Tealrose
I weigh 308, my Internist has suggested GB surgery. I have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholestrol, high triglycerides, sleep apnea, neuropathy in my feet. I am very afraid of surgery. I know someone who had surgery and did well. She used Dr. Steve Weinstein. My brother had another kind of surgery and has spoken with Dr. Chris Dyas about GB surgery as he is over 300 also. He like Dr. Dyas. She loved Dr. Weinstein. Just needed to vent. I have some people who have been "after" me to check into the surgery and then others who say, "Why can't you make those changes that you would have to make after surgery, now?" I am really confused. Needs lots of prayer. 
7/29/04
Called and made a consult appointment with Dr. Weinstein for August 17. Called my Internist to have documented 5 year weight and health issues sent to Dr. Weinstein. The medical records person, Lee Ann was very nice and helpful. I have mixed feeling about the appointment. I am very nervous about the thoughts of having major surgery, but am exicted at the thought of being healthy, walking up stairs without feeling like my chest is going to explode, being able to sleep in a bed all night instead of a recliner most of the night, not having to take 9 pills a day, etc...etc...etc...I could go on and on. Oh yeah and being able to buy cloths that are not the largest in the "specialty" shops! Not to worry about breaking a chair!! Being able to play on the floor with my 2 year old grandson! Being a good example for my daughter!!! I'll stop for now! Will update as it happens!
8/06/04
Well, I'm waiting on my appointment with Dr. Weinstein on the 17th. I called my internist to make an appointment to talk with him again. He's the one who recommended the surgery in the first place. I feel I need to talk to him a little more. I will need a release from him for surgery anyway. The first appointment that I could get (a work-in) is the day before my surgery consult! :) I hope his records person has already gotten my paperwork together before then. I need to see my records myself to see what I weighed when so that I can come up with the diet info that I need. I do not remember exact weight and dates! I've been really excited about the possibility of being well again. but I have had some real anxiety for the past few days. I just realized that I haven't been on AMOS in a few days. I does help to hear the positive feedback and even the negative to help me with my decision. I think that if the doctor and insurance give the go ahead I am probably going to have the surgery, but I haven't totally made up my mind. I guess I will quit for now, because I seem to be rattingling on and on... Be back when I have more info or when I need to vent again.. :)
08/17/2004 I had my consult with Dr. Weinstein today. I love him! He is such a positive Dr. He has a terrific "bedside manner." He made my DH feel very welcome to the consult. He said the more family is on board the better. He stressed support groups and this website! He has never personally been on-line, but has heard good things about it. He does promote it.
He said with my BMI (49.8) and co-morbidities (diabetes, sleep apnea, neuropathy, high blood pressure, cholestrol and tryglycerides, lower back pain, etc....) he didn't think I would have a hard time getting insurance approval. The woman who explained the money, etc...,Carol was great! She said the most important thing for me to do now is to get the diet info form completed, showing the things I have done for the last 5 years to lose weight. She said BC/BS has really gotten tough on that part. They want to make sure you have exhausted all options!!! It is gong to be tough to remember what I've done, how much I lost and gained and the dates!!!
Once I get that completed and returned to the person who files insurance and does paperwork, Mary (who only works on Tuesday and Wednesday), she will get it filed and when we get the okay (I 'm being very positive) they will set me up for the BEGIN program through Mobile Infirmary and schedule my surgery!
I saw my PCP yesterday and he said he will do whatever I need him to do to help and said that he will take me off the 500 plus dollars a month worth of medicine after my surgery and re-evaluate in 3 months!!! YAY!!
Can you tell I am excited!!!! I hope I can stay this way. When I was able to get a consult in 3 weeks with Dr. Weinstein I felt that God is in my corner on this!!
08/25/2004
I finallly sent the diet info to Dr. Weinstein's office yesterday. MAry was not in. They said she will be in today. I called and spoke to her this afternoon to make sure she got my fax. She said my file was in her stack of todos. I asked her to look at my diet info and tell me if it was okay. She looked at my file, said the diet info looked good and she said everything looked good. I got the distinct impression she thought my insurance company would okay. That may just be wishful thinking, but I am trying to be positive at this pint.
08/29/2004 I made the mistake of looking at the memorial page. I let it get to me when I read the profile of Stephany W. from Mobile who died on March 22, just 5 days after her last ppost that was very positive. She was losing and seemed really happy. I posted to the Alabama Board and got some responses that made me feel better. I have always known that there is a chance that you can die with this surgery, but I guess I thought someone who was two months outo and had not problems and was losing weight was out of the woods. It has made me realize that you are never "out of the woods" when it comes to your health after being morbidly obese and having medical problems. I just had to look at this surgery that it is the best tool out there for me at this time. I will have to work at weight loss and good health. It will just be a tool to give me a jump start on the first pounds coming off more quickly. I also went onthe spouses of WLS and read a post about a man and woman who really love each other. He is twenty years old and over 700 lbs and she is taking care of him and waiting for approval from medicaid, Please Lord Jesus move the hearts of the person or persons who will be reviewing his file to approve this surgery if You think it is the right thing for him. Thank you Lord Jesus for all you have given me and all you have not. You know what I need and I place my life in your hands. I pray that at this time it will be WLS and that you will guide me to use it as the tool that it is meant to be. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit!! Amen!! Until next time, Christ's peace to all.
