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Surgeon TestimonialMichael H. Wood M.D.Dr. Wood is very personable and very knowlegeable. He also has a great since of humor and compassion. I found his staff to be very professional and knowlegeable. I had no issues getting my questions answered. Future patients should know that Dr. Wood is very serious about his profession. This is his exclusive profession and he stays on top of current information related to WLS and procedures. The aftercare program is very structured. There is a dietician and RN on staff. There are regular support group meetings. I give Doctor Wood an A+. My surgery and recovery has been free of complications and pain. |
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Ailments WLS Prone to: Lupus, RA, Fibromyalgia,... on July 16, 2007 12:02 pm
Auto-immune diseases are brought on my serious nutritional deficiencies. It is important for all WLS patients to continue taking vitamins even when they feel good. These are degenerative diseases and may take years to show up or get bad enough that you feel the effects of it. Supplements I take:
Calcium Supplement (Calcium Citrate, Vitamin D, Magnesium and Boron) (4)
Iron Ferrochel (with vitamin C) (4-6)
Tender Iron (4-6)
Sublingual B-12 (6)
B-complex (4)
Essential Oils for women (contains Omega 3 and other oils, 1 tablespoon per day)
Chewable Multivitamin with chelated minerals (2-3)
Aloe Vera on occasion (good for the intestines)
I am taking mega doses of 2 types of iron to get my iron up to an acceptable level, then I will level off to an amount that sustains that level.
Is there a good nutritional diet for lupus?
Beloved
A. People with Lupus may benefit from B complex supplements, especially pantothenic acid (B5). A diet with an increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids and fewer omega-6 fatty acids may help to reduce inflammation. This means more fish, canola oil, walnuts and flax seeds and with less corn, sunflower and safflower oils. There may also be some connections with lupus and inflammatory bowel disease or celiac sprue. If this is the case, some patients may feel better when they avoid gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grains.
I would suggest an Anti-Inflammatory diet with lots of fresh anti-oxidant rich fruits and vegetables plus B complex vitamin supplements for people who have lupus.
You should speak with your doctor or a nutritionist first before making any dietary changes.
7/7/07: Non-Invasive Treatment for Fibroids on July 7, 2007 6:12 am
It was interesting listening to the women on the video talk about their experience with this technology. It is worth looking into if you are experiencing problems with fibroids or severe anemia caused by your fibroids.
http://www.uterine-fibroids.org/
Old Weight Watchers Plan on June 30, 2007 9:04 am
I am posting this to keep track of because once upon a time the "old" WW plan of food exchanges was effective for me. I never lost weight on the "new and improved" point system. I think the old approach was more disclipined and definitely easier to count and follow.
This site helps you figure out WW points on the point system:
http://www.stormpc.com/ww/
The old WW exchange plan was my favorite. It was a more disciplined plan for me:
Protein....3-5
Milk........2
Bread.....4-6
Fat.........3
Veggie....3 (minimum)
Fruit.......3
You also had the option of choosing an additional 21 selections weekly from the Bread/Protein/Fruit groups as well as 700 "optional" calories weekly.
I was on this plan with my co-workers. I actually was not overweight at the time but wanted to lose 5 pounds. I was 142 pounds at 5 '10. One co-worker lost 50 pounds. My favorite was low fat ice cream which we counted as 1 fruit and 1 dairy for a half cup.
6/28/07: My hemoglobin is on the rise!! on June 28, 2007 7:46 pm
Last year my hemoglobin was 11.5. At the time I was taking Floradix liquid iron with herbs which is Ferrous Gluconate with B1, B2, B6, B12 and vitamin C) and a chelated chewable iron that had vitamin C as an ingredient. I switched to tender iron which is carbonyl iron because I know many WLS patients take it and seem to do fine with their iron. I took it several times a day with vitamin C. It was not a good switch for me. My labs last month showed my hemoglobin was down to 8.1!! I left the lab with my results and drove straight to the health food store to buy a bottle of Floradix and I ordered a bottle of chelated iron. I take the Floradix in the morning (its gentle enough to take on an empty stomach and I order 2 bottles of chelated iron tablets. I just re-took my labs and my hemoglobin is up to 9.1. My PCP wants to repeat my test every month until my hemoglobin comes up to an acceptable level.
This is the link to the chelated iron tablet I take. I chew it with my multiple vitamin. It contains chelated iron, B-12, Folate and Vitamin C to aid in absorption. I chew a couple of these several times per day.
http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=SR-1143
This is the link for Floradix
http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=FL-1011
Another reason I like Ferrochel Iron is because I just don't feel comfortable taking mega doses of iron because I am not comfortable with how my organs are responding internally to receiving such large does at a time. In fact there are articles supported by medical research that provide warnings against high dosages of certain vitamins, like iron, entering your system at one time. That is why it is important to spread your dosages out during the day. I found articles again supported by medical research that support the safety of Ferrochel being taken in large doses.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed&list_uids=10496373&cmd=Retrieve&indexed=google
6/27/07: KAREN B'S "TIMER" PLAN FOR GETTING... on June 27, 2007 4:55 pm
PLAN FOR GETTING BACK ON TRACK
The idea of this is to stimulate your metabolism to start burning fat and stop the grazing!!!
Of course, adjust the times to your schedule, however, do NOT go past 1 ˝ hours between some kind of “feedings”.
