Susan E.
2-4-05 First visit with Dr Anez.
2-8-05 Approved by Insurance (yippee)
2-22-05 & 3-4-05 pre-op requirements done. Blood Gas test not as bad as I had worked myself into thinking it would be. EGD not to bad. I hated the IV the worst. Felt fine the rest of day.
3-5-05 All day Nutrition class
3-18-05 pre-op appt.
3-22-05 Surgery !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thought of the day! Oh,my God."I cant go back to work in 2 weeks"
3-25-05 Home from surgery. Feeling better a little each day.
3-31-05 First post-op appt. Had staples removed, lost 14 Lbs.
(in 9 days) It is very weird getting used to eating so little. I love food,taste,texture, etc... So I am missing food a lot. And I do feel hungry. But satisfied with my little portion (not stuffed)Would love a slice of pizza (this will be hard for me)Not liking the protein drinks very much. As of now, the unflavored Unjury seems to be the best. Having trouble getting in fluids. Feeling better each day. Still no regrets.
4-3-05 Having a day full of worries, Hernia and eating too fast. I cant seem to make my little portion last 30 min to eat. I am done in 10 min, Don't know how to remedy that. Also sipping is hard, I'm a guzzler.
4-5-05 Back to work today. Two weeks post-op today. I prob should have just done 1/2 day today, But what the heck. I work 4 9/10 hour days a week, so its a long day. But I made it. Everything seems to be going well for me. I have not had any trouble with any food so far. Still have this paranoia about a hernia. The nurse tells me the hard area atop my incision is internal sutures and should dissolve over time and hernia's don't come on that fast. But it really bothers me, very sore too. Guess even if it is there's not a darn thing I can do about it anyway.
5-29-2005 Well I am just a little over 2 months post op. I am drinking better. Had a hard time finding a calcium supplement I liked. So far I think I like the Bariatric Advantage in Cinnamon flavor. Getting really tired of the protein drinks. I have had a few issues with feeling sick after eating. Pork BBQ and Chinese Food has not been a great. I seem to get the "frothies" and feel very uncomfortable for a hour or so after eating. I also seem to eat too fast and I think thats why I feel bad. I am trying to work on that. I have lost 45 lbs. The wt. seems to be slow for a few weeks then 10 to 15 lbs will come off in one week. I feel great. Doc says I can start to exercise now and I plan to check out he cost of Curves. Having some issues with zits. UGH... and I seem to notice alot more hair on the bathroom floor. I have hypothyriod and hair loss is a symptom of that disease. So that may be attributing to that. I have no regrets, but I do miss food alot.
6-10-05 Been a slow week as far as weight loss goes. A total of zero. However it seems to be, when its time for my monthly cycle I do this then the next week I seen more then usual wt. loss. I have lost 50 lbs and now I am under the 200 lbs mile stone. YEAH.
Feeling greedy because I want more, more, more.... I did join Curves today and boy did I sweat. I didnt feel the work out was to bad, but I did sweat. UGH
08-22-05 I know I have not been real good about updating, forgive me. I know when I was pre op I spent hours reading anything I could find so I would be well prepared. Today I am 5 months out exactly. I have lost 70 Lbs. I am very proud of that. I have been sticking to exercise at Curves. I go 2 to 3 times a week. Its been two months now. I still do not like exercise, but it really does get easier on your body and I know it is very important to
do for muscle mass. The owner was making all over me today on how well I am doing so I finally told her I was by pass patient. She ask alot of questions and said there are about 4 to 5 other members at my center who have had it done. I feel my wt loss is slowing a little. I have found better ways to get my protein in. In the morning I mix Unjury (unflavored) to International House Coffee caffein free and sugar free Vanillla Coffee. (20 Grams) At three pm every day I have a SouthBeach protein bar (10 grams) and in the evening I make a mocha shake its yummy. I use the Mocha Latte mix from Bariatriceating. com and mix it with my protein powder (25 grams) then whatever I am getting from my food source thoughout the day. I am still having huge amounts of hair loss. This worries me, but I always knew it was a possibility so I was prepared for it. Mentally. Did I mention I am down 70 lbs. I have gone from a size 20 to 22 to currently 14 to a size 12. I have not seen those numbers in ages. I have been picking up a few items of clothing here and there. ( I love Target) It is very hard for me to shop in the Ladies department. I have for so many years shoppped Plus sizes I keep finding myself back over there. I will learn soon I' m sure. Well I think I will wrap this up now, Susan
9/23/05