09/07/4 have a 10:00 appt with Dr. Weinstein to schedule surgery, take my test on WLS, and start the BEGIN program.
I did not expect the feelings I am having. I can't explain. I have been very emotional. Just kinda moody!! This is really weird because I am excited about surgery.
Back from the doctor. My surgery is scheduled for 10/11/04 Mike's (my brother) birthday!! I have to go on the 14th to a pulmonary dr. (Gewin) and to MIMC for an ultrasound of my tummy and a upper GI series.
I went to the BEGIN class and I think it would be a good idea for everyone to have to go through this kind of a test. There were two people there with me. One who is having her surgery on e 27th and she was shocked by what she could and could not have after surgery. A woman in the doctor's office had surgery in April or May and has lost 61 lbs and said she did not know that there were things you would not be able to eat after surgery. She knew you had to eat smaller amounts but thought you could have whatever you want!
Another woman I met has been out 18 months and has lost 190lb and is happy with her size. she said she is not still losing weight, but is constantly loosing inches and her body is rearranging itself. She said she would do it again in a heartbeat. Even with going BALD on top and having the nausea etc afterwards. She said she can even drink liquor now. She looked at Richard (my husband) and said don't feel left out, there's something in this for you too!!! LOL
In the BEGIN program they talked alot about why we have to take it a little at a time - just like a baby starting with formula and moving into a little baby food and then adding more and more until they can have solids. Even when we get to solids we have to make sure we take small bites and chew uptil it is like puree because even though our stomach can stretch back out, the opening into the small intestines does not get any bigger.
She said we should talk to our families about how we THINK we may feel after surgery as far as having food that we can not eat brought in or if we would rather they go out to eat it, especially fast food. I tried to talk to my 25 year old son who has recently moved back home due to financial problems and he freaked and said "I didn't know I would have to sacrifice!! I don't like the idea of this surgery any way and I have a back feeling." I yelled at him and told him I did not want to hear about his negative feelings. It hurt alot that he is not willing to sacrafice for me. I have had some fearful feelings and I do not want to hear other's negative feelings. I need positive reinforcement. He is not wanting to be put out, even though we are being put out by him moving back in!! I did not raise him that way.
I am going to go, my wonderful husband has cooked dinner and it is ready!! See you next time I have an update.
09/14/04
What a day! A hurricane, Ivan to be exact is on the way to Mobile, Alabama a category 5 or 4!! I have a 10:30 appointment at MIMC for an upper GI and a ultrasound on mytummy and then a 2:40 appointment for a chst xray and blood work at Dr. Gewin, Pulmonary Doctor, at Mobile Diagnostics!!
Husband Richard, and son, Ricky are preparing mother-in-law and our homes for Ivan.
Well I( am back fom a grueling day! I went for upper GI and ultra sound. I heard someone say the ultasound hurt her and I didn't understand. Now I do! He had to push so hard around the ribs to get through the fat I guess. He was really nice and kept apoloizing for hurting me. Then on to the Upper GI. Had to swallow something the young lady said was like alka seltzer, more like pop rocks. I was supposed to throw them to the back of my throat and drink a full cup of water and not burp!! That didn't work. There was not enough room to hold my head back and lift my arm high enough, so they ended up under my tongue, yuck! But I did manage to drink the water and get them down! And I DID NOT burp! I then had to crawl up on the stainles steel table, a job in itself and the radiologist told me to lay on my back, and roll slowly to the left side, stomach,and then right side, TWICE!!! That was to coat my stomach with the barium (I don't remember swallowing). I was told at the beginning that I would do the pop rocks thing, a thick vanilla flavored "shake" that would leave a chalky taste in my mouth (the barium) and then a strawberry flavored drink that would be the consistency of a McDonald's shake (thinner). Well after they took shots of me from every possible side and back angle, the radiologist told me to lay flat on my stomach (an oxymoron)! If I could lie FLAT on my stomach I wouldn't need WLS! LOL While I was lieing not flat on my stomach with this xray machine pressing down on top of me I was told to take two drinks of this liquid (THE STRAWBERRY "SHAKE")! I could not get the cup and straw to my mouth!! The assistant who had jumped out of the way had to push the cup and straw up to my mouth and after two drinks I was told it was over. YAY!!! (I sure hope I drank the barium or if I didn't, I didn't need to!!! I DO NOT WANT TO GO BACK!!!
