dave_s

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Well, I've been too busy with work and well....losing to get back on here.  I should've kept up each month but honestly I got soo excited I just stayed going and going.

I'm now 7 months out, down 145lbs, working out from 2-5 days a week depending on my travels for the week.  I feel great, I noticed I'll need some plastic surgery as I have some skin that just isn't tightening up, but I was expecting that.

My biggest fear is I've gotten to crave chocolate again, and the full blown standard mini-Hershey bar chocolate!  Halloween brought this to light, and I have 1 bag left in the house, lol.  The sugar free chocolates are great, but don't have that real chocolate flavor.  I'm sure you can guess I'm a choco-holic!  

Also I got hooked on coffee (chappuccino's) shortly before surgery and have since (last 2 months) have been back at it again.  This worries me.  It's replacing my breakfast or sometimes coupled with a small amount of fruit or eggs.  I can't seem to keep my car from pulling into a Starbucks if I haven't had one already that day.

I feel great, bought new clothes, can exercise as much as I want, and do push myself, but now have noticed 2-3 of my bad habits (read above) are creeping back into light.  I'm sure the minute I see a level off or even gain I'll freak and drop it all and watch what I do more carefully.

Well, I'm 1 month out so far and down 43lbs!   I can't believe its only been a month and I've lost that much.

The best thing is that I don't feel hungry at all, once in a while I do if I haven't eaten for more than 4-5 hours, then I'm pretty hungry.  I eat a small amount and get full fairly quick. 

My biggest concern/issue has been all the various ailments.  From leg cramps lasting 4-5 days, my foot hurting from walking or standing - it's swelled up quite a bit now.  Back/side pains that tend to show up when I lay down to sleep at night, a few pains here and there.  One of my friends mom has been 3 years out from having the RNY and he said that the first 6 months tends to show all kinds of off the wall ailments, and its part of it, but then gets back to normal.

I'm a bit tired of eating chicken when going out, lol.  I've never been a seafood person, even tried it all, including fresh lobster while in Maine!  I ventured a bit by having some seared Ahi Tuna when at Outback the other night, went down well, no taste that I could tell besides the pepper on the sides of it.  I need to start cooking more and finding more recipes for sure! 

I've now gone on 3 trips, 2 out of the country.  I regret the 1st trip at 2 weeks out!  Only 2 days after having my staples removed I left the country for 3 days of work, Dr cleared me to go.  I was in some pain and had a hard time getting the right food.  I did manage though, but thought about it, and with a do-over, I would stay put at home.

I can honestly say that now I feel the weight loss, I feel lighter on my feet and overall.  I still haven't tried more/different exercises other than walking.  I'm looking forward to going bowling again and also riding my motorcycle (or at least able to ride it again).  Tomorrow is my Dr's appt, so hopefully I'll have more info on what I can and can't do and see how my progress stacks up.

Well, today I'm officially 1 week post op from having an open RNY by Dr. Overcash.  I decided on this because of 2 reasons, #1, my Dr seemed to feel the most comfortable about performing it this way, and he guarenteed me the incision would be about 4" long, #2 is it was less time "under". 

I'm glad I did it, because he was right, fairly small incision, and if he did it lap and something would've happened, he would've had to open me up as well.  I think it probably could've been done laprascopically without an issue, and on the pre-op prior to rolling into the OR he asked if I wanted it lap, he could change it.  I stuck with my choice for open.

Anyways, I got home on Thursday night, only 1 overnight in the hospital and was in my own bed by 10pm the next night.  He felt I was ready and was a rare case that looked very good and responded well to the surgery.

Friday I woke up with a swollen right testicle.  I called and called, no real answers could be given.  Finally by Monday the pain started to show up and we got an appt with a local urologist. Turns out it was an infection from the catheder in the gland behind my testicle.  Some meds prescribed and they said it will take 30 days at least for it to return to normal!!!  OUCH.  Even the Urologist said, hmm, this will probably hurt more than the surgery for a bit. lol  Yep!

The great benefit from the visit to the urologist was they weighed me - down 14lbs in 1 week!!!!!  WOW

My wife Reza is 110% supportive and also has to take care of our 15-month old girl while caring for me, and she's been food shopping for me, making me protien shakes and all.  We both agree there is no magic protien drink that actually tastes worth a darn!

I'm salivating at the fact of pureed meat!  I can't believe I'm thinking that, but honestly I want real food.  I've promised myself to stick to things though and eventually I will get there, I've come too far to screw it up by jumping forward on the food schedule.

Well, I chickened out in 2005 from having the RNY with Dr. Overcash and am now back on track.  In '05 I decided I never really tried hard enough on my own to lose the weight.  I was then at 350lbs and cancelled the surgery, joined a high end local gym where I knew a few of the trainers (wife's friends) and started a fairly intense daily excercise routine. 

I ended up spending 1.2-2 hours daily in the gym from 6am on prior to work and within 4-5 months I was all the way down to 302lbs!  I worked my butt off trying to break that 300lb mark, I was burning more calories than I was taking in (well I believe that I was) and just couldn't get past 302lbs. 

I kept up a daily routine that started to lapse into 3 days a week, then 2 days, and well, you know the rest.

So here I am in 2009, back up to 348lbs and really hurting, back, knees, etc.  Our insurance has changed and is now able to cover either the VSG or RNY and I went for a consult with Dr. O.  I know some people have said they don't like his personality, but honestly, that plus his track record is what I want in my surgeon.   I can't afford to be babied in this step in life, I obviously have been babied for so long and felt its been ok with the size that I am, weight, etc. 

I was agonizing over VSG vs RNY surgery, and knowing how I am, I'd be the one to get back into my old habits for sure after some time, and the last thing I would want to do is lose a bunch of the weight and then start gaining it back.  The RNY is more aggressive and will truly force me to change my habits and eating in general.  I feel this will be the best long term solution for me.  So my date is now set for March 11, 2009.  I'm awaiting final insurance approval which hopefully will come within 10 days!