6 am coffee, tea, or some other kind of warm beverage to “get things going”
7 am 8 or more oz of PURE water
8 am protein shake
9 am 1-3 oz of protein type food*
10 am 8 or more oz of pure water
11 am protein shake
noon 1-3 oz of protein type food
1 pm 8 or more oz of pure water
2 pm protein shake
3 pm 1-3 oz of protein type food
4 pm 8 or more oz of pure water
5 pm protein shake (like while cooking dinner * prevents ‘tasting” and “grazing”)
6 pm dinner 1-3 oz of food total, i.e., 2 oz of protein food, a bite or two of veggie and perhaps a ‘taste” of a complex carb
7 pm 8 or more oz of pure water
8 pm protein shake
9 pm light snack like string cheese, deli meat or cheese, about 1 or 2 oz total
10 pm 8 or more oz pure water
Pure water is very important to optimum health and to flush the fat cells through your body. You may drink crystal light, diet Snapple, flavored waters, etc., however, you still MUST get in the 64 oz of PURE water every day and do not count the water in shakes or the flavored waters UNLESS you are flavoring them yourself with lemon, etc. Propel is good, but still do not count towards your water.
You may make your protein shakes with just 1 scoop for 20 g of protein or less, but your total protein shake consumption must be at least 90 g. I use the full 30 g portion for each of my shakes, but my body requires more protein supplement. Please adjust accordingly, however the importance is actually drinking them. You can make up a half a portion in 2-3 oz of water to equal 15-20 g of protein then your daily total of drinking 5 shakes would be around 100 g.
You will find that by setting the timer, you will never be hungry, and in fact, by the latter part of the day, you will be surprised when the timer goes off to have water, protein, or food again!
All meals must have a beginning and an end. No more than 15-20 minutes per “mini-meal”. If you are full in five minutes, STOP and discard food or put away for the next meal. It doesn’t mean that you can still eat during that hour. This constitutes grazing.
Track your food in Fitday ( www.fitday.com). This helps. You will find that even tho you are eating every three hours your pouchie can’t handle as much as it could have before.
If you aren’t “carbophobic” add some whole grains to your meals,
but eat them LAST.
Mix all protein shakes with water and ice only. No milk or fruit. This
adds calories and causes cravings for more carbs. You may add SF syrups, or mix your shakes with SF beverages, i.e., Propel, crystal light, Fruit 2-0, etc.
This does work esp. for someone with a slow metabolism. It is also
the best way to control your appetite. You literally never want to
eat. Which is the hard part. Eating becomes a chore. You will find
that you want to skip the intervals but don't do it. When you skip,
your appetite will come roaring back and your metabolism gets kicked
down again.
NOTE: YOU HAVE TO DO THE REGULAR FEEDINGS EVEN WHEN YOU ARE NOT HUNGRY OR IT WILL NOT WORK.
ADVICE: IN ORDER TO AVOID MISSING A FEEDING WHEN YOU ARE ON THE GO OR HAVE MEETINGS TO ATTEND, KEEP A SMALL SNACK OF NUTS (COUNT OUT 10).
HAVING A LOW CARB PRE-MIXED PROTEIN SHAKE HANDY IS ALSO A GOOD IDEA.
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6/25/07 Low Glycemic Way of Life -Helpful to prevent... on June 25, 2007 7:59 pm
Low Glycemic Information: When doing low glycemic,
pay attention to the glycemic load, not just the
glycemic index. Glycemic load is affected not only by
the glycemic index but by the portion size as well.
Simply put, a food with a low glycemic index can cause
an insulin spike if you eat so much of it that the
glycemic load is significant. Also if you eat a small
portion of a high glycemic food, you may be able to
control the insulin spike particularly if you eat it
with vegetables and protein which aids in preventing
insulin spikes. If you eat a fast carb such as a
baked potato, it should be a small portion plus you
should eat protein and non-starchy vegetables with it.
Low-glycemic diet inibits re-gaining lost weight
By DrRich
http://heartdisease.about.com/od/dietandobesity/a/logly.htm
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/LowGlycemicEating/
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/South-Beach-Diet-Getting-It-Right/
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/SBDS-foods/
http://www.glycemicindex.com/
6-22-07: Low Carb Out, Slow Carb In? on June 22, 2007 10:08 am
Low Carb Out, Slow Carb In?
Researchers Say People Lose Weight on a Low-Glycemic-Load Diet
By Daniel DeNoon
WebMD Medical News |
Reviewed By Michael Smith, MD
on Wednesday, May 11, 2005 |
May 11, 2005 -- They ate all they wanted, yet lost weight.
They didn't avoid fats or carbs. They didn't count calories or eat prepackaged foods. Yet 11 obese 30-year-olds lost more weight than 12 of their peers on a conventional low-fat diet. And they lowered their risk of heart disease.
They didn't do it with a low-carb diet, but with a slow-carb diet. It's what nutritionists call a low-glycemic-load or a low-glycemic-index diet. The key is eating plenty of satisfying foods that your body can't quickly convert into sugar -- slow carbs, as they're coming to be called.
And it seems to work, says David S. Ludwig, MD, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics at Children's Hospital, Boston. Ludwig's small study appears in the May 1 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
"A diet focused on glycemic index may be easier to follow than diets restricted in either fat or carbs," Ludwig tells WebMD. "And there seems to be an additional benefit in reducing the risk of chronic disease."
Low-Glycemic Diet Made Simple
Foods have a higher or lower glycemic index (GI) depending on how much of them you eat, how you cook them, and what you eat them with.
This can quickly get complicated -- especially as it's not always easy to tell which foods are low-GI and which are high-GI. Ludwig's team came up with a simple plan. They created a low-glycemic-load food pyramid:
- At the bottom -- the basis of the diet -- are fruits and vegetables, cooked or served with healthful oils.
- Next come reduced-fat dairy foods, lean meats and fish, nuts, and beans.
- Higher up -- and meant to be eaten less frequently -- come whole grains, unrefined grains and pastas.
- At the top -- to be eaten sparingly if at all -- come refined grains, potatoes, and sweets.
Obese participants in the study were instructed to eat nonstarchy vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and dairy products. They were told to eat carbs with protein and healthful fat at every meal and snack. And they were told to eat until they were full and to snack when hungry.
Other obese study subjects were put on a traditional, low-fat/low-calorie diet. Both groups were asked to exercise regularly and were given lifestyle counseling.