By this time it was 12:30 so I went to get something to eat. I was able to go to Dr. Gewins a little early because of hurricane cancellations. They did ekg, chest xray and blood work. I was there until 4:45. One funny thing, the girl out front wrote up the orders for the lab (from Dr. Weinstein's orders) as I completed the paperwork about my medical history. After I spoke with Dr. Gewin, who was wonderful. He has to be the kindest, gentlest dr. I have every had the pleasure to deal with. Anyway, he had his nurse come in and make sure they had everything they needed and she looked wiped out. It was a mad house there, with people calling about medications, etc due to the hurricane. They had a harried day to say the least. I was there for four hours and watched most of it. Anyway she looked at me with a perplexed look on her face and said, "Have you had a hysterectomy?" I responded, "yes." She said, "well we did a pregnancy test on you!" I said, "I hope it comes back negative!" We just laughed about it. It has been a crazy day and I am glad to be home. My Mother in law is on her way over to stay with us since she lives in a mobile home! Everybody stay safe. Seeyou after Ivan.
11/03/04
I know it has been a while since I updated, but I did type all the details of my surgery about a week and a half ago and when I went to send it, it was lost!! :-( I am going to try again.
I had a "restaurant tour" for the last few weeks before my surgery. I tried hard to go easy the last week and was successful a few days, but ended up the day before when I was supposed to eat light at Olive Garden. I had two plates of salad, one bowl of pasta fagoli soup and about 4 bread sticks. (nono)I had to take my Citrate of Magnesium at 6:30 p.m. I ended up eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich just before I took it. It definitely cleaned me out. I was up most of the night going to the bathroom.
I went to the hospital at 5:00 a.m. on Monday,October 11, 2004. I was taken back to a room in the as soon as I was checked in. My DH and son took me, but my son had to be at work at 6:00 a.m. He just started a new job so he could not stay. I was weighed in at 309 lbs and then taken to my room and given a hospital gown and booties to put on. I thought I still had to go to the bathroom so I tried a couple of times and could not go anymore, so I guess I was clean.
My mother-in-law and my daughter and her 27 month old son came to my room and stayed with me and DH until I had my IV and shot. Dr. Weinstein came in and said everything was a go for laproscopic Gastric Bypass RNY. He left and my family kissed me and I told them I would see them in a little while. I wasn't really nervous. I was excited about getting started.
Well, the next thing I know, I was awakened with a start! I remember them telling me that my blood pressure was really low and they were trying to get it back up. I was hurting like hell! They had to do open due to really bad adhesions on my lower intestines. My DH, when I woke up again, told me that they started the lap and that my liver was very enlarged and they were able to work around that (you pre-ops watch what you eat that week before and do what the doctor tells you to do). I know it had to be the bread and stuff I ate the day before. Well once they got past the large liver, they went on to the second part of the surgery and everything was fine until they went to attach the lower intestines and found the severe adhesions. I had had a hysterectomy and and other previous female surgery so I guess that is where the adhesions came from. Boy was I mad!!! I had no idea that there was a possibility of me having open. The doctor had said he would it laproscopically and I was so convinced that this really threw me for a loop. Be prepared for anything. I knew the kind of complications that could happen, but I was so convinced that everything was going to go great with me, I was just not prepared.
I stayed in the recovery room until Tuesday later in the day. They took me down that morning for an upper GI to make sure there were no leaks and there weren't!! Hallelluia!! I was still in a lot of pain and very unhappy.
I ended up staying in the hospital until Saturday afternoon. They had to put me on an anti-anxiety medication and my anti-depressants that I had weaned myself off of over the last three weeks. I was really depressed ad was having a hard time sleeping. The bed was really uncomfortable and I was still miserable. I never did see Dr. Weinstein in the hospital, just his partners, Dr. Snow, Dr. Ringold and another one. My PCP does not do hospitals, so I saw his partner and because my sugars were over 200, they were giving me insulin. I had a morphine pump and I pushed it as often as I could think about it. When I was in the recovery room, one of the male nurses was teasing me about the fact that in one hour I had pushed it 120 times and it only gave meds 4 times. My incision is from under the middle of my breasts down around my navel, where my incision from my hysterectomy starts. I am now cut from top to bottom, but I am feeling much better about things now.
When I came home on Saturday afternoon, DH asked if I wanted to stop at Wal-Mart to get my pain medicine filled or if I wanted to go home and let him go back. I decided on the latter. It was just before 6:00 and DH said they close at 8:00 - WRONG!!! They closed at 6:00, so there was no pain medicine!!! I took Motrin, but it didn't touch the pain! I was up most of the night. The pharmacy opened back up at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday morning and DH was there when they opened. The then told him that the Dr. had written the prescription for name brand only (liquid loritab) and all they had was generic. They had to contact the Dr. and that took some time, but they finally got the pain medicine and the anti-anxiety (which at that point I needed badly!!!)
