NEED YOUR HELP THIS TIME

HEY, I HADN'T THOUGHT OF THAT SOOTHING SELF-TALK ... MOSTLY SNORTS & UGLY SOUNDS HAVE BEEN COMING OUT OF ME WHEN I SEE THE SCALE EACH MORNING. IT COULD JUST BE THAT I'VE HURT MY SCALE'S FEELINGS & IT WON'T TELL ME THAT I ACTUALLY LOST 15 MORE POUNDS! THIS LAST WEEK I HAVE BEEN A ROYAL WHINEY BABY ... SO, I HAD TO TALK TO MYSELF & TELL ME TO SHAPE UP & GET MY ATTITUDE RIGHT! I'M GOING TO THE VITAMIN SHOPPE NEXT WEEK SO I'LL CHECK INTO THE COUNTRY LIFE VITAMINS. I ORDERED A 30-DAY SUPPLY OF VISTA VITAMINS ONLINE & AM LOOKING FOR A 30-DAY SUPPLY OF OPTISOURCE (BOTH MADE JUST FOR GASTRIC BYPASS PATIENTS) & AM GOING TO COMPARE THEM. IF I DON'T FEEL ANY BETTER, THEN I'LL GIVE THE COUNTRY LIFE CHEWABLES A SHOT ... I LIKE THAT THEY ARE CHEWABLE. THANKS FOR THE SUGGESTION, MS DONA ... I DO APPRECIATE YOUR HELP. I WENT BY CURVES TODAY TO CHECK IT OUT BUT IT CLOSED AT NOON ON SATURDAYS SO I'LL GO BACK NEXT WEEK. I HAVE SOME EQUIPMENT IN THE GARAGE, BUT IT'S COLD OUT THERE!!!!!!!!! THERE'S ONE PIECE I MAY JUST BRING IN TO THE BEDROOM SO I CAN USE IT IN MORE COMFORT. THE OTHER 2 PIECES ARE JUST TOO BIG FOR OUR HOME. MY HIPS WON'T LET ME WALK AS EXERCISE YET. NEED SUPPORT LIKE SITTING ON A SEAT TO EXERCISE. THANKS AGAIN & GOD BLESS DAWN & NICK

Okay, Soul Sister, here's what my endocrinologist told me this week when I asked him about the same thing. I have been completely exhausted and all I want to do is sleep. He says that even though our health has improved wonderfully, the surgery was a tremendous insult to our bodies. You and I have both been going through a lot of health upsets and medication changes that have made it worse. I have a new thyroid med coming from our mail pharmacy that will complete my new cycle of medications, so maybe I can finally get them all coordinated now. Are any of your medications proned to cause weight gain or retention? We also (ahem) don't bounce back quite as quickly as we used to, and are starting to go through hormonal changes. His advice was to be patient (really?) and get enough rest, while continuing to do all the right things. All of my test results looked great. I am at about 5 months now with my stall, except for the 5 lbs. I lost when I was sick a few weeks ago. I am stalled again.: He feels that I am not done losing, but that my body is just stressed to the point where it is protecting itself. So, until I quit struggling against it and pushing myself, I'm probably going to stay stuck. I, like you, am fresh out of patience! I do think it's good that you've raised your calories, because your body may think it's in starvation mode. I take in at least 100 oz. of fluids, probably more like 140, actually. The more - the better. I also would switch to something other than Flinstones. I take Centrum Silver Chewables. Other than that, start slowly with your exercise, and keep the faith, Baby!! We can do this. We ARE doing this! See you Monday. Love, B

