I had the following comment on my blog recently:
I am post-surgery 4 years, and have gained back 20 lbs. But I look fat. I have lost 135 lbs., but when I was losing I looked thinner. What’s up with that?

This could be a number of things.  When you are losing weight rapidly, your muscles become slack. That is one of the reasons why people are always telling weight loss surgery patients that they should stop losing weight. It shows especially in the face. Patients get a haggard look. After awhile the muscles firm up a bit and the haggard look goes away. When you initially lost weight, it may have appeared like more because of your haggard look.

That could be the reason, but it could be something else as well. After weight loss surgery, as you near your goal, you fall in love with your body and can’t believe that you are a particular weight. You made it and life is grand! Then after a few years, you become accustomed to your “new look,” and the critical way of looking at yourself returns.

We seem to be perpetually unhappy with our bodies. We are never pretty enough, busty enough, or thin enough. We tend to be our own worst enemy. So your perception that you are fat again may merely be the way you are looking at your body.  There is actually a term for it. It is called body dysmorphism. It is a syndrome characterized by being excessively critical of our own bodies. It can be very harmful if someone then diets or exercises excessively to the point that they harm themselves.

I am not saying that you have a syndrome just because you asked a simple question, but I am just pointing out the extreme that people can go to.

I always recommend that patients have someone take a picture of them. See if you can find a picture from when you stopped losing weight and compare the two. Don’t rely on what you see in the mirror. The can distort your image. That is why I always wanted to bring home the mirrors from department stores. They always made me look thinner. But more often than not, a mirror will add pounds.

Look at the photos and compare them.  Also check your BMI. If you are in the “normal” range weight, then you are fine. If you are in the “overweight” range you may want to think about working off some pounds – slowly. If you are in the obese category, that is when you want to get serious.

You’ve heard it. “Want to lose weight, then cut your calories by 500 per day and in a week you will have lost 1 pound.” That has been drilled into us. It’s simple math, just follow it and your weight issues will be solved. But it doesn’t work. Well for the short term it does work, but then you stop losing weight. I know. I’ve been there and no matter how hard I would try, I couldn’t get that scale to move.

Here is why. There is a new study published in the very prestigious journal, Lancet, that finally looks at that formula and proves what we have known all along – it doesn’t work!! The reason that it doesn’t work is that as you lose weight, your metabolism slows, in fact it slows right away, and you end up losing about half of what you had thought.

It is very difficult to lose weight, but if you are struggling, at least you have an explanation why.

Hall, Kevin. “Quantification of the effect of energy imbalance on bodyweight,” Lancet, v. 378, issue 9793, Aug. 2011, p. 826-37.

I am so excited about my new Facebook group, called WLS Private Group.  It is categorized as a CLOSED group by Facebook.  This does not mean it is closed to new members. It is definitely open for new members and I hope you will join. A CLOSED group in Facebook means that only members of the group can read posts and comments. That provides members with the privacy that what they are discussing cannot be seen by anyone outside of the group membership.

The discussions in my WLS Private Group have really been great. Within the past day, the discussions hav been about dumping, weight regain, a new vitamin company, getting a tattoo before surgery, journaling, and using a slow cooker.

Here are some comments from members:
“I love this site! I sure wish this was around when I was a new post-op! I think I would be close to 300+ pounds off instead of working my way to 250 off. I am learning so much as well.” Carrie

“I thank you for having this group. I read everything every day.” Lora

“Isn’t this group wonderful? I have learned more here than in months of going to a normal support group.” Shelly

Please join us. We would love to have you. Just click on the box above.

I want to offer Karen special thanks for sharing this traumatic and hurtful experience with us. If you know a healthcare professional, please share Karen’s story with them. Let’s spread the word that treatment like this is unacceptable! Here is her story:

Hi Barbara,
First of all, thank you for all you have done to support and educate people about weight loss surgery.  I was in awe when I noticed your web page about obesity sensitivity! I would like to share my story with you.

Several years ago, before my weight loss surgery, I was admitted to the hospital with chest pains.  I was carefully monitored and given something for the pain.  One of the medications they gave me was Ativan, and was supposedly a very mild dose. Within minutes of being given the dosage, I saw spider webs in front of my eyes and couldn’t speak or move.  This was the beginning of an eye opener about how “professional caretakers” treat people. 

I remember everyone standing around me and trying to get me to respond. I couldn’t, but I could hear and understand everything they were saying and doing.  One nurse was frustrated she couldn’t get an IV in me and said, “I hate having to put IVs in such fat people. They irritate me!”

They took me to the area of the hospital for stroke victims, because they were sure I had suffered a massive stroke.  One of the lab techs was sent to scan my leg and carotid arteries for a possible clot.  He pulled out his cell phone, and told a friend that they should see the “porker” he was expected to x-ray. He didn’t know when he would be able to leave, because it would take him forever to scan my arteries and then he kept laughing and saying, “you should see her!” I was outraged and yet unable to communicate this to anyone. 

I gained a new appreciation from my experience, because I learned these people are ignorant. I never dreamed they would ever say anything like that, much less in range of the patient.  I felt empathy for those people in comas, deaf, and otherwise ignorant to how the medical community treats people they fear, because they don’t understand.  If I can ever do anything to help you with this mission, please let me know!

Please continue helping others as you have helped me.  You have no idea how grateful I am that someone understands and is doing something about it!

Thanks again!
Karen

I love good news.  If you have good news, a success story to share, or inspiration, please send it to me at Barbara@wlscenter.com so that I can include it in future issues.

“Reprinted from Barbara Thompson’s free newsletter featuring helpful information and research material to help patients succeed following weight loss surgery.
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