Question:
Is this normal stomach burning and regain?

I am a little more than 2 years post op. I never lost the weight I wanted, was able to eat more than normal and now I'm regaining. I did go see my surgeon Dr. Miles and he ordered an upper g.i. I had it done, but they only gave me one sip of contrast fluid and I was done. How can they tell the size of my pouch by this? I asked the radiologist was everything okay, and he said it looked normal. So I called Dr. Miles office because we kept missing each other and the lady looked up the results and told me it said there was no stricture? and that it was normal post op. I told her I knew I didn't have a stricture, I am able and have always been able to eat anything and in huge amounts. She said well, the report said it was normal post op. I'm so depressed, I don't know why I can eat the amounts I can. I am now gaining weight, and can't get motivated at my weight to even take off much. I try, but just get so down at the seemingly futility of it all. I am aching all over, can barely move again and am really just so depressed. Is this the end of the road for me? Is there no hope?    — cleo718 (posted on January 19, 2005)

January 19, 2005
Get a second opinion. Cause some havoic. Arrive in the office when you know the doctor is there. Call the insurance company that paid for the first surgery. Give them any documentation of original results. Get legal advice if you can't afford it, go to legal aid). No, it is not the end of the line if you do not want it to be! Don't make the situation worse. Put the energy into fighting back, eat normal...but not crazy like we tend to do when frustrated. E-mail me if you [email protected]
   — lindarodham6

January 19, 2005
You have to try and try again to start up on healthy eating again. And exercise! You can do it. We all know the frustration of trying to lose the weight. About your doctor: call call call until you get a hold of him. I hate it when doctors don't call a patient after a procedure to give them results themselves. If your doctor doesn't have the answers he should then refer you to someone else.
   — Kara J.

January 19, 2005
This surgery is only a tool. You have to continue to work at the weight loss. You have to continue to control what goes in your mouth. You have to exercise. From your statements it sounds like there's a little depression in there. Perhaps it's best to start with why you're feeling like this and get some structure built into your days. I know when I lack structure in may days, I can easily get out of control. Get foods out of the house that you know you shouldn't be eating. Set aside 1 hour per day for some type of exercise even if it's just taking a walk. Get some goals. YOU CAN DO THIS. At the same time, get yourself physically checked out--inside and out. Are you taking your vitamins? Sometimes vitamin deficiencies can add to depression. Remember just because you can eat huge amounts doesn't mean you should. Best wishes and get your motivation working girl! You can do this.
   — Cathy S.

January 20, 2005
I agree with Perry. There has to be a reason that you can eat large amounts and are gaining weight. Seek a second opinion. Good Luck! <p> To the responders: no one can work with a broken tool! And once it's broke and you start gaining weight again it is way too easy to get depressed and lose ALL motivation. We all know what we should be doing - but if just knowing was enough, none of us would have had to have surgery.
   — Ali M

January 20, 2005
I am only 3 months post-op, but I just wanted to give you some encouragement. You should find you another doc who is very familiar with WLS and tell him/her is happening. Take one day at a time. Don't worry about tomorrow, just start working towards finding out what is happening. You can do it. If you endured WLS then I know you can endure this. LEt us hear from you after you get other tests.
   — debi327

January 20, 2005
Normally, I'd say to get your mechanics checked, as it sounds like a staple line disruption. Looks like they checked, but no one really READ your results. You might want to get with others whose surgeries are not working out so well and are in the process of tracking down what went wrong. It's time to join the Grad list. No guarantee that you'll get the rest of the wt off, but there's also the trick of maintaining the loss you have achieved. There is a lot of combined long term experience on this list and I'd recommend it in conjunction with this site and any local lists you use. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG
   — vitalady

January 20, 2005
I just wanted to add my thoughts to this. I am a patient of the same group as Wanda. I'm also a full time volunteer with the support group at their hospital. I know the physicians and their staff really well. I also know Rona who coordinates the program at their hospital. I say all of this because I know their office runs a tight ship. They take the mechanical functionings or malfunctionings of the pouch really serious. Just because the girl on the phone told you your results were normal doesn't really mean they didn't do the right tests. Personally I think finding a new surgeon is a BAD idea. I really think contacting a lawyer is a bad idea. Dr. Miles has done over 1000 cases and he is considered a true expert in the field. I read your profile and see that you've had alot of really, really unfortunate things happen in your life. I'm really sorry about that. I also see that you have been embarrassed and haven't gone back for regular follow up. It's really important to go back for your follow up. You have asked why you can eat the amounts that you do. That question tells us that you are eating too much. All of us can eat too much if we work at it but we don't have to. You can find your motivation again and get back on track. I'm sure of it. You should come to a support group. You could come to the one at MCE or one in your area but a support group would probably be really helpful for you. I know I'm sticking up for Dr. Miles. He didn't do my surgery. His partner Dr. Schmitt did. But I've been back for all my follow ups and worked with them on several support group events and such and I know first hand how dedicated they are and I just don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. That's not fair to the doctors or the patients who trust them. I hope you will see Dr. Miles soon and get back on track. Just because you have had this big setback doesn't mean you can't still succeed. I have faith in you and I know you can. Start eating right, don't test your pouch limits and exercise as much as possible. Those pounds will start falling off and you'll be feeling much better before you know it. Good Luck!
   — AmandaKS

January 24, 2005
Hi Wanda--I sent a response to your email address --hope it hasn't changed (redvelvet address). If it has changed, please write to me at cmi517 at yahoo dot com, or at isbellc at bellsouth dot net. connie
   — Cisbell

January 24, 2005
Hi original poster here. I just want to say that there is no way in Hades that I would bash Dr. Miles or any of his staff. I happen to love him. Now with that said, I want to say that I at first didn't go back to see him due to embarassment. I did however, go back in August, told him how I felt, and he didn't berate me. He was kind and understanding. I went to see him again yesterday, Rona came with me and we had a long talk. Dr. Miles is going to have an endoscopy done to rule out any problems, then we go from there. My post was not meant to say anything bad about Dr. Miles. I am grateful to him for my surgery. I trust him. I probably have been suffering more from depression due to lack of weight loss and that makes it harder to get motivated. I want to thank all of you who responded to my question and everyone should know that there are those of us out here and there are many, who have not attained their goal and are feeling like failures. That's why so many people disappear from this website. Sometimes, they feel as if it is totally their fault. Maybe it is partly mine, and I accept responsibility for that. But if we could have succeeded at "dieting" before, without regain, why in the world would we have had surgery? Thanks again for your responses.
   — cleo718

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