Labs - 5,5 years out

Patty_Butler
on 6/18/07 12:15 am - Dallas, TX
I got the results of my lab work over the weekend.  After 5.5 years, everything is still perfect.  I have NEVER had a bad lab report since my surgery November 2001.  I was somewhat concerned because my eating habits for the last year or so haven't been all that great.   The time out is going well - weight loss is still slow - I have now lost 26 pounds in 6 weeks, having lost 16 of that the first two weeks.  However, I have lost a total of 17 inches in that time so I'm not complaining. Patty
Splenderella
on 6/18/07 12:32 am
Patti, That is absolutely amazing!!!!!!!!Good for you...... great labs & 26lbs lost!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You must feel so good. woo-hoo!!! I started the time out yesterday. It was a little rough but I got through it. I woke up this morning feeling great & 2.2lbs lighter!!! Please keep us posted! God Bless, Erika
Patty_Butler
on 6/18/07 2:05 am - Dallas, TX
Thanks Erika.  The labs are so important - after all, our real goal is good health and I was thrilled to find that everything is still excellent.  Of course the 26 pounds is important too - I had let myself fall into bad old habits and am now working to get control back- and it's working. I was out with a friend Saturday and was having terrible pains in the upper part of my pouch - I was miserable and nothing seemed to help.  I really felt like I needed to eat something and salad just wasn't it.  My friend was going to eat fast food for lunch and asked me if there was anywhere I could get something I could eat - even though a baked potato sounded like it might be soothing, I declined to get anything until we got to WalMart and I could get a protein bar.  Even though the protein bar isn't on my time out, I felt it was the best choice - in the past I would have chosen a potato or crackers or something like that.  I ate half the protein bar and about 20 minutes later the pain started subsiding.  So, I broke the time out, technically, but I did it in a way that wasn't harmful and I had no guilt over eating it. Patty
Dori S.
on 6/19/07 4:44 pm - McHenry, IL
Patty,  Thanks so much for all your info on the Time Out plan.  I was so excited when I read about it.  I had RNY September 14, 2004.  I am 6''2 and weighed 338.  In the first year, I lost 100#, but never lost anymore.  My personaly goal was to lose another 50#.  Since then, though, I have slowly crept up and as of this weekend, I was 265.  I have been frustrated by the sugar and carb fiend.  This plan had me excited to begin on Monday.  Yesterday was my first day.  I am doing protein every 4 hours as it seems that I'm starving if I wait any longer than that.  I am doing Nectar and Isopure.  I've been tossing those protein bullets (I call them -- they look like test tubes) in my purse and they have been great.  At 42g of protein, they mix well with water or SF lemonade with ice.  Yesterday, though, I miscalculated my supply and got stuck at the hospital getting some tests.  By the time I got out, it had been 5 hrs since protein and I was starving.  With no protein supplement, I stopped at a convenience store and got some peanuts and a landjaeger.  Surely not the best choice, but i feel it's important to stay away from carbs, so I didn't want to do a protein bar.  I immediately felt better.   My first day, I had 4 protein drinks (120g protein -- 2 quarts of water) , 2 additional liters of water,  and 1280 calories.  I had some beef broth (the sweet was getting to me) and at 20 calories, it was a great investment.  Today, my intestines were giving me problems, so I thought i should get something into them.  I had gotten plenty of protein (130g) and felt like I needed bulk.  Wanting to stay away from bread etc, I chose to have a baked potato with no toppings.  It hit the spot, but I was very full when I was done.  So, the total for today is 3 protein drinks (1.75 qts of water), 2.5 addition liters of water, and 1320 calories.   This morning I woke up and had lost 4 lbs.  Obviously it was water weight and the effect of not having the white stuff, but I'll take it!  Overall, i feel good.  I know I need to watch those peanuts, but other than that, I think I can do this for a week.  Next week I have to go on a business trip.  Not sure that I can make it  then, but I can see myself doing chicken or something.  My cravings are going away, although, if there's a piece of licorice in reach, Look Out :)   Oh, I know that lots of people have been around 1500 calories normally, but I think I was over 2000 many days.  1200 or 1300 is a vast difference for me.  I'd like to try to stay in that area, however, I wonder how that would affect my metabolism.  If we stay that low, doesn't our body get to the point where anything more than that will cause us to sore -- even if it's only 1500 calories or so?  At what calorie point does our body start thinking it's starving? Oh, one other high for me today -- some 20 year old came onto me this afternoon.  I'm 37 and have been with my husband 16 years and I think this is the first time anyone has ever tried to pick me up  in that time... So, 4 lbs, AND a come-on... who could ask for more ???? Sorry for rambling, but I am interested in any feedback on my version of the TIME OUT.  I'm also excited by the possibility of losing again and getting under control.  I'm glad that there's support here.  I've missed that..
Patty_Butler
on 6/20/07 12:59 am - Dallas, TX

