Wendy Kipp
When OH changed our profiles, I had to convert my old posts here to make it easy. This is most of my weight loss story throughout the surgery to being almost at goal. I will post anything else on my blog record. For those of you who do not know me I will preface this section with why I wanted to do this surgery.
I was 36 years old and weighed 392 lbs. I was in pain every day. I could not walk properly, I hurt in my feet and knees as well as my back. I had hypertension and was pre diabetic. I found out through my preop testing that my heart was enlarged and also a valve in my heart was enlarged. I was emotionally unhappy and miserable about myself. I ate to feel good and did not feel good. I ate lots of fast food and was no fun to be around. I was cranky and could not accomplish daily tasks.
I have since had the surgery and lost a grand total as of yesterday of 194 lbs! I feel much better although I have learned a lot along the way about myself. I am physically much better and can have fun with my kids. I can ride roller coasters, sit in seats at the theater and on airplanes and I can use the small stalls in the public restrooms now! Sounds silly but those simple things are awestriking in someone who could not do them!
I do not have hypertension anymore and my chances of being diabetic now are very slim. My heart has been checked and the cardiologist said it is almost completely normal now!! I do have a lot of loose skin all over my body. I have to have the belly skin removed, but have not decided to do anything else yet.
For those of you contemplating this surgery, let me say this:
It will not "cure" your food addiction. You will struggle everyday with that for the rest of your life. But it can enhance your life and make it easier to live a long and healthier life. Please make sure it is your last choice and only choice left before doing this. I have not had any major side effects or problems, but it is a drastic step to take and you must be sure that it is a commitment you are willing to make and that you would rather take the chance of dying from surgery than to live one more day as an obese unhealthy person.
May 10th, 2005
I am having my pre-ops tomorrow! Whoopee! I also have to go to a 2 hour nutrition class. I am glad about that because I am very nervous about how to eat after surgery. I can't wait to get this all over with.
June 17th, 2005
Surgery went well on the first of the month. It felt like forever, but I am finally feeling like normal. It took about 2 weeks of real hurt, but now I am just sore. I ended up having an open procedure, they said the instruments would not reach, however I lost alot of blood and think they opened me up due to hitting a bleeder during surgery. Whatever the reason I am doing remarkably well and am even eating solid foods now. I feel good most of the time, night is hard, I still can't switch positions and sleep on my sides which is my favorite. I have lost 8 lbs at my 2 week mark. Hoping for a good result at 6 weeks. I am going to try to start walking outside more now that I am not as sore.
August 6th, 2005
I am down 53 lbs now! I am very happy with this, but anxious to be rid of it all. I suppose we all are. I am not eating much, drinking lots of milk and no sugar added chocolate milk. I get alot of protein this way. I don't like protein drinks so this helps. I feel weak alot because I keep forgetting my vitamins! I need a timer on me somewhere that goes off when it is time to take one! LOL!
October 2, 2005
Well I am now down 80 lbs as of today! Only 12 more to get under 300! Eating a little better and drinking the GNC 50 gram slam everyday. Still forget my vitamins alot though. I have trouble with fluids, but trying hard to get them in. I feel pretty good although I get fainty feeling occasionally and have to sit down. Just got out my old clothes to see what fits. After I wash them I may have a whole new wardrobe without having to buy clothes!
October 10th, 2005
I had a bad weekend, had tummy pain and cramping in my bowels, but found out it was hormonal! I started my monthly today and I think it stirs up my system! Had a bad protein week, and bad on fluids, not feeling well. I will try to get things going a little better now that I am feeling better. Down 84 lbs, I weigh 308 now. I can't wait to get under 300.
November 12th, 2005
I am down 102 lbs now! I still struggle with the protein and excersize, but am still losing. I need to work on that and getting my vitamins in. I vomit sometimes with certain foods, raw veggies don't go down too well, but I can eat cereal and other things. I started eating Special K with milk to get more protein in. I now weigh 289 and hope to be under 250 by the new year! I did join Contours Express for women, but have to make it a priority to get there. It has been hard since I have so much going on with the new house and all.
December 15th, 2005
Well I have lost 117 lbs as of this AM. I still feel like a cow! It is so funny that at almost 400lbs I did not feel fat sometimes and now I feel fat everyday. I hate this body and want it gone. I still struggle with eating correctly, but am trying to straighten that out. I vomit and have stomach trouble with the meats and such, so it is hard to eat the high protein diet like others can. I know I can eat other protein foods, but I don't like them! I do eat nuts and dairy alot. It is high in fat though. I eat special K and fruit alot, but I get bored with the same food all the time.
I hope I can lose 50 more lbs by Feb. 23rd. We are going to Orlando for vacation and I want to go to Universal and ride the rides and be comfortable.
January 13th, 2006
Well, I am doing pretty good now with the diet. I tried the unjury protein and it is not too bad. I have also found other sources of higher protein things that make it easier for me. I am down 126 pounds now, slower than I would like, but at least the scale is still moving downward. I need to get on the excersize bandwagon, I know this would help. I feel fat and sluggish, I don't yet have all the energy I am supposed to be bursting with right now. I hope it comes in time. But I never was a ball of energy. I am a laid back person. Sex is my only regular form of excersize right now! Not bad for an old lady, tomorrow I will be 37! I am so glad I did this surgery before I turned 40.
February 20th, 2006
Well I had a very slow month this month. I have only lost 7 lbs this month! I am not excersizing and I am finding that I can eat more. I have not always been strict with my diet. I think I need to watch the salt too! I have to get off of my butt. I am making this a priority as soon as I get back from Orlando.
