MeMo
Progress So Far
Jun 05, 2008
06/05/08 - Thought I ought to update my blog as to my weight loss on the six month insurance diet. The nutritionists diet plan was the basic food groups plan. It was way to difficult to measure everything and keep track of all of the different grams of everything I am intaking. My PCP has said to use South Beach instead. South Beach is so easy that it's painless to do. The trouble is that once I've lost the weight I want to go back to my old eating habits and the regain is always to a weight higher than I started out with. VSG will force me to make my food plan permanent.
I'm still doing it and have lost 25 lbs. so far. I'm getting a little bit worried that I'm going to loose too much and be below the allowed BMI guidelines for the surgery. If I get lower than 198 I will be in the overweight category and no longer in the obese category.
My PCP rocks! She has been so helpful and so supportive of everything I am having to go through. Not only with this diet but also with my other health issues. If you need a great PCP and you live near Gregory SD, drop me a note and I'll tell you her name.
Below is a list of all of my medical problems. I'm listing them here so that I can go back and evaluate what things may have improved by having the VSG surgery.
Fibromyalgia - Severe neck and shoulder pain
Sleep disorder - wake up 59 time per hour. No apnea
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - post CTS surgery. Nerve damage, pain,
weakness.
Osteoarthritis
Spondylosis C5-C6
Spondylolisthesis L3-L4
Spinal Stenosis L4-L5 (previous fusion surgery at this site)
Degenerative Disk Disease with two bulging disks
Degraded Facet Joints
Spondylolisthesis of L5-S1
Collagenous Colitis
Memory Loss of names, dates, numbers and words.
Depression - DUH!
Started out with a pain management specialist in Norfolk Ne but I hated him. Very mean, arrogant and condescending. Have met with new Pain doc and will continue to see him in Yankton, SD. He thinks that he may be able to help me with all of my pain but admits that I will be a challenge.
Eventually I am going to loose the use of my legs and further surgery is no longer an option. When that day comes that others will have to lift me and help me take care of my needs, I want to be as lite as possible. I do not want to add the humiliation of being fat to the humiliation of needing help. Less weight might help slow down the deterioration of my spine. At least that is my hope.
I'm still doing it and have lost 25 lbs. so far. I'm getting a little bit worried that I'm going to loose too much and be below the allowed BMI guidelines for the surgery. If I get lower than 198 I will be in the overweight category and no longer in the obese category.
My PCP rocks! She has been so helpful and so supportive of everything I am having to go through. Not only with this diet but also with my other health issues. If you need a great PCP and you live near Gregory SD, drop me a note and I'll tell you her name.
Below is a list of all of my medical problems. I'm listing them here so that I can go back and evaluate what things may have improved by having the VSG surgery.
Fibromyalgia - Severe neck and shoulder pain
Sleep disorder - wake up 59 time per hour. No apnea
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - post CTS surgery. Nerve damage, pain,
weakness.
Osteoarthritis
Spondylosis C5-C6
Spondylolisthesis L3-L4
Spinal Stenosis L4-L5 (previous fusion surgery at this site)
Degenerative Disk Disease with two bulging disks
Degraded Facet Joints
Spondylolisthesis of L5-S1
Collagenous Colitis
Memory Loss of names, dates, numbers and words.
Depression - DUH!
Started out with a pain management specialist in Norfolk Ne but I hated him. Very mean, arrogant and condescending. Have met with new Pain doc and will continue to see him in Yankton, SD. He thinks that he may be able to help me with all of my pain but admits that I will be a challenge.
Eventually I am going to loose the use of my legs and further surgery is no longer an option. When that day comes that others will have to lift me and help me take care of my needs, I want to be as lite as possible. I do not want to add the humiliation of being fat to the humiliation of needing help. Less weight might help slow down the deterioration of my spine. At least that is my hope.
A Decision
Feb 03, 2008
02/03/08
I have decided that I want the vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG). I have decided on this vs. the band because it seems to work better, is safer with less complications and doesn't require constant returns to the surgeon for fills. I should be able to take all of my current medications since there is no change in the way that foods, meds and fluids are processed in the body. In other words the meds. shouldn't cause any ulcers in the stomach. I know I will probably have to have a daily med for my GERD and to alleviate the stomach upset that my NSAIDS cause but I really can't imagine going without them. My pain from back problems and Fibro are wwwayyyy to bad to go without.
