rikamie

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Well, I am still very happy I had this surgery.  I am around 215, I still weigh every AM and take action if I gain more than 3 or so pounds over a couple days.  I still wear a size 16.  I'm 5'11".
I can eat much more than I could dream I could post op.  I can eat about 1 cup.
I walk about an hour every day, I try not to miss but I do occasionally.  I also lift weights regularly.
My bp is within normal range, my labs are all normal.  My doctors are very happy with me.
I eat just about anything, I don't dump, never did.  I had lactose intolerance post op, but that is better now, never bothers me.
I can tell my blood sugar goes down at times, I always have some nuts or something near to eat.  

I don't look anything like my current avator!  Need to try to download a new one!

Take care,  Amie
 

Things have been moving along.  
I started my new job, and so far so good.  I'm busy, but it's good.

I now weigh 219.  The weight is still coming off but very slowly.  I mean, slow.   I lost 9 lbs in the last month, and it's ok. I still weigh and measure only monthly.  If I'd been weighing daily or even weekly, it would have drove me nuts.  I plan to weigh daily once I'm at a comfortable weight.   

I'm in a 16 regular (not woman's size) and I'm thrilled.  This is the size I was in when I was in highschool.  I would be happy staying right here,  I may have another 20 or so pounds to loose.  It's hard to say,  I think my perception of my body is all screwed up.  And, I have some loose skin that takes up some room.   Not sure about plastic surgery yet, way too soon.  

My hair loss has slowed, thank goodness.  I'm taking biotin,  multivitamin, calcium and iron.  I take one protein shake a day.  I'm still following the rules with protein first, complex carbs next and no simple carbs. 

I'm tolerating milk better now, still gives me some abdominal discomfort and gas, but not too bad.  I'm still using the lactaid milk mostly, I've had some creamy soups.  

I can eat about 1/2 cup at a time, depending on what it is.  I love to try new recipes and ideas people have posted here, and eggface's wonderful site.  Thanks, Shelly, I really appreciate you! 

My energy seems pretty good.  I do walk/jogging and doing light weights. I still haven't gotten into swimming like I wanted, just takes up alot of time.  

I haven't had any complications.  I'm very happy.  I haven't had any physical hunger.  I don't crave food, I occasionally think, "boy, a hamburger would be good" but it's just a passing thought, I don't dwell on it.   

Mostly, I just feel better.  I can clean my house in less than 2 hours total and I don't have to have rest breaks to get done.  I don't get short of breath.  I hate to say this, but I do notice people react different to me.  I mean new people that didn't know me heavy.   I can look people in the eye and not think they are judging me for my weight.  I know it's not fair, but that was what my perception was when I was heavy.  Are they judging me as fat and lazy? Undisciplined?  That's what I imaginged people to think about me before.  

I would have this surgery again in a heart beat.   

Amie

Things have been going well.  I am losing slowly now, I don't seem to mind.  I am compliant with my vitamins, my protein, water, low carbs.  I could do better with exercise, but I'm hanging in there.  

My hair is falling out,  I try not to let it bother me but it does.  I eat more than enough of protein, and I'm taking biotin, not sure if it helps.  I have (had !) thick hair, my peeps insist they can't tell.  Some have even laughed at me (in a nice way) when I asked if they noticed.  I am trying to not overhandle it, wash it only everyother day with Biologe(sp?).  I've tried Nioxin, my scalp breaks out. I need to color it this weekend, hope I don't make it worse. 

There have been a few days I have felt like snacking.  I have had some stress at work getting ready to transition into a new job, I bought a new car, and I'm trying to organize my money better and that makes me look at my spending. So, I think those stressors I would have handled preop with stuffing my face with food.  I feel more in touch with my emotions, I get a little panicky at times, but I seem to be able to face these emotions and go on. The panic feeling is what really makes me want to eat.  I have been doing some self talk, and not feeding into the panic feeling.  I am considering using a life coach we have available through work.  I like the idea of life coaches.  They don't focus on what's wrong, they focus on your strenghts, empowering a person.  I love that word, empowering. 

So,  my BMI now is  32.9, starting BMI was 46.5    My  weight is 235, last weigh in was 2.25 on my 5th month surgery anniversary.  My goal is 175, but that is very tentitive.  I am still in 16/18's but the 18 are a little saggy. 

I feel very good, no pains or problems, other than the hair and saggy skin !   I am still eating high dense protein and low carbs mostly in the form of complex, low glycemic.    I have some days when my energy is low, but it's still winter here and I'm in need of a dose of sunshine !   

   I got a new job !    

I just went through a lengthy application interview process.  I have a new position in the same company, on the systems level.  I need to give my 30 day notice on monday, I'll start the new job 3.16.08    My current boss will flip. 

