SusanWinNC
305/283/170
10/11/2003 started preop diet...305 pounds
01/12/2004 Surgery day...........283 pounds ( - 22 pounds preop )
01/19/2004 1 week post op........262 pounds ( - 43 total, - 21 since surgery )
01/26/2004 2 weeks post op......258 pounds ( - 47 total, - 25 since surgery )
02/12/2004 1 month post op......254 pounds ( - 51 total, - 29 since surgery )
02/21/2004 6 weeks post op......250 pounds ( - 55 total, - 33 since surgery )
03/12/2004 2 months post op.....243 pounds ( - 62 total, - 40 since surgery )
03/22/2004 10 weeks post op.....238 pounds ( - 67 total, - 45 since surgery )
04/12/2004 3 months post op.....230 pounds ( - 75 total, - 53 since surgery )
04/22/2004 14 weeks post op.....225 pounds ( - 80 total, - 58 since surgery )
05/12/2004 4 months post op.....223 pounds ( - 82 total, - 60 since surgery )
06/12/2004 5 months post op.....212 pounds ( - 93 total, - 71 since surgery )
07/11/2004 6 months post op.....205 pounds ( -100 total, - 78 since surgery )
08/21/2004 7 1/2 months post op..199 pounds ( - 106 total, - 84 since surgery )
09/30/2004 8 1/2 months post op...191 pounds ( - 114 total, - 92 since surgery )
11/12/2004 10 months post op......185 pounds ( -120 total, - 98 since surgery )
01/12/2005 1 year post op.........178 pounds ( - 127 total, - 105 since surgery )
07/12/2005 18 months post op....170 pounds ( - 135 total, - 113 since surgery )
10/08/2005 21 months post op...170 pounds ( - 135 total, - 113 since surgery )
I am 32 years old and have been struggling with my weight for the majority of my life. I have been married for 13 years to a wonderful man and we have an nine year old little girl and a seven year old little boy. I have been an Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer and Registered Vascular Technologist(Ultrasound Technologist) for the past 5 1/2 years now. I LOVE my career!
I weigh 305 pounds and have weighed in between 270 and 305 for the past 7-8 years. I have always been overweight... I cannot remember a time when I wasn't. I have been a diabetic for over 10 years now. I use an insulin pump and take almost 275 units of insulin daily as well as Glucophage and Avandia. I also take Lipitor for high cholesterol and have multiple other comorbidities as well. I saw Dr O in Wilmington, NC about the WLS in Jan of this year (2003), but my insurance wouldn't cover it at the time. My company has since switched insurance companies and this one DOES cover the WLS if medically necessary. I meet all of their requirements. YEAH!!!
So here I go again...
08/01/2003 I set up my initial consultation today. Kathy gave me an appt on November 20, 2003.
08/18/2003 Kathy called today to see if she could move up my initial consultation to Aug 20,2003. Unfortunately, I had to decline. She was able to move up my initial consultation to September 10, 2003 though. YIPEEEEEE!!!
9/10/2003 Initial group consult completed. I am on my way!!!! I have gotten my psychologist appt set up on Oct 1st, my first nutritionist appt Oct 11th and my appt with the surgeon on October 9th!!! October will be a pretty busy month for me, but it will all be worth it in the end.
9/21/2003 Today is my 30th birthday!!!!
9/22/2003 Today is my daughter's 8th birthday!!! I received my packet from the Psychologist today... they ask so much info!! I have never even thought about some of the things they ask...lol. I am excited... things are finally starting to move forward!
9/25/2003 Met with my endocrinologist today. He fully supports my decision to have WLS. He thinks it will greatly improve my diabetes, but he doesn't expect that I will be able to discontinue insulin. :( We'll just have to wait and see on that... lol.
10/01/2003 Consult with psychologist completed... He assures me that I have great insight and common sense... lol. He fully supports my decision for weight loss and feels I am a good candidate for surgery.
10/06/2003 Went to my first support group meeting... It was not what I expected... Everyone was so laid back and friendly. I met several people that I had been corresponding online with. I had a great time and learned alot. I can't wait for next months meeting.
