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Before & After There are currently no before and after photos for this member. See these instructions if you wish to submit your own Before & After photos. Latest Surgery Support Comments
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Hey Everyone!!! My name is Melanie and I am 26 years old female, and I will be celebrating 3 years out this coming Feb. 17th. I have been through a lot since my surgery and I am looking forward to sharing my story with all of you and hope that I can help some people with questions. Feel free to e-mail me at anytime, my e-mail is mkitchel@hotmail.com Love Mel  Update: I'm 27 now......lol
My Story Hi! My name is Melanie Kitchel and I am awaiting Bariatric surgery, I am scheduled for February 17th, 2005 and am very excited about this new step in my life. I have been over weight since age 11 and have gained about 20-30 pounds a year since, not an avid over eater, although I can over eat, I am hoping this surgery can help me in my long time battle of the bulge. 1/26/2005 Approved yesterday! ~Jumps up and down with Joy~ I was approved on my first letter through insurance, $250.00 co-pay are my only costs. I am so excited, and now not only do I have a date, but I have a time. Feb. 17th, be there at 6:30 am, surgery at 7:45. I am the first surgery of the day, which I have been told is a very good thing. All my tests were fine, nothing was found wrong with them. I am very happy that everything has gone this well for me in getting my surgery, only things left to do, are my consent signing, and my psyche evaluation. I will be keeping in touch. ~Peace~ ~Light~ ~Love~ 2/25/2005 8 days post op, Weight recorded before surgery on 2/17/08 weight = 420 and I can't believe it. There were no complications. I went on the table at 7:30 am and I was out by 12:00, my actual surgery was 4 hours long. I don't remember much about the first few days, when I first woke up I remember an uncomfortable feeling in the back on my throat, the drain from my nose to my stomach, had coiled up back there and was scrapping my tongue, so they pulled that out right away, it had not gone down properly, I was told that this sometimes happens. I also had a central line in my neck in which the IV and morphine ran through. My after care was a bit different than most I am assuming because my wonderful Mother stayed the whole 4 1/2 days I was at the hospital, they were great about her staying. She took care of me the entire time. It is a good thing she was there, because my skin began to break down 24 hours after surgery. She made sure to keep me rolling side to side, and I was keeping balmex on my sores. Thanks to her the sores did not open. I was up and standing the very next day, and sitting in a chair, I found this to be much more comfortable than the bed. I noticed that my the right side of my back was in intense pain, although when the Nurse touched it I could not feel it. The pain was deep in the muscle, when the Doctor came to check on me, He explained that this was something that happens allot with severely obese patients, it was from my 420 pounds pressing in that same area through the 4 hours of surgery, he explained that this was temporary and usually goes away within a few weeks. So needless to say laying down was painful, I could not lay flat on my back or on my right side because of that numbness, nor on my left because of my tubes. The days went by so fast it seemed. I never picked up any of the magazines I brought or books. I watched T.V. maybe 3 times and mostly in the middle of the night when I would wake up. On the third day they took out my catheter, it was the first time I had ever had one, and everyone told me, oh it's going to hurt coming out, and this and that, so I was worried, but I didn't feel a thing. Although I would suggest right after you get it out to go sit in the bathroom, I couldn’t tell when I had to go for the first few hours, I had to get used to that again. The next day, they clamped the tube that goes directly into my stomach, the doctor placed it there during surgery because in case anything should happen to me in the nest couple weeks, my weight would prevent me from going on a cat scan machine. I would be able to be fed from this tube, it comes out in 3 weeks. I could no longer stand the tube in my neck, it was sore and bothering me, and I could no longer handle it being there, so I begged and pleaded and the doctor came and took it out. Thank GOD! I hated it and finally, I could lay down a little more comfortably without the soreness. Finally the 5th day my Doctor came, and thought I was ready to go home. I was handling the water, jello, and broth well. He clipped the drain and pulled it out of my stomach. Let me tell you that was the weirdest feeling I have ever had. I could feel it being pulled from way in the back of me, but it did not hurt. Dr. Ibrahim visited me every day even though my stay fell on a 3 day weekend. I felt His care was excellent. 