I'll need to get suits, I've bought 2 recently, can have them altered when I lose more.  I'll need shoes for suits !  I'm wearing a 16/18.  Haven't been in this size for over 30 years I think.   It's hard to wrap my mind around it.  I feel so good about myself.  I'm trying to keep in mind I'm in a honeymoon phase,  that this is new, all the attention my weight loss is generating will end once I reach my norm.    

I hardly ever have those foamies anymore, I'm eating well and tolerating things great.  I think I've really had an easy trip with all this.  I am very compliant with all my surgeon's/NUT's recommendations.  I am starting to have some loose skin issues, my arms seem to bother me the most.

Amie

I saw Dr White on 2.05.08   I've lost 103 total, from my highest just before the 10 day presurgery fast.  I feel pretty good,  tolerating things well.  I'm not getting bored with my food choices,  I'm staying as low complex carb as I can, eating salads and a little fresh fruit, always eating my protein first.  My labs are good, my bp is better and I have no edema.  Dr White and Roxi both said I schould have no problem losing all my weight, with a goal at 170 or so.  So, that's another  70 lbs !   They said we might tweek the goal when I get closer.  I was barely at 170 in highschool when I was very athletic and I could hardly stay at that weight,  in highschool.  

It's amazing that that weight could be it,  my normal.  I have to get that in my head.  I can't wrap my brain around that number right now,  it just has never been in my thinking that 170 lbs could be a possibility.  

Look what Mallory made me-

 


Isn't it a beauty ?  Sooo pretty !  Thank you so much, Mallory,  I love it !   I'm a butterfly !     Amie

I weighed in on 1.25.08 at 248,  99 lbs gone in 4 months !  I can also start a "regular" diet.  I'm taking it slow and easy.  I've had avacado, salad, corn and fresh tomatoes.  Just 1 or 2 bites of each, at different meals.  The lettuce made my pouch do a flip flop the first time, but so far no major stomach upsets.  I am feeling pretty well.  I am not exercising like I planned, just too tired all the time !  And, we only have one car between the 3 of us.  I do want to start again, I need to stop intending and start to do it.  

My other major goal is going back to school to ultimately get my master's.  I have a long road ahead of me there, too.  

I had my lab done last week, still low on iron and now thiamine. That is found in egg yolk, liver (blech!)  cereal (don't do cereal, I do eat oatmeal)  and I'm going to google and see what else has it.  My bp is doing well.  I got a digital wrist bp machine and I'm keeping closer track of it.  In the AM it runs 118/70- typical for early am bp's.  During the day,  130's/ 80's.  At times 140's/90's.   I'm still on the dyazide.   My edema has resolved.  

Funny thing, I'm cooking up a storm for family, friends and coworkers.  The most fattening things, and I'm having a ball.  Beef sandwiches made with butter (!)  Texas sheet cake,  olive loaf.  Poor people.  

I have my 4 month check up with the surgeon on Feb 5,  I should be 100lbs gone by then !     Amie

At the end of this week,  the 24th to be exact, I will be at the end of my 4th month post surgery.  I think I have lost around 100lbs since preop 10 day diet started.  I think I am not losing as fast as I was, and that is ok.  I haven't been able to swim as much as I wanted- too tired.  I'm not going to give up on the exercise.   I am weighing myself every month, so I will post on Thurs or Friday along with my measurements and maybe have some pic's to post.  I just tried and can't get them up on this site.  Oh well.  It's hard to corral my son to help me on this kind of stuff.   

I have been feeling down and sort of sad today.  It's very cold,  high is 10degrees F.  It's gray and snowy.  

I get to thinking too much about everything.  My hubby has a major mental illness that I will not go into,  he is stable and on meds and stuff but, he is not normal.   It is hard to cope with.  I knew going into this that the surgery would not change our relationship, but, now I don't have food to console me.  I've doing well up to this point.  I guess it's a good sign that I'm ready to face some of these issues in our relationship.  I am the caregiver. 

I've gotten myself a swimsuit, and I've taken up swimming again.  One of my goals is to bring out my inner athlete.  I was one in high school, swam on the swim team no problem, lots of endurance.  I swam distance.  I was known for my strength.  I graduated hs in 1980, just before or right at the start of women lifting weights.  Once on a whim, while with my hs swimteam in the weight room , my coach had me see how much I could benchpress.  I could benchpress 200lbs (my weight back then) more than what most of the football team could do!!!! The football team was there in the weight room to witness.  I was teased at school for a while, but enjoyed it !   I know that girl is still in me somewhere. so, last weekend,  I went to our local swimsuit emporium,  with great trepidation, on a mission to get a Speedo.   I was expecting surfer guys working there, and the place full of men looking for their own speedo. Not that we have a lot of surfer guys in Omaha, just had that vision in my head. I just didn't want to go in with it crawling with guys. What if they called me on this ?  " Hey you, you have no buisiness in this swimsuit emporium, I hope you don't think you're going to actually find one here that will fit you and purchase it? "  That was going through my mind.    It took much courage to go in.  It's not in a mall so it's not like you can just mosey in and out.  It's in a strip mall. You purposely have to go and park your car and march in.   Anyway,  very intimidating for me with images of surf guys waiting on me, me not knowing what size and if they even carry my size.   I know, I could have called and save myself some grief, but I just had to jump in.  I had researched the Speedo web site and almost ordered one, size 24L according to the measurement chart,  but it said 4-6 weeks delivery and I didn't want to wait that long.  So, off to the shop.    

