has some calendar templates that worked well - i'd print out a month at a time with plain squares. Also, OUTLOOK's DAILY CALENDAR is printable, and that'll give you lines for every hour of the day. AGain, i did better with hard copy, but i'll bet if you're a smartphone user, there's an app for that. If not, WE'LL MAKE ONE AND BECOME RICH!!! how does that sound!!?? LOL!!!

And about counting our successes. my goodness, yes!!! even though i had gained a lot of weight, one day i sat back and realized that i'd managed to keep off about 200 pounds for more than 10 years!!! and that was a HUGE accomplishment.

and now, with most of the extra gone, it feels even better.

the hardest thing - and i really hope people who are either just -surgeried or considering it are reading this - is sitting with the negative emotions, instead of trying to eat them away.

it's uncomfortable. it makes me cranky, and i complain sometimes, but that's because it's always been hard for me to admit the anger, sadness, whatever.

and on we go!
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Old 02-26-2014, 11:14 PM   #14  
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Thx for the tech reminders. I do use MS Outlook for my other calendar items. I can just incorporate these items as well. I wish I was a better smartphone operator. Just got a notepad & think I could use that. Bigger screen, etc.

You really hit the nail on the head there with the idea of having to willfully "sit" on our emotions. I had never thought of it that way but you are absolutely correct!!

Right after I had my wls in 2002, I remember being so angry, etc. and had reality smack me in the face!! I no longer had my coping mechanism. A friend of mine quit smoking at the same time I had my wls and while talking on the phone we both realized why we felt so hostile!!

Those ancient habits of eating the emotions have been trickling back but my clarity has returned. I may be more vocal but my "chewing my conscience away" has to stop so my weight loss journey resumes full steam ahead.
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Old 02-26-2014, 11:18 PM   #15  
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Also, your "journey back" is really, really encouraging to me. Some time in the past three years, I just totally FORGOT about why I did this in the first place. I've heard so many people talk about "living in the moment". To maintain & get moving down the scales, I must continue to plug in each day and live it the best way I can, with the pouch rules at my trusty side.

Jiffy Pop, your words truly help me in so many ways & I thank you!!
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