Isla_Nina

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Need I say more????  Ok, I will....

I hit ONE HUNDRED Pounds off today!!!!!

100.4 to be exact.  I am 212.4 today.  I am thrilled, excited, amazed, all kinds of emotions all at once!!  Not to diminish the pure happiness I feel, but there is a twinge of sadness, too.  Sad for all the years that were wasted being super morbidly obese.  Now that I'm starting to see the "ME" that I was always meant to be, I wish I could have had it sooner.  But in my heart I know, now was my time.  I was not ready for this before now.  I don't think I would have been compliant.  It is something that everyone has to be ready for and decide for themselves when the time is right.

Ok, so no more looking back. I've found my stride, I feel like singing.....

I got rhythm, I got music, I got my man
Who could ask for anything more?
I've got daisies in green pastures
I've got my man
Who could ask for anything more?

Old man trouble I don't mind him
You won't find him 'round my door
I've got starlight
I've got sweet dreams
I've got my man
Who could ask for anything more?

Ok, kinda corny but I'm happy!!  Hugs and best wishes to all!!

Well folks....I totally intended to update for my 6 months but it just didn't happen.  So, here I am at 7.5 months out and I'm happy to report that I am


2 lbs away from 100 lbs off !!!!!


Can you say WOOOO HOOOOO????  Life is so good right now.  Everything that everyone has ever blogged about feeling great, full of energy, not having time to be on the computer anymore because you are out living life....it's all true.  If I never lose another pound, I would be happy.  But of course, now that I can see light at the end of this long dark lonely tunnel, I want it all!!!!  I want to go all the way.

So, just some stats:  My fast blood sugar is 84,  my A1C is 5 (yes, 5).  My dr. said, "You're not really a diabetic anymore, I'll remove it from your chart."  I was a tight 28, I'm now a loose 18/20.  Yes, life is very good!

Wishing you all well

Hi all,

Well, it will be 5 months in 4 more days.  My scale today said 239.4 so I broke into the 230's.  I think that makes about 73 lbs off.  I'm very happy, however, my body still just doesn't want to give up this weight.  I'll lose a little and then plateau for a few weeks.  Very frustrating.  I wish it would be more consistent.

Non-scale victory.....my husband and I went to the movies yesterday and I FIT so well in the seat.  WooHoo, no more dunlap disease.  You know, where your fat dunlapped into someone else's space?  LOL  Can't wait until I can try out an airplane seat.

Went to my PCP about a week ago.  My A1C was 5.3 so my diabetes is completely in remission.  My BP was 107/74 so my doctor took me my BP med completely.  That was the end of all my meds.  In 5 months, I've gone off of 4 meds for diabetes, 1 med for cholesterol, and 1 med for BP.  Now, I'm just taking URSO to protect my gallbladder and Prevacid to protect my pouch and vitamins.  That's all folks!  In another month, I'll be off the URSO and Previcid.  RNY is simply an amazing tool. 

Talked to the doctor about the poo problem.  In addition to the 2 Colace I take a day, he recommended adding one Senokot pill a day (vegetable laxative).  I asked if it was addictive, ie: would my body become used to it and eventually, would it stop working for me or would it hurt me to use it everyday?  He said no, it is a mild vegetable based laxative and its ok for me to use it everyday.  I said, ok, what about those times where I feel I need a bit more help?  He said I can take Miralax up to twice a week if I need to.  I told him I had been taking Miralax if I feel things are getting backed up but I've found that it can still take a couple days for the Miralax to kick in.  I found that Milk of Magnesia gives me ABSOLUTE relief overnight.  If I take it before bed, BAM, like clockwork, I have a good BM the next morning.  He said he'd prefer me to use the Miralax but I'm still going to keep MOM around too, as my back up secret weapon.  My surgeon is ok with MOM, so it should be ok.  Anyone else get conflicting info from their doctor's sometimes?