"Those in the low-glycemic-diet group were told to eat as much as they wanted and to snack when hungry," Ludwig says. "Yet after a year, they lost fully as much weight as those told to cut back on fat and to cut back on calories. But they did better in terms of heart disease risk reduction."
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6/20/07: One day of indiscretions will not derail my... on June 20, 2007 9:58 am
Yesterday, I wandered far off the path. I have been slowly moving away from the path mostly because I thought I was ready to start substituting my own meals for NS meals. Yesterday showed me 2 things, 1. I am not ready yet to even go partially on my own, I need the controlled meals and portion sizes and 2) I have made good progress in my behavior modification and thought process. I refuse to say that I messed up yesterday. I made choices that may slow down my progress but it will not derail my plan. Today I am making the choice to go back to my original plan of 100% NS because that is what bests works for me at this time. I refused to go back to the old habits of jumping on the scale to see how much I "messed up". Sure I believe my weight may be slightly up today but I also know that part of the increase is due to water weight from a sudden change in my diet in one day to foods high in sodium. I still plan to weigh myself at the beginning of the month. I also made sure I got at least 1/2 hour of exercise in yesterday. I normally do 90 minutes but I was having a lot of gastric distress yesterday. Today I got up 1/2 hour earlier to ride my exercise bike 1/2 hour. I will do this all week until I fill the exercise gap from yesterday. So today and tomorrow I am doing 2 hours exercise instead of 90 minutes. I am amazed at how calm I feel as compared to the past when I would have been so down on myself that I would have wasted precious exercise time dwelling on my "mistakes". Not anymore. I only look forward. Yesterday was yesterday and today is today.
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6/18/07: How to snack with Control on June 18, 2007 8:30 pm
I crave salty snacks from time to time. The only problem is that most of these snacks are not filling as they crunch down to nothing and you can wind up eating way more of it than you should. They way I get around this is that I have a rule I follow, before I take one bite of a saltly, crunchy snack, I have some filling protein first. I will literally eat 1 or 2 slices of deli turkey or a small piece of baked chicken or 1/2 protein shake and then eat my crunchy snack. I like the quaker 90 calorie mini popcorn cakes. After eating the protein, I can only eat half the bag (45 calories) and I save the rest for later or another day. If I didn't do this, I could easily go through a couple of bags and still feel hungry. I also make sure that I am on track with my water for the day. If I am way behind on my water, I have to catch up before doing a snack to avoid the confusion of thirst vs. hunger. Sometimes this takes the craving away completely.
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6/18/07: Success Habits of Long-Term Gastric... on June 18, 2007 4:09 pm
Success Habits of Long-Term Gastric Bypass Patients
Colleen M. Cook; Charles Edwards, MD, FACS
St. Mark's Center for the Surgical Treatment of Obesity, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Background: By identifying common habits of the most successful long-term gastric bypass patients, one is able to establish more specific guidelines for new patients to follow. The first postoperative year is a critical time that must be dedicated to changing old behavior and forming new, lifelong habits.
Methods: 100 gastric bypass patients from 1979 to 1995 participated in a comprehensive survey. Surveys were completed in person, by phone, or in writing. Participants were asked to answer questions regarding their eating, drinking, sleeping, exercise, and personal habits.
Results: The survey revealed that specific habits are common in gastric bypass patients who have maintained their weight loss for many years.
Conclusion: Identifying and defining the common habits of patients who are successful with long-term weight loss enabled specific guidelines to be established for new patients to implement during the initial weight loss phase, which will contribute to life-long success.
Key words: Behavior, exercise, gastric bypass, habits, morbid obesity, surgery.
Since 1979, the surgeons* at the Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians office in Salt Lake City, Utah, have collectively performed over 8000 Roux-en- Y gastric bypass procedures. In those nearly 20 years, much has been learned about the habits and behaviors that contribute to or are detrimental to the long- term success of gastric bypass patients.
The success of weight loss surgical procedures is most commonly defined by the total weight loss during the initial weight loss phase. However, fore- most in the minds of weight loss surgery patients are the questions "Will this be a long-term permanent solution?" and "What can I do to insure my life- long success?"
Methods
We conducted a random survey of 100 gastric bypass patients who had undergone surgery from the years 1979 to 1995. They were asked questions regarding their eating, sleeping, drinking, exercising, and personal habits. From our research, we identified six key habits that are common among our most successful long-term gastric bypass patients. Surveys were completed in person, by phone, or in writing. Our research details are as follows:
Success was defined as maintenance of at least 74% of the initial weight loss. Patient demographics are shown in Table 1. Survey data are shown in Table 2.
The habits surveyed were eating, drinking, sleeping, exercise, and personal habits.
Table 1. Patient demographics
Demographic
Value
Gender (female/male)
95/5
Average postoperative time (years)
7
Average initial weight loss (kg)
47.7
Average weight gain (kg)
5.5
Results
Successful gastric bypass patients had each implemented several life-long habits that contributed to their ability to maintain a significant weight loss for many years. We identified six common habits among the patients surveyed, and established guidelines for those habits that will provide needed direction for new weight loss surgery patients.
Eating
Successful patients ate three well-balanced meals and two snacks per day. Daily servings for each of the food groups were as follows: three servings of protein, three servings of vegetables, one serving of fruit, two servings of bread/ starches, and two servings of sweets.
Drinking
Successful patients drank water and did not drink carbonated beverages. On the average, patients drank 40-64 oz of water per day: 58% of patients do not drink carbonated beverages of any kind; 55% do not drink juices or sweetened beverages; 53% do not drink caffeinated beverages; and 74% do not drink alcoholic beverages.
Vitamins and Supplements
Successful patients took daily multiple vitamins, calcium, and iron if needed; 92% of patients took a daily multiple vitamin, 68% took supplemental calcium, primarily in the form of tums, and 39% continued to take supplemental iron, such as Trinsicon or Chromagen.
