Dawn B.
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7th Year anniversary

Aug 02, 2012

Wow - 7 years. It's gone by really fast. As I look back at the last 7 years I still say I'd do it again. Post-op life hasn't always been easy (gallbladder removed, exploratory surgery to find out what was causing severe abdominal pain, increased IBS systems, still occasionally bring back up food (usually pasta) when I eat too much), but the pluses have been worth it. High blood pressure gone (actually run too low sometimes) and no signs of diabetes (again, run too low sometimes), look better, feel better - generally healthier. My orginal goal was 135lbs - hit a low of about 132. My heart didn't like the 130's so went up to the low 140's. Stayed there for about 5 years with little to no effort. In the last year and a half I've had to struggle more - my high has been 158. I'm now sitting at 150 and would really like to get down to the mid 140s again, so as the school year starts up again I hope to get down there again.
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Wow! Long time...

Aug 04, 2010

It's been a year since I've posted... guess it's going to become an annual event. As I have hit my 5 year anniverysary of opening a new door to my existing life I look back and thank God that I did so. I also wonder about those that started the journey about the same time I did and have regain most, if not all their weight, and why them and not me.

I'm far from the poster child of post-op behavior, but I think my success is largely to do that I've found balance in my life that I didn't have before and that's supported by the fact that my body doesn't me to eat to far off track without making me  pay for it. :o)

My upper abdomen pain returned, so the exploratory surgery didn't solve the issue, but at least the pain no longer goes off the richter scale and the the episodes often can be stopped very quickly. They really seem to be related to excess gas most of the time. Who knows, but I haven't gone back to the doctors as they all said there was nothing else they could do.

I hope all who read my blog find it helpful and jus know that you, and no one else, controls your post-op success.
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Happy 4th Anniversary!

Aug 21, 2009

How time flies! It's been four years since I had surgery and I wouldn't change that decision. I've had my ups and downs medically, but not all of it can be contributed to the bypass so could have happened anyway. I just had my annual blood work, and yes, the liver enzymes are slightly high - I've just decided it's my new norm. On a postive front, my B12 and Folic Acid are actually higher than normal - great if I was going to get pregnant I guess. My calcium and D were at the bottom of the range so I have to be a better girl at getting that in, which for the last couple of weeks I have been.

On some really good fronts - I've lost 10lbs in the last 6 months - with no conscious effort on my part so am I down to 138 - only 3 lbs above my original goal. Now, 3 years ago when I reached it my heart hated being that low so I raised it to 140-145, but so far I'm doing good. I'm also dating for the first time in 14 plus years! The things that come up with that is kinda weird. How many 46 year old women have to ask their doctor of 14 years about birth control for the first time?

I'm still doing well as far as the upper abdomen attacks and I finally got a cortisone shot on Aug. 12th so my low back in feeling much, much better; just in time for school starting up again.

Goals for this next year - to continue where I'm at. I seem to be successful doing what I'm doing. We have such a great tool and I'm thankful that it's one that was available for me. Now I just need a similar one for money and my life would be perfect!
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Update time...

Jul 03, 2009

How time flies. The week after Easter I had 5 attacks in two days, two of them w/i 5 minutes of each other. I went and saw Dr. Nichols and he decided it was now time to do exploratory surgery in the abdomen to see if he could find a physical cause to the pain. I had the surgery May 5th and he found one section of the "y" was telescoping and he closed a hernia that most people have. It is just above our colon in the stomach area but with the RNY, the small intestine is now under it so he decided to close the hernia just to be sure. The hope was that the telescoping was the issue. Then June 2nd I had was seemed like another attack, just not as extreme. I woke up at midnight with a low blood sugar attack and started eating my usual spoonful of peanut butter and wala - abdomen pain. Called Dr. Nichol's office the next morning and he and his assistant Cindi insisted it was dumping. I don't have any idea why that one time of eating peanut butter I would have dumped but, since I would rather it be that instead of the telescoping intestine being it, I'm ging to believe them. But, just in case I had a colonoscopy done and except for one pocket it was clear.

