A New Year (long post)
Happy New Year to All,
It has been almost two years that I started this journey and on the eve of this new year I find myself thinking of the journey thus far. Also I promised Spezza-Fan(Derek) that I would write this post :) Fair warning it is long!
Like many of you I was tired of trying to lose weight only to regain it back and then some, so I started researching my options on the internet and found this wonderful site. I settled on the RNY option and looked into going through the public sector. I talked things over with my family doctor and given the fact I had only one or two comorbities, the waiting list would be over five years. I was 42 at the time and didn't want to wait that long so I started looking at my options for self pay. Went to the bank and rearranged a few financial things and I now had the funds to get this surgery done. That was a major relief for me. It also felt very strange and foreign to me as I would have to put myself as a financial priority. Something I had never really done in my adult life. Every other obligation came first. It was time to change that perspective.
I only spoke to my spouse after that moment. I guess I wanted to make sure it was I was able to afford the surgery before facing the doubts and questions of my spouse. At first he reacted like I thought he would; full of questions, fear and doubt. He felt it was too much of a drastic move and wanted me to try to diet, one more time. He is also obese and I knew that my choice would also make him confront his own issues as well as mine. Needless to say today and since surgery he is my biggest fan and supporter. From what I read on this board his reaction was pretty typical of spouses.
In March of 2008 I was off to Montreal to see my surgeon and to look at my options. We settled for a May 13th surgery date. Back home in April while I was getting my preop testing done I was diagnosed with a cardio viral infection that left me with a strong possiblitly of needing a pacemaker. I was shocked and devastated as well as very scared of dying. My condition worsen in the following months and surgery was cancelled. I felt I was in a very black hole for a long time. With alot of meds and specialized care my conditioned improved and last July my cardiologist gave me the green light to have my surgery! So on September 15th 2009 I had my RNY bipass and it is going very well. I feel great. I have fatigue issues but I am still on heart meds so it is probably that. I have lost 62lbs so far. I am adapting well but I do still have my off days. Your relationship with food changes so much. I was never a sugar addict so eliminating sweets hasn't been that hard. Unfortunately alot of sweetness goes into protein shakes so it was very difficult for me to find the right protein to meet my nutritional needs. What I liked prior to surgery was very diffierent to post surgery. I spent alot of money on protein only to give them away or sell them very cheaply. Your tastebuds do really change after surgery so don't stock up. I am four and a half months out and eating is still a chore. I just started feeling hunger pangs but most of the time I feel full. I have a tough time with dense protein and need to have it moist or it gets stuck. Then you have pain. Not a good thing. Generally I am adapting well and learning everyday. Eating out is difficult though as you waste so much of it so I don't do that often. I have never had a dumping syndrome, I have never vomitted but I have eaten too quickly and suffered great pain afterwards for up to several hours. So eat slowly..... It has been a rollacoaster ride since I started this journey but today I am healthier than when it started. I don't know what lays ahead but I feel better knowing that I am reaching my weight goal day by day and that every pound loss is a pound less that my heart needs to work harder for.
I hope this post helps others in their decision making process.
It has been almost two years that I started this journey and on the eve of this new year I find myself thinking of the journey thus far. Also I promised Spezza-Fan(Derek) that I would write this post :) Fair warning it is long!
Like many of you I was tired of trying to lose weight only to regain it back and then some, so I started researching my options on the internet and found this wonderful site. I settled on the RNY option and looked into going through the public sector. I talked things over with my family doctor and given the fact I had only one or two comorbities, the waiting list would be over five years. I was 42 at the time and didn't want to wait that long so I started looking at my options for self pay. Went to the bank and rearranged a few financial things and I now had the funds to get this surgery done. That was a major relief for me. It also felt very strange and foreign to me as I would have to put myself as a financial priority. Something I had never really done in my adult life. Every other obligation came first. It was time to change that perspective.
