ogradysc

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

Didn't realize I hadn't posted in so long.  It's been a long journey in only 7 plus months.  I'm doing well.  I've lost right at 80 lbs.  Can't complain about that!!  I've struggled a lot with nausea and feel like there are only a handful of things I can eat without feeling terrible afterwards.  At my 6 month checkup, my doctor suggested trying OTC antacid like Prevacid.  It worked wonderfully.  So, I probably am having ulcer problems.  Gotta call them and ask what to do long term about that I suppose!! 

Anyway, just wanted to update everyone.  It's going well.  I get comments almost daily about the weight loss.  It's awkward and I don't tell everyone I had surgery.  MOst of the time I do but some people are just too nosey!!  LOL 

I hope you are all doing well!  Can't wait to go read and catch up with some of you all!

cmo

I am in a major stall.  It's so depressing.  I haven't lost weight in 12 days.  yesterday I started logging my water, calories and protein again.  I do struggle with the protein...I'm usually at about 50 grams instead of the 60-70.  I'm hoping that it will kickstart itself again soon.  I'm feeling much better.  I haven't had any dumping for a couple of weeks and seem to have moved past that a bit.  I think my stomach is very sensitive...bummer!  LOL  I took a picture, well, my 5 year old took it for me.  It's not hte best angle but it's my 2 month pic and it's the same outfit.  My face is noticably thinner.  I've had several comments lately that people can notice I'm losing weight.  I'm still uncomfortable with telling people I've had surgery.  I work part time at a youth center (daycare) at a gym.  I really feel awkward discussing it there!!!  I don't feel I'm lying but stretching the truth a bit with the whole "really watching what I'm eating and getting more exercise" routine.  I can't imagine how I'll handle it when I get to like 100 lbs lost!!!  I've started taking most of my vitamins in pill form.  It's just so much easier for me.  I don't have any trouble with the pills and I was really struggling with getting the chewables in.  I got all my labwork done at my 2 month appt.  I am still struggling with getting my hemaglobin back up and many of my red and white blood cells counts are low but they said it's because two months isn't long enough for my body to build it back up...I had complications after surgery from the blood thinners and ended up losing a lot of blood and had to have a transfusion.  My hemaglobin got down to about a 7 or 8...after the transfusion it was at a 10 and now it's 11.1....12 is the bottom range of normal.  So, that explains why a simple cold wipes me out and why I still get extremely tired and fatigued easily.  That is soooo unlike me.  Even before surgery I was in pretty good cardio shape.  I never got winded and could do almost anything.  I've struggled since with going from out basement to the second level of our house at the same time.  I feel better that the blood tests show it's not my fault though . Everything else looked okay, my good cholesterol was a little low and my b !2 was a little high.  I get it done again in May at my six month mark.  Maybe I can be down another 40 by then...assuming I ever get over this stall!!!  Thanks~

I've lost 30 lbs on the dot.  I'm pretty happy with that but it's like I can just now fit comfortably in my fat clothes again! LOL  I can't wait to lose the next 30 and maybe fit into some of my "skinnier" clothes.  I haven't been below 200 in over 10 years and even then it was for about 6 months.  Anyway, I'm feeling better. I'm having a very hard time with the calcium chews from Bariatric Advantage.  They are just so nasty.  I need to go find a different kind.  I just wish I could take them in pill form.  I take several pills a day and they aren't bothering me at all.   My energy level seems to be about back to normal.  I still get tired easily.  I think having to have a blood transfusion after surgery sort of set me back a little more than usual.   I still get sick and throw up every couple of days.  I think when I got the go ahead to add more foods in that I might have taken it too far.  I still only do soft foods but it's like it's harder to monitor how much I'm getting.  I'm taking a step back and focusing on foods I know I was tolerating before. I'd like to not throw up for a few weeks!!  Eggs are out. I am not sure I will ever eat eggs again.  They were fine the first week but since then I can't keep them down ever.  So gross!!  I'm sick of water and am so glad I can have some decaf tea and coffee now.  I am also adding about half a pack of flavor to the water to flavor it a bit.  IT's amazing how nasty water can taste.  I used to drink 120+ ounces a day and loved it.  I struggle now to not gag  a lot of times.  I am getting my 64 oz in easily though.  I guess that's about it.  I've had several people say they can notice the weight loss but the ALL say they see it in my face.  That's nice I suppose.  I can't wait to lose some more in the body and notice it more in my clothing!!  I will probably update again at my 2 month mark (January 3rd) and maybe brave a photo at that time!  We'll have to wait and see!!  Take care and have a great Holiday season!!

I'm feeling so much better now.  I am almost back to my old self.  I had a little dumping over Thanksgiving.  Silly me, I took one bite, just one bite, of a dinner roll.  I threw it up and was right back to normal!  LOL  I'm slowly getting back up to speed with the exercise.  The shakes are making me feel icky afterwards but they taste good.  Just a little annoying to feel bad after.  I'm down 23 lbs.  I have only lost .5 lbs in the last week.  I'm not too concerned, just a little disappointed.  I'm happy with 23 lbs in a month.  I just know it will slow down so I was really hoping to bust out some big numbers these first few weeks!  LOL  Plus, when I started the Wii Fit again recently it said I had gained 7 lbs from the last time I was on....like back in January.  Guess I gained a lot of weight this year.  I'm going in the right direction now.  I am craving something warm and crunchy.  I'm tired of cold food but haven't really tolerated any meats too well.  I can get them down but then I feel like I'm burping them up the rest of the day.  Cottage cheese is my fave and I can't get enough of it still.  I can't wait for something warm and yummy...it's winter and that's my comfort food I guess!! 