March 7th, 2006
Well we are back from my trip! Had a semi good time. Fought with my mom while I was there. It was my fault for saying something that she over heard, but I did not mean to hurt her. I was just venting to my husband and she heard it and went ballistic. I tried to get out, but she kept it up and it blew all out of proportion. I think this did not help my eating, I ate all carbs this week, ugh!!! I wish I was stronger. I have only lost about 4 more pounds and need to get back on track. It is hard to eat right when you travel.
I am at 254 now and want to be 180, as I am 6 foot this is a perfect weight for me. I hope I can keep losing and get to goal by the end of the year.
March 29th, 2006
Finally under 250 lbs!!!!! I haven't been under that amount in 15 years! Wow! It is still slow going, but better than not losing at all. I am going to eat better and now that it is getting warmer, I will try to get outside and excersize. I know I have alot of landscaping to do this year and that will take some stamina. I hope I am up to it!
April 15th, 2006
Well I am down to 244 now. Only 6 more to be less than Ron!! WOO HOO!!! When I weigh less than my husband I will truly feel great. Of course I am looking forward to Onederland also! I still have 66 pounds left to get to goal weight and hopefully plastics!!
I am still working on getting in the protein and fluids. I went into ER last week and they think I was dehydrated. I hope that was all it was. My chest has been getting tight and having sharp pains every now and then. I have to go see the cardiologist soon and find out for sure. I sure hope it is not my heart. I did not do all this weight loss to have heart disease anyway! That would so suck!
May 1st, 2006
Well at 238lbs I am officially smaller than Ron now!!! Woo Hoo!!! That has been my mini goal all along!! I have decided that when I get to 200 I will go see the plastic surgeon about all this skin! So about 38 more to go now. I got the ok to excersize from the cardiologist this week, so I am gonna start biking and walking now. I hope this kicks up the loss! I would love to be at 200 by summer! I don't think I can do it, but I can try! It has been 11 months today! I can't believe the time has gone by so quickly. I have been so lucky to not have had any major complications!
May 20th, 2006
I am down to 233. I have a BMI of 31. I am so close to being just overweight, I can't wait to be in Onederland. I keep thinking that a certain weight will make me happy, but it doesn't. I thought I would be satisfied to weigh less than Ron(my hubby), but I am not. I keep feeling fat and flabby and very unsexy. I feel so much better though, but I am not happy with myself. I hope ps will take care of that. I hate this big obnoxious, flabby gut of mine. And the wings and thigh flaps don't help either, and don't even mention the breasts!!! Uggghhhh!!!! I can't stand that. Yuck! I hope that I can get the breast reduction and tt at least sometime this year. I hope I feel better about myself then too.
June 12th, 2006
Well I am at 228 now. No a huge loss in a few weeks, but some. At 220 I will no longer be obese. That is a huge thing for me. I haven't weighed that since college. Amazing! Also yesterday I went with the kids to the park and I played on the playscape and climbed the rock wall! The kids loved it. We walked a mile at the park and then later that night went for a 2 mile bilke ride. I love living out here in the country. I love my new life.
I decided to quit whining about the flabby body. I love my new life now and even with the flab life is wonderful. We finally got our gazebo for the hottub and I have the deck all decked out and the porch is so pretty. I am very blessed by God for all the things he has done for me. My kids are healthy and I may be starting a new job, which I can't wait for. I love to work. Part time thirds though, may be rough at first.
Going to Crossroads village for fathers day next weekend. I am going to have such fun. I can walk around and ride the rides, get through the train and sit with Ron on the same seat. This will be fun!
July 27th, 2006
Hey everybody! I have been working third shift full time for a few weeks and camping in the UP with my family this month! I am exhausted! I have had a bad eating month. I ate too much Mackinaw fudge on vacation, and the rest of the month I haven't really ate much and have thrown up quite a bit. I think I am still eating too fast. My body is having a hard time adjusting to eating and such on third shift so that could be some of it.
Well I am down to 219lbs!! I haven't weighed that little in so long I am unbelievably shocked. I have an appt. with the plastic surgeon on Sept 6 about the excess skin. I hope to drop another 10 or 15 lbs before then, but I won't hold my breath. I want to kick up the excersize some more, (like usual). I really hope the insurance will cover the stomach thing. I am having back trouble over the hanging skin and my shoulders still bother me. I don't know if that is from my breasts or not. But I might get a reduction on those too. I am going to consult with him about my arms and thighs. I am not looking forward to all that surgery though.
September 7th, 2006
Well it has been awhile since I posted last. Since my last post I found out why I was throwing up all the time, I had H. pylori. It is a bacterial infection of the stomach and duodenum, which can cause ulcers! I was treated with antibiotics and in Oct. I have to have a scope and biopsy to make sure it is gone and there is no damage to my pouch. I am glad to have it gone, but boy did the problems start after I got better! I started to eat like crazy and now I am dealing with a slight bulemia problem. I started feeling guilty about eating and started making myself throw up. Don't let anyone tell you that this surgery is a cureall for your life. You will fight your addiction til the day you die! The weight loss is great and I don't regret the surgery a bit, but there should be more counseling required with it than there is. I think I am going to go to see that doctor that specializes in bariatric psychiatry. He works with Hurley patients alot and maybe he can help me. As for now I decided to just concentrate on protein and water and keep my head out of the toilet. I sure am grateful for the OH people on my Michigan and surgery date boards! I don't know what I would do without them for advice. Noone can give advice that hasn't dealt with these situations and I know I can count on them.
I am down to 205 now. 6lbs from Onederland. Never thought I would be there. Went to the plastic surgeon yesterday and got all the info about my tummy tuck and other stuff I want done. Chances are good to get the tt covered, but the other stuff is not likely. 15,000 dollars to do the boobs, arms and thighs!!! Wow! Maybe i can be happy and saggy LOL! I think I will wait til I have the tummy done and see how unhappy I really am with the rest.