I could not afford to get the anti-depressant and diabetes medicine filled until I was paid on Friday of the next week, so my depression was horrible!! I am finally feeling better now since I have been taking it for two weeks. I am on Effexor XR and was taking 150 mgs before surgery. They started me on 75 mgs in the hospital that I take in two 37.5 mg apsules that are not too big. The 75 and 150 mgs are too, too big!! A prescription for 60 pills a month is $210 and the diabetes medicine, Actos 45 mg is $164 - there went the paycheck!!
I haven't checked my sugars in about a week, but they were still running high. I am waiting for payday to be able to buy some more test strips so that I can keep up with it better. I hope it goes down soon. It should with the way I am eating. I am not walking like I should. I have been really tired. I also have not started my vitamins yet. The old money thing again. My husband has been out of work for a while, just doing some commission stuff and the pay is far and between. The good news is he started a new job this Monday!!!!!!!!! He is so relieved and so am I. It has been a long road and too long a story to go into, just suffice it to say that God does answer prayers. It is all in His time, not ours.
I am going to get on vitamins when I get paid on Friday. I don't look forward to it. I don't do good with tastes of medicines. The liquid loritab has just about done me in. I have had to continue taking it because of neuropathy (nerve damage with severe pain) in my feet. The medicine that I have always taken for that is also too big to swallow. I tried cutting them in quarters, but it got stuck in my throat. It was too jagged and tasted awful. It came right back up. I am such a baby!!!
I was supposed to call the Dr. on Monday after I left the hospital to see Dr. Weinstein. He is only in on Tuesdays and they said he would not be in the next day, so I would have to see Dr. Hannon on Wednesday. I was so mad again. I still had not seen my own Dr. and I wasn't going to see him for my one week check up. I had a lot of questions that only he could answer since he was the one who actually did the surgery!! Dr. Hannon was really nice. I liked him, but he was just checking me out and I still need to talk to Dr. Weinstein. He told me to come back in three weeks. I made an appointment with Dr. Weinstein for Tuesday, November 9th. I did find out from Dr. Hannon that Dr. Weinstein was not in on Tuesday, because they went on a new computer system and he could not see patients. They were having a training day on Tuesday. Oh yeah, I also weighed 308.5lbs. I had only lost 1/2 lb in that first week and the Dr. had said I could expect to lose 10 to 20 lbs the first week!!! Dr. Hannon said it was probably because of all the fluids they had to give me after surgery. I also had to have two pints of blood on the Friday after surgery before I could leave on Saturday. I was really upset about not losing any weight, but I still knew that I had done the right thing and that it would work, even if it was slower for me at first.
I do not have my own scale. Sunday, I had to get a bulk mail of 600 newsletters labled and ready to mail and took them to my office and left them for my boss to mail the next day. DH asked if I wanted to go to the Winn Dixie to weigh. The store we always shopped at when we lived in W. Mobile had a scale. Well we went to the one by the office downtown and they did not have a scale so we left and ended up driving all the way to W. Mobile to the store we used to shop at to weight and I weighed 291lbs. I had lost 17.5 lbs. My DH said that is great, but I thought I should have lost more. I feel like I lost more. I know I have lost a lot of inches. I can feel it. I can't tell how many, because I forgot to take my measurements before surgery!! I really overdid it on Sunday. We were gone for three hours and I walked around two grocery stores and when I got home, I could hardly walk and I was hurting really bad. Just sore all over!! I was so weak. DH had to put me to bed for a while. I then got up and took some pain medicine and that helped. I had to call my daughter and tell her to wait to bring my grandson over for Trick or Treat until I felt better. I ended up not seeing him until 8:45. He was so cute. He was a cowboy and he came in with his gun and horsey and was shooting the "spookies". He came in and got his treat from us and sat in Paw Paw's lap and fell asleep. He was exhausted. I really enjoyed seeing him. I can't wait until I have this weight off so that I can play with him more!!
I had planned on going back to work two weeks after surgery, but have to wait until I go for my 4 wk checkup on the 9th. I guess I will go back the next day on the 10th. I can't wait! I am so tired of sitting around this house. We only have one car at the moment, so I am stranded!!
I guess I have complained enough, but I will say that everyday is getting better than the next and the reason I have had such a hard time is because I did not try to get into better shape before the surgery, I ate the wrong things the week before and having the depression problems and going so long without the medication just added to the depression that I have heard can go along with the beginning of this surgery.
I am so happy that I had this surgery and I know it is going to save my life. I would do it over again, even with everything I know, but I would do a few things different before surgery if I had it to do over again.
I do not want to discourage any of you pre-ops!! That is one reason I had waited to post to my profile. I wanted to be honest, but the mood that I was in I was afraid I would be too negative. I also just didn't feel like it because of the depression. Say some prayers for me that the blood sugars will go down soon and the depression will be controlled with the dosage that I am on. It will break me if I have to take 4 pills a day. We are talking $500 just for anti depressants. After I go and see my surgeon on Tuesday, I will make an appointment with my PCP to get my other meds under control. Oh yeah, I am going to ask for a B12 shot too!!
See you next time!!
