Two Years Post-Op...My Journey (Long)

Wow!! It has been FOREVER since I visited the boards! I never thought I would be one of those that had my surgery and then dropped off but I did. I received so much help and encourage much so many people on OH! Time has flown by and it has taken me the full two years to get my body and head (sorta) right :)

I feel as if I can return now and offer encouragement to others.

A little background: I am 40, a homemaker now, worked as a xray tech for 13 years before having a back injury in 2003. Have since developed chronic pain from degenerative spine issues, severe migraines and fibromyalgia. I have been married for 16 years and we have an amazing 8 year old daughter!

I had RNY on Nov 28 10. I came through without any complications and the only medical issue I had since surgery (other than my labs needing a tweak here and there) was a calcium pill that got stuck and WOULD NOT go through. I ended up dehydrated and in the hospital overnight until it FINALLY loosened up and slide on down. It was crazy, I had a barium swallow done, and I could see that pill stuck longways right in the pouch outlet (the correct terminology fails to come to me right this sec)

I am a perfectionist, so when I came home I had a HUGE arsenal of Bariatric vitamins,protein powders, etc.... I ended up not being able to tolerate any of them, except for one and even as time went on, I could never tolerate them. I ended up giving away jars and jars $$$$.... So yep, buy the samples :)

I could not STAND any sugar flavor and I guess that was a sign to come. I am a SUPER DUMPER! It is a curse that is a blessing for me. I am a (yes still) a carb/sugar junkie. If I eat more than say 8 grams of sugar at a time, I am groaning and crying on the bathroom floor for an hour. I learned the trick (which can EASILY become a bad habit) to allow me to eat a tiny bit more sugar on the RARE (I seriously mean RARE****asion :) I am talking, cheesecake has not been in my sight for 6 months and I am gonna hate myself later if I don't have two bites, kind of rare. Yeah, I do it, ENJOY the heck out of it, and move along.

I LOVE the foods I eat now. It took ,oh so much, trail and error. Still learning day by day. But I love to cook and I am a foodie. I have always loved whole grains and lean proteins. That has helped me alot in this journey. I was addicted to sparkpeople recipes for awhile.

But I am skipping way ahead. At first I panicked…I couldn’t eat anything. Didn’t want to. I felt like my body was alien to me. The first few weeks, I thought, well of course I’m losing weight..I’m freaking starving!! J The first month was hard for me….my every waking minute was involved around just sipping to get the fluid in. Sip Sip Sip ……Oh Lord!!! I did get to chill out and get hooked on a few tv series….that was the highlight of my recovery.

I was saved by egg drop soup. My hubby brought that to me and sodium be damned!!…I ate it…A LOT. That and the one protein powder I could get down. My strength started to come back…the weight melted off. I was on the beginning of this crazy-fabulous-life changing journey!

I had to do the 6 months of weight check pre-op…I put my all into it and was able to go from 240 to 217 before surgery. My highest weight, right after I had my child in 2004, was 263. I tried to lose as much as I could before my surgery, while at the same time-not dropping so low that I would be disqualified from insurance! I had never had a problem dropping 20, 30, 40 lbs, I did that so many times over the years-it was the keeping it off that was the problem. So I tracked every bite on Sparkpeople for 6 months…increased my protein and basically ate what I thought my diet might look like after surgery. I was wrong, by the way ;) My normal menu is way different.

In case you are interested, this is my weight loss in the first 7months.

Weekly Post Op Weight Loss

Surgery Day 11/28/10 217

Week 1 12/6 213 (-4)

Week 2 12/13 207 (-6)

Week 3 12/20 203 (-4)

Week 4 12/27 202 (-1)

Lost 15 lbs 1^st month

Week 5 1/3 200 (-2)

Week 6 1/10 197 (ONEDERLAND!!!) (-3)

Week 7 1/17 194 (-3)

Week 8 1/24 194 (-0)

Week 9 1/31 194 (-0)

Lost 8 lbs 2^nd month 23 lbs total

Week 10 2/7 193 (-1)

Week 11 2/14 187 (-6)

Week 12 2/21 184 (-3)

Week 13 2/28 182 (-2)

Lost 12 lbs 3^rd month 35 lbs total

Week 14 3/7 181 (-1)

Week 15 3/14 178 (-3)

Week 16 3/21 178 (-0)

Week 17 3/28 175 (-3)

Lost 7 Lbs 4^th Month 42 lbs total

Week 18 4/4 172 (-3)

Week 19 4/11 172 (-0)

Week 20 4/18 173 (+1) PMS

Week 21 4/25 171 (-2)

Lost 4 lbs 5^th Month 46 lbs total

Week 22 5/2 170 (-1)

Week 23 5/9 164 (-6)

Week 24 5/16 163 (-1)

Week 25 5/23 164 (+1)

Week 26 5/30 164 (0) SIX MONTHS POST OP!!

LOST 7 LBS in 6^th MONTH

**LOST 53 LBS IN 6 MONTHS POST-OP**

Week 27 6/6 163 (-1)

Week 28 6/13 162 (-1)

Week 29 6/20 160 (-2)

Week 30 6/27 159 (-1)

LOST 5 LBS in 7^TH MONTH

I also measured my bust, waist, hips, thighs and calves every week. I won’t post all that but one example is I started out at 40 bust/48 waist/50 hips (a complete apple) Size 18/20 Tops Size 20 (tight) Jeans….

now 34 Bust 28 Waist 36 Hips Tops Size Small/Medium Jeans Size 4/6. Seems so crazy and unbelievable to me still that I wear these small sizes! I thought I would end up in a ten…that was my goal…but the big boned theory was an excuse. I ended up pretty much the same body type as my mom…which I love!!

So much more to my story…finding vitamins that worked for me, the counseling that has saved my sanity, friendships lost and found…on and on. So many changes have occurred, it is mind boggling. I have had to work on my mind even more than my body. I have grown so much emotionally…it has been a huge blessing but nothing good comes easy. It has come with many challenges.

I will continue to share different aspects of my story and if it strikes a cord with even one person, I am grateful. My passion today is to encourage others, share information and continue down the right path on my journey. So thrilled to be back!!

Char,

We have missed you!!!  Glad you are doing so good.  Congratulations on your 2 years.

I can't see the pictures because I'm at work.  Have to look at them tonight at home.

Come back here more often now!!

Linda

Welcome back.   Sounds like you are doing great.

Thanks for your story.  I wish i still dumped on sweets.  I am trying to abstain.  I have a theory that if I do without them long enough may start to dump again.

Congratulations !  I hope your spine issues , migraines etc have also improved ...  

Your post makes me glad to be a dumper lol . Before surgery i CRAVED  literally craved sweets and breads  .  Now ... I actually have an AVERSION  lol .  

Thank you  surgeon  ,thank you insurance , thank you God! 

You have struck a cord with me.  Thank you for your post.  I am the end of the beginning of my journey (I hope).  I am still pre-op (for 1.5 years, some my issues, and some insurance issues).  Anyway I see the Doc on Dec 4th and I am hoping and praying they will submit me for insurance approval and that all will go well.

Your journey sounds very familiar...I hope I have success like yours.

Congrats Char!

Quite a journey! A lot of trial and error, no two people are alike.

Glad you are doing well!