One other thing I had the doctor look at, I started noticing that I have large lumps on my abdomen on the left and right sides.  Left is larger though.  It feels kinda solid, not like bone and you can kinda move it around.  The doctor felt around, his eyebrows went up and he said Wow, you have lipomas on both sides.  I was like, what's a lipoma?  It's fatty tumor, non-cancerous, that can grow on your organs.  He said you are probably more aware of them, now that you are losing weight but they should reduce as you continue to lose.  So of course, I looked it up on the web when I got home.  It was pretty much what he said, depending on where a person grows them, you can have them removed for cosmetic reasons or if they get too large.  There is something called a Liposarcoma which is cancerous but apparently, it's rare and the only way you can know if a lipoma is really a liposarcoma is by having it biopsied.  So, now I'm thinking, what do I do?    I really feel the one on the left side, especially when I lay on my back, it feels like it is protruding.  Also, when I'm sitting I kinda feel a fullness on the left side.  Doesn't hurt per se, just feels like there is something there.

Oh well, that's it for now.  I'll try to post again on Friday, on my 5 month surgiversary.

Hi all,

Well, I'm creeping toward that 70 lbs off point, 3 lbs to go.  Seems like I will drop a few pounds and then nothing for a few weeks.  I think my fat is being very resistant.  I don't know, maybe because I've been fat for so many years, my body just doesn't want to give it up. 

On the plus side (or should I say the good side?), I had a office meeting a week ago and saw some out of state co-workers  who had not seen me since last summer.  Well, they were all raving about how great I look, it was a real ego boost.  They all knew I had surgery and were very positive, asking how I was doing, how I was feeling, etc.  Of course, I went out and splurged on a few new outfits (it was a 3 day meeting).  I bought 2 new pairs of pants (24 Petite) and 3 blouses (2X) so they will last me a while.  I look so dowdy now in my old clothes.  My old size was 28 pants and 4X tops.  They literally were falling off of me.

I'm still working out, although I'm a litte perturbed at my gym.  They changed the class schedule so I can only make two of the classes per week instead of the 3 was doing.  They say they will change it up again in a few months.  It just bums me out because I paid for 6 months thinking I'd get in 3 days a week.  They do have work out equipment too, but I've found I'm more motivated to do the class than working out by myself.  I've lost 14.8 lbs in the first month.  WooHoo!!! This is the longest I've ever stuck with working out and although I can't say I love it, I honestly don't mind it.

Let's see, what else?  My wedding rings are very loose, I'm going to have to address that problem soon.  Sometimes I move them to my middle finger because they feel like they are going to slip off my hand.  All my rings are like that.  Some jeweler is going to love me one day when I take everything to be sized!  LOL  I've taken the extenders off my necklaces, another WooHoo. 

My eating is going very well.  I don't know if it is good or bad but I've not had any bad reactions to anything I've tried.  I'm still following all the rules but I know some people say they have problems with eggs, milk and other items after RNY.  Not me.  So far, I've had no issues whatsoever.  I realize I might be one of the few who doesn't dump, I haven't done anything to provoke it but I just have a feeling that I'm not going to have those issues.  Only one thing has caused a gastrointestinal discomfort and that is sugar alcohols.  I ate a few pieces of sugar free candy.  Tasted great going down, but OMG, the gas and pain a few hours later, so not worth it.

I haven't blogged about this topic on my site yet but I have answered a few posts regarding the subject of constipation.  Frankly, I find it embarrassing.  All I can say is OMG!  All my pre-op tricks for dealing with this problem have failed me....coffee, corn, prune juice....doesn't work anymore.  I have been taking 2 colace a day and I was taking 1 tsp of Benefiber but it was actually causing me more problems so I cut out the Benefiber.  I've been having this problem since 3 weeks out.  I've talked to my surgeon who said to keep doing what I'm doing and drink more water but that's just not cutting it.  Sometimes I think I've finally got it under control.....I went for 6 weeks recently without a major problem and then out of nowhere....WHAM....I was hit with a major episode.  I've read where some folks have actually gone to the ER to deal with it.  So far, I've dealt with it by myself and if you are blessed to not know what I'm talking about, just be thankful.  This is the one subject which, had I known how severe it could be....it might have been a deal breaker pre-op.  I'm scheduled to go to my PCP in a few weeks and I'm going to talk with him about whether there is a prescription drug that he can give me.  I usually don't look for prescriptive interventions, but I cannot continue this way.  I'm so afraid that eventually I'll have an episode that will end up injuring myself.

Ok, enough poop talk.  Still need to post some pics.  Will work on that.  Hugs to all!

