Mdthun

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It's been about seven months since I began my pre-op diet for WLS and I have officially lost 101.2 lbs!!!!  I can't believe how quickly the weight has come off and how good I feel.  For anyone on the fence about Laproscopic Roux-N-Y Gastric Bypass, I'm here to tell you it was the best decision I have ever made for my health.  My blood pressure is better, my asthma is pretty much gone, I'm sleeping better than I have in years, and I have energy to spare!

I admit that I still struggle in getting all of my daily vitamins in - especially the Calcium.  That is probably the most difficult aspect of this surgery for me.  I know that sounds idiotic, but I have never really been much of a daily pill taker, so trying to get the Calcium in 3x/day is not easy.  I will keep working on it . 

I have 40 pounds to go to make it to my healthy BMI goal weight - that is not necessarily my personal weight loss goal though.  I haven't weighed 144 lbs in over 25 years, so I really don't know what it will feel or look like.  From now on, I'm going to take each additional 10 pound weight loss and re-evaluate to determine my actual weight loss goal. 

For all of us on this weight loss journey, each day is fresh with new opportunities and blessings.  We will have more days because we have chosen to improve our health!  CONGRATULATIONS TO US ALL 

It's been a while since my last post, but things have been going very well.  Tomorrow it will be 2 months since my surgery and 2 1/2 months since I started my pre-op diet.  Since starting the pre-op diet, I have lost 57 lbs which is exactly 20% of my original body weight!  The health benefits are amazing - my blood pressure is improving (already off one b/p medication), my asthma is not bothering me much at all, and I am able to walk up stairs/hills without filling like I'm going to pass out!  I am down several clothing sizes and fitting in to pants that I haven't fit for years (I know- quite the fashion plate!).

Everything isn't sunshine and roses (close, but not quite).  I have a constant backache that I think is from the shifting of weight pulling differently on my muscles and bones.  I need to see a Chiropractor, but I'm holding out so that I can make the most out of it within my insurance limitations (so many visits/year).  Also, I have had a few episodes of extreme stomach discomfort that has led to vomiting - all part of learning to eat slower, I think.  

And my biggest difficulty... getting the Calcium supplements and protein in every day.  I have a very hard time swallowing the Calcium tablets (even broken in half) and haven't found any chewable versions that I have been able to tolerate.  The protein is simply a problem because I feel like when I drink my protein shake I never get to eat anything and I would really like to be able to eat!  I have a protein shake (30gms) for breakfast and try to have another one for a mid-afternoon snack, but if I eat a small lunch, I don't want the shake.  Then my only choice is to have it for dinner and  I hate drinking my dinner!  Oh well, I will work this out :).

Overall, I am having a fairly easy journey and am so happy with my progress.  I am now focusing my energy on building a good exercise routine.  I NEED to get my flappy arms and gut under control!!!

That's all for now!  Good work everyone and God bless us all on our quest for health!

Melissa 

I have hit the one month mark!!!  I'm feeling really good at this point.  I have lost a total of 25 lbs since my surgery and 38.8 lbs since I began my pre-op diet!  I have lost inches and am down a clothing size.  I have had one B/P medications discontinued and my B/P is normal for the first time in 10 years (I'm still on 2 B/P medications, but even with the 3 meds it was high prior to surgery)!
I hit a major plateau at 2 weeks post-op and really didn't loose any weight for 2 weeks.  That was very frustrating, but I seem to be moving down the scale again.  I think one of my biggest challenges is not weighing myself daily.  My doctor and dietician have recommended weighing no more than once a week, so I'm going to try to stick with that.  It will probably help my attitude greatly!
All of my puncture wounds are pretty much healed (all 7 of them!).  I still have some residual bruising and tenderness on the lower left abdomen, but other than that, I don't have any pain or difficulty moving about.  I started my exercise routine which is doing the elliptical.  I started out with about 6 minutes and am up to about 40 min/day.  Sometimes I do 20 minutes and another 20 minutes later in the day, but I have been able to do all 40 minutes at one time.  I feel very accomplished about this since I hadn't been exercising at all prior to the surgery!
All in all, for anyone thinking about having this surgery, I say DO IT!  The first few days of post-op were very rough, but once I got past that it has been fairly smoothe sailing.  I feel better than I have in years and my health is improving all the time.  Sure, watching my family eat amounts of food I will probably never consume again is hard at times, but I really feel it was worth it!  So for those of you wavering about doing this surgery - get up and call your doctor and get it done! 

