gtortelli

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I have had a small set back and hit a wall, I didn't start gaining but I only lost 10 pounds in December and was holding at 212 forever.  I was 212 on December 26th and the scale never moved. My boyfriend bought me a membership to the gym on the 19th and I started going.  I have worked out almost everyday and since the 19th and I am now down to 203, I seriously can't believe it broke down the wall so quickly.  I am actually eating more as well because of my energy level and it is dropping like crazy.  Another thing is I used to be a manager for Lane Bryant and I was in size 24 both top and bottom and size 7 in their right fit pants.  I am wearing 14 tops and size 2 in the right fit pants.  One more size on the tops and bottom and I will never have to go into Lane Bryant again.

I only have 4 pounds to go until I get to see a one in front of my weight, which I haven't been under 200 in about 20 years.

Of course I will be posting big fat hooray when that happens.  My goal is to be under 200 by next week.

I am going in this morning for the second of three mini surgeries to open up my stricture.  I haven't really been losing much weight, and you would think that since I am still only eating liquids I would be dropping off weight.  I am losing about 3 to 5 pounds a week.  I am a little concerned because once they open up the whole to my stomach am I going to start gaining weight because I will be able to eat a more of a variety of food.

I went in today and all they did was give me an endoscopy, they found that my hole was only 6mm big, which is barely big enough to pass water.

They opened it to 8 and I have to go in two more times, he said he would like to get it to 15 mm.

It did not hurt at all, except for now it is burning a little and I can't seem to get enough cold in me.

So in two weeks I will go back in and then two weeks passed that.

If anyone has it, it is no big deal and relax.  I was panicking a little because they put me out again and I don't remember a thing, it was a mild one and I loved it this time.

So if it could have happened it did happen.  I have been in so much pain with the compaction I had in my bowels for ten days that I almost had to get removed, but finally after four hours and much help from the pharmacy I passed it.

Also I go in on Friday to take care of my stricture.  What it is, is when the whole to the tube gets swollen and it is smaller than normal.  I can barely drink anything without it getting stuck, I throw up almost every day.
They are going to put me to sleep and put a balloon down my throat and blow up the balloon and pop the bubble in there.  It is kind of like a fischer only this is in my asophagus.

It is very painful and my weight loss has been rapid.  I still had 10 days before my two month follow up and I had already lost 50lbs, my doctor was concerned. 

I will let you know how it turns out.  I wanted to give this information in case someone else is having the same problem.

I have lost 43 pounds so far since sugery and I am miserable.  I can't seem to understand how to chew up the food good enough and it seems every meal I eat that has anything more than a consistency of mashed potatoes I throw it up, because it gets stuck.  My weight loss has diminished quickly, it seems I am only losing 2 pounds a week already, which is actually what I am supposed to be so far.  I read that in the first 75 days we will lose one third of our excess fat.  I figured it out by taking my starting weight and subtracted the desired healthy weight, and devided that total by three, and it brings my weightloss to 39 pounds,  after you lose that one third of your weight we are only supposed to lose 2 pounds a week.  So according to that guide I am right on target.  However, it would have been nice to lose it as quickly as it all started, especially since I am having so much trouble keeping it down.

I figured it will take till June 2010 to get to my goal if I lose only 2 pounds a week from this day forward.  I only have 75 pounds to go to get to my realistic goal.  It still seems so far away as my pants literally fall to my knees sometimes.

I have fallen into the depression of feeling deprived and not being able to eat anything as I try.  Thanksgiving wasn't that bad, I actually did great until I tried a tiny sliver of pumkin pie,  um yea, that won't ever happen again, major dumping syndrome for about 2 hours, wasn't fun.  But hey I learned.

Good luck everyone and I will get back to you in time.
Gina

Tomorrow will be three weeks post op and I weigh myself and measure every Sunday.  I haven't weighed myself yet because I don't have a scale but I did measure and I am down 23.5 inches.

I revise my post tonight with my weight progress.  I weighed myself today and I weighed 241 which is 26lbs down in three weeks.  My goal was to lose at least 30 the first month.  I have 4lbs to go in seven days.

