Weyrwoman

BillieLou, that's great. Sounds like your head is in the right place. I'm still struggling but not giving up yet. Hang in there!

Hi BillieLou. I am in the same boat as you pretty much. I had VSG in June 2011 and lost 100+ lbs.the 1st year. I started at 292 and got down to 187 at my lightest. Then I stopped losing and gained back to 195 where I am now. I am holding steady but I know if I keep doing what I'm doing (eating too much and not exercising enough) that I will gain some more.

I battle with depression and stress and I self-medicate by eating carbs. I did so well at first but once I gave in "just one time" that's all it took. Now I crave carbs as much as I ever did.

I would do a ticker but I can't figure out how. LOL! But I want to get down to 150. I remember being there as a young adult and I felt great and people told me I looked thin. So that's my goal I would like to be at.

I will be here with you and we can help each other. I like your attitude.

Wow, thank you guys!. I wasn't expecting to get such postive responses. It's very motivational.

AtlantaRed: I would advise you to keep that attitude - that foods are drugs. I played fast and loose with those danger foods and now the monkey is back. I went for a year with no white bread, candy or soft drinks. Then i thought well I'll see if a little bit won't hurt and it will taste so good since I haven't had it for so long. But a little bit turned into more and now I can eat a whole Reeses with no problem and eat a cheeseburger with the bun and all. Something I couldn't do at first. Wish I had never started it back.

I do not regret the sleeve. I still think it's the best I could have done for me. I now feel like I have the ability to control my weight - I just have to actually exert some effort.

But yes, you guys have inspired me. I will drink a Protein shake today and go for a walk.

Hi. I'm Sharon and I'm 49 years old. I had the sleeve in 2011. I lost 100 lbs. over the next 11 months or so. Then it stopped. This past year I have held steady mostly but crept up about 8 lbs. give or take.

I know I didn't do it right. The first year was wonderful. I could eat just a little bit and have that full feeling and still lose weight. But now I can eat a lot more before I feel full and it's causing me not to lose weight. I also eat carbs again. And I don't exercise enough.

LOL. So yes, I've done everything wrong. But I'm still glad I had the sleeve. It's made it possible to wear clothes that are not made by a tent-maker and I can move around without as many aches and pains. Still have a lot of back pain but that's arthritis that weight loss has not helped.

I never got my BMI under 30. I have considered doing the DS but I know that if I keep eating carbs it probably won't help much in the long run.

Just thought I would come here and see if I could get motivated to do the whole diet and exercise thing again. And maybe recapture some of the excitement of those first months when I was losing and feeling so great!

Just take my advice anyone who is new: Do NOT eat until you feel full and keep exercising and don't go back to the carbs. It is a good thing to have a VSG but it is still diet and exercise that you have to do.

Has the DS topic been added yet? I can't find a forum for people with VSG that go on to have the DS.