5 years next month!
Hi Everyone,
It has been a great ride! I have had an amazing time with my hubby, camping and being active... traveling and sitting very comfortably in the airplane seat!! Just being with friends and food isn't the focus...But I have lost my focus on some important things...vitamins, exercise and protein...this has lead to a 13 lb gain. That could be worse but this is the time to put the brakes on or else! I have learned that time does not equal a cure-all. I still must make my health my number one focus. I haven't. I have gotten complacent.
I am dealing with some iron issues again. And wondering if anyone can relate to this? I have been seen by a few doctors and had endless tests. They fear internal bleeding but thankfully I am good. This could be all womanly issues too...but I know I could also be doing better in the food and vitamin area...I'm trying to improving that now...
I still love my VSG and I'm very grateful to have this wonderful tool to help me!!
When I was dealing with anemia a while back, they never figured out what was causing it. In retrospect, I think it was a "womanly issue". I didn't realize it then, since sitting around and comparing flow rate is not something my friends and I do! But I had volunteered to be part of a focus group about tampons (LOL -- I was in my 40s, so by then, not much embarrassed me!). But during the course of the conversations, I started to realize that I used a heck of a lot more tampons than rest of the group! Duh! Maybe when I told the doc that I didn't think I had a heavy flow, I was wrong! But after iron pills and moving closer to menopause, I got better -- which of course does harken to it being a womanly problem!
I just remember how I had lost 80 pounds (Atkins) and the doc saying how do you feel? Don't you have more energy, etc. -- and replied that I felt like crap and went home to rest every day after work! And shouldn't I have more energy by now?
While that ended up with the diagnosis, I had already slowed down activity, was worried that I wasn't eating enough, and slowly the weight started coming back on!
So kudos to you for taking action now!
Thanks Muttlover !! ( I'm also a "muttlover", dogs are just the BEST!) These issues along with being a VSGer have made my lack of iron a very complex situation. Low iron and VSG alone can be a problem. Yes, I have to address these girly issues which might mean surgery, UGH!!
But my diet and vitamins are in great need of improvement...this is the time to get it together. I want to encourage folks to stay focused on their health. I have found it is a slippery place when the weight is down and the clothes all fit...it was so easy to forget where I came from. The future is not as far away as one thinks...
I know folks don't want to hear the flip side of vsg life...easy street does come to an end. Eating more happens...
Thankfully I have my tool and it WILL WORK if I work it!
I have always had iron issues. I was getting ultrasounds for fibroids and cramps and bleeding. I did end up getting Novasure-which ended my cycle. However, my labs are still showing my iron is low so I reluctantly take the iron tablet. I did not want RNY because I knew that was a complication many women had and I'm not up to having transfusions.
All I can say is get back on track and treat the vitamins as you would a life saving medication--because for us post WLS people it really is. We have smaller tummies and its difficult to get all the nutrients we need.
http://www.youtube.com/user/72Crabadams Me rambling about my journey : )
Couldn't agree more Crabadams72!! Glad to hear your iron is up and they helped you with your issues...Not a fun place to be!!
Yes, really...next thing to worry about is the bone loss...everything counts now because we will pay for it later.
I did the Novasure last year (Sept 11) and all was good. Iron came back up and I was on track with eating and vitamins, felt great...Then the periods came back (Oct 12). Doctor said most people get 4-5 years out of Novasure...enough to bridge to menopause...not me.
Like you said: Getting back on track with the vitamins and the correct amount of protein is like "a Life saving medication". So very true!!
Best to you!