The pain on my right side is still there, of course if I am on my feet too much.  I have passed the two week point and eagerly going into my third week.  The pain this morning is minimal finally, however, I have some errands to run and a little walking which is what triggers it the most.
I started eating food but I am back to liquids because of reading the paper I was sent home with for the first time.  I am supposed to be on broth and clear liquids for the first four weeks.  I can't imagine because I can handle solid foods but that is what the doctor prescribes so that is what I will do.  No wonder people lose weight so fast the first month.  If anyone ate the diet we are supposed to eat with or without the surgery, they would all lose that kind of weight.  Now the hard part is keeping it off.  I keep hearing all these stories about many people who have not lost weight or who have gained all their weight back and then some.  I can't imagine that happening,  Some of these people eat chips and crackers and candy, I wouldn't be able to bring myself to eat that, after my horrible stay in the hospital.
Good luck all
Gina

I have really enjoyed this obesityhelp website, however, with all the advice coming in and having hundreds of people giving all different advice I think I am going to stick to my own doctor and what is good for me.  I keep getting freaked out because some people say they eat soft foods others say clear liquids for the first month.

I have already eaten chicken and asparagus and meatballs and am fine. As long as I chew it up really good and eat until I am satisfied I feel good.

I would love to keep in touch and hear about all success stories or if anyone has any questions I will tell you what happened to me.  But as far as advise I won't be taking anymore.

Good luck everyone

Oh and I have lost 12.5 inches so far.  I don't have a scale so I haven't been able to weigh myself but I will be doing that today.  It has been 12 days since my surgery

Why am I having so much pain on the right side on the bottom of my belly.  It pulls but it also has constant pain, especially when I try to go to the bathroom.  That is the only place that hurts, all the other incisions have let up on the pain except that one.

I feel like I pulled my stomach apart but it is actually nowhere close to where my stomach is.  If you go to my belly button and go to the right about a finger and then a finger down, that is where the pain is.  Does anyone have any suggestions on why I have this pain in that spot?
Gina

Today is one week out, and I researched this surgery for almost 10 years and there were many many things that I was unaware that people did not speak of.  I am going to list a few and then go along as they come up.

First thing you will be surprised about it how badly your shoulder hurts.  Apparently before they do surgery they pump your stomach with air which I just found out is the same muscle attached to your left shoulder.  Every time I tried to breath my shoulder shook in convulsions from the pain.  I did not get anything to eat for the first three days and the first thing they make you drink is big huge gulps of the most disgusting thing ever.   This is when they do the swallow test that they take X-rays of your stomach in order to see if the fluids are going in the right place.  You are still in much pain and have to stand up the entire time for this.  I almost threw up so make sure you have a barf bag there.

After you come back from that and the tests are ok then they give you a tray of a bunch of stuff for you to choose to eat.  Sugary stuff makes me sick.  Jell-O, popsicles, and anything that has fruit tastes is so gross now.  I ate the chicken broth just a couple sips and it was so salty that I spent the next four hours dry heaving, well I would have thrown up but I didn't have anything in my stomach.  It was the worst pain ever, additionally; I was still filled with gas.  I still haven't passes all the gas yet and it is still pretty painful.

When you pass a bowel movement the first time, be prepared with a toilet scrub brush because it is like MUD.  It is so runny and it sticks to the bottom of the toilet.  Once it starts to break up, your stomach sounds like a stopped up drain that just let up and bubbles everywhere.  However, even though it feels like you are going to go in your pants, the second you sit on the toilet nothing will come out.

If you have a drain, make sure it stays in long enough.  They took mine out on the fourth day when it was still leaking.  I finally figured after every 15 minutes of changing the gauge and having blisters on my stomach from the tape, that an overnight maxi pad did the trick.  However, because of the blisters and scabs from the tape I couldn't wear anything because of the pain.  It finally stopped leaking yesterday.  I don't mean a simple little leak, I am talking about your clothes will be soaked.

This is all I have for now, I will give you more things later.  Oh and my friend went two weeks without a shake because they didn't tell her she could have it.  You must eat them the day you get out or you will lose energy.   I have eaten chicken and asparagus already, of course blended with garlic and chicken broth.  I even put in grated parmesan cheese in the chicken and it tastes great.

Good luck and I will write later
Gina