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Next week I'll be 8 months post op.  I am currently 154 but I have my cycle so it may be a bit less.  I have lost 107 pounds, and I have 14 pounds to go until I am "normal."  My goal weight, though, is still 120 and that is 34 pounds away.  I am a size 8.  For a few weeks I let some refined carbs make their way back into my diet and my weight loss slowed immediately.  I removed them and lost 8 pounds over the next 3 weeks, so I'm definately sticking with no refined carbs.  I do eat some grains like barley and some minimal low sugar fruits (berries), but mostly it is protein and vegetables and legumes.  I am very fond of garbonzo beans or navy beans or black beans tossed with cuke, tomato, fresh basil and red onions, sprinkled with garlic salt.  Full of protein, some fiber, and filling.  So it doesn't all have to be meat, although I like that, too.  I am very strict with diet and exercise during the work week and am more relaxed on the weekends.  Sometimes that leads to too much snacking so I have to watch that.  I am running, walking, doing step aerobics at home, and lifting weights - I do one of them about 5 times a week for up to an hour.

My bloodwork is perfect and my doctor is very happy with my progress.  My bloodpressure was 105/74.  I am off all my meds except vitamins, of course.  She said she can see me getting into the 130s without a problem, but I'm going farther than that!  I still do not get all my water in.  At max I get 32 ounces in a day, plus a cup or two of coffee.  That's it.

My bones are starting to emerge.  Hard chairs hurt.  I can see, just barely, the outline of the point of my sternum.  My hip bones are prominent when lying on my side, although the flab on my belly pools next to me.  I figure that's where my 34 pounds is, LOL.  My legs are strong and shapely from the exercise, though, and a good bra does wonders for the girls.  I'm pretty dang happy and only see things getting better and better from here.  Still zero complications or issues.  If I go too long without eating, I do get a stomach ache but that's good - it's my hunger signal.

I hope to be under 145 when I post next and a size 6!

Today is Monday and this Friday I will be 4 months post op.  I haven't weighed in a while, but I weigh about 189.  I'm staying off the scale as much as possible in the month of May; I was weighing too often and starting to play those mind games with myself.  This is much better.  I will go back to weekly weigh ins next month, but I will put the scale away in between...otherwise that thing calls my name every time I walk past it.  Any who, I'm down 72 pounds including the 11 I lost pre-op.  I'm in regular sized clothes (size 14, some 12s).

I concentrate on eating protein and vegetables almost exclusively.  I believe this is why I fill up so fast and have lost so well.  Some days I only eat a few bites per meal and getting the protein down is uncomfortable - but that's just the way it goes sometimes.  I like it.  After eating BIG FOOD for 40 years, it's novel and exciting to eat like a bird.  I know if I was eating yogurt, cottage cheese, crackers, and other slider foods, I would be able to eat a TON of that kind of thing.  So I stick to my surgeon's rules 90% of the time:

1. Eat solid food with a concentration on protein, then veggies
2. No drinking with meals, nor shortly before/after meals
3. No liquid calories at all
4. Eat till you are full

Beef is very easy for me; chicken is difficult.  I do not eat breakfast because it tends to make me ill at the busy time of my work day.  I choose not to resort to yogurt or other slider foods which would be easier to eat that early.  If I can't get the solid protein down, then I eat the amount I can and that's it.  It's working for me.  I lose an average of 3.5 pounds per week.  I'm sure it will slow down, especially now that I'm nearing a more normal, if still overweight, size.  My goal weight is still 120, although I could live with anything under 140.  My surgeon's goal is 157, which I was for years and is still a bit chunky for me.  I'm only 5'3" tall.

I walked regularly for 45 min about 4 times a week for 2 months.  In the last 2 weeks, I've added jogging intervals to my walks, increased the time to 60 minutes, and the frequency to 5 days a week.  I do intervals....30 seconds of jogging, then a one minute walk...repeat for an hour!  I feel great!  All of my bloodwork is perfect, including my liver function.

I do seem to get stomach aches when I haven't eaten for several hours.  I think it may be a hunger queue...or maybe acid?  I plan to call my surgeon about it this week.  I have an appt on July 29, about 10 weeks away.  I hope to be in the 150s at that appt but that may be a bit ambitious.  But I'll work towards it anyway!

