lisa_clairemont

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Well, Apparently today is my anniversary. It almost passed by without notice. It has been three years and not a lot has changed for me. I still have to watch what I eat all the time. I still have to make correct decisions. I am happy where I am for the most part. I stopped losing weight at 155lbs. I am at about 167 now but that has come on very recently due to Menopause. I am taking meds now that have helped to stop the weight gain and the mood swings. Over all, I would say I have been very successful. I am happy and Gastric Bypass while being part of my life does not define who I am.

 

 

Well, I have made it. I am officially under 200 lbs. Down 85 lbs from day one of my 2 week diet. Not bad 5 months post op. My next goal is to be under 191. That was the weight at my first prenatal visit for my daughter more than 15 years ago. Then 182 which will be 100 lbs lost, then 173 becuase I will no longer be obease, then 150 because that is what Dr Pender says I should get to, the 137 because that is my dream weight.

I had my nutritional consult today with my Chiropractor. I love him. He looks for natural ways fo get what you need.

Here is my new regimin:

Am:
Ferro Food (Iron, whole food sources) 10 mg dose   2 capsules
Nutri-West Complete Hi-Potency Omega-3 Liquid  1 tsp
Probiotics 1 capsule
GNC Biotin 2500 1 capsule
GNC B-12 5000 zipmelt. 1-tablet sublingual
Now Liquid D-3 4 drops
Standard Process SP Complete (Protien) 2 scoops
Multigenics Chewable Multi 1 pill

Mid Morning:
Tropical Oasis Liquid Calcuim Magnesium  1/2 oz

Lunch:
Mutligenics Chewable Multi 1 pill

Dinner:
Multigenics Chewable Multi
Ferro Food 10 mg dose 2 capsules

Bedtime:
Tropical Oasis Liquid Calcium Magnesium 1/2 oz

Before you think he is crazy for all the capsules and such. He wants me to mak a smoothie with organic fruit and coconut milk with the capsules opens and mixed in in the morning. I can sip on that and get everything down. Just takes time.

He also told me that I really need to look into making sure I get as much of my protien from vegetable sources as I can while staying in the guidlines. There is significant research linking animal protien with the development of cancer. Just "food for thought"

Also, he suggested Crystal Light Pure Fitness instead of anything with artificial sweetners. They are linked to nuerological disorders. I think I will be spending more money on food and supplements than before but the quality will be much higher.

Okay so this morning I made an egg for breakfast with very small peices of cut up sausage in it and a little bit of cheese. I ate 3-4 small bites and I have been miserable since. Finally- 4 hours later I throw up. Who knew that would feel good. I mean I have seen on the site that you feel better but I don't think I have ever before thought, finally, I am so glad I did that. LMBO.

Have a great day.

I have a surgery date!!!!!! April 8th. I am very excited. I switched to RNY but that is okay. I just want to get it done.

Okay, so at lunch today I call the insurance company and find out my request for the VSG is denied. I haven't heard from the Dr's office yet. Now what?

Had my decision visit and got a bit of unexpected information. When I told him I wanted the VSG he told me my insurance is on the fence about that one and that I need to have a back up plan.  I have to admit I was mental shocked. I have the paperwork with me from my insurance and it lists VGS as a WLS option. I don't want a back up plan. He also told me it would be the end of the week most likely before they get the information together to submit to insurance so I should plan on anothe two weeks before I find something out. It seems like my life has been in a two week tolding pattern since this process started. Everything is 2 weeks apart.

Well, I guess I should be grateful I am this far.

Made it to the Y this evening. That is huge for me. Short story is I walked 60 minutes at target heartrate. 2.8 miles. I am looking forward to going back again. I need to put a schedule on my calendar.

Well, I have my decision visit on Feb 8th. I am looking forward to it but I am wondering why I am having a hard time right now. It is like I have no focus because of all the waiting. I am waiting for appts, waiting to not be able to eat. Waiting, waiting, waiting. In the mean time I am eating like I have no plans of weight loss. I am not gaining but I am making no effort to lose either. I got a membership to the Y but I have not been going. I am just trying to find my way. Any suggestions would be wonderful.

