patient from 2003

[imblessdx3]

Since I just recieved an email from Regina, urging veteran patients to please post I will. It may not be what everyone wants to hear but two years after surgery I started to slowly gain my weight back. Last year I went back to Dr. Allam to seek help but left his office in tears when he told me I needed to see a therapist and return to the monthly meetings. Why would I return to the meetings after leaving his office feeling like that. I did see a therapist for a few months with no real answers. So if anyone believes that you can not gain all of your weight back after gastric bypass, that is not true. I am feeling hopeless.

[Regina]

Maybe together, we can help each other. I to have gained weight. No not all of it but I know that I can't blame anyone but myself for it. Dr. Allam gave us a tool and it was up to us to use it correctly. I know you were upset when you left Dr. Allam's office but I don't think it was because he suggested to seek a therapist or to attend meetings. I think deep down it was because at this point he can't do anything more then to offer you those options. He certainly can't go and redo the surgery or even do the banding if you don't find out the reason why you or anyone has gained the weight back.

It was a tool that he gave us and it was up to us to use it wisely. I think that the reason I haven’t gained back all of it is because I go to the meetings, which does help. This message board helps me as well. I know the things that I am doing that made me gain some weight and I shouldn't be doing it. I am trying very hard to change them. It is not easy but we all know that already.

Please come back to the meetings. I am sure if you asked Dr. Allam not to say who you are or to say anything, he won't. We are not going to judge you if anything we will say welcome back and forget about the past and what went wrong you are here now and you made the right move.

So, think about it. Come back talk to Pat maybe she can help.

I am glad you posted. It is good for everyone to know that this procedure is not a miracle it only proves the point that is said all the time. That it is a tool and it works only if we make it work and follow the plan.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Please do not feel helpless because you have made a step in the right direction again. You are reaching out and we are there for you.

[Jamie]

I am glad you took the courage to respond to Regina's request for people to post a little more than they have been. It is always best to see that there are two sides of the fence. After reading your post, I can honestly say that maybe this one will spark some constructive conversations from the message board and hopefully we can all learn something from it.

The first question that comes to my mind is what do you think (after two years) was the reason for the weight to slowly start to creep back? Did you go to the meetings regularly? Did you keep up with the follow-up appointments? When you started to notice the weight coming back, did you ask for help, or just talk or confide in someone that may have gone through the operation themselves and possibly could have offered a bit of wisdom that may have made a difference? It is so hard to keep all of this to yourself and have to carry the burden on your own shoulders.

I understand how it would be very hard to start coming back to the meetings after what happened, but you have already taken a giant step by coming foward and telling your story and I know we would like to help in any way that we possibly can. Maybe you could start by private messaging someone on the message board that you have read (and maybe liked their posts).

Please consider coming back so you can talk with someone that has walked in your shoes and can share their experiences with you while learning from yours. The whole idea behind the support group is to keep yourself focused on your goal and get support from others. Perhaps if you had been there a few years ago someone might have come up with a solution or just an idea and you may have seen a way to use the tool that you have been given and the end results might be different than it is now. The support group is not there to judge, but to support you in your time of need.

Please, it is never too late to restart your goal and hopefully restart your life in the way you meant it to be in the first place.

Thank you for having the courage to post,

Jamie