Hi all,

Well, I'm a little over 3 months out now.  I delayed posting because I hit one of those $#%# stalls.  I saw Dr. Singh last Friday and his scale says I'm 257.7.  So that was a total of 55 lbs.  As of today, my scale says I'm 251.8.  I think there may be 2-3 lbs difference between our scales, so either way, looks like I'm moving down again.  I had so wanted to be at 60 lbs when I saw him.  Oh well, didn't happen.  He was pleased with my results and my A1C was 5.1.  Wahoo!!!  All my results were good except my LDL (good cholesterol), that was low.  He said that will adjust over time as I eat different foods.

Right now, I'm still basically all protein.  I do eat some cooked veggies, grilled squash, green peppers, onions, etc., but really all I have room for is the protein.  I'm not craving anything else so I'm just sticking with the basics.

OMG, my clothes are falling off of me.  I wore these pants yesterday, and I had to put safety pins on each side and even then they were too big.  You know how when you are larger, your stomach pushes out the pants so they are the right length, right?  Well now, these pants are not only big, they are like 6" too long.  Time to say goodbye to some stuff.

I did break down and buy 3 new bras and 1 pair blue pants (24's).  The girls are looking a little sad so I had to hoist them up.  I went down 1 size and 1 cup.  With all the jumping around I do with my new exercise program, I have to support my girls.

I'll try to post some pics soon.  My face is getting slimmer, I only have 2 chins now!  lol

Well, I joined a gym this week.  It's called Transformations for Women.  I like it better than Curves because they have all the standard cardio and weigh machines.  Plus, they have classes.  Right now I'm doing their "Active" class.  It's a beginner class where they do 20 min. of cardio, 20 min strength, and 20 min of balance.  I like the cardio and strength, but I've learned I stink at balance. 

The cardio in the Active class is mostly step aerobics which is a little hard on my knees.  Tomorrow I'm going to try one of the ones with more dance.  I think its more fast paced but I'm going to give it a whirl.

They say to find something you enjoy and you'll stick with it.  Well, I've tried it all and nothing has ever stuck.  Not sure I will ever "like" exercise but I'm determined to be like Nike, "Just do it".

On the plus side, I've learned that after I exercise, if I get on the scale the next day, it usually says I'm down a pound. 


P.S.  At 10 weeks, I'm now 261, so that's 51 off.  Yay me!

Well, tomorrow will be 8 weeks.  I can't believe how fast this time has gone by.  I've lost 37 lbs. since surgery plus 10 before for total of 47.  I had a plateau at about week 5 that lasted 10 days.  My energy has definitely picked up.  My husband said that he noticed on Saturday that I was able to change sheets on all the beds, run up and down the stairs to do several loads of laundry, clean the bathrooms and still had energy to go to the grocery store that evening.  Usually, it would have taken me the whole weekend to accomplish that and I still might have pushed the shopping to a weeknight.

I've been introducing regular foods back into my diet for about 2 weeks now, and there isn't anything that my new pouch hasn't liked.  That is to say, I'm following the rules...I'm not talking about obvious no-no foods.  I'm eating protein first and some cooked veggies.  Haven't tried raw veggies or fruits yet but I eat grilled chicken, chili (yum), turkey cutlets, turkey sausage, turkey bacon, homemade chicken-rice-vegetable soup to name a few.  In restaurants, I've had chicken fajitas, grilled shrimp, scallops, garlic mashed potatoes, refried beans, all with no problems.  Obviously, I'm bringing home some big doggie bags.  One meal can last me 3 servings or more, but I'm usually ready to pitch it out by then.

Getting all my liquids in everyday is still challenging for me.  I have to force myself to keep sipping all day but after having some potty problems, I make sure I get in my liquids.  I'm also taking Benefiber once a day and Colace 2x's/day.

My clothes are starting to get kinda baggy on me but I swear that I'm going to keep wearing them until they literally fall off of me.  Like most of you, my "big girl" clothes cost me a fortune so I'm going to wear them as long as I can and tailor them as need be.  That being said, I did go to work last week with safety pins holding my pants up...lol...thank god for my long blouses.

Other victories:
     My rings are starting to spin on my fingers, as is my watch on my wrist
                     I'm starting to walk out of my shoes
                 There is room between me and the arm of most chairs now 
                My belly isn't touching the steering wheel !!

Ta-ta for now!