I'm still maintaining between 140 & 145 - usually right in the middle, so I'm quite happy. I can't believe I'm coming up on my 4 year anniversary.
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Endoscopy

Feb 18, 2009

Well, after a joke of a scheduling mess I had my endoscopy today. The only issue was minor gastritis. Dr. Reddy took a biopsy to check for h. pylori and we'll decide what the next step is when that comes back. The only issue on the bloodwork was slightly elevated liver enzymes again. - In other words, still something is irrating that area of my body, but we don't seem to have a clue what.

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1/2 the results are in...

Feb 16, 2009

The MRCP results came in - no signs of a stone, and since I never had gallstones, it's not a big surprise, but a disappointment as it would have been a relatively straight forward answer. I'm now having a endoscopy of the upper GI, obviouosly not counting the small intestines on Thursday. Still haven't heard about the blood work yet.
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Abdominal Pain Update

Feb 13, 2009

Well, the attacks continue - mostly what I call 1/2 attacks. The burn pain ramps up but doesn't become the stabbing pain. I've only had 1 of those since December. I finally was able to see Dr. Reddy - the GI doctor on Wednesday. He semi-read the 3 pages of notes I sent ahead, asked some questions, and pushed around my stomach/liver area. His thought - probably stone in the bile duct and I quote "The problem is how we get to it." Had a repeat of the CBC, Lipase & Amylase blood work and a MRCP that afternoon. Now I just wait for the results. He did say that if they come back normal then we'll either have Dr. Stone or him do an Endoscope of the stomach.

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Yet another attack...

Jan 20, 2009

Well, as my world turns... had a lousy day last Friday that took me most of the day to finally figure out I was having another attack. Saw my PCP Monday for a scheduled follow-up appt. on my new meds he started me on and I updated him. Told him since Dr. Nichols' office asked me what I wanted to do next, and with Friday under my belt, that I wanted a CT, MRI, or MRCP, whichever he thought would give the best picture of my liver, pancreas, and ducts and a referral to the GI doctor I saw when my liver enzymes went through the roof in 2006. He wouldn't schedule the test as he thought Dr. Reddy should decide, but readily agreed I needed to see Dr. Reddy to find out what was going on as there's no obvious reason I should be experiencing pancreatitis and continuing pain. Left a msg. with Dr. Nichols' assistant that I was off to see Dr. Reddy. Ready to trade in my body that is being very difficult after everything I've done to be healthy and it's being spitefully unhealthy!
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Blood Work Update

Jan 14, 2009

Well - guess I received good news today. Dr. Nichols left a msg for his assistant Cindy to pass along to me that said "blood work is looking better" and then I was asked what I want to do next. How do I know?! When I asked how much better so that I could try and make a decision she didn't know as she didn't have my chart in front of her. So, I decided that I'm going to ask my primary to request a new MRI of my midback since in 2000 I had protruding discs at T7 & T8 which is where the nerves come out for the gallbladder & pancreas. Maybe there's a chance they've gotten worse and they could be the irritant. If I have any more attacks then I'll either have Dr. Stone (Dr. Nichol's partner that specializes in upper GI) scope to see if there's an ucler &/or go back to the gastroenterologist.

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Pancreatitis (???) Udate

Jan 08, 2009

Well,  I finished the Biaxin & Flagyl on Tuesday dinner time and had another attack at 12:30am! Left a msg for my surgeon's assistant and she came back with two more blood tests to the original two and I HAD to get them the next morning - not a couple of days as I was originially planning. They'll call me for the next step when the blood work comes back. I've of course been reading a lot about pancreatitis - still haven't decided if it's chronic or acute, but I guess it will be better if it's acute than chronic since chronic can lead to diabetes and a higher risk of cancer. NOT good...
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About Me
Anderson, CA
Location
24.0
BMI
RNY
Surgery
08/01/2005
Surgery Date
Apr 10, 2005
Member Since
Before & After
rollover to see after photo
<b>mid-July 2006, pre-op
<b>258lbs
<b>GOAL!! - 5/15/06
<b>135lbs
Friends 18
Latest Blog 48
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