Well Yesterday I was 6 mo out. I really have had no complications. I think this is the best thing I have ever done for myself. I have lost 77 lbs. I feel great. I have been shopping like a addict. I know this is silly because I hope to keep losing. But it is so much fun, I used to dread it (at times) finding clothes to fit right at size 22 was not near as much fun. And there were not the kind of sales you run into in ladies dept. either. I have had some rectal bleeding. So to celebrate my 6 mo anniversary yesterday I had a colonscopy. As far as we can tell looks like everything is okay, some internal hemorrhoids and ulcerations. I think this may be coming from too much calcium and Iron. I go back in two weeks for a follow up to my biopsy so we will discuss it then. Today was my 6 mo check up. However after driving 40 miles to get there and waiting 20 min. I was told Dr Anez was out of the counrty and they forgot to resched his patients for today. Well at $2.89 a gallon of gas that is not what I wanted to here. Olga the nurse took me back at weighed me, calculated my BMI and did my BP. Suggested I come back in a few weeks to see him. I declined. My next regular appt is a nine months so I will follow up then. If I have any problems I will call to see him. GRRRRRRRRR I made my final payment on my winter vacation in December. (another cruise, yahaw) I hope to lose another twenty pounds by then. I have 70 days to do it (but who's counting? haha)
12-20-05
Well I am 9 mo out now. Wt loss seems to have slowed alot but I know I am eating alittle more now. I have lost about 85 lbs. I am into a size 12 or 10 depending on who makes the garment. I am very happy with my results. I would really love to lose another 20 lbs. I hope I can obtain that goal. For some that has come so quickly. I kinda feel like I have failed at times because others have lost 100 lbs or more by there 9 mo anniversary and I have been at a stall. I go to Curves 3 or 4 times a week. My hubby and I just got back from our annual winter cruise last week. It was different cruising this time, food has always been such a focus on our past cruises. It still is for my husband. It was a little hard for me. But I feel I did rather well. I was happy with just a taste of forbidden foods. They had a lot of sugarfree choices. I did endulge in a "few" fruity drinks that I know were loaded with sugar. I did not have any dumping issues at all. (Not sure if this is good or bad) The only big difference in my food taste is Seafood. I used to just love, love, love fish, shrimp, scallops. Now it just does'nt taste so good to me anymore. Strange. It did feel wonderful to fit in "normal" size clothes. Fit in airline seat with ease. I only gained one pound YEAH. Had my 9 mo post op appt last friday and happy to report all my labs were right on target. Happy Holidays eveyone.
1/24/06
Well here's a update on me, but its not much of a update in the words of progress. I am still at the same numbers as last month. With a loss of 86 lbs. I am very happy with my loss but really want to see 100 lb by my 1 yr mark. Thats 15 more pounds. God I really want that. I am still going to Curves 3 to 4 times a week. Cant wait for warmer weather. Then I will walk too. I went to the Winter Ball WL convention for Va last weekend. I met so many inspiring and wonderful people. I am so glad I went. Looking forward to next gathering in June. (Thanks David and Nat). Hope to be at goal by then.
3-08-2006
Thought I would update my profile. I'm not much of a writer and really hate to type. And really really hate to proof read what I typed. So I am not sure why I am updating. I have nothing really to report. I am two weeks away from my one year anniversary. You would think I would be walking on cloud nine. I know I have come along way. And I am proud of what I have done thus far. But feel very depressed that I am not at the goal I wanted to be at by my one year anniversary. To some this may sound absurd. But it is just the way I feel. Depressed. I have been trying to sort out my feeling as to why I feel this way. It's not just in my failure to meet my goal of 100 lbs lost. ( I have lost 91 lbs so far) Work has been esp. hard the last few weeks. It's been very stressful and I have been trying to figure out how to get out of there. But the fact is I need to work. Socially I feel in a black hole. I know those around me would never know that. I have a very hard time opening up and revealing my inner self to others. I am good at looking confident and in control when I'm not. And I don't feel that people really care anyway. They only act as if they care so they can talk about you. This(depression) makes me think about food all the time. I want to self medicate with food. Its DAMN hard not too. Don't know what to do to cure that. I am making sure I am going to my support groups. But I just want to EAT. Hmmm, I should know better. I am looking forward to spring. I need some sunshine. Maybe that will help. I will post again in two weeks to mark my special day. Hopefully I will be feeling better by then.
3/22/06 Well here I sit 1 year later trying to put my thoughts together and reflect on how my life has changed. Wow, I could have never imagined myself at this weight ever, without this surgery. It has been clearly the BEST thing I have ever done for myself. And not knowing a sole who had ever had it done before. Boy was it scary. And I really did not get support from those around me. My husband didn't oppose, but I can't say he was for it either. He thought it was too drastic. My daughter was supportive though. And I relied almost 24 hours a day on the wealth of information I could get from peoples profiles on Obesity Help. I could not have made this courageous move forward in my life without it. The girls I work with thought it was too dangerous and I was not "BIG" enough. My other friends, I did not tell until 3 weeks after it was done.