3/2/2005 13 days post op and feeling much better. I came home on Monday the 21st. The first 2 nights I stayed at my mothers and my boyfriend came after work and slept on the floor with my little brother on a mattress. I was still going back and forth from the chair to the bed, my back was aching a lot. Wednesday afternoon I finally came home to my house, it felt really good to get back into my own space. My experience luckily has been pretty decent. I have had waves of nausea from time to time, but I have not thrown up. I am taking my vitamins daily, and drinking my protein shakes. I am also drinking water, diet snapples, diet caffeine free tea's and iced teas. I am watching labels very closely and I am so happy to find a wide variety of things made with splenda, which I find to taste just as good as sugar. Ice pops are my best friend. At times it is hard for me to want to drink. I couldn't stand jello, I gave it all to my mother, I bought the sugar free/ fat free puddings made by Jello, they are wonderful and taste so yummy. The pudding pre packaged that are no sugar added, are not so yummy. I actually am starting to feel a difference in myself already and it is only 2 weeks. My back is still numb but getting better daily, I won't lie it still hurts quite a bit. My side where the tube is, it is still sore and I am looking forward to that coming out of me. I can now sleep through the night again, and in bed. No more going back and forth from the chair to the bed, although resting in the chair during the day is nice. I have started taking little walks, just down to the mail box but it is a start. After I heal I am going to start walking the local high schools track with my best friend Holly, she is being so supportive, as is my room-mate George. He is 23 same age as myself, and is 6'2 and 160 pounds. He has never had a weight problem, and when He makes his foods I giggle cause he tries to do it when I am in the bath or on the computer and he runs into the bedroom to dodge me, I admit I sometimes get cranky when others are eating. 3/10/2005 21 days post-op - 25 pounds Weight = 378 Trying to keep it updated here. Went to the Doctors this past Monday, and she said everything looked good. I have been really tired and lethargic and she said that, that will happen with rapid weight loss. I stepped on the scale and I am now - 25 pounds. from 420 to 378, I couldn’t believe it when I saw it. I also saw the dietician and she placed me on pureed foods, I am still having a hard enough time getting down the liquids, but I am trying. Well Monday the tube is supposed to come out, so I am looking forward to that. I will update again after the appointment. 2/16/2005 27 days post op -33 pounds Weight = 370 Went to the doctors this past Monday, for 3 week check up. The tube was taken out, and it was not a pleasant feeling. But thank god it is out of me. Threw up for my first time on Monday as well. Was eating soup and it just came up. I have not been able too eat at all, so I am drinking protein shakes. I always have a weird taste in my mouth, wonder if anyone else is having that. I am bored, feels like eating took up most of my time or it was my escape, so much easier now to see how much I used to eat. Well I am down 33 pounds, lost another 8 this past week, thinking it is because of the not eating, but trying to keep as much water in me as possible, water has a weird taste to me now too. I am hoping that this journey will start to be better soon, not that it has been awful, but I am always tired, bored, and depressed. Waiting for some happiness. Can't wait to get beck to work, I need something to fill my time with. I will write soon. My next doc appointment is not for 2 months. 2/18/2005 29 days post op Can't keep a thing down. My little brother is staying over tonight, don't get to see him much, called the doctor and said I would be coming in the A.M. She said come right to the E.R. that they would admit me. I had explained to her the water was no longer staying down either. Now in a little over a month I think I have had less than 8 ounces of food in me. Something must be wrong. Doctor explained that they will have to put a scope down to see if there is a possible blockage or a narrowing. I will keep you all updated about this. I am hoping it is something simple that can be fixed without any surgery. I myself am nervous. This has been a hard month. 