HELP...I AM SO SCARED.

I wrote not long ago about the issues I have been having, but now not only am I not losing, etc.,  but I am hungry all the time.

My stomach is gurgling all the time, have gas constantly, the ibs is acting up, etc.

I am not getting full when I eat most of the time so I tested it tonight to see what would happen.

I ate a piece of moz. string cheese, probably about 15 whole grain wheat thins, 1/2 cup of sug free pudding, a piece of turkey, and approximately 2 oz of cheddar cheese.  I know, not the best stuff to eat but I wanted to see what would happen since things are going awry for me.

I ate all that in one sitting and NEVER got full or even satisfied.

I am terrified of what is happening....

Anyone else going through this and if yes what are you doing to fix it, or have you fixed it, etc?

I keep going up and down 2-4 lbs with no real weight loss to speak of for probably 2 months now. 

What the heck is going on????

I share your terror about not getting the full sensation, and I'm realizing that for me, never being full again is what I need to discipline myself to. I also have to discipline myself to being somewhat hungry all the time. I just can't let myself go by my old indicators of comfort and safety, which was often beyond full.

This is where I encourage people to get therapy or coaching with an eating disorders or post-WLS specialist. Because this journey requires giving up old habits and creating new ones in order to be successful. We simply can't use our old indicators- they don't work- they are what got us into our obesity mess to begin with.

Please be gentle with your new tummy- it's small and all cut up and hurting. Learn what it is to be a good parent to yourself.

thanks for your response.  my issues are somewhat different i think.  i had the surgery originally not to lose weight, but to save my life. 

the doctors did not even know if i would lose weight with the surgery due to all the different health issues i have, many of them rendering you unable to lose weight...but that is a whole other story.

originally, i decided to have the surgery because i was at stroke levels daily and the doctors, including my alternative doctors tried everything to get it taken care of with no luck.  they told me that the only thing they knew of, and they don't know why it works, but it does, is to have the weight loss surgery.  we prayed about it and decided to go through with it.  even had to take a loan out to pay for it.  : ( 

my physical therapists wouldn't work with me anymore, or at least not the way i was supposed to be doing p.t. as they all thought i would stroke out. 

the weight loss was a big bonus for me...i mean a really really big one. 

my issues with weight unfortunately had nothing to do with eating habits, etc.    i have been ill since the day i was born, and progressively got sicker as i got older.  there were a few years where we thought i was healthy, but just didn't know the symptoms i was having were not normal and part of even more health issues to come.

i was very very tiny until around the age of 9 and then started the weight gaining...but still, with my love of alternative medicine, eating correctly, loving to exercise and such, i just continued to get sicker and gain more weight as well, and then health issues rendered me unable to exercise, which set me up for even more issues.

my doctors (and believe me, i have way to many of them) all agreed that it was not my lifestyle or habits...that i could be the poster child of what to do right....that is was sadly the life i had been dealt.

for years i thought i was deceiving myself....began to journal everything, have people watch me when around me, etc.  and found that wasn't the case at all.  at times i even thought i was crazy....thank God i now know i am not.

being the fruit that i am (and i say that with a smile on my face) i thought well, maybe i have to be different with this also....not working though.

to date i have lost back and forth between 80-85 lbs which i know is great...but i guess getting here and stopping when it was such a bonus for me scares me really bad. 

i won't do to my stomach again what i did, but i just had to see what would happen.  i follow the rules to the letter, and will continue to do so. 

was just praying that maybe someone else had dealt with some of this and maybe i would see some new ideas.

i so appreciate your thoughts on the matter and really do take everything everyone says to me to heart. 

God bless and prayers for continued success in your journey.

KK-I only "guess" some things-from the info you have given, and from reading your profile..

You are 9 months out..it's kind of an itchy period..not exactly a newbie, with the "OMG, I'm stuffed after a tsp a yogurt", but not past the supposed honeymoom period, either (wish I, personally, think is crap)..

First off..gas is often caused by your body trying to process those pesky processed carbs--like wheat thins/saltine crax/etc-those carbs have to break down in order for the body to "get rid of them"..