12/28/04
Well I haven't updated my profile in a long time. I get on the Bama Board and lurk around and respond sometimes and it seems I just run out of time. I am having a hard time eating and drinking. I am supposed to be able to have almost anything at this stage, as long as I chew to pureed stage. I think that is part of my problem. My teeth are in horrible shape and I have to chew on my front teeth which is a permanent bridge. It's hard to chew really well with your front teeth. The back ones are in bad shape. The good news is DH got a job after being out of work (except for some straight commission jobs) since we lost our business 7 years ago. He had his own insurance now, so I can afford dental insurance. It begins the first of the year and I will get started on what needs to be done to my teeth! I hope that will help. I have a 3 month follow up appointment on January 11 so I guess I will find out if anything is wrong then. I tried to eat some Tilapia tonight with instant mashed potatoes and ended up barfing! I barfed over and over last night after eating peanuts while sitting at the computer. I thought I had chewed them, but I ended up feeling something stuck in my chest. I tried drinking hot chocolate (usually hot drinks help) and I threw it up. I threw up so much my throat and my tummy hurt this morning. I am fed up with not being able to eat anything.. Everything I tolerate seems to be sweet, pudding, yogurt, hot chocolate, popsicles etc. I crave salt and I end up screwing up and eating something I shouldn't. I can tolerate cheese with a couple of saltine crackers. Small bites of each and they seem to melt together. I know this surgery is what I needed to save my life and it did save my life - no longer on diabetes meds or blood pressure meds, meds for neuropathy, high cholestrol, etc... I am still taking effexor xr my anti depressants. I just hope and pray that I will be able to eat real food again some day!! Guess I will go, it is late. Will try to post sooner next time
01/08/2005
HAPPY NEW YEAR!! It really will be a happy new year for me now. I finally went to the Dr. for my three month check up on the 4th and he said it sounded like I had a narrowing and made an appointment for the 18th with Dr. Kirby (gastro dr. I had been having such a hard time, I didn't think I could wait and my DH recommended I call and ask if they had an earlier appt. Well the receptionist said that was the earliest and I asked if they had a cancellation list I could be put on because I couldn't hold food down! She said I could talk to the nurse. Got the nurse's (Gaye) voice mail and she called back later. She said it usually takes 6 weeks to get in. I asked her about a cancellation list and she paused and said, well it looks like someone has cancelled for Thursday, the 6th!!! God is good!! I went in and Dr. Kirby explained the different things that can happen after RNY like ulcers on other side of outlet, kink in middle intestines, stricture (narrowing) or opening to stomach. He said some other things I don't remember, but thought I probably had a stricture. He had his nurse schedule me for next day, Friday the 7th (yesterday) and there was nothing to it. I had to be NPO after midnight and be at the hospital at 8:30 am that morning. I did all that and it was 11:00 before they called me back. Once back there the nurse said I could just take my top off and leave everything below the waist and my bra on. Whatever made me comfortable and put on a gown. I did have to ask for a larger gown! :( I can't wait until I don't have to do that again. He put an IV in my arm (didn't even feel it!) I laid on the bed and was rolled into another room where I was hooked up to heart monitor, etc. My blood pressure was only 121/71, heart rate 65 and 100% on oxygen level - he (the nurse) said you look good on paper! lol The Dr. came in (he is great!)and said they were running so far behind, everyone that morning had polyps or some kind of complication. I told him that I was going to be he first that didn't! and I was right. He told me who my nurse was going to be Tamara (that is one of my younger twin sister's name, the other is Tracy) don't know why I had to tell that, I guess old habits of trying to be equal with both of them die hard!! lol Anyway the nurse came in and gave me demerol and valium via IV and I was flying high she sprayed the back of my throat with something like Chloroseptic (sp) that numbed it, they put a mouth guard in my mouth, dr. Kirby came in and he put the scope down my throat and apparently inflated a baloon on the end of the scope and stretched my outlet from my pouch from 3 (nothing was getting through) to 12, normal is 15 (cm or mm I'm not sure which, duh!!) He told me afterward that he didn't want to stretch more for fear of undoing my surgery. I am to check back with him in a couple of weeks and he may have to do it one more time or sometimes he says it take several times. He said it does tear when he stretches it so to stay with soft food for a little while and then move on when I felt I could. They then sent me to the recovery room where they had to keep me 30 minutes until they were sure I was okay (awake, etc....) My DH took off work to take me. It took them another 30 minutes to get someone to wheel me to the door where our car was, but no DH (he came walking up) he was asking where I was!! :-) The whole procedure did not hurt at all. I have had no pain! My throat is a little sore, kind of like when you yell too much at a game or something. I came home and ate a scrambled egg!! It was so good. I got a bottle of water on the way home and could actually drink it! I felt normal. I thought I would never feel that way again. I had convinced myself that whatever was wrong was my fault and I was going to have to live that way the rest of my life. I was still glad I had the surgery even then because I have lost 59lbs in three months (it will be on the 11th! This morning I was able to take all four of my antidepressent capsules (taking 4 because the dosage I take comes in a horse size capsule and four tiny ones will go down) with no problem, I at a slice of bacon and about 2 tbsps of scrambled eggs and grits and it was soooooo good. It stayed down and everything!! I slept late so I did not eat lunch. My stomach has been rumbling like everyone else on the board says theirs does and mine never did (nothing was getting through!!)