My surgery was 1/20/11 and today is 2/16/11, so tomorrow I will be 4 weeks post op.  I'm having no trouble at all, besides still learning to chew more and eat slower.  No throwing up, discomfort, or bowel troubles.  I am not really hungry, I just get kind of a vague empty feeling.  I am forgetting to take my calcium, since it has to be taken separately from the other vitamins, so I brought it to work today to see if that helps.  My post op appt with my surgeon went fine.  My liver function was slightly elevated but may just be a temporary side effect of having abdominal surgery.  I see him again on April 22 for my 3-month post op appt and we'll retest then. 

I am down 31 pounds!  Highest weight was in January at 261 pounds; I lost 11 of that on the pre-op diet and had surgery at 250.  This morning I was 230.  Some of my pants are getting too loose to wear safely.  I can't wait to be under 200 again.  I am currently weighing daily, first thing in the morning.  I'm always down between half a pound and 2 pounds each day; it's so great to see a loss every day!  But I am aware that the quick loss won't last, so when it slows down I will move to weekly weigh ins.

I'm still on the post op diet - the stage where you can have soft cooked veggies, soft pasta, hummus, etc.  I'm no longer allowed any liquid calories at all, including protein shakes.  I stop drinking 30 min before meals until 1 hour after.  I'm getting in about 60 oz per day.  I'm exercising right now only about 2 times per week by walking outside.  It's been really cold, but as it warms up I will increase that since I've always liked walking.

I'm 5 days post-op today; my surgery was 1/20/11.  I've had no pain since my 2nd day post op and I'm following my surgeon's guidelines for nutrition - clear liquids for the first week.  I'm able to drink faster than the guidelines say without discomfort - I have to slow down - although I have not yet been able to get in the minimum 48 ounces per day yet.  The best I've done is 24.  The sheet says to drink 4 ounces over 25 min; I'm able to drink 4 ounces in more like 10 - 15 minutes.  I wish I had a timer but I'll use one on my iPhone from now on.  I'm drinking water, watered down juice, broth strained from soup, and Unjury protein.  I'm taking 2 chewable multivitamis per day, 500 mg of B12, an antacid I have to take for 3 months, and a blood pressure medicine for 3 months as well.  I'll start Citrical in a month. 

My pants are already loose!  My weigh-in right before surgery was 249.6.  My goal weight is 120 pounds and I hope to make it in a year and a half.

Finally, today at 3 pm I got the call I've waited 14 months for...OK, really over 2 years.  My surgeon's office called to tell me that I am approved!!!  I can't stop saying it.  Approved. Approved. Approved.

A million things are running thru my mind.  I'M really having this surgery.  ME.  They are gonna cut me open and I could maybe die.  I'm going to lose all my weight. I'm going to be able to run again. I'm going to get off these awful meds. I'm going to be able to wear nice clothes again. Feel sexy. Work in the yard. Climb stairs. Be free.

I am so happy I can hardly think straight!

Today I am 3 weeks from surgery (20 days).  I can't wait to get this behind me!  We finally sold our MS house and closed on that last week; we close on our new NY house on Jan. 31.  I will be 11 days post-op so should be fine.  The move kind of worries me - I won't be able to carry much since I'll still be on restriction.  So, basically, I'm hoping to finally have my life back in February...surgery and the cross country move behind me!  We started the move in September (actually several weeks before that getting the MS house ready to put on the market).

I was back to 255 (down 2) at my last weigh in with my surgeon's office.  Just waiting for them to submit to insurance.  They told me they submit 2 weeks before the surgery date - that means January 6.  I have an appt this Monday (1/3/11) with my PCP to do my pre-op clearance, then on Tuesday (1/4/11) I have my psych clearance and my nutrition appt.

I can't wait to hear from Aetna.  If they want to battle, I'm ready this time.

I've been thinking about goal weight.  I know it's probably way too early, and everyone always wants to tell you not to set a goal because you'll be disappointed if you don't reach it...but if you don't have a goal to work towards how do you know you're not settling instead of going for all you can be?  My goal is 120 pounds.  I am 5 foot 3 inches tall.  My surgeon says I'm 5 foot 2 but he measures short!  If I don't make 120 I will be disappointed, but disappionted doesn't mean I can't be perfectly happy with life somewhat higher.  I'd be pretty happy anywhere under 150 pounds.  I have never in my adult life weighed less than 147 pounds..and I was that for like 5 min!.  But I thought I looked damn good for those 5 min!  My former dietician actually told me that my ideal weight was 112 pounds after punching away on a calculator for a few minutes  - then we both laughed and I said lets try for under 200 first!  It was pretty funny.