Table 2. Survey data
(multipy kg by 2.2 to get lbs.)
Successful group (kg) Unsuccessful group (kg)
Beginning weight range
88-163 88-168
Average beginning weight
112 120
Weight loss range
28-92 27-87
Average weight loss
48 52
Weight gain range
0-13.5 14-61
Average weight gain
5.5 25.5
Sleeping
Successful patients slept 7 hours per night on the average, and 76% of patients rated their personal energy as being average or high.
Exercising
Successful patients exercised regularly to maintain their weight; 77% of patients exercised. The average was four times per week for at least 40 min. Patients reported exercise as a key factor in their ability to maintain their weight. Comments such as "helps me keep my weight in check" and "keeps me in control" were noted.
Personal Responsibility
Successful patients took personal responsibility for staying in control. Of the patients, 69% weighed themselves at least weekly. They were found to have a general feeling that maintaining their weight was indeed their own responsibility and that the surgery was a tool that they used to reach and maintain a healthy weight. By weighing often and allowing themselves only a few kilograms of leeway, patients stayed in control.
In those patients surveyed who were not classified as successful, an absence of at least one or more of the six success habits was found. The most common were lack of exercise, poorly balanced meals, constant grazing and snacking, and drinking carbonated beverages.
In the entire number of patients surveyed, including those who have gained back part of their weight, 97% of patients viewed their gastric bypass as a success.
Discussion
Successful patients ate three well-balanced meals and two snacks daily; drank water and avoided carbonated beverages of any kind; took multiple vitamins, iron, and calcium; slept 7 hours per night; exercised regularly; and took personal responsibility for weight control.
Carbonated beverages may be detrimental to the long-term success of gastric bypass for the following reasons:
Carbonation: When the cold beverage is consumed, it warms and releases gases, distending the stomach pouch. The stretching of the stomach then creates undue stress and subsequently causes stretching of the anastomosis,
Caloric intake: Many carbonated beverages are high in calories, are low in nutritional value, and contain simple sugars. Not only do they add additional calories with low nutritional value, but they are absorbed quickly into the blood stream, causing a rapid rise in blood sugar, elevated insulin levels and increased hunger.
Caffeine: Many carbonated beverages contain caffeine, an appetite stimulant, which is detrimental to initial weight loss and long-term weight control.
The first postoperative year is a critical time that must be dedicated to changing old behavior and forming new, lifelong habits. By identifying these six common habits of our most successful long-term gastric bypass patients, we have established more specific guidelines for new patients to implement. Guidelines formulated from the results of this survey have provided needed direction.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the assistance of Dawn L. Armstrong, St. Mark's Center for the Surgical Treatment of Obesity; Mary Ann Christiansen, Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians; and Anita Hansen, Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians.
(Received July 2, 1998, accepted September 18, 1998)
Presented at Allied Health Session, 15th Annual Meeting of ASBS, Orlando, June 29, 1998.
Reprint requests to: Colleen M. Cook, Vice President and Founder, Bariatric Support Centers International, 1160 East 3900 South, Suite 4200, Salt Lake City, Utah 84124, USA. Tel: 801-268-6262; Fax
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6/16/07 - Taking Control of your weight loss journey on June 16, 2007 5:44 am
6/16/07
I had to take control in my WL jouney. Not because of regain but because I was not losing like others after my WLS. I started with almost 130 pounds to lose and had barely lost 50 by my 1 year anniversary. I am now almost 2 years out and I am getting close to 100 pounds lost. I wrote a control plan for myself that I posted on my refrigerator and I went back to a diet plan that I know that works for me which is low glycemic. I also took all of the excuses out of not exercising. I was doing 3 times a week for less than an hour. Now I do 7 days of 90 minutes. Sometimes not all at once and the type of exercise I do vary my routine during the week Protein shakes are the best to get rid of cravings (make sure they are low carb). I blend mine into a frozen coffee latte using instant coffee, unflavored, unsweetened whey protein, SF coffe syrups (Torani chocolate, hazelnut and carmel).
Good salty snack is mini bag of smart pop popcorn with a few sprays of butter flavored cooking spray.
Keep protein ready and available to eat as a snack, pre-cooked pieces of chicken, fish, shrimp, etc.
If you don't have a problem with eggs, eating a couple scrambled, using cooking spray takes away hunger fast and hey stick to you.
When you are hungry, you will crave carbs. The key is to never let yourself get hungry by eating a very small amount every 2-3 hours. Example a couple of celery sticks, 6 almonds, an oz of chicken. a small salad. These are not meals but small portions of your meal spread out.
If you find yourself hungry and craving carbs, get some protein in and wait. A shake or a piece ochicken or burger, no bread and the craving will either go away or get very weak to the point that you can overpower it.
I have decided to weigh myself once per month but I am taking measurements.
5/6/07 - My Control Plan Works!! Lost almost 1... on May 6, 2007 7:42 am
So I worked my control plan for 2 days and I lost almost a pound in 2 days (.8 pound loss)!! I was at a standstill. For the 2 days I experienced an urge to snack and I was on my way the cupboards when I passed my control plan on my refrigerator. I followed my control plan which said I should first drink a low carb, high protein shake. Once I drank it, my out of control craving disappeared and I felt full. Later I grabbed a couple of sticks of celery but before the shake I was craving a salty crunchy snack or chocolate.
I also used the control plan to get in exercise for the 2 days. The first day I was busy all day until bed time however it takes me at least 15 minutes to settle down in bed before I even get sleepy. I used those 15 minutes to do leg lifts with my ankle weights will in bed watching the news. Yesterday I kept my MP3 player on while doing housework and I was sweating in no time as I was dancing and washing dishes at the same time.
I will keep you updated.