As far as what you were "able to eat", at one sitting-look at your "list" again:

Cheese...wheat thins...pudding...piece of turkey (how large??)......more cheese...

Now..of those things the ONLY thing not a soft or slider food was the turkey-and it doesn't sound like you ate very much of that...I'd be willing to bet $$$, that I don't have, that if you do the same "test" today, with nothing but 4 oz cooked turkey-no fluids or slider foods-chewing slowly-you would not be able to fini**** all, and would not leave the table feeling PHYSICALLY hungry..I absolutely encourage you to try this--it has helped me COUNTLESS times, over the past 10 yrs, when I was ready to just give up..

I validate your fear...if you keep "testing the waters"--YES--it CAN lead to "trouble"..in this area, I do feel like an expert..please do not DO what I DID..it's so much harder to lose it AGAIN-harder physically/emotionally/mentally..

EXCELLENT question!!! Hang in there! No need to be terrified-just reel that beast in-and go back to dong what you know to be correct!

Gina AKA Nurse Diva

first let me say you look great!!!! congrats.

and i just want to verify that i follow the rules to the letter, except this time...wanted to see if something different would make a change.

i posted the following to another responder and will just repost it as it explains my situation a little better....

thank you so much....i really do appreciate all the input.

thanks for your response. my issues are somewhat different i think. i had the surgery originally not to lose weight, but to save my life.

the doctors did not even know if i would lose weight with the surgery due to all the different health issues i have, many of them rendering you unable to lose weight...but that is a whole other story.

originally, i decided to have the surgery because i was at stroke levels daily and the doctors, including my alternative doctors tried everything to get it taken care of with no luck. they told me that the only thing they knew of, and they don't know why it works, but it does, is to have the weight loss surgery. we prayed about it and decided to go through with it. even had to take a loan out to pay for it. : (

my physical therapists wouldn't work with me anymore, or at least not the way i was supposed to be doing p.t. as they all thought i would stroke out.

the weight loss was a big bonus for me...i mean a really really big one.

my issues with weight unfortunately had nothing to do with eating habits, etc. i have been ill since the day i was born, and progressively got sicker as i got older. there were a few years where we thought i was healthy, but just didn't know the symptoms i was having were not normal and part of even more health issues to come.

i was very very tiny until around the age of 9 and then started the weight gaining...but still, with my love of alternative medicine, eating correctly, loving to exercise and such, i just continued to get sicker and gain more weight as well, and then health issues rendered me unable to exercise, which set me up for even more issues.

my doctors (and believe me, i have way to many of them) all agreed that it was not my lifestyle or habits...that i could be the poster child of what to do right....that is was sadly the life i had been dealt.

for years i thought i was deceiving myself....began to journal everything, have people watch me when around me, etc. and found that wasn't the case at all. at times i even thought i was crazy....thank God i now know i am not.

being the fruit that i am (and i say that with a smile on my face) i thought well, maybe i have to be different with this also....not working though.

to date i have lost back and forth between 80-85 lbs which i know is great...but i guess getting here and stopping when it was such a bonus for me scares me really bad.

i won't do to my stomach again what i did, but i just had to see what would happen. i follow the rules to the letter, and will continue to do so.

was just praying that maybe someone else had dealt with some of this and maybe i would see some new ideas.

i so appreciate your thoughts on the matter and really do take everything everyone says to me to heart.

God bless and prayers for continued success in your journey.

What does your surgeon say about your concerns?

thanks for asking...i am going to just copy and paste my response that i am giving most responders for ease so that you can better understand my situation...and my surgeon is included in the response.

thanks again, and you look great.

first let me say you look great!!!! congrats.

and i just want to verify that i follow the rules to the letter, except this time...wanted to see if something different would make a change.

i posted the following to another responder and will just repost it as it explains my situation a little better....

thank you so much....i really do appreciate all the input.

thanks for your response. my issues are somewhat different i think. i had the surgery originally not to lose weight, but to save my life.

the doctors did not even know if i would lose weight with the surgery due to all the different health issues i have, many of them rendering you unable to lose weight...but that is a whole other story.

