sherry
December 20, 2006
My one year anniversary was yesterday! I am down 108 pounds and I would still like to lose 21 more. I am in a size 10/12 and mostly mediums. I feel great! I am so much more comfortable in my own skin and I feel "normal" for the first time in a long time. The greatest relief for me physically is the absence of foot pain. The pain I had in my right foot kept me from enjoying life. This surgery has been a gift from God and I am so grateful for the opportunity.
I eat pretty much anything I want except for foods containing lots of sugar. It's still hard for me to believe that I haven't had candy, desserts, or real ice cream in over a year. I would have never thought I could do it, but I have and I will continue to abstain from those things. I know I can't control myself and if I'm one of the unlucky ones that don't get sick from sweets, I would be in trouble!
My exercise routine is either awesome or non-existent. I did great up until two months ago when I just got super busy and quit going to the gym. I know I am going to have to start moving again if I want to lose the rest of this weight. I'm going to start hitting the gym again after the holidays.
Best wishes to anyone considering this surgery. My advice is to educate yourself before making the decision and commit to the necessary changes. It's not an easy fix, but it is all worth it! Also, check out your surgeon thoroughly. There are lots of great surgeons out there, but there are also some that need a little more practice. Don't let them practice on you! : )
October, 2006
Here is my 10 month picture - 154 pounds, 105 pounds lost.
Pictures have been moved to the left!
September 20, 2006
Yesterday was my 9 month mark since surgery. This morning I am down 100 pounds! I am so excited. God has blessed me so much! I did nothing to deserve this opportunity, yet it was given to me freely! It reminds me of the free gift of of eternal life offered to us by Jesus Christ! God is just too good!
September 18, 2006
Oh, my goodness! Tomorrow is my 9 months and I have lost 98.5 pounds. I am so excited! I wanted to be at 100, but 98.5 is close enough. I am so grateful to God that this was made possible to me. It has changed my life in so many ways. It's still the same life, only better!
August 7, 2006
The scale is finally moving in the right direction again. I am having a little trouble with snacking, but I still think I am doing well. I have 38.5 left to get to my goal and I think I might make it! I'm still exercising regularly and have gained quite a bit of muscle tone. I believe that accounts for some of the slowed weight loss. Still have no regrets!
Here's a current picture!
Pictures have been moved to the left!
July 10, 2006
The weight loss has really slowed down! The only thing I have changed is that I have started working out at the gym. I have increased my workouts and added weight training. I have been doing this for about 3 weeks and I have not lost many pounds since then! Anyway, there must be some truth to the muscle weight thing because I have lost very few pounds, but lots of inches! I'm trying not to get discouraged.
July 3, 2006
If you are pre-op and are considering surgery because you think it's the easy way out, please reconsider. In the beginning the weight falls off, but there are all the food and emotional issues to deal with. Then about 5 - 6 months into this, those issues begin to work themselves out but the weight loss slows way down. I have worked hard, one way or another, for every single pound I have lost. I exercise at least 5 days a week and I haven't had sugar since surgery. Would I do it again? Absolutely! It's well worth it and has made me make the necessary changes and I love the way I feel. Just please be informed!
I am down 85.5 pounds today and I just realized I am no longer obese! Praise God!
June 27, 2006
Well, I am down 82.5 pounds and have lost over 60 inches! I am so excited that I had this surgery and thankful to God that he allowed me this opportunity to be healthy and feel so fantastic! I no longer have sleep apnea, IBS, plantar fascitis, or anxiety. The only thing I still take medication for is high blood pressure and seasonal allergies. My blood pressure, although I'm still on my medication, is better than it has ever been. So, even if I have to stay on it, at least my pressure is in a very healthy range.
Dr. Jay wasn't too concerned about the biliatric reflux. He said the reflux is occuring in the part of my stomach that no longer receives food, so the medicine I have been taking isn't even reaching the problem area. He said not to be concerned about it unless I have any further problems.