I only spoke to my spouse after that moment. I guess I wanted to make sure it was I was able to afford the surgery before facing the doubts and questions of my spouse. At first he reacted like I thought he would; full of questions, fear and doubt. He felt it was too much of a drastic move and wanted me to try to diet, one more time. He is also obese and I knew that my choice would also make him confront his own issues as well as mine. Needless to say today and since surgery he is my biggest fan and supporter. From what I read on this board his reaction was pretty typical of spouses.
In March of 2008 I was off to Montreal to see my surgeon and to look at my options. We settled for a May 13th surgery date. Back home in April while I was getting my preop testing done I was diagnosed with a cardio viral infection that left me with a strong possiblitly of needing a pacemaker. I was shocked and devastated as well as very scared of dying. My condition worsen in the following months and surgery was cancelled. I felt I was in a very black hole for a long time. With alot of meds and specialized care my conditioned improved and last July my cardiologist gave me the green light to have my surgery! So on September 15th 2009 I had my RNY bipass and it is going very well. I feel great. I have fatigue issues but I am still on heart meds so it is probably that. I have lost 62lbs so far. I am adapting well but I do still have my off days. Your relationship with food changes so much. I was never a sugar addict so eliminating sweets hasn't been that hard. Unfortunately alot of sweetness goes into protein shakes so it was very difficult for me to find the right protein to meet my nutritional needs. What I liked prior to surgery was very diffierent to post surgery. I spent alot of money on protein only to give them away or sell them very cheaply. Your tastebuds do really change after surgery so don't stock up. I am four and a half months out and eating is still a chore. I just started feeling hunger pangs but most of the time I feel full. I have a tough time with dense protein and need to have it moist or it gets stuck. Then you have pain. Not a good thing. Generally I am adapting well and learning everyday. Eating out is difficult though as you waste so much of it so I don't do that often. I have never had a dumping syndrome, I have never vomitted but I have eaten too quickly and suffered great pain afterwards for up to several hours. So eat slowly..... It has been a rollacoaster ride since I started this journey but today I am healthier than when it started. I don't know what lays ahead but I feel better knowing that I am reaching my weight goal day by day and that every pound loss is a pound less that my heart needs to work harder for.
I hope this post helps others in their decision making process.
Brenda B, HW 328 PreSW 298 CW 156 Goal 165
AT GOAL..................NORMAL BMI! DOING THE HAPPY DANCE
Thanks for posting Brenda. Had I read this last year it would have pushed me a little more quickly to get my consult done instead of waiting another 4 months or so. I myself thought about going the self-pay route but at 24 years of age, I think I'll wait my 2 years and get it done for free. Keep us updated on your progress! :D
Happy New Year!!!
Derek, love the new pic! I think you are doing the right thing by waiting. I work in the health field and I read the gouvernment proposal on bariatric surgery and big money is coming very quickly in the next few years. If I would have been younger I would have waited it out. Your time will go more quickly than you realize. I would also talk to them (where you are in the list) about once a month so that they don't forget who you are. Just a suggestion cuz should they get a last minute cancellation they will probably go with someone with less comorbidities as the risk of surgery is less and in a moment where the surgeon needs to fill his slot quickly that could bump you up the list. Is the VSG your choice of surgery? I know someone in Mtl who is on the board who had VSG last year at sacré coeur and had a revision this year to an RNY. Her name was Josée-France. I still have her on my friends list. If you would like I could connect the both of you up. She would certainly be able to give you more information on the procedure. Let me know and back at you for the well wishes in the new year.
Brenda B, HW 328 PreSW 298 CW 156 Goal 165
AT GOAL..................NORMAL BMI! DOING THE HAPPY DANCE
Brenda,
I read Josée-France's story a while back. What Dr. Garneau told me is that at my size we would do the VSG first and see what gave after a year. If the weight loss wasn't enough, he would do the second part of the DS which is the Duodenal Switch and be over with. I'm hoping that the VSG will do the trick. I just have to stay strict for a little while to get myself going.
Happy New Year to you too!!!
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