letitbe78

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It's been 4 mos. and 9 days since my surgery.  I haven't lost any weight since February.  On the good side, I haven't gained any either.  I have trouble getting all my protein in every day.  I have trouble getting my water in every day.  I have had sip ups and drank pop.  I have had days with too many carbs.  On the good side, I have been walking 30 min every day, unless it's raining.  Here is what I dont understand:  why after this surgery is a calorie not a calorie?  Why does it have to be so much protein?  In other words, why can't I just join weight watchers and lose weight on that program?  I knew that pop and candy could be my downfall.  Why do I crave them even when I am not really hungry?  I have got to get a grip over this!  I paid so much money for this surgery and I can't let myself or my family down.  On the positive side, I have lost 35 lbs and two clothing sizes and I feel much better than I did before.  It's been a stressful week but I know I can bet back in the saddle again and start losing weight again.  I have to.  Anybody been where I am now?  Why is it so hard to lose this weight?  I did not think it would be this hard.  I did not realize I would have to eat so much protein and no carbs.  (So NOT me!)  Please help with suggestions.

I took my doctor's advice and increased my protein substantially as well as increased time working out and low and behold I dropped 5 pounds since my last post!!!  I also increased my water intake.  So by making an increased effort to do what I have been advised to do all along, I was able to see the scale move downwards again at last!  Woo hoo!  This surgery is going to work after all, but I do have to do my part, for sure.  It is a complete lifestyle change.  Even with the surgery, if I go back to my old ways, I won't be successful.  I'm sure there will be more struggles to come, but lesson learned for now!!  :)

I had a follow up appointment with Dr. V on Friday.  Took my mother with me at her request, which set me up for being stressed out.  My mother has not been supportive from the beginning and is now wondering why I am "not losing weight faster".  Dr. V did say he expected that I would have lost 10 lbs. in the last month rather than the 5 lbs. I have lost.  He looked over my list of medications and talked abouet some that may be hindering my weight loss, one of them being my antidepressant, and the other, Lyrica, which I take for fibromyalgia.  I am supposed to go in and talk about these meds with my primary care physician, which I will do.  It's possible some other medications could be substituted.  Dr. V also wants me to increase my protein intake, since I haven't been able to get above 45 to 50 grams.  He thought everything else looked okay.  Long story short, I went home and felt pretty much like a loser (altho not weight wise).  Again having buyer's remorse, I paid for expensive surgery and I will be the only person on earth it won't work for.  I already feel like some people have their eyes on me waiting to say, see it won't work for her.  She shouldn't have done it.  Then I decided not to take my effexor or lyrica on friday night.  So thus woke up with a migraine on Saturday morning.  Ended up crying out my whole story to my ever patient and supportive hubby who made me take my medicines and then cheered me up.  Of course I knew better than to stop or change meds without going to see my doc, but I was feeling desperate.  So this week I am determined to eat or drink all my protein and hopefully will see some weight start to come off.  That's my boo hoo story.

Six weeks and four days since surgery.  Feeling pretty much like myself.  I still find it difficult to wear pants or skirts unless they have an elastic waist so that has limited my wardrobe choices.  I don't want to buy any new clothes right now, don't know what size I might end up in.  :)  If I wear clothes with buttons or zipper, it really hurts my insides after awhile.  Must still be tender in there.  Still trying to get in all the protein and all the water.  A challenge every day.  I did go to GNC yesterday and buy some protein products to try.  I have lost two more pounds, but I am losing it slowly.  Have added in the elliptical machine a couple of weeks ago.  I am very paranoid about my hair falling out and it seems like a couple of days ago I started noticing more hair coming out when I brush it.  I'm not sure.  I have another follow up with Dr. V. on Monday.  We'll see what he has to say.  My hubby made chili today, so settling in to watch the KU/KSU basketball game and eat some chil!

Today it has been 4 weeks since my surgery (VSG).  I feel much stronger than last week even.  Although yesterday I did have a migraine and had to take the crappy migraine meds that make me feel bad.  But it was a "Snow Day" from my work at elementary school, so I was able to stay home in my pj's and take a good long nap. 

