My thoughts at 7.5 months out

Hello brothers and sisters, Well, my surgery was 6/3/04 so I am a little over 7.5 months out. I'm down 97 lbs and I look totally different. Today I was asked if I'm happy I had this surgery, and I was surprised that I hesitated to answer. I really had to think about it a minute and decide if the changes in weight are worth the changes in other areas of my life. I was limping severely with sore knees prior to surgery, and I'm an RN on my feet my entire shift. I would be in total agony by the end of shift. I still can't go up stairs very easily, but I can go down without any trouble. I don't limp at all. I was becoming very inhibited sexually with my husband due to poor self esteem, and that has improved greatly. I think he sometimes misses the old me, I get so silly....and I make fun of my flat boobs, etc, etc........ I was wearing clothes that were ok, but nothing was really 'pretty' on me, and I had no self style. Now, I am building a wardrobe, though I have 45 lbs to lose, so I still am not building my final wardrobe, but I am finding my style again. My biggest problem is that, all my life I have suffered from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and I get instant diarrhea at the most inopportune times. At the beach, I am fine until I get far from the car, far from the beach cabin, far from a bathroom....then I all but mess myself. Trying to go before is to no avail. Now, I have this even worse, and I occasionally soil myself. At first I thought it was sort of a temporary problem, but I'm starting to think it's going to last. The IBS is much worse since my surgery. When I go shopping, I stop at the bathroom first thing, but no business until I get to the far corner of the store, then the urge hits me instantly and I have about 30 seconds to race to the bathroom, praying not to have an accident in the store. Sometimes at work I feel my stomach rolling, and I just say, "I'm sorry, my stomach is getting really sick, I have to go....." and everyone knows I HAVE TO GO.... and excuse me. I use the far away, low traffic bathroom due to the malodor issue, and it's just getting to be really old. My doctor says to cut back on the carbs and it will ease up, but I see no changes with diet or fluid control. I stink up our house totally when I use the bathroom.....again, no help with changes in my diet. No spray covers it, and I get tired of apologizing for it to my family. The paint blisters off the wall.......... So, was it worth it? Would I do it again? My answer was yes, I would do it in a heart beat. I feel so much healthier, and I can move so much easier. My joints don't hurt, I sleep better, I don't snore, I can leap tall buildings (OK, not really) but I feel like a re-birth. It's been worth it, and I keep a change of garments and clothes in my car for the possible accident. Today I saw my reflection in a store, and I stopped, took a good long look and decided I like the way I look, I'm not embarrassed by myself anymore. I'm no great beauty.....but I'm not so sorry looking now. I keep my hair cut nicely, wear my makeup more and dress better than when I was so heavy. Anyway, though this hasn't been super easy, I'm glad I did it. Tracey

I'm sorry to hear about your IBS - it sounds awful! I don't have any advice for you on this - my uncle had the same problem after his WLS 30 years ago, and never got over the problem until he got his WLS reversed, but then he gained all his weight back. I wish I had an answer for you. good luck! -Sherrie

First of all Tracey. Congratulations on your weight loss. I know what you mean about the pain being much, much better without the extra weight. I also know what you mean by being able to leap tall buildings. I can too, I can jump higher than a house. Okay so houses can't jump so that's not saying much. Bad joke. IBS is awful. My husband had a liver disease which resulted in 2 liver transplants 11 years apart. The same disease that destroyed my husband's liver also destroyed his colon. He suffered from IBS for years and years until the colon showed polups that were pre-cancerous and they removed his entire colon. They created a new "colon" out of his small intestine but the results are he still struggles with constant diarrhea that gives him no warning. When he goes into a bathroom it's usually 20 minutes before he comes out. He handles the soiling problem by placing layers of paper towels, toilet paper, napkins - whatever he has available in his underware to catch the surprises. He still soils himself to the point he has to change clothes but not nearly as often as before. Good luck Tracey. My husband lives on Imodium maybe that may help. One problem with imodium is that you become tolerant of it and as time goes by you have to take more and more of it. It's still been a clothes and embarrassment saver for him. Melody