10/09/2003 Had my first consulatation with my surgeon today. I couldn't believe how young he is... lol. He came across as a very gentle, concerned, unbiased, qualified, and informative surgeon. My blood pressure was high again at this visit and he has "officially" diagnosed me with HTN. He has also tasked me with losing 15 pounds before my pre-op visit. Next, I will have to have my nutritionist appts, sleep study and a GB ultrasound done. My first nutritionist visit is Oct 11th. And I can get my GB ultrasound done at work ASAP. After Helen gets the results from my Psych and nutritionist visits, she will file insurance. As I was leaving, I asked when my next appt would be and they told me that my next appt with them would be my pre-op appt! That kind of threw me for a loop. It is finally starting to become real. I am looking at a surgery date of early Dec 2003.
10/10/2003 I had my gallbladder ultrasound this morning.
10/11/2003 First Nutritionist appointment completed. She has put me on a 1000-1200 calorie per day diet with a minimum of 15 minutes of excercise per day. My surgeon requires me to loose 15 pounds prior to surgery. I thought it would be an "Atkins" type diet, but it isn't. I am allowed 30-40g of carbs per meal. I just hope this works. It doesn't seem like it will be all that difficult, just staying away from extra carbs and sweets will be my biggest challenge. My second nutritionist appointment will be on Nov 22nd. Here goes 6 weeks of good diet and steady weight loss... wish me luck!!!
10/16/2003 The sleep study clinic called today to set up my sleep study. They are now scheduling into the middle of Dec... two months out! :( Anyway, I have an appt on the 11th of Dec with promises to get me in much sooner... we'll have to see. Good news... I have lost 5 pounds!!!!
10/20/2003 Wooooo Hooooo! I have lost 10 pounds!!!!!!
10/25/2003 I am down 13 pounds in 2 weeks. Just waiting around for my sleep study now. I have an appt on Dec 11th, but they promised me that they could get me in much sooner... I really hope so. I wanted to have the surgery by the end of the year. Anyway, that is all that is going on in my little corner of the world right now... waiting around is so difficult!
10/29/2003 Wooo Hoooo! Yippeeeeee!! The sleep study lady called today and they bumped my sleep study appointment up to next Tuesday, Nov 4th. I am so happy!!! Weight loss is holding steady at 13 pounds. Still hanging in there...
11/05/2003 I had my sleep study done last night. Boy... what an experience. I didn't sleep all that well. There were wires everywhere, even in my hair :( I got burns on my face from the glue that they used to put the electrodes on. I should get the results in about a week and a half... another waiting period. *groan* My weight is holding steady at a 15 pound loss. I would like to lose another 10 pounds prior to surgery. Hopefully I will be getting my date soon. Til next time.....
11/15/2003 I should be hearing about the results of my sleep study this week. Called the surgeon's office on Thurs 11/13... haven't heard anything from them in 5 weeks. My 2nd nutritionist visit is 11/22/03. Pre-op weight loss is now at 18 pounds!!!! Hurray!!
11/18/2003 Wooo Hoooo I have lost 22 pounds!!! I talked to Helen at Dr Miles' office yesterday. She will be sending paperwork to the insurance company on Monday (11/24). She expects to hear back from them by Dec 1st... says my insurance co usually takes only about 2-3 days to respond. She foresees no immediate problems and we are looking at a surgery date of late December!! My second nutritionist appointment is this Sat (11/22). Hopefully my next update will be a surgery date.
11/19/2003 I received the results of my sleep study today. It appears that I have sleep apnea. I am going for my second sleep study with a c-pap machine on Wed Nov 26. Since I have sleep apnea, my surgeon also requires an echocardiogram. Helen will be setting up that appointment soon. I have my second and final pre-op visit with my nutritionist on Sat Nov 22. I have lost 23 pounds thus far. I was only required to lose 10-15 pounds. Guess something is going right... lol.
11/22/03 Second and final pre-op nutritionist appointment was today. I officially weighed in at a 25 pound weight loss. Helen will be submitting to insurance on Monday Nov 24. My second sleep study is Wed Nov 26. Keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for a surgery date soon!!! 305/280/?????