I learned quite a lot during my pre-op session with my surgeon.  He has 4 rules for eating post-op once you've completely healed from surgery.  He said if you have any issues with poor loss or weight gain, he guarantees you are not following one of the 4 rules.  These begin after you are back on solid foods after surgery.

1. Eat 3 meals a day until full. (So no snacking. And no eating just to "satisfaction." He stressed, BE FULL.)
2. Eat solid food. (Avoid slider foods like yogurt, jello, cottage cheese, cream of wheat, etc)
3. No drinks with meals, and no drinking within one hour of a meal.
4. No liquid calories. (No soups, protein shakes, milk, juice, etc)

The rules are based on the fact that your pouch needs to reach a certain point of distention and stay distended about 45 minutes in order to signal your brain to turn off the urge to eat.  Liquids don't stay in the pouch long enough to send the signal.  You need to FILL the pouch with SOLID protein, veggies, etc.  By filling the pouch completely with solid food, you lose the urge to eat and get in all of the protein you need. This makes a lot of sense to me. He also cautioned us not to put too much trust in what we read on  the Internet.  Every RNY surgeon does a slightly different surgery, so each person should follow his or her own surgeon's advice.

He seems to be a very precise individual, intelligent and articulate.  A neat, rather small man, kind of dapper.  Young.  There's a sparkle of humor once in a while, as well, which I like.  He was very honest about risks and benefits of surgery, and his own statistics.  I'm pretty happy with my choice.  The staff is wonderful, too, which is a big plus.  The staff can be a barrier if they aren't well organized and helpful.

Going to weigh-in again on Friday.  Last time I was up 2 pounds and they weren't well pleased.  I need to start exercising and limiting portions more, I know.

I almost forgot to mention a big milestone! On December 4, my weight history was complete.  It took me 14 months, but I can now document my BMI being 35 or greater for 24 months as Aetna requires.  When I weigh in this Friday, I'll remind them to submit to insurance.  I was denied 14 months ago (Oct 09) due to not having my weight documentation.

I am 38 days from surgery (6 1/2 weeks).

October 22:      Seminar / appointment with surgeon
November 5:    First appt with new primary care doctor, go over prescriptions, discuss surgery
November 19: Surgeon - weigh in with nurse, diet discussion, etc
December 17: Surgeon - weigh in with nurse, diet discussion, etc
January 3:        Pre-surgical clearance with primary care doctor
January 4:        Surgeon - weigh in with nurse, diet discussion / psych clearance / dietician on post-op diet
January ??:      Hospital pre-op testing
January 20:      Surgery!!

On Friday, October 29, 2010, I came home from work to find a letter from my surgeon's office waiting in my mailbox.  The first line read, "Your surgery has been scheduled."  I almost passed out right there!  I have a date!  January 20, 2010.  After 2 years of waiting, I have something firm...a date! 

I attended the seminar and met wth Dr. Fitzer on October 22.  I really liked him.  They really know what they are doing there with the whole process.  I have to do another psych eval, which I didn't see coming.  Apparently, they are only good for one year.  I met with the LPN, who went over my health history and gave me some instructions.  We are aiming for surgery in January.  The insurance person looked over my medical records and doesn't see any reason I need to redo another diet, since she counted 6 consecutive visits with my last surgical program from April - September 2009, which are good for 2 years.  I am supposed to begin exercising, reducing portions, eliminating sugar, etc.  I have to go back for walk in visits in Nov and Dec, just to document more for insurance in case they turn nasty on the diet requirement.  The LPN said we might as will use the time till January to good use.  (I can't have surgery until after Dec 4 when my weight history is complete.)  I'll recieve a package in the mail soon with a schedule of everything I need to complete, which is very relieving!  All of the pressure is finally off me to know what needs to be done and schedule it all.  Dr. Fitzer is very business-like.  I didn't have many questions because I've been in process for so long.  His statistics are very good.  He's never had a death and only 1 leak in over 1600 surgeries (some guy stopped at KFC on the way home from the hospital!). 

On ward!  Hoping to have surgery in January.  Oh, and I love my new work.  There's even another woman there who had my surgery with the practice I'm using...she had Dr. Graber.  She looks great.