ObesityHelp

I am 37 years old, married and have 3 children (16,5,3). I have been overweight for the majority of my life. I have been diagnosed with PCOS and am waiting for the results of my diabetes labs. My doctor is pretty confident that I will be diagnosed as a diabetic. I am tired of the weight. I am tired of not being able to play/run/walk with my kids like I want. What happened?!

I was glad when I saw my PCP that she is the one who recommended the surgery, so I didn't have to bring it up!! She is very supportive and will give me the recommendations that I need. I have called Dr. Rupp's office to attend an informational meeting (the first step to start the process). I already attended this meeting with a friend this summer, when she decided on WLS. I'm confident that surgery is the way to go, but I don't know which procedure... I need to do more research. It is overwhelming, but the end result will be so worthwhile!!

11-22-04 A couple of things happened over the weekend. Dr. Rupp's office called and I am now registered for the informational session on Dec. 17th. Woo Hoo!! I am glad it is not that far off and I can get this ball rollin'. Other good news is, my labs results came back all normal -- I AM NOT DIABETIC!!! I received the letter on Saturday, but was scared to open it. I felt a huge weight fall off my shoulder when I read it. Shew! I feel good! Will update later...

1/28/05 It's been a few months since I have posted. Well, I went to the information session put on by Dr. Rupp's office. It was good even the second time around!! I scheduled my appt. with his nurse, Joyce, that day. My appt was on January 3rd. She is an incredibly supportive, warm and smart woman. She made me feel completely at ease. My conversation with Joyce went great! She had all the information she needs, I just need to see the counselor! So the next day I made my appts for the counselor. I met with her on 1-11-05 to chat and on 1-12-05 I took the MMPI-2 test. I saw her again on 1-20-05 to get the results of the MMPI-2 but because she couldn't print it off the computer we didn't talk about it. Instead, my husband and I talked to the counselor. She wanted him there to see where and how he feels about the surgery. My counselor wants me to practice my eating and not drinking. I have to get off the caffeine -- which I have not had for 1 week. My last meeting with the counselor will be on 2-10-05. Hopefully that will be enough for her to send everything to Dr. Rupp's office. I can't tell you how excited I am at this point. I am so ready for this!!

3-25-05: Well, it sure has been a long time since I have been here! Since my last journal, I went back and saw the counselor again. Everything went extremely well. She is recommending me for the surgery. I thought GREAT! We are on for getting insurance approval.... reality check happens... my health insurance has a new requirement that I have to fulfil. I have to see a dietician... Okay, no problem. This should be good information, I could learn something here. I saw the dietician now this week. Portion, portion, portion....I have a lot to learn and apply. The end results are so worth it.
Side note: I have been off pop since January!! Yea Me!!
I am drinking lots of water and tea. It wasn't so bad either. No headaches....So now I need to try and kick the smoke habit. I smoked my last one last night at 5:30 PM. By 7:30 I wanted to go up town and buy a pack or at least send my husband!! But I didn't. This is hard!

4/12/05 I just heard from my insurance company today..... I AM APPROVED!!!! after my first letter. I am so excited that I can hardly stand it! This is just awesome. YES! I contacted the surgeon's office and was told that they will automatically schedule a date for the surgeon consult and I will receive a letter by mail with the date on it. That should be here by Monday. Once I see the surgeon then we will schedule the surgery. My hope is to have surgery by the end of June.
I'm floating on cloud 9 today!

4-29-05 I have a consult date with Dr. Kelly on 5-12-05. I AM SO EXCITED!!!! I was not doing so well on kicking the smoke habit. I have quit again. I just stopped smoking on Monday the 25th. It's been really hard. I have been off caffeine since January. I haven't had pop since then either. Those have been easy to break, but the smoking -- not so easy. I just keep thinking that this is the right thing to do. It will help for before and after the surgery. I want to do the right things to make sure I get the absolute most out of this tool.

6-17-05 I HAVE A DATE!!!! I HAVE A DATE!!!! Surgery is scheduled for 7-11-05. This is so awesome. I am so thankful that this day has happened. My husband, family and friends are all being incredibly supportive. It really helps to have that support. And as far as the smoking -- I have not had a cig since my last post! It's been very hard, but it had to be done. My kids probably wouldn't agree, my mood has been pretty bad. Well, that's all today, just want to put it here!!