Also, in regard to the itching I mentioned in my March 9th entry, the vitamin e and fish oil I added did the trick. Within a week, no more itching! Doctors are so smart. hehe
Went through a little rough spot with exercise from mid-May to mid-June. As I mentioned before, I lost my walking buddy and got out of my routine. Well, my husband and I joined a new gym that we both love. I usually go at 5 am to do my cardio workout and my husband and my son go in the evenings. I join them in the evening for weight training when my schedule allows it, but I am pretty pleased with my 5 day per week morning workout. I have lost so many inches over the last two weeks. Exercise is amazing! If you aren't doing it, you are really missing out from a weight loss standpoint. Do whatever you are able to do! I had plantar fascitis and had to take it easy at first, but once the weight started dropping, it was so much easier to get moving! Don't get me wrong, I still don't love the exercise, but I do love what it is doing to my body!
Thanks to everyone who posts on the message boards. You have been more help and encouragement to me than you may ever know! God bless you all.
June 12, 2006
I had the most awesome WOW weekend! My daughter had cheer camp, so my friend and I went on a shopping weekend in San Marcos while our girls were cheering. I got to shop at all the "regular" stores and was able to bypass the stores which carry the larger sizes. It was so cool! What was even better is that the last time I bought something it was a size 16. I decided to go ahead and try on a 14 and it fit! As a matter of a fact, everything I bought was a 14. I was thrilled!
I got the results back from my gallbladder tests and they were all fine. They did find that I have billiatric reflux though. That means that bile is backing up into my stomach when I eat. I go see my surgeon next week to see how they are going to treat it. My general practitioner put me on Carafate, but I'm not sure if that is a long-term treatment or not.
Anyway, even with this problem I would do this again in a heartbeat! I have lost 79.5 pounds with 49.5 to go. I feel 110% better than I did before and my mental state is so much better. I am so grateful to God for allowing me this opportunity for a normal life.
May 29, 2006
I am 5 1/2 months out and I am doing great. I had adjusted to my new way of life very well. In the beginning, it was super hard when others would eat sweets like birthday cake or any kind of dessert. It would put me in an awful mood. At about five months out, it doesn't bother me so much. Those kinds of things aren't in my way of life any more. I know I have to be really careful to never have that first bite. If I don't dump, it's over. I'll be on a diet again for the rest of my life.
I exercise regularly and have been since about 2 1/2 months out. My friend and I walked 2 1/2 miles every Monday - Friday morning up until 3 weeks ago. She had to quit walking so I had to find another routine. I've been swimming and going to the gym with my husband. I'm enjoying it and know I have to exercise now and for the rest of my life.
The only problem I am having is nausea. I go in Friday to get the test results on a HIDA scan I had on my gallbladder. The doctor wants me to come in, so I'm sure that means it's going to have to come out. Other than that, I'm doing fantastic and I don't regret this decision for one minute! I've lost 78 pounds over the last 5 1/2 months and I couldn't be more pleased. I still have 52 to go, so I have to keep reminding myself that I'm still overweight. I feel so good in my new body, sometimes I think I'm thin already. hehe
March 9, 2006
I had my 3 month checkup today with Dr. Jay. Everything went fine and I am officially down 43 pounds.(I go by my scales and my morning weight, so it's really 47.5 pounds.) We talked about exercise and I told him I was exercising about 3 days per week. I've been so busy with work, school, and my kid-os. He said he really recommended me do some form of exercise every day because this is the rapid weight loss phase. I knew that already, but I just haven't been able (or willing perhaps?) to make the commitment. Well, so far this week I have walked every day! Yeah for me. (& mostly the grace of God that the timing has worked out!) God is so good! The only problem I have been having is that I have been itching. All over itching and I haven't switched detergent or bathsoap. We talked about a vitamin deficiency and he said to start taking vitamin E and fish oil. It's possible I'm not getting enough amino acids for skin function. I'm going to give it a try!
It's starting to feel like the surgery was worth it. For a while, I wasn't quite sure. The most weight I have ever lost on my own is 30 pounds, so I am really starting to feel like I am accomplishing something!