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Re-posting My Weight Loss Chart on May 5, 2007 8:14 am
I am still trying to get use to the new format. I lost some of my old chart.
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Date
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CW
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Goal
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Lbs to Goal
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Tot. Lost
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8/15/2005
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318
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175
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143
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11/1/05 Day of Surgery (after liquid diet)
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299.5
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175
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124.5
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18.5
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11/1/06
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254
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175
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79
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64
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4/13/07(1st day on Nutrisystem)
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246
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175
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71
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72
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5/5/07
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240
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175
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65
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78
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5/6/07
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239
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175
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64
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79
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5/19/07
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236
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175
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61
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82
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6/4/07
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233
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175
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58
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85
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5/5/07 - Nutrisystem Breakfast Modification for... on May 5, 2007 7:57 am
I finally decided to fix the NS pancakes. I was putting it off because the package says the serving is 30 carbs which is high for breakfast because I still do a low carb high protein shake each morning. So I had my shake as soon as I got up this morning. 2 hours later, I had my pancakes but I made them silver dollar size and used water instead of milk to make them and split the order in half. I will have 1/2 today and 1/2 tomorrow. I used my SF syrup and added 2 pieces of turkey bacon. The pancakes were very good even made with water. I do not order the NS oatmeal. The sugar content is too high.
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Profile on May 5, 2007 7:52 am
My wonderful Angel: Hair Teacher
http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/forhimising/
7/5/05
I am looking into WLS for the 2nd time. I started this process over 1 year ago. At the time I weighed 304 lbs, I have mobility problems due to arthritis in my hip. I have borderline high cholesterol and borderline diabetes. I have dieted most of my life. My PCP suggested weight loss surgery too take some of the pressure off of my hip and to delay hip surgery until I am a bit older. Hip replacements generally do not last more than 20 years and since I am barely in my 40s, I will be headed for multiple hip replacements throughout my lifetime, at least as long as there is enough bone left to do a replacement. After that, I will likely be headed for a wheelchair. I researched and researched the benefits and the possible complications, put together my diet history, got a referral letter from my PCP, read 3 books on weight loss surgery, attended a seminar put on by the Cori Center and passed my H-Pylori test. I have tried diet pills, Weight Watchers, South Beach, Fit or Fat, Atkins, 24 Hour, Protein shakes, etc. I was 100 lbs lighter when I started trying diet after diet. I would lose at first but then gain every lb back plus more. Despite this poor history. I decided to try dieting an exercise one more time. With this last diet attempt, I netted a 10+ weight gain. I would lose 3 lbs one week but gain 4 the next. My attempts at exercise have proven futile. With all of the excess weight and a bad hip, it is very difficult to get in any meaningful exercising and to top it off, I am now experiencing shortness of breath which I did not have last year. I am now more afraid not to have the surgery.I called the Cori Center again to get the process re-activated. I hope the insurance process will not be long.
8/4/05
I am going through all the steps for approval. I have submitted an updated diet history along with a personal statement on why I need WLS, records from 3 diet doctors, and a letter of medical necessity from my PCP. I tested positive for the H-Pylori bacteria so I am on the Prev Pak for 14 days. I completed my pysch evaluation 2 weeks ago. I have a followup meeting on 8/8/05 to find out the results. After the Pysch results are sent, I will be ready to submit for insurance approval. I hate this waiting period because it just makes me nervous and unfortunately when I get nervous I eat like crazy. I can't afford to gain another pound.
10-3-05
It has been a while since I have updated my profile. I was on my way to backing out again. I started a partial liquid diet and lost 20 pounds pretty fast and then the weight loss stopped. I figured I needed to add exercise. I was hoping that after losing 20 pounds, it would hurt less to exercise. I tried to add exercise but each time I would exercise I would have so much excrutiating pain that it would be difficult for me to walk for the next 2 weeks until the inflammation in my hip would go away. This is so depressing and discouraging. I don't feel like anyone around me understands. They say things like you just have to work through the pain. Well my pain is not from being out of shape it is the pain of bone rubbing against bone because I have not cartilage left in my hip. It only occurs on my right side. The pain starts in the top of my hip and shots all the way down my leg. It feels like someone is sticking a knife in the ball of my hip each time I put any weight on that side to walk. While I was nursing my hip with a heating pad, I received my insurance approval in the mail. I was shocked that I was approval on the first try. I put so much work into my documents prior to submittal. I researched, I put together my weight history with pictures, I included everything I read that people have said was required with an appeal, I researched the criteria that my HMO uses for approval and asked my doctor to reword his statement per the critera to use the exact words, I rewrote my personal statement about 10 times and then when I got the approval I was numb. I guess I had convinced myself that the approval process would be a long hard fight and that I was still more than a year away. I started to come back to life today and realize that I need to begin making plans. I called the CORI Center and the patient coordinator said that she had been trying to reach me and had sent me a letter. I had been away from my office for a few days and she had the wrong home phone number for me. I need to complete my EGD (scheduled for this week) and then the consult with the surgeon will be scheduled once the results are in (7-10 days). I am not going to allow myself to get nervous again until I get my surgery date scheduled.
10-7-05 CW: 299, size 22
Good Lord!! I am really on my way!! I had an EGD today and it was non eventful. I don't remember a thing. They first sprayed my throat with an anesthesia to keep me from gagging during the procedure. Apparently gagging is a natural body reaction even if you are out. The next thing I remember was someone calling my name. I thought they were about to tell me to shift my position for the procedure but I was actually in recovery and they were waking me up! There was a little mix up with my paper work and while I was waiting to get it straightened out, I heard the doctor talking to a patient, I heard him ask her if she had gained any weight back and he told her that he would be sending her results to Dr. Wood. After he left, I went over to her and first apologized for being intrusive and asked if she had WLS. She was very friendly and invited me in. She told me that she was 2 years post op. I asked her opinion of WLS. She said her only regret was not getting it 20 years sooner. She loved Dr. Wood, said he was the best in her opinion. She said the reason she was there because prior to surgery she had severe GERD. It cleared up after WLS but she now has some problems with acid reflux but not as bad as before. I didn't get a chance to ask any more questions because I was being called for my test. I called CORI today and my consultation with Dr. Wood is scheduled for Tuesday, Octber 11th. They told me that I could possibly get my surgery scheduled 2 weeks later! Yikes!! I am going to try to get a date in early November. Things start to slow down at my job right after Thanksgiving through the Christmas Holiday.
