6 months post plication

[FatToPhat 83]

I am still happy with my plication though. I do NOT want what the sleeve has to offer, including the super fast weight loss. I know most wls people will be shocked at that, but I don't want to drop the weight super fast...I want to lost weight healthily and disrupt my life as little as possible. Sure, when the scale doesn't go down I get upset from time to time, but I also realize that I get to enjoy some times and food that other wls participants will never again be able to eat. My skin is not terrible..I have seen pictures on some of these sites that make me cringe. I eat too many carbs/sweets and my weight loss is slow, but I am still losing and I enjoy my little treats and keep my overall calories within limits. Yes, I still watch calories, and yes I have cravings (just not as bad as before). Sleevers crave too..they can talk about not being hungry all day long with the lack of hormones, but I have seen post after post where they talk about head hunger and cravings...they too much still diet to some degree. I am just over 4 months out and I can just barely eat a 6 inch sub...I honestly am not unhappy with that. I really cannot tell you where I was at 3 months because I just ate Subway for the first time post surgery this last week. I don't want to be able to eat more, but I don't think that is a bad place to be.

If someone is wanting 10lb plus weight loss a month, then the plication is probably not for them. I would say on average we are going to be more like 5-6 after the first couple of months, but then again that's 5-6 lbs a month that I wasn't losing before. In fact I was going the other way. For some, the sleeve is the perfect answer and that is exactly what they should have done. For me, even knowing about the slow weight loss and the trials that can come with plication, plication is a better option than the sleeve.

I really like what you've said and agree that I would rather feel like I can have an ocassional treat here and there, even if that means losing the weight slower. Although I am very frustrated with my recent almost complete shut down on losing weight, I did just get back from a 2 week road trip where I was out of control in what I was eating pretty much the whole time. I was prepared for a 5-10 lb weight gain when I returned, but surprisingly I only gained ONE pound!! If I had actually eaten more healthily during this trip I might have LOST weight! As it is, though, I am very pleased that the restriction I still have has kept me from binging and eating too much in one sitting, which makes a big difference for me.

[FatToPhat 83]

I think WLS is just a temporary fix,The reason I said this is that my neighbor had gastric bypass 5 years ago and she is almost back to her size before surgery ,se lost 135 pounds with it but it's almost all back, her daughter did it also and she goined 50 pounds back already,she had it done 7 years ago,There is no long term fix ,unless of course we eat less forever.The surgery only helps us get there faster,I know what you all thinking, I'm just a party pooper.I'm sorry but it's my opinion.I hope I'm wrong.Only time will tell.

I had one friend call it a "reset button" or a "start-over button". Yes, these surgeries might help us to get OFF the weight, but we still have to be diligent the rest of our lives to MAINTAIN the weight loss. I agree that it is a temporary fix, but one that we can still be successful with if we work at it.

[FatToPhat 83]

I hear what you are saying, and I didn't always feel this way (as you saw from some of my posts this summer). It has taken me several months to get used to the new rhythm of my body and a lot of self psychoanalysis to realize what I truly wanted out of wls. I have realized that as much as it sometimes is frustrating, I am actually enjoying the path to a slimmer me. I enjoy the victories of stepping on the scale and seeing it down from the last time. I'm ok with it going slow because I am trying to take the time to relish this and to rebuild healthier eating habits overall (even my current little bit of sweets and increased carbs is a million times healthier from the way I ate before...I'm not going to kid myself about how bad I was pre wls) so that maintenance isn't so hard. Maybe I am overconfident, but I feel that I will be able to maintain this time, and that was what I was having trouble doing before. With so many of the other surgeries, success lies in them working extremely well in the short run, but then they don't work so well in the long run and the weight is regained. We plicators have never had it as 'easy' in the short run, but I think in the long run that will benefit us. Maybe everyone doesn't feel that way, but I am getting to know myself better through this journey, and I certainly do feel this way. I hope everyone else can find something like this that they can take from the ups and downs of plication. My plication truly is more of a tool, and since I didn't just rely blindly on my wls to lose weight, I am learning through the downward journey. It is however a very useful tool because it does give me exactly what I need to limit calories/cravings and provide the extra willpower/satiety that I could not find before. Not every day is easy, but I feel that this surgery is one I can live with long term and that will be successful in the long term.

Awesome! Well Said!

[FatToPhat 83]

Lmom: I think you are doing great. I am 5 months post op and i have only lost about 48 lbs total. I was so psychotic and obsessed with this surgery and subsequent weight loss. I was literally driving myself crazy. I LITERALLY THRU OUT THE scale AND STAYED OFF THE WLS BOARDS.. I JUST COULDNT TAKE IT ANYMORE. I WAS OBSESSED.

Well, I have always been a slow loser. I accept that. Everyone is different. Though I am grateful for 48lbs lost, I am disappointed that it isnt more at 5 months. I too also took the subway 6 inch test. I cant eat a whole one but I sure can get about 2/3rds of it down. Dont ask me how. I know that i have lost all that I am gonna lose without actively doing something. I will say that I consider myself lucky with this plication. I have lost some weight, and I have had little to no deprivation.

Everyone, be encouraged. We are all still doing great!

Hang in there! You're doing awesome!