Been Awhile-Back on Track

So it's been awhile, and I need to check back in with my OH family!  I'm down 50 lbs from my highest, but that is over 6 months.  I definitely haven't been using my tool as well as I should and have been burning the candle at both ends with school, teaching, work, family, etc...we all know the deal.  Today I'm committing back to my plan, to myself, to my family, friends and all the people who have supported me on this journey.  

Picked up a food journal last night, back on myfitnesspal.com.  Having trouble getting any follow up with my surgeon's office.  When I have requested appointments, they just tell me to follow up with my primary care physician (who I do love and is actually a personal friend), but bariatrics is not her specialty!  I've reached out to the insurance company to find out if I can go to another bariatric doctor for follow up as I'm not getting what I want/need out of my surgeon's office.  

It's hard not to get defeated when I look at how peers (members who had surgery at the same time as me) have lost so much so far.  I know that everyone is different and will lose differently but it is definitely difficult.  

Thank you for listening to me, thank you for being here for support, and thank you for this opportunity to keep trying to improve myself!

Welcome back.  Start posting in the menu thread. Invite me as a friend on myfitnesspal.com. we can keep each other accountable. My username on myfitnesspal.com is the same as here.  

As for seeing your surgeon, I haven't seen mine since my 3 months follow up and won't until my 1 year appointment.  They fully expect you to have all care provided by your PCP.  My PCP is pretty decent, but I make sure that I'm doing MY research to know what is right for me.  If I have to tell my doctor what I need, I feel like I'm doing a public service.  At least any of his patients going forward will benefit from my situation as he's forced to do some research into what type of care I need.  

See your primary care doctor, ask her to make it her specialty now. She is serving you, she should go out of her way to make sure that you have the care that you need.

Also,  I think that a lot of the vets on this site have really become experts about bariatric surgery because they are forced to.  I know when I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes I made it my business to find out all I could about it so when I did see my doctor I felt like I was on a good foundation and understood what was needed of me.  if you have questions and don't feel you have anyone to go to,  ask one of the vets here.  If you don't want to post publicly, send a private message.  YOU will always be your best advocate.  

Really?  I've saw mine at 6 months, 9 months, and will again at 1 year.  After that they want to see me once a year.  I've gotten labs every time too.  I love my PCP, but I'd much rather see my surgeon for this.

Yes, they did labs at 3 months and I just had my PCP do labs at 6 months.  I'll get labs again at 1 year.  I know the guidelines of what to watch for with my labs, and if there is an issue I can adjust my vitamins myself or discuss it with my PCP.  If I had an issue that I thought would concern my pouch, like an ulcer or something along those lines, I'd contact my surgeon.  Even if I thought I was having gallbladder issues. But since I'm not having any issues and my labs look good, I'll just go back when they scheduled me at 1 year.  

I am glad you are back.  The first 18 months after surgery are the easy, peasy honeymoon.  It gets really hard after that.  There is absolutely nothing that a bariatric doctor can do for you now.   Their job is to do the cutting and your job is to learn how to eat to lose the weight.

There are tools that will help.  My Fitness Pal, a good scale, a food scale, an activity tracker and a support group.  If you don't have a local support group then dedicate yourself to this site.  It all comes down to eating high protein, low carb and low calories.

I saw surgery as my last resort, like an alcoholic hitting bottom and going to AA.  I followed the plan, weighed myself every day, took my vitamins, exercised daily and drank my water. 

I get up every morning and rededicate myself to this journey.  It is not easy, but is so worth it.

Well put,White Dove!

Yike!  If the first 18 months are the easy, peasy honeymoon and it gets really hard after that, then I'm even more nervous than I was.  I'm at 11 months and my loss has slowed dramatically - leaving me hoping for another 25lbs before I hit my personal goal.  Plus, I'm finding that I can eat, and want, more food- so really have to watch myself.  It is less than a year for me and I have to think about this every day.  I'm hoping that this doesn't become an impossible feat in another 7 months.  

As a pro, can you let me know what makes it so much more difficult going into maintenance vs. losing?

Your body is smart.  You had surgery and starved it and it figures out how to get that weight back.  Your pouch gets to its mature size and can hold a lot more food.

Your intestines grow more of the hairline appendages that grab food and hold it against the walls of the intestines so that the calories can be absorbed.

We get bored with high protein, low carb and go off of our food plan.  Eating sugar, fruit, flour and other carbs makes us crave more of them.

Metabolism slows down and weight is much harder to lose after year two. 

Thanks so much for the reply.  Good info to keep in the front of my brain.  That, and stay on OH!