10-11-05 CW: 302, Size 22
I completed my consultation today with Dr. Wood. It went well. He gave information on his complication rates:Zero leaksZero spleen issuesZero internal bleeding4 deaths out of over 2000 WLSHe was everything I had heard about him. He told us he always leaves a minimum of 6 ft of intestines beyond the roux-en Y to avoid diarrhea. He said that the operation is designed so that the patient will lose 75% of their excess weight and that you could easily set up the operation such that people lost 100% of their excess weight but that is too risky and he likes the 25% margin. One of the reason I picked Dr. Wood because I heard that he had a more conservative approach and would not do anything risky and he has an excellent reputation as a surgeon in his field. In order for the patient to lose 100% of their weight, they will have to put work in such as watching their diet carefully and exercising. I found out I need to complete my sleep study that I started and that I need to get clearance from the cardiologist relating to my recent stress test.I may be having my surgery in 3 to 4 weeks!!
10-29-05 CW:302??, Size 22 (tight)
I have a little over 2 days before my big day!! I have a just over 2 days before joining the loser's bench!! I have had dreams that something happens and my surgery was delayed or that my surgeon could not do it and an inexperienced surgeon was stepping in to take his place.I have gone down the checklist:I have comfortable house shoes for walking in the hospitalI have my clear liquids for week one.I have my full liquids and no sugar yogurt for week 2I have vegetables to puree soup for week 3 and 4I have a liquid vitamin for bariatric patientsI have liquid calcium citrateI have sublingual B-12I have a liquid protein to take during week 1I have whey protein stocked for the weeks following week 1I have my post op prescriptionsI have pahyzme for gas.I have Mylanta.I started my 3 showers a day today with antibacterial soap.I start my full liquid fast tomorrowI start my clear liquid fast on Sunday along with a bowel prep.I still have a lot of nervous energy. I think I will iron my son's uniforms for the week so his dad doesn't have that to do.Me and my hubby went out and bought new items for our bedroom to make it more comfortable. We bought an ab lounger which I can't use until I get under 275 which is okay because my stomach needs time to heal. We now have a full gym in our house!! We have a treadmill, a stationary recumbent bike, weight equipment, barbells and dumbbells and an ab lounger. No excuses for not keeping up with some form of exercise!! I am looking forward to some weight coming off so that using this equipment will not be so difficult.For the first time, I imagined myself wearing some of the sexy clothes I passed in the store while we were out shopping. I hope to be able to shop in that section of the store by next summer.
10-30-05
Today I did a full liquid fast per my doctor's instructions. This was much harder than I thought. I had 4 protein shakes, 4 cups of watery, strained cream soup and water and a cup of watery mashed potatoes. I was kinda of hungry. I went and bought quick foods for my family to eat. Lots of deli meats, lots of frozen meals. It was difficult smelling and watching them make sandwiches with turkey, corned beef, salami and cheese. It smelled so good!! My husband was worried that I would break down and cheat. I told him that eating a sandwich knowing that I am going under anesthesia would be like me trying to commit suicide. I don't think so!! I will not complicate my surgery for a moment of pleasure. I don't know how I will handle tomorrow when I can't even have protein shakes. I have to do all clear liquids and then nothing after midnight. I will try to drink as much water during the day so I am not dehydrated on the morning of my surgery. Tomorrow I will weigh myself and take a pre op picture. I plan on wearing something tight so I can easily see changes. I know my weight has to be up with all of the lunches I hade with friends in the prior weeks. I posted 302 for yesterday but I have a feeling it may be more like 308. Tomorrow all truths will be revealed!!
10-31-05
Always follow your first thought!! Here I was thinking my surgery is scheduled for 9:30 am. I was planning to get to the hospital by 7:30. I called the hospital because I had not received my confirmation call as promised on the day before surgery. The nurse was at lunch and I didn't bother to call her back because I figured everything was all set. Well she called me a couple of hours later and my surgery was scheduled for 6:30 am not 9:30 am!! I would have missed my appointment entirely!! Also the instructions I was given was to not have any thing by mouth after midnight. Well the nurse said nothing after 10 pm. I am so glad she called. I am sooo thirsty right now. I had to take the Phospho Soda and a high blood pressure pill today and its past 10 pm so I am feeling very dry!! Time to go to bed. In a few hours, I will be on the losing side!!