2/21/2005 32 days post op Well, well, well It was a narrowing, and a very big one. Thank god it was nothing else. Really I thank god. It was an easy procedure to fix, they did an endoscopy. Slid a tube down, blew a balloon up where the narrowing was to stretch it back out and then took the tube back out. I was under for maybe 25 minutes, worst part of it was the gas right after. When I woke up I felt like I had to do both, and it was just gas rumbling around, I got a little snippy with the nurse, cause I felt I was going to go no matter what, but she wouldn't let me get up right away because of the anesthesia. Fell back asleep for about 20 minutes and then felt better. The admitted me, and I stayed over night with an IV, Dr. Viamocis wanted me to get fluids because I was severely dehydrated. From the moment they had put the IV in I started to almost feel better. I hadn’t peed more than like 5 times in the past 2 weeks, and by that night I had peed 5 times, it felt sooooo good to flush out my system. I started drinking almost right away, and it didn't hurt and wasn't uncomfy. I had broth, tea, some sorbet.....how lovely it was. Still will not touch jello. YUCK! They let me out around 1:30 p.m. on Sunday so was there for about 24 hours, I just wanted to go home. Feeling good still have that nasty taste in my mouth like rotten milk, but am drinking my liquids and am hoping to start food tomorrow. 3/24/2005 35 days post op Feeling oh so good today. Let's see the last few days have been wonderful. I have been to the mall and walked around without being tired, I have eaten some foods, started eating some oatmeal, chicken, beans, and drinking the carnation instant breakfast. Feeling more alive, and that taste is seeming to go away from my mouth. Thank god. I go back to work in a week, I am excited, starting to get bored. Guess what decided to creep up on me a couple days ago, Oh yes ladies that's right, the grand ol oprie of periods. Wowsa! Did I forget what cramps were, I felt like I was birthing something, at first I thought, this is wonderful and great, I am going to embrace my womaness, and except the cramps, let myself shed, all that hippie crap.....30 minutes later the cramps were so bad I had to crack open the Tylenol, but I held in there for a little bit. It is the worst one ever. But just look at that, I haven’t had a normal period like this in nearly 4 years. I am woman again, hear me roar. Well anyway enough about all that. My next appointment is like in a month, so We shall see how much I lose, I am also going to be joining a gym within the next week or so. I just am not sure which one I would like to go to, have to shop around. I will update soon......... 4/16/2005 2 months post op! Was in the hospital yet again, they scoped me and this time not a blockage, but irritation, and blood in the stomach. Now I am starting protonix daily, to help coat my stomach so that food does not irritate it as much as it was. I am feeling ok, am back to work. That is going so-so. I am sort of just feeling like crap lately. I hope this all gets better soon. I am making my doctors appointment on Monday, along with my dieticians appointment. I will report back with my total loss. 6/11/2005 4 months post op! -97 pounds!!!!!!! weight = 307 Well it's been two months since I last wrote and I am 70 pounds lighter. I am glad to say that I have not been back to the hospital and that my health is doing awesome. I am now in a size 24/26 and wearing jeans I haven't worn since I was 18 years old. My sex life is great and my menstrual cycle is right back on track. Work is awesome and my energy is very high. I am eating sooooooo much better. I am still not interested at all in over eating and hardly think much about my old compulsion. I am in school and I fit in the desk.....soooo cool. I love life, and it is great to know that I have one worth living now. Will write again soon. ~~melanie~~ 6/18/2005 4 months 1 day post op -106 pounds weight = 297 WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Another milestone....I will never be 300 pounds again! I love life. My new life is amazing and I am glad I didn't let myself miss out on anymore of it...... Talk soon ~~melanie~~ 7/25/2005 5 months 3 days post op -113 pounds weight = 290 Well I hit a lull, but it will get better! I have been in and out of the hospital again, this time for torn scar tissue from throwing up, and a very low heart rate.... Well I am not feeling well, so I will write soon. ~~**~~melanie~~**~~ 8/19/2005 6 months 2 days post op -140 pounds weight = 268 The lull is over for a bit, hit a major loosing streak, Docs say am loosing way too fast and have landed myself into the hospital a few more times. These present visits have been cause by the low heart rate that I now have and the nausiousness and dizziness it have given me. I also tore my whole left side from throwing up earlier on in the month. I am now on disability hoping to go back to work Sept. 6th. On the other hand, my weight loss is doing well, I am eating well, small TV dinners, small portions at diners, and there is no way that I am obsessed with eating like I