11/30/03 Happy Belated Thanksgiving! I went in for my second sleep study (with cpap this time) on 11/26/03. It was not a pleasant experience. I did not wake up refreshed as many people had told me I would. I barely slept at all, had a really bad dry sore throat afterwards, and on top of that, I woke up with a migraine. I felt awful compared with my normal at home sleep. If I do require the c-pap machine, I really hope that my subsquent attempts will be better than my first. I have to have an echo at some point. As far as I know, that will be the last of my required testing. My insurance was supposed to be submitted on Mon 11/24. To my surprise I discovered that it was actually sent in on Wed 11/19 instead! Yippee... progress. The case is shown as completed online, so hopefully I will hear the decision this week. I had a difficult Thanksgiving holiday... I gained 5 pounds in about a week. Going to get right back on the diet wagon come Monday morning and take off that 5 pounds plus about ten more I hope. I am still down 20 pounds and pretty proud of that accomplishment. I am still holding out for a surgery date this year. Hopefully my next update will be all about my surgery date. Until then...
12/08/03 I HAVE A DATE!! WOO HOO!! My surgery will be on Jan 12, 2004. I have insurance approval as well!! I go for an echo on 12/09/03 and that is all of my testing other than pre-admission and bloodwork on January 8, 2004!!! I am thrilled!!! More later...
12/10/2003 Went for my echo yesterday... The guy stuck me 6 times trying to get an IV in for contrast. NOT FUN!! Helen called me today and let me know that I have my surgery date locked in for Jan 12th. I have to come up with $2250 ($250 deductable, $2000 max out of pocket) before Jan 8th. The hospital has to have it's money up front when I go in for pre-admission testing or NO SURGERY! I really wish I had known about that a week earlier when I got my christmas bonus... oh well, I will save what I can. I think I will have it by then. Keeping my fingers crossed. I will update when I have more info.
12/18/2003 Waiting patiently and saving money for my surgery. I can't believe it is a little over 3 weeks away. I am continuing to lose weight on my pre op diet. I am down to 277 now. That is a 28 pound total loss so far! Hooray for me! I would like to be able to lose about 10-12 more pounds before surgery.
305/277/???/150
12/23/2003 Happy Holidays! My surgeon's office called last night to see if I wanted to move my surgery date up to Mon Dec 29th. Unfortunately, I don't have all of the money that the hospital requires up front for the surgery. I am keeping my Jan 12th surgery date and slowly, but surely preparing for the surgery! I have gained a few pounds... these darned holidays. Will get right back on the pre op diet wagon on Monday!
305/283/???/150
01/01/2004 Happy New Year!!! Surgery in 10 days and a wake up!!! I am so nervous and excited. Still preparing for surgery, and saving my money... almost have all of it!! Pre op with the surgeon and pre admission with the hospital on Jan 8th. Until then...
01/05/2004 ONE WEEK AWAY!!! Well actually 6 days and a wake up LOL. I am so excited!!!! I have saved all of my money for the hospital, pre-op/pre-admission is Thursday (01/08) and then surgery Jan 12th!!! I can't wait to be a "LOOSER"!! I will update more after pre-op. <--- doin the happy dance :-)
01/08/2004 Pre-op and Pre-admission was today. I met again with Dr Miles and Helen. He went over the surgery with my me and husband. Took measurements and weight... I lost 20 pounds and 6 cm around my middle... Yeah!! I have to be at the hospital at 8am on Monday 1/12 and my surgery is at 10:15... I am the second scheduled surgery of the day. Next I did pre admission with the hospital... insurance, labwork, urine pregnancy test, spoke with a nurse and then off to talk to the anesthesiologist(sp)... Then saw the Endocrinologist... he has taken me off of my insulin pump. He thinks that eventually I may come off of my insulin and just do oral meds. He originally told me I would never come off of insulin. Guess life is good! All set for Surgery on the 12th!!! Clear liquids on Jan 11th and a vioxx the morning of surgery and that's all folks.... off to a new me!!
01/11/2004 OMG... I am having surgery tomorrow!!! I can't believe it!! It is finally here!! I am on a liquid diet today *groan*. Then off to surgery tomorrow at 10:15 am! I will see everyone on the other side...
*******************POST OP*********************
01/19/2004 I am one week post op now and boy was it a rough ride for a bit last week. Surgery was fine... done on Monday, home on Tues... everything went great. I wasn't even on any pain meds on Tues!! Wednesday night I started vomitting pretty badly. It continued to escalate into the early morning hours of Thurs... so at 4am Thurs morning we were off to the ER. I had a GI virus 2 days post op... can you believe it? What luck!! I stayed in the hospital until Sat afternoon. So... after 7 days (5 days in the hospital on IV fluids and limited fluids by mouth) I HAVE LOST 21 POUNDS!!! I knew that I had lost weight because the skin around my tummy had that flabby feel, but I neever dreamed I had lost that much. Feeling 110% better now and looking forward to loosing more... I'll keep you posted...