Well, I've been on my pre-op diet for 12 days and have lost 16 lbs!!!  I have all my vitamins, my post-op nutrition (such as it is!), and think I'm ready to go.  It really is hard to believe in just 2 days, my life is going to change.  I am so blessed - I have a very supportive husband and 2 very supportive kids, a wonderful sister who is waiting for approval for her surgery, and a slew of other friends and family supporting me.  But when it all comes down to it, this is happening to me.  I'm the one having surgery and this is HUGE!!!  I am a control freak, so being anesthetized and completely without control is very scary for me.  I'm a nurse and have worked with surgical patients for years and I have undergone several surgeries myself, but that doesn't make it any easier.  I am trusting God to watch over me and bring me through this surgery and to guide my surgeons & nurses hands all the way.

     I'm sitting here in bed trying to figure out what it really means to have most of my stomach portioned off and my intestines re-routed.  To never eat whatever I want whenever I want. . .
     I'm worried about how this will change my relationships with my family - especially my sisters who are also over-weight but not seeking this option. . .
     But then I can't do that!  I can't always put someone else before me.  Here I am, ankles swollen, asthma flaring making it impossible for me to lay flat in bed, and having ever increasing blood pressure.  I can't worry about how this is going to make someone else feel.  I NEED this surgery to help me stop killing myself.  I want to be alive and HEALTHY for myself, my husband, and my kids.  I want to be active and able to do anything - not limited by my size and poor health.
     And I really feel like I might be the only parent alive for my kids.  My husband is obese and not managing his diet well.  He is looking more and more ill lately.  His skin is pale and he has huge black circles around his eyes.  he becomes short of breath and gets cold sweats with any exertion (even eating!).  His knees and hips are in bad shape so his walking is looking more like waddling.  He usually sits or if he is standing up, he is leaning onto something to help support his weight.  I am seriously worried.  I don't want to be a widow or single mother.  I can't make my husband healthy, but I'm hoping that by me being on a healthier track it will help him too.  And this is not putting someone else in front of me again - it is selfish.  I want my life back and I want my husband's life back.  Period.
     Anyway, all this to say, giving up whatever I have to give up is going to be worth it if I can get my health back and help lead my family into better health (if only by example).  So my prayer is that whenever I am feeling hungry or deprived, I will remember this journal entry and get re-focused!

 3/5/12 - Attended Bariatric Surgery Support Group (required by surgeon pre-op and every month post-op for at leat a year).
3/8/12 - Additional required pre-op labs drawn.
3/9/12 - Had pre-anesthesia phone consultation.  Pre-anesthesia appt and pre-op classes scheduled for 3/14/12 and Surgery confirmed for 3/27/12 @ 9:20am.
3/12/12 - Attended Bariatric Nutritional Support Group and sampled some vitamins.
3/13/12 - Pre-op diet started.
3/14/12 - Had pre-anesthesia appointment and attended pre-op classes with the surgeon, bariatric nurse, and dietician.

2/1/12 - Received letter stating that mammogram results are normal (yippee).
2/3/12 - Recieved authorization letter from medical group for surgeon, Roux En Y Gastric Bypass, and hospitalization.  Received p/c from surgeon's office and surgery scheduled for 3/27/12 (this was delayed a month on my request due to my husband having out-of-town travel).

1/12/12 - Pre-Op physical with Primary MD completed.
1/17/12 - Labs, EKG, and chest x-ray done.
1/26/12 - Mammogram done.
1/27/12 - Phone call to Primary MD to remind her to send all test results, H&P, and medical clearance for surgery letter to the surgeon's office once the Mammogram results are received by her.


 

I have been keeping track of the dates since starting my journey and thought this might be helpful to those just starting out on this journey or those thinking about starting this process.
12/10/11 - Attended Bariatric Surgery Siminar
12/15/11 - Appt. with doctor in charge of initial approval for surgical consult.  He then sent on the request for surgical consult to my medical group's utilization review board for approval.
12/20/11 - Received approval letter from medical group for surgical consult with Surgeon.
12/30/11 - Had surgical consult with Dr. Mueller and given list of things needed from my primary doctor (labs, chest x-ray, EKG, mammogram, history & physical, and surgical clearance letter).