foxymommabbbw
13 months later!
Sep 02, 2008
Please forgive me for not keeping up with posting. I remember how important it was for me to read about others while on their journey and just knew that I wouldn't be one of those who didn't keep up with my own.
Well, today, I weigh 250 lbs. I weighed 403 lbs at the time of my surgery and 425 lbs before surgery. I feel wonderful and very much alive! I've had very few problems. One was in March 2008, I suffered tremendously from hemorrhoids, not from constipation but more so from gas and holding. The other one was from low albumin level. IT caused me to swell (retained large amounts of water) , be tired to the bone, weak and extreme joint pain. After I increased my protein, it all corrected itself.
I did lose hair between months 3 through 7 but it's growing back in nice and full again. I'm sporting a lot of hanging loose flesh. I look like an old woman underneath my clothing. Luckily, I don't walk around without clothes on though so no one is the wiser! lol
I'm going to try to put some pics up showing my year journey as soon as possible. Please be patient with me.
Oh I should say that I am no longer diabetic or have sleep apnea. I can walk 5 miles and still do whatever needs to be done in a days work and living. This surgery gave me my life back.
Feel free to contact me with questions. I know this wasn't a thorough update.
Angie
Well, today, I weigh 250 lbs. I weighed 403 lbs at the time of my surgery and 425 lbs before surgery. I feel wonderful and very much alive! I've had very few problems. One was in March 2008, I suffered tremendously from hemorrhoids, not from constipation but more so from gas and holding. The other one was from low albumin level. IT caused me to swell (retained large amounts of water) , be tired to the bone, weak and extreme joint pain. After I increased my protein, it all corrected itself.
I did lose hair between months 3 through 7 but it's growing back in nice and full again. I'm sporting a lot of hanging loose flesh. I look like an old woman underneath my clothing. Luckily, I don't walk around without clothes on though so no one is the wiser! lol
I'm going to try to put some pics up showing my year journey as soon as possible. Please be patient with me.
Oh I should say that I am no longer diabetic or have sleep apnea. I can walk 5 miles and still do whatever needs to be done in a days work and living. This surgery gave me my life back.
Feel free to contact me with questions. I know this wasn't a thorough update.
Angie
Pre-Op Labs Are In
Jul 13, 2007
Hey everybody! Hope you all are having a good day. Well, I got a call today from the U of C and my Labs are in. I am already deficent in Vitamins D and A so I'm supposed to start take those immediately after surgery.
List of Vitamins
Centrum - 1 a day
B Complex 50 mg - 1 a day
Citracal w/ D - 2 - 2 times a day
Vitalady Dry D 50,000 u tab - 1 a day
Vitalady Dry A 10,000 u tab - 1 a day
I hope this helps me to get back on track and stay there!
Wish me luck! Surgery is in 3 days and 1 hour.
Hugs, Angie
List of Vitamins
Centrum - 1 a day
B Complex 50 mg - 1 a day
Citracal w/ D - 2 - 2 times a day
Vitalady Dry D 50,000 u tab - 1 a day
Vitalady Dry A 10,000 u tab - 1 a day
I hope this helps me to get back on track and stay there!
Wish me luck! Surgery is in 3 days and 1 hour.
Hugs, Angie
My Pre-Op Visit
Jul 07, 2007
Overall it was good but they scared the heck out of me. Well, I was asked 5 or 6 times my name, insurance, ya da, yada. Then I saw the anesthesiologist first, he wasn't very cordial and he apologized for it in the end. I have to take a stress test this coming Wednesday to see what's the deal with my heart: abnormal ekg. but as 'i understand it, it won't stop the show but just another precaution to put in place. At the first station my BP was 143/81. I leave there and go to the next station and they stop me and send me over to outpatient admitting and the woman tells me "you are not approved for the gastric surgery" I literally felt my BP spike. By the time, she reaches my insurance and get things pretty much straightened out and sends me over to the next station and they ask all of the same questions and then take my BP it was 191/103 and I know I had calms down some before that. Well, the nurse said you wouldn't have gotten this far if you hadn't been approved and everything was in order. She said here one hand doesn't know what the other knows so someone just didn't get everything into your file but you're going to have the surgery. That helped in knowing, but my BP isn't coming down any further. I can't seem to find my center. Kimmi was there and asking all of the important questions that I would have asked had I been there for someone else. So, I'm thankful for that. I think my BP is still up because I can't take my estradiol until sometime after the surgery and I can't take my pain pills two days before surgery because it has ibuprofen in it. I am going to be a wet, hot, crazy, pain-filled , sobbing b$%^h!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol I don't know what I'm going to do, except follow the rules, take my stress test, read up on all of the material that they gave me, pack and have the surgery. This isn't the week that I had planned for myself, but I'm going to make the most of it!
