ang41

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I had my six-month follow-up with Dr. White on May 26,2009.  I am now 184 pounds and have lost 70+% of my excess weight, which is ahead of schedule by about 10%.  Also, all of my blood work came back great.  My protein is now up where it belongs and all the other values on my diabetes and cholesterol are now at normal levels!  I was a little worried about the protein being where it should be since the last two blood work values I had done showed it to be a little low.  My B12 is also good.  I am now off of the Urso-Forte for the gallbladder and I am just basically on vitamins now.  I am still taking the Amitiza for constipation because it has helped so much.  Dr. White said that the constipation should be getting better now and I may not have to be on that medicine and just be able to take Colace.  I am now in about a size 16 and sometimes even a 14 will fit.  I have gone though my closet and gotten rid of all the too big clothes.  It feels good to be able to wear a "normal' size.  I have now lost a total of 98 pounds from my highest documented weight (85 from the actual weight on the day of surgery).  I can't even describe how good it feels to be healthier and smaller than I have been in a LONG time.  I haven't been this weight since before I had my daughter 15 years ago.  I am getting closer to  being just  "overweight" instead of "obese".  I have to get to 144 pounds to not be considered overweight.  Forty pounds left to lose.  Now, that feels GREAT!   Now I will have a follow-up visit at the end of August for my nine-month check-up.

Well I just had my three-month check up and I am doing really well.  I was down to 210 (I am now at 206.2) , which is 52% decrease in excess weight!   I am still having trouble with constipation, even with exercising five days a week.  I know it is because I haven't been able to get the eight glasses of water in,  but I will just keep on trying.  I also got a prescription for Amitiza which should help the situation as well.  That is really the only thing that has been a problem.  My protein level was a little low, so I am going to have to keep supplementing with the protein bullets.  I really don't like them much, but I can't get enough protein in by what I am eating yet, so that I have to work on as well.  I think the best part of the whole visit was when the nurse gave me a copy of my before surgery picture and one of that day's three-month visit.  Wow!! What a difference.  Even though I know I am getting smaller,  just seeing the improvement in the two pictures was amazing.  I now no longer have to buy women's sized clothes.  I actually can fit into a 16 misses.  That was a great moment when I went to try on clothes and found out I could fit into a relatively "normal" size.  I don't want to buy a lot of clothes just yet since I still have over 60 pounds to go, but I am about halfway there and I feel as if my goal is actually attainable.  I haven't been this size in over 12 years.  Now my next goal is to get below 200, which will be in about seven pounds.  I am just so thankful that I am feeling better than I have in years.  I am losing weight and exercising five days a week at the gym for the past month, and for the first time in a very long time I have made myself a priority and I am achieving my goals.  I am so thankful to Dr. White and his wonderful staff and to my family for being supportive of this journey of mine.  My next appointment will be at the six-month mark and I will actually meet with Dr. White for this one.  Right now I am concentrating on getting in my protein and drinking lots of water!

Well, as of today I am down to 216.4 pounds, a weight I have not been in over ten years!.  Its funny how I can remember what weight I was at certain points in my life and as I lose I think about the last time I had been that weight and it is inspirational to say the least.  At the beginning of this month I did something I never thought I would do - I joined a gym.  It was not really my idea, my sister-in-law wanted to join and I went along to hear about the gym.  The only reason I even considered it was because my treadmill had broken and I was struggling so much with trying to get the exercise in, which has always been a problem over the years due to my negative attitude toward exercise.  Well its been just over a week and for the first week in forever, I actually exercised five days in a week, which was my goal and most of it was for 30-55 minutes!  It actually feels good to know that Monday through Friday I have a standing appointment for me to go to the gym and when I get there and get moving it feels great.  Its also nice to have my sister-in-law with me to help motivate, but one of the days she did not go with me and I still went and did what I had to do for me.  I was sore the first part of last week, but the soreness has not been so bad this week.  I know that in order for me to be successful in my health and fitness goals that exercise has to become a way of life and I feel like I am finally on my way in that regard.  Unfortunately, I had to miss the last monthly support group meeting due to an appointment to learn some of the equipment in the gym, but I am determined to get to the next meeting and keep on going because I know that support is just as an important factor in be successful.  I am in what they call the "honeymoon period",  just being a little less than three months out, but I know that I have to help myself to be as informed and prepared for when the difficult times come up, so I don't end up sabotaging all of my hard work.  It's nice when people from church or those who have not seen me in a while say how great I am looking.  I thank them, but sometimes it feels strange to me to be finally accomplishing something that I have struggled with most of my life.  Even though I know that I am wearing smaller sizes, I don't think my head has caught up with my body getting smaller.  I do know for a fact that the "head" factor in this is just as important to address and I am going to do my best to make sure I am taking care of the total me, not just the number on the scale.  Thank goodness for such a great support such as OH, to help in this most important journey of my life.