Well, I know it has not been a long proces in the grand scheme of things but waiting is harder than I thought.

So far this is what I have done:

So far I went to Dr Pender’s office on Nov 20, 2009 for a consult interested in Lap-band surgery. After talking with him he really peaked my interest in the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG). The same day as that appt I went over to the hospital for a chest x-ray, a ekg, and blood gas test. I was told they would be sending me a letter with other appts.

 

I got my letter on Dec 12, 2009 with tests on Dec 23 for blood work, upper GI, and anesthesiologist consult. It also said that I would be contacted directly by ViQuest for a Nutrition consult and ECU Physicians for a Psychological evaluation.

 

Dec 14^th I got my appt/ paperwork for my Psych eval. It was scheduled for Jan 12^th.

 

On Dec 23^rd I went back to Greenville with Gary. My first appt was scheduled for 9:30. We got there at about 8:50 and because we were early they sent me for my blood work first. After my blood work was done I went for my upper GI. The Dr I saw there was very interested in the VSG and had not heard about it so after my appt when I was changing he went into the lobby to talk to Gary because I told him I had paperwork about it with Gary. When he was out there he mentioned to Gary that I have a hiatal hernia. That was the last I have heard about it but I have checked and since obesity is partially to blame I am assuming it will be controlled when I have the surgery. But is explains to me the belching. Anyway, after the upper GI I went to the anesthesiologist. He asked me a bunch of questions and measured my neck. He said on a 30 point scale that they use for surgery with my slender neck and good history I got the lowest (best) score he had ever done. I got a 1. So onward we go.

 

On Dec 30^th I got a call from Cathy in Dr Pender’s office. She said my blood work came back and I have a vitamin D deficiency. It should be about a 30 (they must like that number) and I was at 19. So, she called in a prescription for 50000 unit vitamin D pills to take 1 a week for the next 8 weeks. I will be finished with them on Feb 17^th. In the mean time I told Dr Wilding, my Chiropractor, about it is he said with is being that low there may be genetic factors and that I may need to be on a prolonged vitamin D regiment. I will be asking Dr Pender about that.

 

On Jan 8^th I finally got my nutritionist consult scheduled. They asked me when I would already be in Greenville. I told them Tuesday so they scheduled me.

 

Jan 12^th, yesterday, I had an 8:30 am appt with Jenny Biggs, the nutritionist, the short version was that she spent the majority of the time talking to me about what to expect for a pre and post-surgery diet. She gave me some hand out and I want to say the appt took a total of 30 minutes. Since I have 51/2 hours until my next appt I went back to work until 1:15.  At 3:00 was my psych eval. I met with Teresa Edenfield. She took the paperwork I had already completed and had me fill out 2 more questionnaires. Then we had a conversation/ interview. Basically she said she would have to review my file but she saw no reason not to move forward with my surgery. When I left her office I called the Bariatric surgery office and let them know I was complete with my appts per their instructions.

 

I got a call from Cathy this morning. She said she got my message and that it would be about 1 ½ to 2 weeks before their office gets the write up from the psychologist and when they do they will call me to set up my next appt. My next appt will be the “decision” appt. Gary will need to be with me for that one as Dr Pender says it is important he meets my primary caregiver. This is the appt when I will say yes, I want the VSG and they will tell me the details. They will then submit my paperwork the insurance company. I see no reason they should deny it but you never know. I will get a prescription for Optifast that I will start after I get my approval and surgery date. I will be on a full optifast diet of 5 shakes a day (about 800 calories) for 2 weeks before my surgery. The nutritionist said they aren’t great and they aren’t filling. I will be hungry. She said that is a miserable two weeks. After the surgery I will be on optisource. It is a higher protein version of the optifast for another 2 weeks to allow my stomach to heal and then got to stages of food from there. She said the optisource doesn’t taste as good as the optifast. I will most likely be out of work for at least 2 weeks after surgery.

 I just wish I new a step by step of what I have left and how long it will take. I am like a kids a Christmas waiting for them to call me. Hoping it is closer to the 1 1/2 instead of 2 weeks and really hoping it is not longer.