Angie
Angie
11 Days to GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
Jul 05, 2007
Well, Folks, the ending to the beginning stage is almost over. I will go to my 1 week Pre-Op visit on July 9th. I guess I should be able to tell you all about that experience after I return. Then it will be my Re-Birthday!!!!! I am excited and whenever someone asks me when is my surgery, I start shouting how many days I have left to go. My family is understandably scared about all of this. Honestly, I'm a little scared too cause I don't tolerate pain well. I'm sure I've said that before so that's nothing new. Oh gosh, I'm babbling! I want to go do something for myself for having this surgery like treat myself to a pedicure. I've only had 2 in my lifetime. Does anyone have any ideas for me???????
So excited!
Angie
So excited!
Angie
Whining Session
Jun 26, 2007
Have you ever been in so much pain that it completely rules your life? Today I lost it! I just cried like a baby. Besides having degenerative arthritis in the knees, I also have back, shoulder and neck spasms. And on top of that I get these FUO=Fevers of Unknown Origin. All of that has been plaguing me and I broke. I go to the chiropractor and I'm taking a fair amount of vicodin ann ibuprofen. Whatelse can I do. My Dr. has tried a host of muscle relaxant and NSAID's but I get no relief. I am so hoping that my surgery and subsequent weightloss will help some. Ok, I guess I'll get off my pity pot now.
Thanks for visiting.
Seeya Soon
Thanks for visiting.
Seeya Soon
My Visit With the Vascular Surgeon
Jun 12, 2007
Hey Everybody!
Hope life is treating you well today. I went to see the Vascular Surgeon yesterday. If you recall, I have to have an IVC filter inserted to help prevent any possible blood-clots to the lungs or heart. I'm told this is done when a person's BMI is 50 or above which makes me qualify. He said he will insert it through the neck pass my lung and heart down my stomach and depending on the size of my vena cave (if it's too large or not) will decide if I need one or two put in. Then a month after the surgery, I have to come back to see if it can be taken out. What will decide that is if there are not blood-clots then it can be removed but if there is a blood clot then it will remain in place for life.
I've never formed a blood clot before so I am counting on it coming out a month after my surgery. To help ensure this, I will get out of bed as soon as they instruct me and walk like they want me too. My next appt. isn't until July 9th which is a week from my surgery date. I don't know if Dr. Alverdy will require me to take off a few lbs or not. It's beginning to look like the U of C doesn't require a liquid diet before surgery.
If any of you out there knows of something different please drop me a note.
Thank you in advance, tah tah
Hope life is treating you well today. I went to see the Vascular Surgeon yesterday. If you recall, I have to have an IVC filter inserted to help prevent any possible blood-clots to the lungs or heart. I'm told this is done when a person's BMI is 50 or above which makes me qualify. He said he will insert it through the neck pass my lung and heart down my stomach and depending on the size of my vena cave (if it's too large or not) will decide if I need one or two put in. Then a month after the surgery, I have to come back to see if it can be taken out. What will decide that is if there are not blood-clots then it can be removed but if there is a blood clot then it will remain in place for life.
I've never formed a blood clot before so I am counting on it coming out a month after my surgery. To help ensure this, I will get out of bed as soon as they instruct me and walk like they want me too. My next appt. isn't until July 9th which is a week from my surgery date. I don't know if Dr. Alverdy will require me to take off a few lbs or not. It's beginning to look like the U of C doesn't require a liquid diet before surgery.