I am proud that I have made positive changes in my life. I feel healthier. I have more energy. My labs are right on target. And shopping has become quite a past time of mine. I don't feel like I stick out like a sore thumb in a crowd anymore. I just blend in and that feels great. But I also know I have a distorted image of myself. I still see the bigger me when I look in the mirror. I feel somewhat disappointed because my goal was to have lost at least 100 pounds at 1 year out. The last 20 pounds have been slow getting off. I have lost 90 to 95 pounds (depending on the day) That is disappointing to me (I know, cry, snivel and whine) I will not give in though. I will keep on trying. I know I have not failed. It is very hard not to compare yourself to others. But we do. I will work on that.
I feel blessed I was able to have this surgery. I am very lucky. I have had zero side effects from it. I do not throw up, I do not dump. The worst was the hair loss but it does come back and it is all worth it. I thank everyone from OH you have been there for me and you don't even know me. You are the reason for my success. Thanks for your support and encouragement.
love to all, Susan
5-23-06 Hello friends, I am updating. Not much to report. I am 14 months out now. I still have not lost anymore weight. In fact I keep losing and gaining the same 3 to 4 pounds over the last 2 months. I am still very disappointed that I cannot lose anymore weight. I read other profiles and they are losing away, and for me, nothing. This just pisses me off. I have been thinking about food almost constantly. This concerns me to no end. I don't ever want to go back to my old self. But I have high concerns about it since I think about food all the time. Why can't I just turn this part of my brain off. grrrrrrrrrrrr. Having my share of dental issues. I would love to blame this on lack of calcium but I think it may be attributed to years of putting dental care off. I will be having a root canal and crown started on Friday. Oh, how I hate dental pain. wish me luck on this.
A few weeks ago I went on another cruise (#12 for me, I am so addicted) We had a GREAT time. Prob. my best one yet. I loved being in the warmer weather. And the ocean in the Caribbean is so beautiful. This is my ZEN. I will be going again in October with 8 other girls from the VA. OH boards. I cannot wait for this. I did manage not to gain any wt. on this last cruise. To my surprise. I over indulged in my share of tropical drinks. Loaded with calories I know for sure.
I find myself getting so bored with curves. Feeling like I want to quit. Maybe I need to find something else to interest me. Not sure what that would be?
8/22/06
17 Months out today. Still no wt loss in months. Staying between 93 and 95 lbs lost. Not sure if I will ever see that magic number of 100 lbs lost. That was tough for me at my 1 year mark. But I have come to terms with it. I am grateful to be where I am. I feel so much better.
Just got back from spending a week at the outer banks. My entire family went. It was nice to spend time with everyone. I ate/munched on things I should not have. I wish I had a reaction to sugars. But I don't. This means more self control on my part. That can be difficult.
Changes happening in my life. Daughter got engaged. So big wedding plans are in the works. Oh how expensive this will be. There goes my tummy tuck. Oh well. She's moving back home for awhile to save some dollars. Son and his wife have split. I am worried about him. He's alone and 6 hours away. Separated from his daughter. That sucks. These things make me want to eat, as I have in the past. But I will fight the urge.
11/11/2006 Well I need to update. With all the new changes on OH, was not sure how to. So this is my attempt. Hope it works. Still stuggle with wanting to eat, most of the time. Alot of personal issues (work, friends, family, well just life) that makes me want to find comfort in food. I am trying to fight it. I have been fighting with a 3 to 5 pound gain for the last month. One day its there a few days layer it's gone then it's right back. I had really hoped I would have been a 140 or below by now (20 months out) I seem to be hovering at 155 for months (11 months to be exact) Wow I can't believe I actually wrote that number for the public to see. I have never revealed my wt. to anyone, ever. Feeling brave I guess.
Leilani, Wendy, Eillen, Carol, Jenni and I all from the Va. Boards went on a Cruise last month. I had the best time ever. This was my 13 th cruise , but by far my best. I was fun to be in the company of just girls and hang out. We had great weather. I will be going again in 21 days from today and I just can't wait to go again. I am addicted to sun and fun.
I have been thinking of plastic surgery like crazy. I cannot afford it, My insurance will not pay. My daughter is getting married next September and that will cost us a small fortune. I have gotta find a way. I will keep you posted on that. Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving.