February 15, 2005
I'm a little over 8 weeks out and I am down 39.5 pounds. I'm doing great with my food, but I'm having trouble getting exercise in. I went to Curves for a week and a half, but haven't been now for a whole other week and a half! I plan to go back today. I want to exercise to maximize this weight loss while I can! It is truly hard to work it in when you're busy, but I'm sure I could be doing better. I'll be through with school at the end of March, so that should help make it a little easier.
January 21, 2006
I saw my doctor Thursday for my 4 week checkup and found out my official starting weight was 259. As of this morning I am down 29 pounds! I started walking every morning this week and it has really jumpstarted my weight loss. Unfortunately, my plantar fascitis is acting up and after 3 days of walking I can barely get around because of the pain in my left foot. Dr. J said to switch to another form of exercise until I get some weight off and then maybe I will be able to start walking again.
January 15, 2006
Back to work tomorrow. I'm down 26 pounds! I'm tolerating soft foods well. I've only had one problem and that has been with seafood salad. It didn't come back up, but it didn't set well with me. I won't be eating that again for a very long time.
December 29, 2005
I'm doing much better. I was even able to go see a movie last night. I think had it not been a three-hour movie I would have been a lot more comfortable! My weight started at 260 and today I am 243.5. That's a loss of 16.5 pounds in 10 days. I am so excited!
I was able to sleep in my bed all night last night. Oh, it was wonderful! I still can't sit straight up for long periods. I guess it puts too much pressure on my new tummy and it gets to hurting. The recliner is very helpful for that.
I am tired of liquids, but I know it is for my own good. I'm going to follow my doctors directions to the letter. I think I can go on soft solids after three weeks. That will be January 9th. I'm looking forward to that! I do miss food, but the weight loss is softening the blow of that!
December 24, 2005
Merry Christmas! I thought I would update early, because it is going to be a busy weekend.
I had my surgery Monday. I was the last one of the day, so they didn't take me back until around 1 pm. I arrived at 5 am, so it was a long day. I was scared to death, but I went ahead with it anyway! I have to admit when I was in the preop holding area I did have thoughts of going home. Once I was in the operating room, all I remember is moving to the operating table and then LIGHTS OUT! The first memory I have is waking up in my room moaning. I won't lie - I hurt terribly the first night. I've never had surgery before, so I did not know what to expect going in. I was a good patient, though, and did everything asked of me. I was so excited the next morning when I passed my leak test!
I developed a fever, but fortunately low grade. It would bounced between 99.4 and 100.0. I still had a temperature on the third day, so this bought me an ambulance ride to the nearest facility that could do a CT scan of my abdomen. (The hospital was so new that theirs wasn't up and running yet.) This set me back just a little with my pain level because I had to lay flat and put my arms over my head. OUCH! Anyway, that came back fine so I was finally released on Thursday around 1 pm.
I'm glad to be home and I have done very well. I am still taking my pain medicine, but not every four hours, probably about every 6 to 8 hours. I do not believe in hurting when you don't have to! I think I am doing okay with my liquids. There is so much medicine to take that I feel like I am putting something in my mouth all the time. The protein has been a challenge, but I know each day I will be able to consume more of that. It's been a rough few days, but I am clinging to the promise from all the postops that say it is all worth it!
December 13, 2005
My surgery date is December 19th and I will have it at Innova Hospital in Houston. It's brand new, so there's no one to ask about their experience, but Dr. Jay seems excited about it. I asked him today how he knew all the medical equipment worked and he assured me that it did! I'm anxious and I have so much to do to get ready. At least my Christmas shopping is done!
December 12, 2005
APPROVED!
November 30, 2005
Dr. J signed my chart yesterday and the request has been faxed to the insurance. Hopefully I'll have a date within two weeks. I can't wait!
November 24, 2005
Yesterday was my last weigh in. I lost 3 of the 6 pounds that I needed to lose. I don't think that's too bad. Today is Thanksgiving and I have to say I am looking forward to the food. I'm also looking forward to being thinner and healthier next year, with a healthier attitude about eating.
I got up this morning and walked. I spent time praying for my family, our military and president, safety in travel, and for my impending surgery. I am thankful God cares enough about me to listen to me and work in my life.