I SURE HOPE THAT YOUR THYROID MEDS ARE FINALLY BALANCED & THAT THIS IS THE LAST ADJUSTMENT YOU NEED FOR A VERY LONG, LONG TIME. IT CAN BE SO STRESSFUL ON THE OL' BOD, I KNOW! I DON'T THINK SO, MS B ... I'M ONLY ON 2 HEART MEDS TO CALM THE TACHYCARDIA & ARRYTHMIA ... &, ON ACIPHEX ... THAT'S IT. I'M OFF ALL THE OTHER MEDS I WAS ON PRE-OP. YEAH, I KNOW ABOUT NOT BOUNCING BACK AS QUICKLY AS I USED TO; I ENVY THESE YOUNG LADIES WHO NEVER SEEMED TO MISS A BEAT! THEY ARE SO VERY BLESSED TO HAVE ALL THOSE WONDERFUL DECADES AHEAD OF THEM HEALTHY & AT A NORMAL WEIGHT! DON'T GET ME WRONG, I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER EVEN WITH THE CHALLENGES ... BUT, HOW DIFFERENT OUR LIVES WOULD HAVE BEEN IF THIS PROCEDURE & PROTEIN FOOD PRODUCTS HAD BEEN AVAILABLE 25 YEARS AGO WITH THESE SUPERB SUCCESS RATES! LET HIM BE PATIENT! I'M TIRED OF "GETTING REST", BUT I WILL BE GOOD & CONTINUE TO "DO THE RIGHT THINGS"! I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOUR TEST RESULTS CAME BACK GOOD, BUT HERE WE GO ON ANOTHER STALL ... I SHOULD KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT AS I'M ONLY GOING INTO MY 5th WEEK OF A STALL & HERE YOU ARE GOING INTO YOUR 5th MONTH! I DIDN'T EXPECT THIS LONG OF A STALL THIS SOON ... I'VE HAD 1 OR 2 WEEK STALLS BUT I WAS OBVIOUSLY LOSING INCHES SO I DIDN'T WORRY. THIS TIME, I LOST MAJOR INCHES BETWEEN THE 1st & 2nd WEEKS & NEITHER NICK NOR I HAVE NOTICED ANY MORE SHRINKING SINCE THEN, WHICH WOULD BE GOING ON 3 WEEKS WITH NO CHANGES. I WAS SURPRISED THOUGH CUZ AFTER I POSTED ON THE OCTOBER BOARD, SEVERAL PEOPLE SAID THAT THEY WERE IN REALLY LONG STALLS AS WELL; IT'S JUST THAT THEY HAVE ALL BROKEN THEIRS ... AARRGGHH! YEP, MONDAY'S A NEW BEGINNING ... NEW VITAMINS, MORE PROTEIN, WATER & CALORIES ... &, BEGINNING EXERCISING (MS BRITT WALKED MY LEGS OFF TODAY - SHE FORGETS I'M A "SHORTY"). I KNOW IT WILL BREAK WIDE OPEN; I JUST HIT A WALL LAST WEEK & NEEDED EVERYONE'S INPUT TO GET MY HEAD RIGHT AGAIN! &, I SOOOOOOOOO APPRECIATE WHAT EVERYONE HAS OFFERED & SUGGESTED. I ALSO TOOK SEVERAL HOURS LAST NIGHT OR THE NIGHT BEFORE, & READ ALL I COULD ON bariatriceating.com ... GOT SOME GOOD INFO THERE. THANKS FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT! GOD BLESS DAWN & NICK

P.S. Stay off the Scale!!!!!

NOW, I CAN'T PROMISE YOUR THAT, MS B ... I'M ADDICTED TO THOSE SCALES!

Dawn, I've been off the boards but just read this from you. I would definately have your iron checked, and have you thought about the vitamin B-12 shots. When I worked for a Dr. she really stressed the importance of the vitamins in an injection. She believed that we lose so much of oral vitamins through the digestion process. And the baby stuff...have I ever told you that my Scott is adopted. Don is older than me and we have a 15 year old son also. I was having lots of problems trying to have a second child - then through a family tragedy we found out that Scott needed a home. We got him when he was 13 months old, he is truly ours. Don and I were just saying that it feels like he came straight from our love for each other and John. I am probably rambling, I hurt my sciatic nerve and am on the "good" meds. I hope to see you soon Mary

SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED THE IRON THING & I AM PLANNING ON CALLING MY DOC ON MONDAY, MS MARY ... BUT, I HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT B-12 SHOTS ... GOOD SUGGESTION. NO, I DIDN'T KNOW YOU HAD AN ADOPTED CHILD ... WHAT A WONDERFUL STORY ... HE NEEDED A HOME, & YOU & YOUR HUSBAND WANTED A CHILD ... PERFECT!!!!!!!!!! DON SOUNDS LIKE A WONDERFUL MAN & YOU VERY BLESSED TO HAVE HIM AS YOUR HUSBAND. JOHN IS A VERY BLESSED YOUNG MAN TO HAVE THE TWO OF YOU AS HIS PARENTS! WELL MS MARY ... YOU HAVE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS ... I'M SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR SCIATIC NERVE INJURY. I WAS INVOLVED IN A GUN/SHOOTING ACCIDENT THAT INJURED MY SCIATIC NERVE & PARALYZED MY LEFT LEG ... THANK YOU, GOD THAT THE FEELING & USE CAME BACK & I'M ABLE TO USE MY LEG VERY WELL. BUT, I KNOW ABOUT NERVE PAIN & I FEEL FOR YOU! WHAT DID DR B DECIDE ABOUT THE NON-DISOLVING STITCHES? SENDING PRAYERS FOR A QUICK & COMPLETE RECOVERY FROM EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!! GOD BLESS DAWN & NICK

Its so funny Dawn, I hadn't really thought of myself as having problems because I feel so great with the weightloss. Even with the stomach stuff and my back (I never knew anything could hurt like this back junk) I feel so healthy and strong due to the weight loss. Dr. B is going to scope me again in about another month and look at the stitches then. Worst case is he goes back and takes them out. I feel better and don't have the pain as often, so I am hoping that they take care of themselves and dissolve like they are supposed to. Thanks for always being such a cheerleader, even when you are down. You are an inspiration. I hope to see you tonight Mary

I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN , MS MARY ... MY HEALTH HAS IMPROVED SO MUCH FROM MY PRE-OP DAYS, THAT IT SEEMS "SELFISH" TO SEE A DOCTOR ABOUT "EXHAUSTION", BUT THIS IS JUST ANOTHER STEP ALONG THE WAY TO EVEN BETTER HEALTH. DOC BYRNE WAS SURPRISED THAT MY HEART MEDS WERE STILL SO STRONG & THINKS THAT MAY BE ONE THING CONTRIBUTING TO MY TIREDNESS. WE HOPE THAT SINCE I'VE BEEN OFF THE BOARD, YOU HAVE BEGUN FEELING SO MUCH BETTER ... STITCHES (HOPE THEY ARE FINALLY DISSOLVING) & YOUR BACK PROBLEMS IN PARTICULAR. HOW'S THAT GOING FOR YOU? GOD BLESS DAWN & NICK

Hey Dawn I was so tired too, and I was also losing tons of hair, so I got off the flintstones....never a fan of them anyway, and I was taking them because the chewable Vistas were making me nauseous, however, I am now on the Vista Vitamins capsules...made esp. for bariatric patients and they have really made a difference. I bought the 4 week trial ones just to make sure, and now I wished I had bought more. I will order them before my 4 weeks are up, but really, they are the best out there, I won't mess around anymore with vitamins. I think because I took them in the beginning, is why I did so so well in the first few months. I have broken my stall now as well, and also wrote Dr. B. I have not heard back from him, but was giving him my fitday.com record so he could tell me if I was eating enough protein/calories/etc... Go ahead and buy them, and let me know how you are doing in a few days. Up your protein too; I have bought some butterball turkey burgers and they have 21gms of protein each. I put them on the George Foreman grill with some seasoned salt and worchestershire sauce and they were good. See you later, let me know how you are doing, hope you come tomorrow night. If you do, I will give you a pack of vitamins to test. Love ya Deb