6/28/05 I am now just 16 days pre-op! Man that is an awesome thing to say! I am so excited to start this journey for myself that I can't believe we are this close. This weekend my family and I will go up to the family land and enjoy some time with our extended family. It should be fun, I haven't been there for 4 years. Mostly because my weight has been an issue for me and it's too hot to sit out in the sun, camp in a tent and then pretend that I am having fun. My mother and brother's have been upset with me for not going for the last 4 years, but they don't get it. So I have made a decision that I need to change my habits and get off my butt. I even helped weed and trim the yard this last weekend. I haven't done that for 7 years!! It felt tiring and sweaty!!! But it's a change for the better. So-- this is a nice family get away. OH- I've also been having the munchies or something -- eating like a mad person. If I don't stop it sure will be a shock later. Anticipation, excitement and nervousness are going through my head a lot. I am putting my faith in God, my trust in the surgeon and will continue positive thoughts for a speedy recovery and a uneventful surgery. Thank you for this blessing and opportunity!!

7-7-05: The countdown is on.... 4 more days!!!! Yesterday was my pre-op physcial which included chest x-rays, EKG, blood and urine tests. My PCP was very excited to see that I was at the point to have surgery. Also asked her about getting a patch for hormone replacement therapy as I don't want to crush the pill -- I think it will probably taste pretty nasty. So, the patch will work! I have been trying to keep myself busy because all I seem to have on the brain is the surgery. I'm nervous but thrilled all at the same time. It's very confusing. One more day of work and then I will be home for the next 6 weeks recuperating.

7/17/05 I am now 6 days post-op and everything is going fantastic!! Surgery took less than 1 hour -- can you believe that!? My husband said that it was 12:35 when I left for the OR and at 1:35 Dr. Kelly was already telling them surgery was over and I was fine. The first day of surgery, I was having problems with my oxygen levels. Everytime I would fall asleep I wouldn't breathe deeply and I ended up having oxygen. Having the oxygen up the nose made me breathe through my mouth and would dry out my mouth. Around 8 pm that evening they got me up for my first walk. I walked a long way -- the nurses were impressed! I walked to my friend Tammy's room because she also had surgery that day and I wanted to check on her. The next morning the morphine was making me sick and so I wouldn't take it. Finally the nurse said they could give me something for the nauseous feeling.... so I took it and it helped. By the evening they had removed my IV and all medications and drips! Wow, just over 24 hours and I was starting to feel human again. I was also on a liquid diet. Tomato soup is awesome!! By the next morning, Dr. Kelly had come in to see me and said, "You look great, how would you like to go home?" I about fainted. Are you sure??? They removed the cathader on Wednesday morning and I just waited for my husband to come and get me. We had over and hour drive home so I took a pain pill for the ride. It helped. The first night home I slept on the couch, or should I say I sat upright in the couch and put my feet up on the recliner and slept. Around 3 am my stomach started to wretch and turn.... my bowels were kicking in. HURT, OMG YES!! I found that getting up and walking was the best thing. During the day, I have been eating and then sleeping a lot. It has been hard to try and get all the fluid in like your suppose to. Right now I am eating anywhere between 3-4 oz per meal. It depends on the meal and depends on how long it takes to eat it. My dietician has said that I have 30 minutes to eat, if you are not done in the 30 minutes you have to stop. This is how grazing happens and the weight comes on. So either I get full before 30 minutes or I run out of time from chewing. You'll be amazed at how much 3-4 ounces of food is -- it's actually quite a bit. I am lucky that my recovery has been going so well. I haven't had to many problems with food -- I don't like cream of chicken and I can't drink our city water. I have been going up and down the stairs with ease but I am not doing anything else. I am not doing laundry, cooking or cleaning. That has been left to everyone else. I am so happy that my recovery is going so well!! I am so happy to be on this side -- the loser side!!

8-1-05 Well, it has been 21 days since surgery and I am feeling better every day. I have been walking about a mile a day, 5 days a week. I had my staples removed on July 26th. At that time I had lost 20 pounds since surgery -- 20 pounds!!! That was just incredible. I'm so excited to see more of it come off. I feel like I have lost more, but I don't have a scale in the house to know if I did. Not having a scale is intentional, I know I would be on it everyday looking for weight loss. It would probably make me crazy. As far as food goes, I am still eating 4 oz of food per meal and eating 3 meals a day and sometimes a snack at night. My favorites are tuna and cheese. I want cheese on everything!! I have been drinking about 32 oz of water a day. I am so glad that I made this journey and am on the other side. I feel great, but I am tiring easily, so I nap with the kids.

8/9/05 Just a short update. I am 4 weeks post op and still feeling incredible. Today, I am feeling particularly skinny!!! Okay, I still have a big belly (although not as big as it used to be), but I am feeling very energetic. Still do not have a scale, but I do feel "smaller" in places, like my tummy! One icky thing that happened is that I tried some deli turkey on Saturday for breakfast. Well, apparently my tummy doesn't like deli turkey, because it came right back up. This is the second time I've thrown up. The other time was with chicken and it was a bit greasy. Chicken has been hard for me to eat. I can chew, chew, chew it but it hits my stomach like a rock and it hurts. Bummer, because I LOVE CHICKEN! My favorite food besides cheese right now is watermelon. Mmmmm, watermelon. It is sweet, light and mushes down easy.
For anyone that is considering or researching this surgery. Do your research, check out your options. And have complete confidence in your surgeon, should you decide to go forward. God Bless.