I am still experimenting with different foods and trying to get in all my protein and all my water.  It's a challenge!  I have discovered that I really like greek yogurt and don't mind eating it.  Today after work I am going to Walgreen's and see if the carry Beneprotein.  I want to find out if it is truly flavorless.  I bought another kind of protein at the grocery store (whey I think) and it tastes horrible.  I am about getting to the place I can't even force myself to eat food I don't like.  I am trying to listen to my new stomach.  It tells me when I'm full, then I just quit eating. 

I am amazed when I read the postings from folks who felt well enough to go back to work at one or even two weeks after surgery.  I went back at three weeks and really should have waiten until four weeks!  But, that is just me and I guess everyone is different.  Also, I am 50 years of age, and some of the folks may have been 20 years younger than me.  It does make a difference!!  I don't go back to see my surgeon until the 31st.  I am doing well and no problems.  I have discovered eggs give me terrible gas and bloating and just not worth it at this point.  They never gave me gas before, but the new stomach is a new world unto itself, I guess!!!  :)  For a person who always ate the carbs on her plate first, and protein dead last, I think I am doing all right!

Today is the 3 week anniversary of my WLS.  I feel so much better than I did even a week ago.  I have to say I have been lucky, no nausea or vomiting at all.  I still have some soreness in my abdomen where the incisions are.  Especially if I bend over to pick something up.  But that's about it.  I have been trying to follow all the parameters about what to eat and etc. that I received from the doctor.  I am thoroughly disgusted by the shakes at this point, and am trying to find foods to eat to make up the protein the shakes would give me.  I have ordered some oatmeal, cocoa and fruit drinks that have protein in them.  I got them today, so hopefully they taste decent.  I have been losing weight, so that is good.  25 pounds down since I began this process.  As far as eating, my new stomach tells me when it's full, so I stop eating at that point.  A couple of times I have overeaten, and it resulted in pain for a short while. 

My family, husband and kids, have been great about hanging in there with me thru this process.  I had my surgery right before Christmas, so Christmas celebrations were a little different this year, and my family accomodated me very well.  Very understanding.  My husband has even been changing the cat litter box!! 

Tomorrow I go back to work.  I have to plan what I am going to take with me to eat for snacks and lunches.  I know I am still going to be tired for several more weeks.  I have been walking every day and I intend to keep that up.  Hopefully that will help with getting energy back.

Well that's all for now.

After losing the same, 20, then 30, then 40 pounds all my life, I finally found my self nearly 100 pounds overweight and unable to lose it (the weight) anymore.  Having gained 75 pounds in the last five years (blame menopause, foot surgery and the stress of my dad getting Alzheimer's), I found myself unable to lose it anymore even with Weight Watcher's (my tried and true intervention in the past).  Even tried phentermine twice.  Lost 17 pounds on it and gained back 35.  Unable to live with the thought of not being able to climb stairs without being winded, or descend stairs without wincing with knee pain, I decided it was time to move on to another way to lose the weight and get my life back.  I still have an 11 year old daughter at home, as well as a 16 month old grandson to keep up with! 

My husband has been very supportive of looking into surgical weight loss, so two months ago we drove to Wichita, KS on evening to hear Dr. Ian Villanueva speak about his bariatric surgical practice.  I made an appt with him soon after, and now two months later, after a whirlwind of tests and procedures, I am scheduled for surgery on December 14th, in Wichita.  Dr. V and I decided the vertical sleeve seemed the best option for me, so that's what I am having.  I am finishing week two on the liquid diet, which quite frankly, is unpleasant.  I am not really hungry, but just having a hard time forcing all those shakes down!  Yuck!

I am 50 years old.  I have four children ages 31, 29, 22 and 11.  I am married to a wonderful, supportive, loving man whom I appreciate very much.  I work as a school social worker at the elementary level.  I love my job, but I am in and out of several schools as well as homes, so I have to have energy to do that!  We have four cats and two dogs that keep us busy too! 

I am looking forward to having the surgery, but am also nervous.  I am just ready to have it behing me and adjust to my new eating lifestyle.  In the meantime - I will continue on with the unpleasant liquid diet.  I am 100% committed to making this work!