Isis_Emerald
This will start of like many others stories...
I have been fat all my life. I was never the size I was supposed to be at any given age. Even though I was a very active child I was heavy. Neither side of my family are really obese. I have tried so many diets and meal changes and nothing ever worked for the long haul.
I first heard about gastric bypass surgery about five years ago. At the age of 25 I didn't think I needed anything that drastic. About three years later I heard about the lap-band surgery and considered it. In January of 2006 I weighed 380lbs., by March of 2008 I was 480lbs. It was hard just to find a scale the could weigh me. Then I talked to my PCP and asked for a referral since I weighed so much, had high blood pressure, two miscarriages due to weight and thyroid issues. He referred me to St. Agnes Hospital (bonus my mom works there).
After attending the seminar I knew this was for me. The lap band was in my opinion for people who wanted to loose 50 to 100lbs over a longer period of time. I needed to loose at least 300 FAST! There were two doctors there during the seminar Dr. Singh and Dr. Averbach who spoke and answered questions. I felt that Dr. Averbach was warmer and had a sense of humor. Both were practically identical in experience and success.
Then begin the 6 month wait required my insurance company that paid 100%. I had to meet with the nutritionist and have a supervised weight lost program and lost 39lbs. I had to meet with the psychologist to make sure I could handle the procedure and all the things that come after it. Then there was the chest x-rays, gall bladder ultrasound, stress test etc. By the time it was done so was I (lol). I made my appointment for surgery on 10-14-08 for 10-29-08. I had to do a liquid and protein diet to shrink my liver and that was hard and I lost even more weight.
My surgery went well and didn't have to be switched to open. I was in and out in 1 hour 20 minutes. The first day I was so drugged I barely remember anything. Except being very thirsty and not being allowed to drink. I am telling you the next day I couldn't wait to have the upper GI test done so that I could drink. My nurses were great, I stayed for three days. What I didn't care for was the catheter and that GOD AWFUL JACKSON PRATT port thing. When they removed that I thought I was going to die. I wasn't hungry but the second day they moved me on to puree and liquids. I was so thirsty the whole time.
When I got home, I felt great and continued what I had been taught in the hospital. Two days later I got really sick with a fever, the chills and I was so thirsty. It took two days and the fever broke and I was better. Where I had my "On Q Patch" (pain meds pump) had gotten infected. After that I was fine and at my two week apt. I had lost 21lbs.
Now I am onto more solids and learning what does and doesn't agree with me. Food I didn't like before (jell-o, broccoli) I like now. Almost one month out I have lost 42lbs. I have a long way to go until 180lbs. but I am excited about getting out of the 400's.