Hello all,

I'm 30 days out from surgery today.  I don't own a scale so I'm trying to weigh about every two weeks.  Today, I'm down another 9.2 lbs since my 2 week post-op visit with Dr. Singh.  So, that is a total of 28.4 lbs since surgery day and a total of 39.2 if I include the weight I lost pre-op.  Not too shabby....lol....who am I kidding?  THAT'S FANTASTIC!!!

YAY RNY...YAY Dr. Singh...YAY Me!! 

Hello all,

I had Lap RNY with Dr. Kuldeep Singh on 12/8/08.  My surgery went extremely well....it was "textbook", the best possible outcome.  Dr. Singh did find and repaired a hiatal hernia that I had no idea I had.  In addition to that incision, I have 4 other cuts less than an inch long plus the JP drain hole.  I also received a pain reliever called "On Q" which inserted two thin fiber optic-like tubes just under the skin which distributes pain meds to the incisions.  My husband removed the "On Q" about 4 days after I returned home.  It did not hurt at all.  The hospital removes the JP drain tube before you leave and that was a bit uncomfortable.
  St. Agnes is the best!  Nearly all the nurses and techs were great.  I had a nurse and a tech (who is kinda like a nurse's assistant) assigned to me for 12 hour periods at a time.  The following were fabulous:  Nurse Laureta, Tech Jay was a doll, he was very prompt emptying my bags and took me on my first walk.  Night nurse Laide, she was a sweetheart.  My last nurse was Teresa, very nice, professional and attentive.  And last but not least, my buddy Ola.  Ola was my last tech and she was my sister in purple...lol.  She is very patient and kind.   My advice for rooms:  don't let them put you in rooms 409 thru 413, they face the construction and are very noisy.  Construction goes on from 6:30am to about 5:30Pm.  If you are near the nurses station, it might be noisy too but you can always close your door.  I recommend that anyway.   First day, I was pretty much in and out of it....no pain though.  I could hear my husband and mom talking and could respond to them, but I kept my eyes closed most of the day.   Second day, still foggy, but more alert.  Second and third day were the worst for me because I started to feel trapped.  My legs were in compression stockings so that I wouldn't get a blood clot.  I could not get out of bed by myself, I had to have someone unhook me from the stockings.  Plus, I was getting a headache from all the construction noise.  On the plus side, I passed my "leak test" so I was allowed to begin fluids.  I didn't drink a lot but my advice is to try to drink some, even if you don't want it.  For me, room temperature or warm fluid was better than ice cold.  Had to dump the ice out of the water. 

I had a little melt down the night of day 2.  I had a horrible nurse/tech combo that night.  This tech, luckily I didn't get her name, would let the door bang open every time she entered my room.  After not being able to rest all day because of the construction noise, plus trying to find a comfortable (ha!) position, I had just sent my husband and mom home (they were looking as rough as me!), I turned off the TV, just drifted off to sleep when BAM went the door!  My heart raced.  Tech Ratchet checked my vitals, looked at my drain and left.  Off to slumber one more time.....40 minutes later...BAM....she was back.  I called in my night nurse, crying, and demanded that she call my husband and get me out of there.  Although she wasn't as unpleasant as the tech, she was not as warm as all the other nurses I had experienced to that point.  However, she did promise to leave me alone between 12 midnight and 5 am so I could get some sleep. 

Felt better on day 3 with my 5 hours sleep under my belt (ha!).  Started pureed food.  Oatmeal was good, went down well.  Lunch brought pureed chicken which looked nasty but I mashed it up some more with my fork and it was "do-able".  Ate a bite or two of mashed potatoes.  Still don't know what the green stuff was...but it didn't appeal at all.  Advice to others:  Don't feel like you have to eat it all, They bring more food than you can possibly eat.  I think they give you different stuff so you can find something you like (tolerate?).   Went home day 3, wasn't sure I ready but by the time I got dressed, I felt 100% better.  For some reason, when I put on my pants, it gave just enough pressure on my stomach so it lessened some of the surface pain I was having.  I did get the On Q and it seemed to be working all right except right at the insertion location (realized later that it was the clear plastic tape that they use to secure it to your belly that was giving me a "pulling" sensation.)    My advice to others:  I wouldn't bring a lot of clothes, or a lot of anything with you to the hospital.  Things I would recommend:  baby wipes helped a lot, hand lotion, toothbrush/paste and chap stick (a must!).