8/30/05 Okay so it's been a little while since I have posted. I am now 7 weeks post op. I am back to work. Which is a bummer, because I was really enjoying my time at home.
So, what's happened since I last posted, well.... I finally got a scale in the house. And I have lost a total of 35 pounds. It feels terrific. I am still having problems with chicken and meat. The best thing that works is tuna or veggie burgers. I have found some protein bars that I eat for breakfast. They are called Zone perfect. I am still walking and hope that it will help.
I feel like a heel. Yesterday I just pigged out at supper. I didn't feel full and I know I over ate. I don't know what happened or why I could eat so much. I didn't time myself. I woke up this morning, not hungry at all. I didn't want to eat. I just hope I didn't blow my ring... I am afraid to call the doctor.

9/22/05 It's been a while, I guess!! I am now 2 months and 11 days post op. I am still feeling awesome!! I am getting my fluids in like I should and eating right. I have lost 45 pounds. I can definetly see it in my face and neck. I am also down 2 pants sizes. It feels great!! I am still walking but not always every day. I am still having some problems with food. It's mostly chicken. I don't eat bread or pasta. I am afraid to. But I eat a lot of veggies, turkey, soy burgers and ground hamburger. As long as I mix the hamburger with something. I only drink water or Propel. Not too much Propel, but it's got good flavor and feels like a treat. I am still very glad that I did this. It has been a change but has been pretty easy considering I made the change!! Iwould do this again in a heartbeat.

12-22-05 I have been really bad about updating this profile. What can I say?! I have more energy and am doing so much more than I used to, I forget to stop in!! Well, I am 5 months post-op and have lost 65 pounds. I still can't believe it!! I have dropped 4 pants sizes from a 26 to 20 (probably could wear an18) and my shirts went from a 3X to 1X. I still feel terrific. I am still having trouble with chicken and red meat. I haven't been eating as much tuna as I used to, I have found other proteins to eat. I do eat a lot of salads. I find that when I put my protein on the salad I don't have as hard of a time it -- but still no chicken, no matter what. Also, my hair is falling out. I am told it will stop -- I hope it's soon because it's feeling pretty thin to me.

Somedays I wish that I would have lost more weight by now, but then with the VBG you don't loose it as quickly like the RNY. And then somedays I find it hard to believe that I have lost 65 pounds and still feel like the big girl I was when I started. When will I ever be comfortable about my size??? I just know that I need to kick up the exercise. Give my body a jump start! Only a few more days until Christmas. Maybe my husband will get me a headset and radio so I can hoof it out there, in the cold, listening to tunes. We'll see....
Until next time. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

1-25-06 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! (late) I had been at a plateau for quite a while (approx. 2 months), where I wasn't losing any weight. It was very frustrating but my fault, I think. It has been so cold, I haven't felt like going outside to walk. I have let myself slide on the exercise. BAD ME!! HOWEVER, I was losing inches (thank goodness!) So I have dropped another pants size. I'm now wearing an 18!!! I haven't worn this size in over 10 years.
But I think my plateau is over. I have kicked up the exercise a bit. I have been using some light weights and walking the stairs at my workplace. Since I started that about 10 days ago, I have lost 4.5 pounds!! I could just bonk myself on the head!! DUH. So, seeing some weight come off is helping me for motivation.

As far as food goes -- I still have a hard time with chicken and red meat. I do not eat pasta, bread or rice. The meat and carbs just hurt or make me sick almost instantly. I do eat a lot of salad, which is fine because I really enjoy it. If I go a few meals without a salad I start to crave it. I just feel so much better after eating a salad. Not such a weighted feeling in my stomach.

My husband is just thrilled with how this is working out for me. He is very proud. He keeps telling me how "little" I am. It makes me laugh, I don't always feel so little, but I'll take it. My eldest son thinks I am getting so skinny -- I like that word for a 220 pound woman!!! My younger two children don't really notice too much. Except that we can cuddle closer on the couch -- that is good enough for me!

My hair is still falling out, but not at the pace it was before. I have finally decided to chop off this hair. It looks scraggly because its getting thin.

Oh yeah, I did go to the doctor for my 6 month check up. All my blood work was checked. My cholesterol has dropped to 201, which is great because it was 23_ something. And all my other levels were normal!! Good news. So total weight loss for 6 months is 70 pounds. SUPERSTAR!
Til next time!