Congrats on your 4 pounds.  It's great that you can lose on that many calories.  I gain on more than 900.  I am getting about 300 a day maximum. I really don't think that you have anything to worry about with your calories at that point.  A lot depends on how active you are of course. Have you tried Pure Protein Bars?  They have very few carbs and NO sugar.  I use them only in emergencies because they are higher in calories (180) than I like.   I hope you continue to lose at the level you are doing - you are fortunate.  Like I said, if I had that many calories - even all protein I would gain. Patty

Lisar91570
on 6/19/07 6:34 am - AMELIA, OH

Erika,

Could you explain to me exactly what the timeout is? I'd like to know incase I need to use it. I'm two years out, holding stead...but I'd like to have a plan if I start sliding up the scale.  Thanks Lisa

Patty_Butler
on 6/20/07 1:05 am - Dallas, TX
Lisa, Time Out is a protocol my surgeon uses for his patients who have started regaining.  Unfortunately for me, it wasn't in place when I reached goal.  Over a period of two and a half years, I gained close to 45 pounds - was playing ostrich and no****ching my weight.  It's a long story that I won't go into now but I was suffering from depression and a series of medical and personal issues (none of them were wls related).  Anyway, when I finally admitted that I had a serious problem and called my surgeon he started me on Time Out.  Here goes; First two weeks - 3 Protein Drinks (Essence or Nectar, preferably) a day and all the Crystal Light you can drink per day.  That's it.  No solid food and less than 300 calories plus what is in the Crystal Light. After that, two protein drinks and a salad with fat free, low cal dressing per day.  No solid protein and no sugar - not even fruit.  You stay on this til you reach your goal. The way he prefers for this to work is for the patient to weigh every day and when he/she gains more than three pounds, he/she goes on Time Out til the regained weight is lost.  Then, it never gets out of control. Hope this helps. Patty
Lisar91570
on 6/20/07 1:27 am - AMELIA, OH

Patty

Thank you so much Patty!!!! Erika also emailed the time out plan, I'm so glad we have this board and such great people that are willing to help others. I was telling Erika, I hate protein shakes and have never used them. I always ate my protein…but we all fear the weight gain so I would just suck it up and do what I had to do, because I never want to be where I started again. Right now I'm maintaining but now I have this weapon if I do ever start to gain.

 

Thanks again

Hugs

Lisa

(deactivated member)
on 6/18/07 3:03 am - MD
all and all you must be taking great care of yourself for your labs to still be great! I'm glad your doing so well, that is certainly good to hear from someone as far out as you.
Splenderella
on 6/18/07 3:08 am
Patty, You should be SO incredibly proud of yourself... Refusing something that is a horrible choice! Way to go!!! So, last week before I decided to do the Time Out, I promised our design department donuts. They helped me out one day last week so I thought that would be the nice thing to do. I went to the store this morning....... got them and dropped them off. I didn't even lick them before I bought them over. LOL Although I have been eating a lot of sweets lately, for me its chips or something like that. I feel so much better today then I did on Saturday....... I am so glad I decided to come back and check out the boards....... my sprits are lifted already!!! Thanks~ Erika
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