! I had a little loose bowels so when DH and son went to get something to eat, I was afraid to and they kept asking what I wanted and I got so confused on what to eat because I am supposed to stay with soft and I want real food (pity party) so I told them to go by themselves. I cried some after they left (pity party). I did not eat until a while after they got back and I ate a piece of colby/jack cheese and two saltines. I let them melt in my mouth and then a sugarfree cookie (wafer that melts in mouth - they are so sweet!!!) I HAVE GOT TO QUIT FEELING SORRY FOR MYSELF AND FEELING LIKE I AM A PAIN TO DH AND SON WHEN THEY ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT "WE" CAN EAT!! Will go now, I didn't mean to go on and on. IF ANYONE WHO IS READING THIS IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH SWALLOWING, HAVING A STUCK FEELING ALL OR MOST OF THE TIME, GO TO YOUR DOCTOR. IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT!!! Oh I forgot one of the things that Dr.Kirby says can happen after WLS is your brain says "things are not normal so it tells you to be nauseous and not to eat, etc..." Now that is right after surgery and usually passes pretty quickly, but mine started really bad after about 1 to 1 1/2 months which usually means a stricture when the scar tissue gets to large and blocks the opening.
March 5, 2005
I haven't updated in a while so since it is 1:51 a.m. and I am on line and can't seem to sleep, I thought I would update. It has been almost 5 months since my WLS and I have lost a total of 79 lbs. I don't know how many inches because I never measured myself. I have gone from a size 30/32 top (getting close to being too tight) and a size 26/28 bottoms to a size 22/24 or 2X in regular department stores (not the Avenue or Lane Bryant)!!! and a size 18/20 in pants or XL in regular misses department.
I have had 4 egd's altogether. The first one I told you about above, was on January 7, 2005. The next one was on Janaury 28, 2005. The next one was on February 16, 2005 and the last one was on February 28, 2005. One January 28 Dr. Kirby was able to stretch my outlet from pouch to 15mm, the size it is supposed to be, but it didn't last. Within two weeks I HAD to have another one. I was dehydrated so badly when I wentin on February 16 that they couldn't find a vein for the IV right away. She finally found one in my right arm, elbow crease and it started to get a bubble and she lost it. The nurse called in her nurse manager to try and she found one on my left forearm and boy did it hurt going in. She said I was dehydrated and my veins were deep. Dr. Kirby was out of town and his partner Dr. Orleans did the egd this time. When I asked how large the opening was when he went in, he held up his hand and showed me a hole about the size of a regular pencil eraser. He gave me some Aciphex and told me to take one everyday and to reschedule in 7 to 10 days. I called Dr. Kirby's office and they got me scheduled for another egd on February 25. Dr. Kirby said he stretched it all the way to 18mm. He said he normally doesn't stretch them that large, but most people do not need more than three egd's so he was hoping that in stretching it to 18, it would not shrink smaller than 15. I pray he is right. The BAMA BOARD have been great. They have been praying for me, as have my family, church family and co-workers. I thank God for the support I have. I have done well this week. I have eaten pork tenderloin and kept it down and grilled fish and baked potato tonight. I did have an episode at lunch today when I ate a shrimp out of gumbo and a very small piece of fish and must not have chewed it well enough and I had to go in the restroom in the restaurant and make it come up. I ordered a diet coke and that helped to make me feel better. Still having trouble with liquids. It's so hard to drink at work while typing,etc...I get so busy I forget. I can drink the most on the way to pick DH up from work. I usually drink a 24 oz bottle of water on the way. I try to drink a 24 oz at work and another when I get home. I didn't do too well tonight. I have eaten several sugar free popsicles and I wake up all night long when I feel dry and eat them. They help, but I need more water. I will try to do better tomorrow.
I will stop for now, need some sleep as it is after 2:00 a.m and have to baby sit for my precious grandson, Owen in the morning bright and early while his mom goes to a class for work. Until next time, Christ's peace, Connie aka Teal Rose
June 26, 2005
I haven't posted in a long time again, and decided I should come here and talk about how I am doing. I now weight 185 lbs that means I've lost 124 lbs in 8 1/2 months!!! Wooo Hooo!!This surgery is wonderful. I do have some droopy skin on by butt, thighs, back, and stomach, but I FEEL GREAT!!! I still don't take any meds except for my anti-depressant and don't know if or when I will ever try to get off of it. LOL
I haven't had any more strictures!! woo hoo!!! I still have problems sometimes eating chicken, pork and beef; especilly white meat chicken. When I eat any meats I have to have gravy or something to keep it wet. I also have a problem with taking bites that are too big, and/or not chewing them up enough. when I take my time like I'm supposed to I don't have the problem.