I  know that its been a long time since I posted, and I really have no excuse, except that I am just trying to get back into the routine of the kids being back in school and going back to work.  I am feeling really good and have lost a total of 41 pounds since my surgery day!  I do find it a challenge to get in all the water and protein each day, but I keep on trying.  I just did my blood work for my doctor's appointment this Friday, so I guess I will find out how I am doing nutritionally soon.  Exercise is starting off slow,  but not due to physical barrieers, just emotional ones.  I did find out that my treadmill is working fine.  When I was at my heaviest I thought that it was going out, but the reality of the situation was that I was too heavy for it!  I am happy to report that this is no longer a problem.  In fact, the weight I am right now I have not been at since 1999!  I am no longer considered morbidly obese, just obese.  I am fitting into clothes in my closet that I have not worn in years.  It really does feel good to be able to do that and to see the scale keep moving in the right direction.  The most important thing that has happened is that I am off of all prescription medications for diabetes, cholesterol and blood pressure.  That was one of the most important goals of my having this surgery.  I am still using the CPAP, but I want to lose more before reevaluating the need for that.  I have found that I have more energy for the most part, although some days I do get worn down and just need to rest, but those are few and far between.  I am very happy with my decision to have the surgery and I definitely do not regret doing it.  Sometimes I do miss getting to eat what I want when I want, but the desire is not nearly as strong as it used to be.  In fact, I rarely even feel hungry, which I thought would never happen.    I am just so grateful for this second chance at a healthier life and I am trying my best to remember how blessed I am to have had it and to be doing so well.  Now I am in th process of discovering more about me - my interests, goals and what truly makes me happy and a good wife and mother.  As with anything, it is a work in progress, but that is okay, I am getting there one step at a time.

Well, its been two weeks as of yesterday since my surgery.  I have to admit it has not been the easiest two weeks, especially with Thanksgiving being during that time.  Most of the time I feel pretty good about things, but there are times that I miss food and being able to eat whatever I wanted to eat when I wanted to eat it.  I guess that is what they call "head hunger".  I haven't actually felt any real hunger, in fact, I can go a pretty long time without food and have to remind myself to eat. 

On the positive side, as of today I have lost a total of  about 20 pounds (depending on whether it is my scale or the one in the doctor's office.  I also have not been on any diabetic medication since the day before surgery and my blood sugars have been in the 80-100 range.  That means I am off two medications that I had been on for about four years.  I also have been off of my blood pressure medication since the day of surgery and I have been checking it periodically and it has been in the 120s/80s, so that is another medicine I am off.  I still take my cholesterol medication for now until I see my family doctor and talk to her about trying to get off of that as well.  I am also taking my multivitamin and Urso Forte for my gallbladder since it was not necessary to remove it.  I will be on that for six months. 

I am still on  my CPAP machine and probably will be until I lose a lot more weight, but I am finally getting there. 

I can't wait until I can eat something more that eggs.  I will be able to slowly introduce solid foods starting December 4th.  It seem like such a long time since I have been able to actually chew food, but I know that I have to take it slow and respect my pouch! 

I start back to work tomorrow.  My job is not a strenuous one, so it should be fine.  I am feeling pretty good physically, with only slight tenderness at a couple of the incision sites, the others have healed. 

Now, I really have to get my exercise program in place.  I really have not done much with it, other than being pretty active and going up and down the stairs a lot since my home is a two story house.  This is the part that is very difficult for me, but I have decided that I am comitting to a five-day a week exercise program and I am actually going to schedule it on my calendar and treat it as an appointment for me. 

Another great thing I discovered yesterday was that I was able to fit into my size 22 jeans.  I was wearing a 24 before and decided to give them a try.  They fit really well, although the waist does rub somewhat on one of my incisions so that makes them a little uncomfortable.  The great thing is that I can say goodbye to the 24 jeans and will never see them again.  Its exciting to be able to put them into the donation bag and be done with that forever.  I was able to say goodbye to the 270s, 260s and soon will be out of the 250s ( I am at 253).  I know that the weight will not come off as fast as it did the first two weeks, but it feels good to be doing right for myself at last. 

Well, I had my surgery on November 17th and I have to say that it went very well.  My husband and I decided to drive down the night before to Toledo since I had to be at the hospital there at 6:00 a.m. and I didn't want anything to get in the way of me being there.  We live about an hour and a half away.  When I got to the hospital everyone was very nice to me.  My surgery started on time without any problems.  I did have to have an umbilical hernia repair as well, but Dr. White said that everything went fine.  The hardest part about the surgery was afterwards not being able to drink until the next day.  My throat was so dry and scratchy from surgery, but thankfully they let you wet your mouth with a little sponge.  My room was very nice and the nurses there were outstanding.  They came right away whenever I called and were very helpful in getting me up and moving with the least amount of pain possible.  The first walk was the hardest, but not as hard as I thought it would be.  The next day I was able to do the purple popsicle test and I passed, so then it was on to clear liquids and water at last!.  I was getting up and around pretty well and feeling pretty good, so much so that Dr. White allowed me to go home the afternoon of the 18th, instead of a day later.  I was glad since it was hard for my husband to take care of things at home and get up to see me because of the distance.  Now I am at home doing pretty well.  I have had no problems taking in the liquids, even the milk-based ones and have been trying to do what the doctor wants me to do.  I go on the November 26th to get the drain taken out and I can't wait for that.  The best news since the surgery is that my sugar levels have normalized and I have not had to take any diabetic medication since the  surgery.  My blood pressure has also been normal. so I have been off the blood pressure medication as well.  Following the diet has not been too difficult, although I am looking forward to getting to eat something a little more solid like eggs soon.   I just have to say that I am so thankful that my surgery went well and recovery seems to be going well too. 

I just joined this website today and I have to say it is the most positive thing that I have done for myself.  I was feeling really sorry for myself because my surgery got put on hold due to issues between the surgeon and the hospital that I was supposed to go to.  Now I feel like I am going to use this time to better prepare myself for the lifestyle changes that will be happeneing to me.  I already have approval for my surgery so at least that waiting is over.  It feels good not to be alone in this process and I intend to use this site for help me in my journey to better health.