Dr. Jay is supposed to sign off on my file Monday and it should be sent to the insurance on Tuesday. Neweigh believes that within a week or two they should have my approval back. And then in a week or two more, have surgery.
I have such high hopes for the future. I'm only about 1% nervous and 99% excited! I am so ready to get started on losing this weight. I've had a hard time losing the last 90 days, but I know that once I have surgery, I am going to be extremely motivated. I am ready to make the change! I know the changes I am going to have to make and I take them very seriously. Success and life depend on following the guidelines of the surgery. I have know people who have done very well and I have known people who have not done well. The ones that do well follow all the guidelines.
I have all my Christmas shopping done and we chose to put up a very small artificial Christmas tree this year. I think I have nesting syndrome. Almost like preparing for the birth of a baby. Well, it's not a baby this time. It's MY rebirth!
Thanks to everyone for the support I have received from this forum. Just by sharing your experience in your profile helps preops in their journey. God bless!
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
November 4, 2005
Today is day 74 of my 90 day preparatory program, but who's counting? I was down one pound on Tuesday and desperately need to lose 6 more by the 15th. I hate that I've gained during this process. I have started walking, though. Only two days last week, but three days so far this week. Surely I can lose those six pounds! I may have to be sneaky and do a morning weigh in that day! I always weigh a couple of hours after lunch and, depending on the lunch, that can make a big difference! I hate for Dr. J to see a weight gain. And I would really like to get started on this weight loss BEFORE surgery.
Neweigh advised me to clear my schedule for surgery the middle to the end of December. I sure hope Aetna is quick with that approval. My last night of school before the Christmas break is December 13th. So, anytime after that, I am ready! I am so excited and not scared at all. God is in control of this entire process and I am HIS! I hope I remember that when they wheel me into the operating room. : )
October 20, 2005
I had my Aetna weigh-in at Neweigh on Tuesday (day 57 of 90 day presurgical prep) and I have gained 7 pounds! I have not been dieting or exercising with any regularity. That was eye opening for me. I started out at 254 and now I am 261. I feel like Susan Powter during the low-fat craze -- Stop the insanity!!!!! In the summer of 2004, when I was first trying to get approved for WLS, I was hovering around 235. I have gained almost 30 pounds since I have decided to have surgery. How ridiculous! Anyway, that was just the kick in the butt I needed to get busy. Tuesday night I walked 23 (meant to do 20, but lost track of time. Go figure!) minutes in the cul-de-sac. Then last night while I watched the post-game show (Go Astros!), I rode my recumbent bike for 20 minutes. At least that is a start. Hopefully I can lose the 7 I gained before petitioning the insurance for approval again. It would stink for them to say I am non-compliant and would not be a good candidate for WLS.
October 4, 2005
Well, I am about half way through my 90 day pre-surgical preparatory program. I'm sorry to say that I haven't lost any weight. I have this "last meal" mentality. I can't seem to pass up anything since I know certain foods will be taboo before long.
All of the tests Dr. Jay ordered have been completed. I have had my surgical clearance, nutritional consultation, blood work, gallbladder ultrasound, and sleep study. I have been diagnosed with sleep apnea. I knew that I snored, but I had no idea it could turn out to be something serious. I was diagnosed with "very severe" sleep apena. When I did my second sleep study with the cpap machine, I slept like a baby. It was a little uncomfortable, but once I was out, I was out. I felt so good the next day after a good night's sleep. The respiratory therapist is supposed to contact me today about delivering the machine to me. It's funny, but I'm kind of excited. I can't imagine sleeping that well every night. My poor husband is going to have to get used to sleeping with me attached to all that stuff, but I'm sure he'd rather that than the snoring. He had already decided we were going to have to set up the spare bedroom so he could get sleep when he was working long hours.
My emotions range from excitement to terror. I know God is going to take care of me throughout this journey. I'm mostly excited about the possibility of being a normal weight without aching feet! I want to shop til I drop with my daughter and be able to play basketball with my son. The fear creeps up every now and then, but I know fear is not from God.