I am wearing 12/14 pants and I even bought a pair of elastic waist shorts from WalMart the other day that are a 8/10 and they FIT!!!
I worked out in my yard today and was actually able to get down and do some weeding and raking. It felt so good. DH didn't have to do it all. We got in the pool, by ourselves because the kids and grandkids are out of town and weren't there!! LOL I just feel so good. If you are thinking about having this surgery, please pray about it and get a good doctor with a a good reputation and GO FOR IT!! It has been a true miracle for me. I'm gonna get off now, I have to e-mail my friend Debbie who I met at a support group meeting because another friend, Sandi is in town from Tuscaloosa. I met her back in April at the BAMA BASH in Pelham and Debbie and I are supposed to get together with her in the next day or two. I have met so many wonderful people through this journey and made some true friends. Thank you Lord for sending this surgery my way and all my new friends. See you next time. I hope I will come back and post sooner. Christ's peace to you all!!
July 25, 2005
Just a quick update. I am at work and don't really have the time to be here right now. I am down to 177 lbs. That is a total loss of -132lbs. I feel great and would have this surgery over again in a heartbeat. It is one of the best things that has ever happened to me. I know it's been a while since I update, but I've got to get back to work... :(
Protein Power Balls Recipe from Randall Culpepper
I cup Protein Powder (I prefer Chocolate)
1 cup Peanut Butter
1 cup of Oats (not the quick cook kind)
1/2 to 3/4 cups of honey
Mix all together with your mixer and form into balls about the size of walnuts. Keep in airtight container in the fridge. Great for a quick pick me up snack. I keep 'em at ALL times.
Haven't tried them yet, but will. :)
February 14, 2006
Wow!! it's been over six months since I have updated my profile. I guess I came here today because I am hungry!!! I had a protein shake for breakfast, my vitamins, etc....I was running late so I didn't have my oatmeal or yogurt and fruit I usually have thirty minutes after my protein shake.
It is 11:00 a.m. and I am almost through with one 16 oz bottle of water with a Great Value On the Go Fruit Punch in it. That is what I drink now to get my fluids in. I usually drink 4 16 oz bottles per day before I leave my office. Going a little slow today.
I am flucuating with my weight right now. I have my "official"
weight listed as 153 lbs. That is where I was, but at my last dr. visit (Dr. Weinstein, surgeon) I weighed 155.4. I went again in a month to get my B-12 shot (Feb. 7) and I was 157.6. I'm not
sure what that does to my BMI, but I have a feeling I am overweight again, not normal.
I eat pretty much what I want without going overboard. I have not tried to eat anything with sugar in it only sweetners like splenda, equal, sweet and low, etc....
I am not eating as many popsicles (up to 5 bags of 10 per night at one time). I may eat 4 or 5 now at night. I am keeping Bob's sugarfeel peppermints in my mounth, two at a time almost constantly. I am trying some other sugar free candies for when I really want something. I had tried cookies that Elle posted about from the Dollar Tree and I gained 7 lbs in just a few days. I am still an addict. Even sugar free foods, I am wanting more at once. I do not always stop when I am full. I keep earing because I like the taste. I have really got to get a handle on this bad behavior. That is what got me up to 309 in the first place. When I get upset about anything, I want food...just bite of something, but then I will graze until the little bite becomes more and more bites.
Trying to be honest. I hope writing this down will help me and others who are dealing with the same problem. I am happy at the weight I am now. I am healthy, can walk and talk at the same time, can run, can play with my two grandsons and can walk and shop like crazy. I need to walk more and eat less!! PRay with me for me!!
Gotta get back to work. Will try to post again soon!!
May 2, 2006
Haven't updated in a while. Been really busy. I now weigh 157 (today) I fluctuate between 152 and 158. Since I started at 309, I am happy. The skin is hanging, but not as bad as I thought it would. I would like to lose a few more lbs, but I am not really working at dieting, just maintaining. I still eat my protein first, them try to eat good carbs, vegetables and fruits. I am getting at least 64 oz of water in most days. Splenda sweetened decaf tea is my life saver. Hot or cold. I start with 24 ozs in the morning. I drink it 30 minutes or a little more after I drink an Unjury protein drink. I mix 1/2 chocolate and 1/2 or unflavored. 1 to 1/12 scoops in about 12 ozs of milk. Each scoop is 20 grams of protein and the milk is 12 grams. So I get at least 32 grams and sometimes 42 grams. The 12 ozs count towards my liquid intake. I then have a snack or my chewed breakfast at work 30 minutes or a little more after the tea. I either have Weight Control (Quaker) instant Banana Bread flavored oatmeal cooked in skim milk and then add cold skim milk and splenda (the oatmeal has 7 grams of protein and the milk has 8 for 8 ozs) or I eat a Quaker Q-Smart protein bar ( I love the peanut butter chocolate chip and it also comes in Cranberry Almond) It has 120 calories, 10 grams of protein and only 3 net carbs. It also does not take like protein. That is why I like the Unjury too. I can't stand that proteiny (is that a word) :) taste at all!!!
