Diet Pills after WLS

Morning All! I posted this on the main messageboard and realized I really should have posted it here....so here it comes again... Long long long time no post or me.... I think I may be in a "bad" place in my journey on the WLS road. I need to ask a couple of questions of the people I consider to know more about weight loss surgery than I think even our doctors do!! OK, first- how many of you have fallen off the diet band wagon? I'm 16 months out and losing ground fast, it's been a long summer of vacation and fun filled eating, including all the wrong things and frequent snacking! I've read enough posts to know that I have to get a grip on it quick and get back to the "basics"- the original game plan of good food choices and lose the snacking habit pronto. Here comes the second and probably the most scarey question for me....both to ask and see a respnse to. Has anyone here tried diet pills to get back on track? Can they do damage to our pouches? Please please please don't freak on me for asking. I just need to get my butt back on track and I am scared to death of going through all this and failing!!! I am 16 months out and lost about a 115 pounds. Since this past May though I have gained 15 pounds back. I can't handle the way people look at you when they notice something getting a bit snug or perhaps a roll popping back in where it had disappeared from, not to mention the "ha ha ha I tiod you the surgery wouldn't be a magic solution smirks I am getting!" HELP!!

First of all congratulations on your weight loss. you have a lot of insight into why you have regained. One aspect you did not address is what I was told is a fairly common and to be EXPECTED 10% bounce back. I am also going to ask about your exercise habits. I dont believe we can be healthy long term with out exercise. I think you really know the answer on the diet pills as well. If they were so good and really resulted in significant and permanenet weight lossI would have used them instead of surgery, but wait, I did try diet pills, various types, on several occasions preop. obviusly I still needed surgery because the "diet" mentality set you up to get fatter and fatter. Diet, lose a little, regain a LOT. take the lastest pill, the latest herb, the latest fad diet, cabbage soup for a week, the grapefruit diet, slimfast, protein shakes etc. the only way to break the cycle is permant lasting changes in lifestyle. The surgery gave you the boost for the fast start, now it is up to you. Go back to the dietician, get the info you need on what you SHOULD be eating every single day to be at a healthy and physically fit wieght for you. Start an exercise program. Even simple things like parking at the back of the parking lot, taking stairs, etc add up. Go dance around the living room, take a walk, join a health club - if you can afford it, a personal trainer would be a great investment to get you off to a good start. I strongly recommnend the book " how much does your soul weigh" by Dorie McCubbrey. You have come a long way - do this for YOU and YOUR health, not because of anyone else or their snide remarks about surgery, you dont have to prove anything to them. The more you focus on the external pressure the worse you will feel, the more you will eat the more you will gain. Been there- done that, and not planning a trip back.

Thank you for all your kind words Willow! Funny how we pick up on what each other DOES NOT say. Yes, I have fallen off the exercise path which is KEY in our success. I have all the best intentions and don't always follow through, my couch starts to look so appealing rather than my sneakers. My gym closed down about six weeks ago and I have not looked into another site. For a while I was actually relieved it shut down...took the pressure and guilt off of me when I didn't want to go. Joke's on me now...clothes are all snug!!! I will look into your book suggestion, I do enjoy discovering new insights. I love your last sentence, good for you......kick some butt! Thanks again...Lorraine

I haven't tried diet pills yet, but I'm not ruling that out as a possibility. I am struggling with the last 28 pounds. I really want to win this battle and I might turn to my family doctor for some diet pills, if I don't reach my goal by the spring of 2007. I am maintaining my program and only losing 1-4 pounds per month. I badly want to have some plastic surgery and the surgeon requires you to reach your goal weight and be stable, before he will operate. So, if I don't look like I will reach my goal by spring, I might try some diet pills over the winter months. I recently purchased a treadmill, stationary bike and elliptical machine and I have increased my daily exercise routine. Hoping for success. Best of luck to you, too, on your journey. Karen G 294 / 178 / 150

I'd suggest that you go on a strictly protein diet for a few days to kick the carb addiction. After that add back some complex carbs but stay away from the simple carbs that tend to make most of us hungry all the time. Basically I am saying eat dense protein, cheese, etc at every meal for a few days. I keep my carbs below 20 grams when I'm trying to stop the carb cravings. You can eat as often as you like but stick to protein. You will notice after a couple of days that your appetite will decrease. Best of luck.