Well, it's been a tough two weeks but I feel like I might be putting the negative behind me.  I'm still skeptical though.  I had a problem with the blood thinners and was readmitted when I was five days out.  I had to get two blood transfusions.  Not fun and it has made me very weak.  However, I'm feeling much better.  My big incision is healing weird and kind of feels odd but nothing is hurting anymore....I'll take that.  Our surgeons office starts us on soft food one week out from surgery.  So, I've had a week of soft foods.  Started out with just one a day until you tried four different foods and then it was having any combo of them twice a day.  At two weeks out I'm at three small meals a day of soft protein.  Basically, I eat eggs, cottage cheese, babybel cheese, refried beans and deli lunch meat.  I also have two protein shakes a day.  I love them.  I use the Amplify brand from GNC.  A little soy milk, some ice and YUM!!!  I can drink an 8 oz one with no problem.  So, I'm getting there.  I'm still extremely weak and can't match the cardio I was doing before.  I'm hoping to get back up to par soon.  I'm down 17 lbs (and that's with my period starting yesterday).  Can't complain about that.  I hope to notice it soon.  I still don't feel like I've lost any but when you're used to only wearing baggy, loose fitting clothes it's hard to notice them feeling different.   I will try to update again around the one month mark!!!  Thanks.

I'm still feeling pretty icky.  I think pain meds really mess with me.  Yet, I'm still hurting so I need to keep taking them.  I am a little light-headed when I'm up for very long and still get queasy.  I am sleeping better though.  That's nice!  I'm having some crazy vivid dreams though...weird!  My daughter has a soccer game tonight and I'm really hoping to make it.  I'm off to take a shower, clean a couple of my wounds and do my Lovenox injection.  good times, good times.

Today is day 2 of my liquid diet.  I have surgery tomorrow at 10:00 am.  I'm a little nervous but more anxious to get past this part and just start living the new life.  I haven't told many people.  I'm hoping it'll be easier to tell people afterwards.  Guess we'll see how that one goes.  I'm loving the sf popsicles and think they're a Godsend already.   I'll be back to post afterwards!!!

Hello.  I'm Candice.  I'm a stay-at-home mom to three kids.  I've been happily married for almost 15 years.  My kids are 10, 7 and 5.  My middle child was diagnosed with Autism just before his second birthday.  We've had a lot of ups and downs but overall we are a very happy, loving family.  I'm now going to put myself first.  Being a mom, that's very hard.  I've been very involved in my son's treatments and I've totally forgotten how to take care of myself.  I'm going to struggle and it's going to be hard....but I'm going to make it.  Here's where I am...

April 15th, 2009 - went to the seminar.  I listened to Dr. Hoehn and a lot of prior patients speak.  It was very enlightening and very encouraging.  I've wanted to do this for a while but was hesitant because of my family.  I just didn't know how to do something for myself...especially something of this magnitude. 

April 16th, 2009 - turned all the paperwork in to the office.  I had to order my five year medical history from my pcp.  That was delivered to them the next week. 

Now, the first part of the waiting game started.  I eventually got my little blue postcard telling me to schedule an appt with the Dietician and the Psychologist. 

July 10, 2009 - my birthday by the way - I met with the dietician.  I got the booklet and info.  After this appt, I decided to stop drinking my soda and to get off of caffeine.  I figured the more changes I could make before surgery then the fewer hurdles I'd have afterwards.  I also started taking all the vitamins. 

July 11, 2009 - I met with Dr. Sabapathy for the first time. He rocks!  He decided to submit my paperwork for authorization. 

July 22, 2009 - Authorization was recieved
July 23, 2009 - Did the psych evaluation paper testing
July 24, 2009 - Followed up with Dr. Sabapathy about the results of my testing.  We also scheduled multiple follow-up visits.

Another waiting period...

September 01, 1009 - Information was all submitted to insurance - more waiting
Sept 08, 2009 - Made appts for cardio and pulmonary clearance - these are in early October
Sept 09, 2009 - needed more info from five years ago and insurance requested a weight check. it was submitted Sept 10th.

Sept 17, 2009 - received letter in mail from insurance that I was approved...about ten minutes later I got a call from Dr. Hoehn's office scheduling the first appt with him on October 12th!!!!!

Woo Hoo - I know it's not a surgery date but I've been told they're usually six weeks after the meeting with the surgeon.   I will already have cardio and pulmonary appts done by the 12th.  I can't wait to get a date.  I think it will be right around Thanksgiving.  I'd rather it be when my kids are still in school...just to give me some peace and quiet for part of the day when recovering. 

Hopefully, I'll be back soon with more updates!  I'd love to get a group of women for a support group.  If any of you KC ladies are interested then please contact me!!! 


October 12, 2009 - I had my first meeting with Dr. Hoehn today.  I was there forever but thankfully I had my sons DS with me so I was entertained!  LOL  Everything looks good and I'm on the books with a surgery date of November 3rd.  That's 3 weeks from tomorrow!  Wow!!  I have to have the EGD on the 22nd, and some preop labwork but that's all that's left.  I'm nervous now but excited also!!!