11-4-05 On the losing Side/Pre-Op weight 299 day of surgery
Thank you Jesus for watching over me, my family and my surgeon!! I made it home yesterday. My surgery went very well. I had no complications from the surgery and no pain afterwards until I had to give up the epidural pump. When I arrived home. I started to experienced what felt like menstrual cramps. I didn't know if I was starting my period or if I had gas. I walked around the house and then took some of my pain medication. The medication took the cramping away but also made me sleepy. Taking the recommendation from a fellow OH member, I took the medication on a regular basis to avoid the pain from returning. That worked but I stayed very groggy. Each time I woke up, I drank liquids. My goal for this week is to stay hydrated. Based on my experience here are my recommendations:Pre-opFirst and foremost, follow all your pre-op instructions. I wanted to be as strong and healthy as possible going in because your system is comprised during surgery. Pre-op I started taking bariatric liquid vitamins. I was doing about 100 grams of protein per day, I drank vitamin waters with immunity boosters. Post op1. Get an epidural if available. I was walking the halls as if I didn't have surgery as soon as the anesthesia wore off. I do think it helps in speeding up your recovery. It also took away the usual pain in my joints so walking was a breeze.2. Use Petroleum Jelly lotion for the itching from the epidural. The epidural causes you to itch all over. The nurse offered me Benaydryl but I didn't want anything that would make me groggy or slow me down if I could avoid it. My husband rubbed the petroleum jelly lotion all over my body and I had not itching after that.3. Walk as much possible for the best recovery and to avoid pneumonia. I had 4 surgeries prior to this one (mostly due to a car accident) so I knew that the sooner you start moving and keep moving the better off you are. I didn't wait for the nurse to get me up (my nurse was a bit lax) but I called to have someone help me up as soon as the anesthesia wore off enough so that I could walk.4. Use the spirometer over and over and over. This will keep your lungs clear. It will cause you to gag and cough up phlegm in the beginning which is good because it is getting your lungs clear.5. Cough as deep as you can to clear your lungs even though it feels uncomfortable.6. Know what is supposed to occur for you as a bariatric patient.A nursing assistant tried to get me up without a binder and Itold her I needed my binder first.I was brought liquids in a straw which I knew I was not supposedto use. I always asked what was in the IV bags as they were being putup. I knew I was supposed to get antibotics. I also got a vitamin bag besides the general IV bag. Make sure that your liquids are coming through the IV. I went for several hours without my liquids coming through and my nurse never noticed it but I noticed I was getting weaker. 7. My goal was to get out of the hospital as quickly as possible. If you need to be there, then by all means don't try to rush outIf you are feeling ok, you are better off at home. Hospitalsare very germy. The day that I left, the room across the hall from mine was set up for someone who possibly had an airbornevirus. They pasted warning signs on the door and the staffwas going in and out with masks on. Needless to say I was ready to go home!! 8. Keep your binder open while lying in bed. Having the binderclosed affects your deep breathing and you want air to getto your incision for faster healing - I had one very good bariatric nurse during my hospital stay and she gave me lots of good information. 9. Goal for the first week - stay hydrated!! It will keep you from feeling naseauted and week. Post Op ObservationsLots of patience is required. I am on clear liquids this week. It is such a slow process. I drink 1/2 oz to an oz of liquids at a time. I have to give the liquids a few minutes to drain out of my stomach before taking in more otherwise it will hurt. When you have to take in a minimum of 32 ozs a day, this is a slow process. Each time I woke up during the night, I drank liquids. If I was had some pain or discomfort, I made sure I got in my liquids prior to taking my pain medication because the medicine makes me to sleepy to complete the task and it is like a chore.Post Op Pain:None with the epidural.Minor at home without the epidural. Controllable with pain medication (I was given liquid Loratab) but it makes you sleepy.Biggest discomfort is just not being able to bend your stomach like you normally would. Yesterday my stomach felt stiff and not very flexible. My husband helped me in and out of bed initially. By the end of the night, I was able to get in and out of bed by myself. We placed a chair with arms right next to my bed. I would swing my legs into the chair, raise myself to a sitting position and then get out of bed. When my legs were messed up from my car accident, the occupational therapist showed me how to place my legs under a larger bath towel and swing the towel over the edge of the bed with my legs in them. These are my food instructions:Week 1: Clear liquids - sugar free jello, minute maid light, diluted apple/grape juice (1/2 water, 1/2 juice); low sodium chicken broth, water Week 2: Full liquids - protein shakes, runny mashed potatoes/grits, sugar free yogurt, blenderized cottage cheese. Week 3 & 4: Pureed foods; no raw fruits or vegetables Week 5 & beyond: gradually add foods starting with thin sliced deli turkey, fish, etc. avoid tough meats, beef, etc. I hope this information is useful. My first Post-Op appointment is a week from today on 11/11/05.
11-6-05
My goal is to keep my profile updated during my recovery. It is still uncomfortable to sit straight up which makes it hard to update my profile. I am getting in about 100+ oz of liquids (diluted juices, water and SF Jello). My friend made fresh apple and grape juice which is the best!! The grape juice was so sweet I had to add more than 50% water. Today is the second day I did the warm up section of my walk video. I also do laps in the hall outside my bedroom. I am taking the pain medication because it takes away the cramping feeling but it also makes me sleepy. I started my period which had been missing in action for a couple of months. I am feeling hungry and a little weak today so I added some of my liquid protein to my diluted juice. The liquid protein is the only protein I can have this week (Whey protein allowed next week). The liquid protein is nasty but you only need 2 tbsp for 15 grams of protein so I just add a little at a time. It really does work in making you feel stronger also it helps you heal faster. I look forward to the 3rd week when I can add pureed foods. Back to bed.
11-8-05 291.5
Bending and moving is getting easier by the day. I was even able to sleep on my side. I rode my exercise bike for 6 minutes. I weighed myself and I was down to 291.5.My highest weight was 316; My weight at my surgery consultation was 302; My weight day of surgery was 299; my weight 1st day home from hospital was 310.5.I have 2 more day to take my heparin shots. My husband has been doing them. The last few hurt like "H.." I cried and told him I was not taking anymore. I made the mistake of telling my friend and she would not let me off the phone until I promised to take it. I looked at the video again prior to doing the shot myself and guess what? It didn't hurt at all!! I think my husband was shooting me in the muscle. I told him he was too close to my naval but he assured me he knew what he was doing. That was like giving him directions in the car. I don't know what I'm talking about of course. I will be finishing the last 2 days myself!!My appetite is different. When I am hungry I crave everything I see on tv, hamburger, fries, seafood, pasta... However after eating a couple of ounces of blended cottage cheese, the cravings go away. My mashed potatoes were from Boston Market. I put a couple of teaspoons in my magic bullet with a little gravy and enough water to make the consistency like a thin soup. I blended my cottage cheese with water and a couple of pieces of banana (freeze your unused banana in a baggy). My protein shakes have been a challenge which surprised me. I don't like the shakes that I loved prior to the surgery!! The nectar tastes way to sweet and no matter how much water I added, I just didn't like it. I was able to do the IDS chocolate and the Vanilla from New Lifestyles (but the aftertaste seems more pronounced now). My search for a good protein shake is starting again. My bariatric vitamin tastes yucky sweet although it too was not a problem prior to surgery. I am going to use the vitamins because I paid too much money to throw it out.
