8 Years Post Op RNY

I know that when reading many blogs for RNY, people get upset because the journey ends at a year out or two, and many don't write posts on how they are doing after many years.  For that reason, I like to update my blog so that people can get an idea of what life is like many years post op RNY.  Now, I've always been a bit abnormal in some ways - easy peasy recovery, very few issues....but we all know that the experience of surgery is different for everyone.  So here, I'll update you about how things are and tell you about anything new I've learned or experienced:  

The Good:

-Life is pretty typical - I continue to be very active and to walk 5 to 10 miles a day is not unheard of for me.  I am active and busy and still enjoying life without having to worry about turnstiles, getting in the backseat of a two door car, that one size won't fit all, and all the typical stuff of morbid obesity.  I can say that I've sideswiped many possible health issues and I can confidently say that I know that I won't ever go back to being morbidly obese.  While I definitely have my challenges most days with my eating, I am pretty confident that I understand how to manage my weight now.  Hopefully there won't be any obstacles with this and I can keep doing what I'm doing.  

-My deficiencies seem to be okay.  Not much different than before.  Not improving much, but not getting terribly bad either.  I'm still osteopenic (since year 1) but it is the same - no worse/no better and I'm okay with that.  Iron still sucks but not enough that I need infusions.  Still vitamin d deficient (aren't most Canadians? yes!).   Other than that I'm holding my own and that's a good thing!

-While I go up and down on the scale (I can be as close as 5 lbs to my goal weight or as high as 20 lbs over - and then I get my act together and work on it) I'm staying fairly the same.  That's a good thing even though I can really beat myself up over it.  

-The clothes in my closet are one of two sizes.  I've bumped up one size from my lowest so I guess in the scheme of things that isn't too bad.  I am still working on getting down. 

The Bad:

-I beat myself up over regain constantly.  

-There are days that my eating is out of control.  I am still a slave to sugar.  Some days sugar wins, and some days I win.  It sucks.

-I still want to get back to goal and it's a bugger to control the eating most days. 

The Ugly:

-The skin.  Hoping to get a tummy tuck come Fall/Winter.  I have OHIP approval for a panni so I'm just having to save money for the upgrade.  

-Some days my reactive hypoglycemia kicks my butt but I'm far better at managing it now.  I had two pass out incidents but for the last few years manage it fairly well without problems.  I understand it much better now.  

Really there's not much in the way of ugly to be honest.   No big complications or problems.  Have never been in the hospital overnight since my surgery.  No horror stories at all.  

Dawn