2 Years & 8 months post RNY and 60 years young

Jun 11, 2014

It is now 2 years and 8 months post op (RNY). I cannot believe how the time has flown past. I have had numerous medical issues that would have been way worse had I not had weight loss surgery. I am still maintaining about a 130 lb weight loss from my highest weight.

I had my spinal fusion (4 discs with rods and 8 screws) done in May 2012. I wound up spending 10 days in hospital followed by 3 months of physiotherapy. My back had been so messed up with spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease. A compressed L5 disc has caused permanent nerve damage and I will have a dropped left foot probably forever. I had gone almost 30 years carrying around anywhere from 100 to 150 lbs extra on a 6 ft frame. Unfortunately I am still left with some sciatica and lower back pain. The older you get the more obesity damages your body. I consider myself lucky to be alive.  I am awaiting 2 knee replacements to hopefully make walking more manageable. I still have to use a cane for stability. Sometimes my knees just want to pop out and I can fall when that happens.

At 2 years post op RNY I went under the knife again for a fleur dis lis (inverted T tummy tuck) and a breast Lift. For over 6 months my weight loss had been stabilized even though I had not lost as much weight as I would have liked. I reached my bariatric surgeons goal, just not my personal one. My lack of mobility during the honeymoon weight loss time was most likely the main reason for this along with a few bad habits creeping back. The plastic surgeon removed over 10 lbs of fat and skin mostly from my abdomen area. The abdominal rashes had become unbearable. I have very sensitive skin and probably due to poor healing and previous surgical scars my recovery was very slow. I do not want to scare anyone away from doing this but these are just my facts. Plus I am 60 years old. The actual surgery went well. I just stayed one night in hospital and then went home with 3 times a week nursing home care. One month post plastics my stitches opened up and I wound up in the emergency. That is where I unfortunately picked up 3 types of bacteria (not the nice ones) that had me on 2 weeks of antibiotics over xmas. But I finally healed and now I just have some irregular scaring that I may or may not deal with in the future. Call me crazy when you ask if I would do this again and the answer is YES! I had very little pain from my plastic surgery. I was bandaged for about 5 months even trying a vac machine to help speed up the healing. The huge flap of hanging skin from my belly is gone as well as the raw rashes. Oh and did I tell you? I absolutely love my boobs! They are so perky and yet still have enough substance for a good "B" cup. A far cry from the DDD that was hanging like tube socks to my waist and stuffed into a huge sturdy bra. Not a pretty picture is it? But now my refurbished boobs are like an 18 year olds instead of the 60 year old that it really is. I don't even need to wear a bra now. 

I take my vitamins religiously every day supplementing with 4000 IU Vit D, 2500 mcg Vit B12 every 10 days, 500 mg Vit C, a good multi, 1200 mg calcium citrate, 2 Feramax 150 (300 mg elemental iron), 2000 mg Biotin (yes the hair is thinner), and a Claritin for my allergies. I also take a prevacid fastab daily for prevention of gerd and reoccurring hiatus hernias. My iron is now borderline low and will have to be watched. I may need an iron infusion if it continues to go down.

There are some new facts of life following my WLS over 2 and a half years ago. They are:

• I can't tolerate some foods like Chinese food (probably the oil that is used), no KFC or Popeye's chicken (oil again), can only eat a few French fries, no Dairy Queen ice cream, some lactose intolerance with milk,  and I can usually only eat one slice of pizza (but yes I can eat pizza)
• I can only eat smaller portions especially with lean dry cuts of meat (chicken or steak) but the opposite of this is that I could graze all day if I didn't stop myself
• Sugar bothered me for about the first year but unfortunately my body has adjusted and my sugar addiction cravings have returned. I am trying to control this but it is a daily challenge
• Head hunger is still there. Some of my same demons like bad carbs and sugar have to be tightly controlled or they can easily get out of hand.
• After the first year maintenance has become challenging. I have to track my food using myfitnesspal so that I get enough protein and keep the carbs down to ensure the weight does not creep back on. I am always conscious about what I am eating and read labels like I never did before
• I never achieved my desired weight loss. I would have liked to be down about another 20 - 25 lbs but I am accepting of where I am.
• I have to watch my blood sugar. It goes too low!
• I have to take vitamins for life, no nsaids, nothing in a gel format, medications dosages need to be adjusted as they go through quicker. I get my bloodwork checked regularly especially for low iron  

The positives about having weight loss surgery are:

• I am no longer obese!!, My legs do not chafe together, I can bend over and tie my shoes, the car steering wheel doesn't rub on my stomach, I do not sweat when I walk, My high blood pressure is gone. I am no longer pre diabetic.
• I can do some low impact exercise. I hope to run and dance one day. Weight wont be a factor. 
• I can generally eat what I want, just less of it.
• I have made some fantastic new friends through my support network that will be my friends for life. I love my bariatric support group.
• Men flirt with me. I didn't recognize it at first. My self esteem is much higher. I no longer take medication for depression.
• I have found love again with a wonderful caring man. I would never have ventured out for love as a fat girl.
• I can shop at regular stores, I don't hide from the camera, I gave away all my 5X and 6X clothes to charity.
• It is much easier maintaining my current weight than facing having to lose 130 lbs without this tool
• I am grateful for this website and all the supportive people on it
• I AM A HAPPIER PERSON. I LOVE LIFE.

My only regret is that I didn't do this 20 years ago before long term obesity damaged my body. And think about it... there are no fat people in the nursing homes. why not? Because they are all dead from obesity. Don't let obesity kill you. Live life, Love Life, It is Precious. Good Luck on your journey.

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