12/17/05 284.5
I have been negligent in updating my profile. As you can see my weight loss is slow!! The good news is that I feel wonderful. I have been able to sleep on my side since the 3rd week and on my stomach since week 5. I stopped wearing my binder after week 4. But I do wear panty girdles. The only time I had pain in my hip was during my PMS period. I am not sure why my hip tends to get inflamed during that time. I don't get sick on anything which is a blessing and a curse. I mostly stick to the healthy choices of foods, baked and low carb. However, I have had a few indiscretions with chips, fried fish and sugar free chocolate. I have not gotten into a routine for my exercise. I exercise one day and then I skip 2 or 3 days. I start back to work on Monday so I hope that being back in a regular routine will help me stay on track. I can fit clothes that I could not fit before. My friends and my husband rave about how good I look but I really think they are exaggerating. I don't see much of a difference. I love them for caring so much about how I feel emotionally and mentally.Eating at 7 weeks: Nothing seems to make me sick but I am careful to avoid the foods that are to be avoided. Fried foods don't make me sick but it tastes very greasy now. Exercise: Not in a regular routine yet. I feel strong enough although I still feel tired late in the afternoon.Vitamins and Supplements:Vitamins: Miracle 2000 Liquid Vitamins with Chelated MineralsIron: Chelated Chewable Iron with with Vitamin C/or Floridix Liquid IronCalcium: Liquid Calcium Citrate Note: I take the Calcium and Iron at least 3 hours apart.Protein Shakes: I mix 1 EAS pre-made shake in a glass with 1 scoop of natural protein and a little water (to bring up the protein count to 30), twice a day.Sublingal B-12 dots: Twice a day 6 Week Check up with Surgeon:My surgeon says my weight loss is okay but he would like me to speed it up a bit. He told me that I was not eating enough times a day. I was eating twice a day and drinking 4 to 5 protein shakes and 64 oz. of water. He told me to put something in my mouth every 2 hours to keep my metabolism up. It could be a piece of string cheese or a handful of nuts. He also told me that I wait too late to eat my first meal. I should have some food or a shake in my system within a 1/2 hour after waking. He also told me to drink less shakes so as to get more food in. So I now drink 2 shakes (just added more protein to those 2) and I keep peanuts and water bottles in my purse and car. The CORI dietician also called me this week and wants me to keep a log for a week of what I eat, how much and when. She also wants a log of my exercise (this should motivate me to do more). I will see if this advice helps. Slow Losers be encouraged:I do believe that I am a slow loser. My niece had WLS this summer and she is also a slow loser. Slow losers be encouraged. My niece has lost quite a bit. She has been a steady slow loser. Also I met a woman at the CORI Center on the day of my 6 week check up. She is 7 years out. She told me that she was also a slow loser but that her weight loss for steady and that she lost 152 pounds over an 18 to 24 month period. I also searched OH for slow losers and found quite a few and the encourage thing is that most lost at least 100 pounds within a 12 month period at a slow and steady pace. I have an angelette. Her name is Majeeda Newsome and she is scheduled for surgery on 12/19/05.
Weight LossStarting Date (liquid protein diet): 8/7/05
Highest Weight 318
Weight date of surgery consultation m(10/11/05): 302
Weight day of surgery (11/1/05): 299
Weight first day home from hospital (11/3/05) : 310.5 (Wow!! I was retaining lots of fluid after surgery)
2/11/06 Weight: ?? Clothing Size 18/20 and 1XA long overdue update!!
I am feeling really good. I have not had any problems from the WLS. The foods I eat have changed since my surgery. I still have no food intolerances. I always liked salads but now I eat them all the time. I have salads almost 3 times a day. I make sure that I get chicken on my salad for protein. Ranch dressing used to be my favorite, now I don't like creamy dressings. I only use italian dressing. The weird thing is that I eat a lot less now than I did right after WLS. I don't like fried foods anymore although I craved them right after WLS. I am mainly following a South Beach/Low Glycemic style of eating. I like it because it is exactly the way I was told to eat after WLS; 3 small meals and 3 snacks using lean proteins and limited complex carbs. I don't ever get hungry since I have been following this plan. You must eat something every 2 hours and drink at least 64 ounces of water. I drink 2 shakes a day, 30 g protein each. I make my first shake when I get up in the morning. I sip it while I am getting dressed for work and in the car on the way to work. My second shake is in the evening. I add all of my liquid vitamins to my evening shake. I am also riding my exercise bike 1-1/2 hours every other night. The support group leader told me to focus on weight resistance to up my metabolism especially since I had been on a supervised liquid protein diet prior to my WLS. She said that being on a liquid protein diet will bring your metabolism to a screeching halt and weight resistance exercises is the best way to increase it again. I started doing my weights on the nights that I don't ride my bike. So far I don't havmuch sagging skin. I will post my weight after my next doctor's appoint in early March. I hope to be down another size by then.
2/18/2006 Size 18/20 and 1 X. Weight 270
Even though my weight loss is lower than others that had surgery at the same time as me, I am finding that my weight loss has increased since I started following the low glycemic diet. After being on a serious plateau, I lost almost 10 pounds in 2 weeks (without being hungry!!). I bought new pants last week in size 20. They fit last week and now they are sagging!! I hope to be down another | |
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