I then try to drink a 16 oz bottle of water with Great Value fruit punch flavor added (it comes in the on the go packages like Crystal Lite). It is the only flavor that I like. The only problem is I will get a "kool-aid" mustache if not careful!! :)
At lunch, I usually eat leftovers (I especially love homemade chicken and vegetable soup). I make my soup with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, so low fat, add chicken bouillion for flavor and lots of vegtables and tomatoes. That has become my comfort food, replacing most things like chicken and dumplins' and other high carb foods. I could eat it every day. I also make Taco soup which has more protein because of ground meat and all the beans in it. If I don't have left overs, I keep cheese cubes and Q-Smart bars at the office and splenda sweetened apple sauce. I will eat cheese cubes, and maybe two or three wheat thins if there are any and or a protein bar and applesauce.
At dinner I try to make sure I eat protein and vegetables, with just a small amount of mashes potatoes, or other cabs. My DH tries to keep sf jello made for me and I eat it along with splenda sweetened fruit cocktail and cool whip free. I am eating more fruit cocktail then I probably should.
I am going through this thing right now where I want something in my mouth constantly. I eat a lot of sugar free pepper mints (Bob's from Wal Mart taste just like the regular ones). I've done a couple of stupid things lately.
On Easter Sunday I grazed all day on a sugar free angel food cake with frosting (filling) made from sf vanilla pudding, free cool whip and crushed pineapple in its own juice. It didn't turn out right to take to Easter dinner at my SIL's because I used the pudding that needed cooking instead of the instant and it was really runny. Unfortunately it tasted really good. My DH ate one piece when we returned home that night, but I ate the rest. One piece for breakfast before I left home and then the rest all night long. I kept waking up and going to the refrigerator to get another piece. I was like a possessed person. I did post to the board two days later (the Bama Board) what I had done. I needed to confess. It is still there that food demon!!! I am having trouble with getting up and down all night and eating something. That was one of my worst problems when I was obese. I guess I never did really stop, I just ate popsicles (sf) and now if I have other stuff in the house, I will tend to get up and eat that. I am not eating sugar and I try to only have things I am allowed in the house, but Those sf items can get you!! IN more ways that one!
Last night I ate a whole can of fruit cocktail (sweetened w/Splenda) with cool whip free. There was about 1/3 of a container of cool whip in the 8 oz bowl and I added the 15 oz can of fc in it and told myself I would just eat a little and come back later for the rest. Wellllll, you know the story, I sat there and ate it slowly until it was gone. My pouch hurt so bad. For some reason I am wanting to feel that tight overfilled tummy again. It hurts, but I really don't know what is going on. I have been really sressed with DH out of a job since November and we just bought a house and a car!!! The money has been tight, but we do have enough until unemployment runs out in a few weeks.
He did go for a job interview today and was offered a position at less money than he wanted, but it is more than we have now, so he is going to take it. They don't have a position right now, but they do want to hire him. I am hoping it means they are going to start training while waiting for a position to open up. It is an assistant manager at a grocery store. He has no retail experience, but has owned his own insurance agency and managed insurance agents for years. Maybe the food demon will go away now.
Gotta go it is lunch time. Going to eat some HM Chicken veggie soup - YUM YUM and applesauce.
Will try to update more regularly.
I have been eating sugar free candy quite a bit.
Before lun
I wanted to share with you that I am having issues with night eating (the thing that was most responsible for getting me to 309 lbs to begin with) and comfort eating and eating until I have that really FULL feeling in my gut!!!!
I have gained some weight back and I am not totally unhappy with where I am compared to where I was, but I don't want to keep adding those lbs.
Dr. Weinstein had told me that if I started having problems (I discussed my fear of grazing and eating at night before I had my surgery). He told me then that if I would be honest and let him know what is going on, he could get help for me.
My appointment isn't until October 9, so please add me to your prayer list that I will be open to discern what is going on with me and the eating.
My lowest (one day for five minutes) was 149 lbs. I was staying around 152 (this is without clothes - I know TMI) but have gradually gone to 157lbs and now I was 164.4 when I went to the surgeon's office today for a B12 shot. That is 15 lbs!!!!
I don't eat things that I "shouldn't" have, but I eat too much of what I can have or eat it too often. I wake up STARVING in the middle of the night. I have bought some sugar free jello and sugar free Philly Swirls to help battle this. I guess that is better than peanuts, fruit, etc... I know in my head that the STARVING is not real hunger, but emotional hunger, but I can't seem to REALLY face it enough to stop it.
Thanks for your prayers and I am praying for everyone on this board even though I don't post that often. I love you all!!