I also sent an email to my surgeon to see if she will do the VSG procedure. Looking forward to a reply. I hope she says yes, of course, but if she says no, I'll have to look for another doctor. I haven't been able to find one anywhere near home that does this procedure.
I have decided that I want the vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG). I have decided on this vs. the band because it seems to work better, is safer with less complications and doesn't require constant returns to the surgeon for fills. I should be able to take all of my current medications since there is no change in the way that foods, meds and fluids are processed in the body. In other words the meds. shouldn't cause any ulcers in the stomach. I know I will probably have to have a daily med for my GERD and to alleviate the stomach upset that my NSAIDS cause but I really can't imagine going without them. My pain from back problems and Fibro are wwwayyyy to bad to go without.
I also sent an email to my surgeon to see if she will do the VSG procedure. Looking forward to a reply. I hope she says yes, of course, but if she says no, I'll have to look for another doctor. I haven't been able to find one anywhere near home that does this procedure.
I have started
Jan 30, 2008
1/30/08 Called Every Woman Matters program to see if they will send me a new pedometer to replace the broken one they sent me last year. They will check with a supervisor and if okay they will mail it out or else they'll call me if they can't.
1/30/08 Called hospital to see about using pool. $10.00 per month, call before going in, have to sign waiver to use it. Easy peasy! Yeah!
1/25/08 Saw Dr Holland, PCP for first diet consult. She will refer me to see dietician. She talked about the food pyramid and eating colorful foods vs. colorless foods. She will let dietician set up diet plan. She wants me to walk and swim. Pedometer is broken. Need to call hospital to find out about using pool there.
1/14/08 Return e-mail saying yes! Need to see dietician, psych eval, and do a 6-month doctor supervised diet for Medicaid rules..
1/13/08 Sent e-mail to Dr McBrides office to enquire about getting precerted for WLS
1/13/08 Read that Medicaid now has to cover WLS.
1/2004 Moved to north central NE
10/2003 Denied for WLS by BCBS of NE
Dieting Struggles
1) Loss of hope from trying so many times.
2) Cost of healthy food.
3) Dislike of fruits and vegetables overall.
4) My boyfriend who can eat anything.
5) Too much free time due to being disabled.
6) Love to cook
7) Love to eat what I cook.
8) Love to eat out whenever possible.
9) Snacking due to boredom.
Reasons for WLS
1) To help prolong the length of time that I can still walk
2) To be as lite as possible when the day comes that I can no longer walk
3) Exercise some in spite of disablilites.
4) Health to avoid family history repeats.
5) I'd like to be treated more normal for once in my life.
6) For my family.
7) Normal sized clothes.
1/30/08 Called hospital to see about using pool. $10.00 per month, call before going in, have to sign waiver to use it. Easy peasy! Yeah!
1/25/08 Saw Dr Holland, PCP for first diet consult. She will refer me to see dietician. She talked about the food pyramid and eating colorful foods vs. colorless foods. She will let dietician set up diet plan. She wants me to walk and swim. Pedometer is broken. Need to call hospital to find out about using pool there.
1/14/08 Return e-mail saying yes! Need to see dietician, psych eval, and do a 6-month doctor supervised diet for Medicaid rules..
1/13/08 Sent e-mail to Dr McBrides office to enquire about getting precerted for WLS
1/13/08 Read that Medicaid now has to cover WLS.
1/2004 Moved to north central NE
10/2003 Denied for WLS by BCBS of NE
Dieting Struggles
1) Loss of hope from trying so many times.
2) Cost of healthy food.
3) Dislike of fruits and vegetables overall.
4) My boyfriend who can eat anything.
5) Too much free time due to being disabled.
6) Love to cook
7) Love to eat what I cook.
8) Love to eat out whenever possible.
9) Snacking due to boredom.
Reasons for WLS
1) To help prolong the length of time that I can still walk
2) To be as lite as possible when the day comes that I can no longer walk
3) Exercise some in spite of disablilites.
4) Health to avoid family history repeats.
5) I'd like to be treated more normal for once in my life.
6) For my family.
7) Normal sized clothes.