If any of you out there knows of something different please drop me a note.
Thank you in advance, tah tah
Kudos to my CPAP!
Jun 03, 2007
Hey ya'll, I have been using my CPAP machine for a week and a half now and boyyyyy has it made a difference so far! I didn't realize how ineffective my sleep had been until I got some real sleep! I had been trying to solve the problem with blood shot eyes after a supposed good night rest and was beginning to worry about what was going on inside my head. I was always tired and falling asleep throughout the day. I really didn't have much energy at all. But now, I wake up bright eyed and ready to fight the battle of living. I sleep through the night and don't even have to get up consistently to go to the bathroom anymore. I'm not understanding that piece but I'll take it! I love my CPAP machine and the thing is, I don't have sleep apnea that badly...the air pressure is set at 7 . The highest setting is 20. But it still makes a huge difference. I can't wait until this weight comes off. I know then that I'll be feeling 100%. Oh, what a blessing that will be!
See Ya
See Ya
Requirements and Surgery Date
May 21, 2007
When you sit back and let people handle things for you, things don't always get done expediently. I had taken the Sleep Apnea Test in December and got the papers back saying that I had Sleep Apnea and needed to come back for a CPAP Titration study. When my PCP got this info it was put in my file and never revisited. Later I got them to send that information to my surgeon's office and it was put in my file there also. A week ago I decided to ask my surgeon's office what they planned to do about my results from my test. And I was asked if I had sleep apnea and when I said I did, they said well you can't have a date until you have your second test and get your CPAP order. Well, that is finally taken care of and now I finally have a true surgery date!!!!!!!!! But if I hadn't asked, I would still be sitting and waiting for something that was going to be continuely put off until I satisfied all of their requirements. I could have had this surgery done months ago had I been less timid.
So, for those of you who are trying to get approved and given a surgery date, DON"T BE AFRAID TO WORRY THE H%^& OUT OF THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE TRULY BUSY THERE AND WILL FORGET THINGS ALL OF THE TIME. YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY PERSON TRYING TO GET A SURGERY DATE. SO, be nice but be diligent and proactive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, for those of you who are trying to get approved and given a surgery date, DON"T BE AFRAID TO WORRY THE H%^& OUT OF THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE TRULY BUSY THERE AND WILL FORGET THINGS ALL OF THE TIME. YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY PERSON TRYING TO GET A SURGERY DATE. SO, be nice but be diligent and proactive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My Insurance Approved the Surgery
Apr 06, 2007
O Happy Day!
Now, I have to wait for the scheduler to give me a date! That's fine. The important thing is I have been approved!!!!!! I'm hoping that they will give me a date in June. I think that's pretty reasonable. I need to try and post a current picture of myself.
Talk later.
Now, I have to wait for the scheduler to give me a date! That's fine. The important thing is I have been approved!!!!!! I'm hoping that they will give me a date in June. I think that's pretty reasonable. I need to try and post a current picture of myself.
Talk later.
The first time I considered WLS
Dec 14, 2006
About 3 years ago I started looking into the possibility of having WLS. I found out that our insurance didn't cover it and had come across some horror stories about RNY and decided that it wasn't for me and never looked back at it ago until a month ago. My quality of life had diminished so much that I felt like a prisoner in my own body. Then after some medical test I found out that I am now diabetic. Mannn! Here I can't exercise and therefore can't lose weight and therefore can't get rid of the diabetes.
The only thing I had to look forward to at that point was loosing toes, fingers, legs and life. Well, that's no good. So, I thought again about looking into WLS. By this time certainly they had to have perfected it more and come up with better mortality rates. So I started searching and was liking what I saw but was seriously considering Lap Banding because again RNY just didn't appeal to me. Then I came across Duodenal Switch somehow and knew without a doubt that that one was for ME. So I ended up signing up on RemedyMD.com and put in my request on November 7th.