was, it is more of a chore now than anything. write again soon ~*~Mel~*~ 10/20/2005 8 month 3 days post op -145 weight= 263 Well I am loosing at a very slow pace now. I am not worried. I am back to work and feeling pretty good. I still get my dizzy spells and I feel nauseated a lot, but I blame the fact that I stopped loosing on the fact that I stopped exercising. So my main goal is to save up a little money on the side and get myself back to the gym. I need the tread mill and the weight machines at least three times a week, and I am hoping to do like a step class a week or something. So I plan to join the gym again within the next 2-3 weeks. I have one right down the street again. We just moved in August back to our home towns. It is great to be back home and feeling well and back to work. I am also in classes now at college working hard to get into the January 07' Nursing class. Eating is going great. A lil too well I feel sometimes. I can eat pretty well now, something I can eat in greater portion that others which is totally hard to understand or explain. I bet their are a lot of people out there that know what I am saying. I have been dehydrated lately and I can tell by the way I have been craving water so dang bad. I have to get back to the mind frame of sipping instead of gulping. Well it was great to write to you all and I am praying and wishing you all the best of luck. ~*~mel~*~ 3/17/2006 1 year 1 month post op -168 pounds current weight = 242 Well things have not been going so great. I have had two operations in the last 2 months, ones removing lipomas and the other removing adhesions from my abdomen. I have not been feeling well and been having a very hard time eating and drinking. Now I have found out that I have gallstones and they are causing my trouble as well. I have abdomen and back pain and feel horrible. Hopefully my gallbladder will be taken out within the next week and this will solve my problems. 3/27/2006 1 year 1 month post op -176 pounds current weight =234 Well a cyst erupted on my ovary, and my gallbladder was full of stones and I had blockages. I went into shock and was taken out of my apartment by ambulance after hitting my head and passing out yet again. A surgeon "my guardian angel" actually listened to me and took the time to examine me, since my surgeons in Englewood have been ignoring me for about a month now as to how much pain I have been in. He took out my gallbladder and cleaned up the cyst. I am feeling amazing better than I have in almost 7 months. Thank god. I am so glad that this was caught before something very serious happened to me. I am now keeping down fluids and eating properly. Thank god for a supportive family and a great coach. Thank You Neil!! Love you all. 1/08/2008 3 years post op on 2/17/08 - 178 pounds current weight = 232 pounds Hello everyone, sorry it has been a long while since I updated any of my information, but truth is I had hit a plateau for about 8 months stay at or around 232. My health has started to maintain and I am glad I haven't had any gastric surgeries since the last, almost 2 years ago when my gallbladder almost erupted. I still get infection very easy and pick up colds left and right but in the grand aspect of things I am doing very well now. My major problems are my anemia, my circulation specially in my legs I bruise so easily, my back problems, and my immune system is very poor, but on the other hand the good things are I have a normal day to day life back, I no longer get long winded when walking, nor do I get tired from just my normal work load, I have grown an amazing self esteem and a high understanding of how important it is to take care of myself before anything in life. I am now able to eat mostly anything I want in small portions, although I still stay away from all sugars, highly carbonated beverages, anything more than a 1 piece portion of bread or carbs at meals. I stay away from all junk food about 95% of the time, but once or twice a month I might get something special. I no longer obsess over food or even think about over eating, it just isn't a part of me anymore and for that I am the most blessed, since I have come to terms with how sever my problem was I started on an anti depressant about 7 months ago and became even more energetic and happy with life, sure there are still bad days and bumps in the road but now those times are manageable to me without having to engorge myself in self pity and food. I am still about 38 pounds from my goal, but I am hoping to hit it, I am not going to pressure myself with a time frame, because as long as I stay true to a healthy eating schedule and I try to exercise and live right I know it will eventually happen. So I will write some more things later and I hope all of you are doing well. Love- Mel
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