originally, i decided to have the surgery because i was at stroke levels daily and the doctors, including my alternative doctors tried everything to get it taken care of with no luck. they told me that the only thing they knew of, and they don't know why it works, but it does, is to have the weight loss surgery. we prayed about it and decided to go through with it. even had to take a loan out to pay for it. : (

my physical therapists wouldn't work with me anymore, or at least not the way i was supposed to be doing p.t. as they all thought i would stroke out.

the weight loss was a big bonus for me...i mean a really really big one.

my issues with weight unfortunately had nothing to do with eating habits, etc. i have been ill since the day i was born, and progressively got sicker as i got older. there were a few years where we thought i was healthy, but just didn't know the symptoms i was having were not normal and part of even more health issues to come.

i was very very tiny until around the age of 9 and then started the weight gaining...but still, with my love of alternative medicine, eating correctly, loving to exercise and such, i just continued to get sicker and gain more weight as well, and then health issues rendered me unable to exercise, which set me up for even more issues.

my doctors (and believe me, i have way to many of them) all agreed that it was not my lifestyle or habits...that i could be the poster child of what to do right....that is was sadly the life i had been dealt.

for years i thought i was deceiving myself....began to journal everything, have people watch me when around me, etc. and found that wasn't the case at all. at times i even thought i was crazy....thank God i now know i am not.

being the fruit that i am (and i say that with a smile on my face) i thought well, maybe i have to be different with this also....not working though.

to date i have lost back and forth between 80-85 lbs which i know is great...but i guess getting here and stopping when it was such a bonus for me scares me really bad.

i won't do to my stomach again what i did, but i just had to see what would happen. i follow the rules to the letter, and will continue to do so.

was just praying that maybe someone else had dealt with some of this and maybe i would see some new ideas.

i so appreciate your thoughts on the matter and really do take everything everyone says to me to heart.

God bless and prayers for continued success in your journey.

Eat just turkey, nothing else and let us know how much you can eat.  I bet it won't be a whole lot.  Bad carbs are the issue with gas and bloating and will derail weight loss, no crackers, cookies, bread, pasta, rice, try to do all whole grains, get carbs from fruit.  You need to eat healthy to be healthy, believe me I though I could live on protein bars and I would be fine, but the reality is I was so filled with gas and bloating I felt like I was going to explode.  Once I broke the carb cycle I can walk into the grocery store after not eating all day and not being hungry and not crave anything.  I know it all sounds like bull**** but its true, if someone told me the addictive quality of carbs I would say it can't be that bad, but it really is.  Prove it to yourself.

Good Luck.

HEIDI-I totally agree with you on the protein bars thing. I used to "rely" on the bars-too much-until I had to come to the realization I was NOT using them as meal SUBSTITUTES, but was just eating cuz I WANTED to--like crac****ep a couple on hand now--usually frozen--for emergency use--but they are the "Pure Protein" brand, because they do not taste good to me/they are very thick/I could not eat more than one if I even wanted to/and I buy peanut butter flavor cuz I hate peanut butter..I used to buy the chocolate mint Zone bars..and eat more than I care to admit (and they only had SEVEN gm of protein...who did I think I was kidding????-sure not the SCALE !!!!)

Congrats on breaking your "carb cycle". I know it's tough at first-like any addiction, you can go thru unpleasant withdrawl symptoms-but I find it was SO worth it- and obviously YOU agree!

KUDOS to you!

Totally, I thought it was crazy talk that I couldn't have my protien bars, that they could be the cause of all my gas problems, I had myself down to three a day, I felt that was good.  But yet I still felt horrible and bloated and full of gas, it didn't matter which brands either I tried different ones.  So now I have three boxes still sitting in my desk unopened.  Yes it is like crac****ep it there just to show my will power over the crap.  Seriously if you eat a healthy normal diet you can have an occasional treat, like I tell my boyfriend everyday isn't Christmas, you can't eat pizza and ice cream everyday and be anything other then overweight.  Atleast not with his or my metabolism, my son, another story.  So we have a scheduled weekly cheat day, and I give these lectures daily to my boyfriend and his brother that you are never more then 6 days from anything you want to eat.  For me there really is no cheating because if I do its back to the gas and bloating, so I cheat responsibly.  lol  OMG who the hell have I turned into.  lol