I'd like everyone to know how great Neweigh has been to deal with. Once I backed off trying to take care of everything myself and let them do their job, things were so easy. I knew they said they would schedule everything, but I took it upon myself to do my bloodwork and tried to set up a sleep study. I didn't realize they really take care of EVERYTHING! It is so great after trying to get approved on my own in 2004. Insurance companies are just too big to fight without help. Neweigh seems to really know their stuff!
September 14, 2005
I pursued surgery the summer of 2004, but was denied by my insurance twice and ultimately was denied by my employer. I finally gave up. In August of 2005, acting on the advice of a Neweigh patient, I went to see Dr. Jay. Neweigh assured me that they are able to get Aetna to approve the surgery the majority of the time. So, I am on day 23 of my 90 day pre-surgical preparatory program. I have my sleep study tonight (it's 12:45 am the day of), my gallbladder ultrasound, and I am seeing an internist to get surgical clearance. After those are done, I just have to continue exercising and watch my food intake. I would like to lose a few pounds before surgery and build some strength. I am so out of shape! Just climbing the stairs in my home leaves me winded. I have been swimming most days and will start walking soon!
WEIGHT CHART
12/19/2005 259
12/26/2005 252.5 - 6.5 - 6.5
01/02/2006 239.5 -13.0 -19.5
01/09/2006 236.5 - 3.0 - 22.5
01/16/2006 234.0 - 2.5 - 25.0
01/23/2006 230.0 - 4.0 - 29.0
01/30/2006 225.5 - 4.5 - 33.5
02/06/2006 224.5 - 1.0 - 34.5
02/13/2006 220.5 - 4.0 - 38.5
02/20/2006 219.0 - 1.5 - 40.0
02/27/2006 215.5 - 3.5 - 43.5
03/06/2006 214.0 - 1.5 - 45.0
03/13/2006 210.0 - 4.0 - 49.0
03/20/2006 206.5 - 3.5 - 52.5
03/27/2006 202.0 - 4.5 - 57.0
04/03/2006 201.5 - 0.5 - 57.5 (ughhh!)
04/10/2006 197.5 - 4.0 - 61.5
04/17/2006 195.0 - 2.5 - 64.0
04/24/2006 193.5 - 1.5 - 65.5
05/01/2006 189.0 - 4.5 - 70.0
05/08/2006 188.0 - 1.0 - 71.0
05/15/2006 184.5 - 3.5 - 74.5
05/22/2006 185.5 + 1.0 - 73.5
05/29/2006 181.0 - 4.5 - 78.0
06/05/2006 183.5 + 2.5 - 75.5
06/12/2006 179.5 - 4.0 - 79.5
06/19/2006 178.0 - 1.5 - 81.0 6 MONTH MARK
06/26/2006 176.5 - 1.5 - 82.5
07/03/2006 173.5 - 3.0 - 85.5
07/10/2006 174.0 + 0.5 - 85.0
07/17/2006 171.5 - 2.5 - 87.5
07/24/2006 170.0 - 1.5 - 89.0
07/31/2006 171.0 + 1.0 - 88.0
08/07/2006 168.5 - 2.5 - 90.5
08/14/2006 166.0 - 2.5 - 93.0
08/21/2006 166.5 + 0.5 - 92.5
08/28/2006 166.0 - 0.5 - 93.0
09/04/2006 166.0 - 0.0 - 93.0
09/11/2006 163.5 - 2.5 - 95.5
09/18/2006 160.5 - 3.0 - 98.5 9 MONTH MARK
09/25/2006 159.0 - 1.5 -100.0
10/02/2006 155.5 - 3.5 -103.5
10/09/2006 155.5 - 0.0 -103.5
10/16/2006 155.5 - 0.0 -103.5
10/23/2006 154.0 - 1.5 -105.0
10/30/2006 154.0 - 0.0 -105.0
11/06/2006 154.0 - 0.0 -105.0
11/13/2006 153.0 - 1.0 -106.0
11/20/2006 152.0 - 1.0 -107.0 11 MONTH MARK
12/19/2006 151.0 - 1.0 -108.0 1 Year Out!