Well, boy was I in for a surprize.   Not a man in the place.  Well, one little boy, blond (potential surfer guy)  with his mom.   Nice sales girls.  One greeted me at the door,  I said what I wanted and what size I had figured by the measurements on the official Speedo website.  She said, no, that would be way too big.  Gave me 24L, 22L, 20L,  and 18L to try on.   Said with a smile "Try the 18L first !"   It was a sleek, violet number.  A serious workout actual swimmer suite, no sun bathing allowed in this one.  No little skirt to hide my cottage cheesy top of my thighs.  " Hmm,  maybe this is a mistake after all,"  I said to myself on my way to the dressing room.   But, hold on,  guess what ?    THE SIZE 18 L FIT LIKE A GLOVE  like it was made for me.   Oh my goodness.  I was estatic,  shed a tear.   How did she know that was the size ?  Anyway,  of course I bought it and started swimming at 24hr Fitness.  Feels so good to be back in the water.    

Through the Christmas holiday, that is !   I had 2 spritzer cookies but that was all, quite an accomplishment for me.  I did not dump.  I don't know if that's good or bad.  They may have been too small to cause a dump.  So far, all I've had trouble with is milk.  I'm still eating cheese ok.  I have 2 month's worth of monthly pics to post here, I have to wait for my son to help me.  I feel good,  had a sharp pain in my rt side off and on for the last week.  I think it's the remnants of my biliary tree- had a chole with my RNY.  I called the bariatric nurse navagator and she agreed,  had me start Tagamet OTC and that does seem to help.  

On the weight loss side,  I am continueing on my once a month weigh in.  I did go to weekly but I feel I will start getting hooked on that stupid scale/number crap so am going back to monthly.  I know I'm following my high protein plan with a few complex carbs, so I will lose the weight.  

I have been feeling empowered lately.  I want to go back to school and finish my degree.  I feel like I have the belief in myself back, my self esteem is back.  Not to mention plain old energy !  I can start to dream again, I'm not stuck on the couch watching endless mind numbing TV and stuffing my feelings down.  I've said it before-  I just feel relief.  My RNY set me free !!!!

Well, it's been about 10 weeks or so, I have done very well. I am thrilled with my loss so far and how I don't think about food all the time.  It is like a refief.  I will weigh myself in 2 days, I weigh every Friday so as not to get obsessed with the scale.  So far, officially I've lost 60 lbs.  Amazing.  My surgery went very smooth, I had it lap with a bonus chole.  I left the hospital on day 5, felt like I could of gone home the day before. I went back to work after being off 2 weeks total.  Everyone from family to coworkers have been very supportive.  I work at the hospital I had the surgery at, I know people are keeping track of me ! Every once in a while someone will come up to me and tell me how good I'm doing, that they think  I've adjusted to this new eating just fine, and that I'm looking good.  It feels so good to have that support, no one has been negitive.  Only one person, a lady from the lab, saw me on the floor and said "Amie! You are losing weight ! How are you doing it?"  I've known this girl for 7 years and we have always been good friends. Anyway, I told her and she just looked at me for a few minutes blinking, turned her face away from me, then looked back and said "why did you want to go and do that?"  I felt bad, felt sort of shocked.  I told her alittle bit about the process I went through but we both had to get back to our jobs.  
I started in a tight 26/28, 4X  and now wear 1x-2x and 22 jeans.  I'm SO happy about that.  I've been buying sale clothes at Younkers and Kohl's.  I've tried to find things at the thrift strores, but never could find plus sizes I could wear. 
I've done alot of walking and I take an arobic/weights class 2x week at work.  I feel better but I still get very tired and the weights feel like a million pounds.
I haven't been traking my food intake, cals or protien. That's something I want to start on Fitday. I am still on soft foods, no fresh fruits or veggies. I can have crackers. After month 4 I can have regular food.  I've up chucked a few times, eating too much. My total iron was low so I take a chewable iron supplement along with the post gastric surgery vitamins.  My hair so far is OK.  I also have not been good about the RNY forum here, my life just seems busy.