2/12/2004 One month post op... feeling much better now-a-days. I am trying to walk regularly on the treadmill this week. I was on a plateau for 2 1/2 weeks until last Friday! Boy was that an experience... being on a plateau so soon after surgery (one and a half weeks post op) really makes you think if surgery is going to work! Everything is okay now though... losing about a pound a day right now. Looking forward to eating more solid foods and being slimmer!
3/22/2004 Well, it has been a long time since I updated. Things are going remarkably well for me. I am steadily loosing weight and noticing a dramatic difference in energy levels and stamina. I am wearing a size 18 now down from a tight size 28. My energy levels are through the roof. I am able to excercise moderately with ease. And, my general outlook on life has improved dramatically. I was taking 300 units of insulin via an insulin pump prior to surgery, now I am lucky to need 50 units daily. I am off of Glucophage, Lipitor, and Avandia. Prior to surgery I was lucky to be able to walk a mile without feeling like I was going to have a heartattack, now I walk 2 miles before I am even winded. I am enjoying life to the fullest now with even higher expectations for the future. Until next time...
4/12/2004 I did it! I did it!! I weigh 230 pounds... I have lost 75 pounds!!! Gosh what a great feeling!!! Today is my 3 month post op anniversary and I feel spectacular!!!! A huge thank you to Dr Miles!!!
5/12/2004 Weight loss has slowed over the past month... on a plateau from hell... LOL! Just hanging around, following all of the rules, and patiently waiting for the plateau to pass. Over all I am very pleased with my loss so far. Cleaned out my closet today... all of my size 28/3XL clothing... I have nothing left (currently in a size 18)... LOL. On my way shopping very soon!! Take care...
7/11/2004 I HAVE LOST 100 POUNDS!!!!! I am so very proud!! Life is so great!! I will be 6 months post op tomorrow. I am currently wearing a size 16 down form a tight size 28. I am only taking 50 units of insulin per day, no other pills except vitamins, calcium, iron, etc... I walk at least 2 miles almost daily, and I run now also... who'da thought... LOL. Going to seriously add weight training, resistance training and possibly some pilates to my routine... I need to tone lots of muscles. I feel wonderful. I am rarely tired. I come home from work now and still have tons of energy for dinner, housework, and time to play with the kids and the hubby!!! I am 27 pounds from my surgeon's goal of 178 and 40 pounds from my goal of 165!! Wish me lots of successful excercise, good health, and positive attitude to lose my last 40 pounds!! Life is good and I FEEL GREAT!!! It was definately worth the wait and the effort!!
8/4/2004 Down 105 pounds in 6 1/2 months... that gosh darned scale won't move below 200 for anything... LOL!! I am so close to Onederland I can taste it :) . Just hanging in there and doing all that I can... this too shall pass and I will be on my way through onederland soon enough. Take care all...
1/12/2005 One year post op and at surgeon's goal. I am still trying to get to my personal goal of aroudn 165 which would give me a normal BMI. I have upped my excercise to try and get the rest of the weight off. It has helped tremendously. I am down 7 pound in the last 11 days since I increased my activity level. Excercise is a MUST folks!! I can attest to that. Feeling wonderful... stamina and endurance of a kid... I love life! What a wonderful year this has been and I am looking forward to the rest of my life! For those just beginning the journey or newly post op... YES, it is worth it!!
10/8/2005 (21 months post op) I have a plastic surgery consultation appointment set up for 10/17/2005 with Wilmington Plastic Surgery Specialists. I would like to have a tummy tuck and breast augmentation. I have maintained within 8 pounds of my surgeon's goal weight for over 13 months now and I feel that this is the time for PS. I am so nervous and terrified!! I weigh 170 lbs and I am 5 foot 9 1/2 inches. My BMI is almost within normal range. I am wearing a size 10 pants and XL and L tops (I have wide shoulders). I have gone from a 48C (sometimes D) sized bra to a 38B. My sister has introduced me to low rise jeans and hipsters. It certainly takes a bit of adjustment to get used to wearing these, but I really do like them. I will post more specifics after my consulation. :)