I started lurking on the bulletin board learning more and more and then on the 14th, I got a call to come in to see the surgeon, pyschiatrist and nutritionist on the 27th. Then I realist that I was going to need a referal from my PCP and then found out that my ins. was going to have to pre-approve the surgery. I was going all about this backwards but I was getting things done. So, I made an appt. to see my PCP the day before my appt. with Dr. John Alverdy at U of C and My PCP was supportive of my decision and said he would do whatever he could to help me. The I got a call form the U of C saying they weren't going to pay for my visit with them because I needed to have my PCP send in my diet history, CFT, BMI, Psychic exam, so I said I still wanted to keep my appt. how much is it? She said $1,141.00. After I had her repeat that about 3 times, I thought to myself okay I'll pull that off my money tree in the backyard. I still wanted to get in so I told her I would be coming.
I decided how I would rob Peter to pay Paul and went to my sessions. I live in Rockford and driving to Chicago is no fun but atleast it isn't having to go to Brazil or Mexico or somewhere else far from home. So, I'm still blessed. Dr. Alverdy said I would have to have a Sleep Study so I went home called my PCP and got in for that and I have some Sleep Apnea. We'll see later how they will deal with that. I had the Cardiac Pulmonary Function test and it said I have the lungs of a 71 yr old. Geez, I'm 44!!!!! and what does that mean really? Oh, I got the call from the U of C saying that I am official accepted for surgery but I have some more things I have to do which are upper GI, IVC filter and attend the support group sessions.
I was jumping for joy on the inside! Now, they have to submit all of my info to the insurance and then we wait....please God, please bless me with an approval the frist time around. I have not told many people about my wanting to have the surgery because they will just ring their hands with worry and be negative and I don't need that kind of stuff on me right now.
Well, that's all for now.
The only thing I had to look forward to at that point was loosing toes, fingers, legs and life. Well, that's no good. So, I thought again about looking into WLS. By this time certainly they had to have perfected it more and come up with better mortality rates. So I started searching and was liking what I saw but was seriously considering Lap Banding because again RNY just didn't appeal to me. Then I came across Duodenal Switch somehow and knew without a doubt that that one was for ME. So I ended up signing up on RemedyMD.com and put in my request on November 7th.
I started lurking on the bulletin board learning more and more and then on the 14th, I got a call to come in to see the surgeon, pyschiatrist and nutritionist on the 27th. Then I realist that I was going to need a referal from my PCP and then found out that my ins. was going to have to pre-approve the surgery. I was going all about this backwards but I was getting things done. So, I made an appt. to see my PCP the day before my appt. with Dr. John Alverdy at U of C and My PCP was supportive of my decision and said he would do whatever he could to help me. The I got a call form the U of C saying they weren't going to pay for my visit with them because I needed to have my PCP send in my diet history, CFT, BMI, Psychic exam, so I said I still wanted to keep my appt. how much is it? She said $1,141.00. After I had her repeat that about 3 times, I thought to myself okay I'll pull that off my money tree in the backyard. I still wanted to get in so I told her I would be coming.
I decided how I would rob Peter to pay Paul and went to my sessions. I live in Rockford and driving to Chicago is no fun but atleast it isn't having to go to Brazil or Mexico or somewhere else far from home. So, I'm still blessed. Dr. Alverdy said I would have to have a Sleep Study so I went home called my PCP and got in for that and I have some Sleep Apnea. We'll see later how they will deal with that. I had the Cardiac Pulmonary Function test and it said I have the lungs of a 71 yr old. Geez, I'm 44!!!!! and what does that mean really? Oh, I got the call from the U of C saying that I am official accepted for surgery but I have some more things I have to do which are upper GI, IVC filter and attend the support group sessions.
I was jumping for joy on the inside! Now, they have to submit all of my info to the insurance and then we wait....please God, please bless me with an approval the frist time around. I have not told many people about my wanting to have the surgery because they will just ring their hands with worry and be negative and I don't need that kind of stuff on me right now.
Well, that's all for now.
About Me
Rockford, IL
Location
69.2
BMI
Surgery
07/16/2007
Surgery Date
Nov 02, 2006
Member Since
