Problems...

Jan 15, 2008

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1/15/2008 -

First, if you haven't noticed, I alternate my kitty pictures with those of my 4 cats.  It seems appropriate that this "turn" is Pixie's as my baby girl has moved on to kitty heaven.  My sweet little girl survived over a year after having surgery for bladder cancer (when only given a 3-month estimate), but it came back with a vengeance, and I lost her in October.

Anyway, my update.  After having hernia repair/TT in mid-September, I lost down to 179 pounds, then in November had a rapid (literally overnight!) 8 pound weight  gain associated with extreme bloating and pain in the upper right abdomen.  I had a home health nurse 3/x a week at that point as I was on a wound vac, so I asked her about it, and she said to call my PCP which I did. 

The doctor thought it could be a reccurance of the hernia or a seroma, so sent me for a CT scan and wanted me to review the results with a local surgeon (I had my DS surgery out of state). 

So, I had the scan and set up the appointment to see the local surgeon.  In the meantime, my weight continued to creep up and I continued with daily swelling and pain.

About 1 1/2 weeks later, I see the surgeon, and am told that "everything looks good" and there is no problem.  So, here I am, STILL gaining, STILL swelling, and STILL having pain on a daily basis!  Bah!

Anyway, I guess I need to contact Dr. Anthone, but I'm afraid he'll just say it's nothing, too!  I'm soooo afraid he'll think it's all my fault (the weight gain) and that there is nothing causing it - or that it's just my imagination (the swelling) - so I started measuring in the morning and eveing - and I have at least a 2" difference from am to pm!  Grrrrrr!

So, as of this morning I'm 190 lbs. and NOT happy!  That would mean I not only lost nothing with the TT/hernia repair, but actually GAINED 2 lbs. as I had 9 lbs. of skin removed.

I'm just soooo frustrated!!!


18-months and fantastic news!

Sep 28, 2007

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09/28/2007 - It has been 18 months since I had my DS, and about a week and a half since my hernia repair/panniculectomy.  As of this morning, I weigh ....  drum roll please! ... 184 pounds!!!  Man, talk about a BIG change!  Dr. Anthone did both my hernia repairs and TT, and removed 9 pounds of fat/skin!  The morning of surgery I was 197 pounds, so that is 13 pounds since surgery and 15 pounds for the month!!  I haven't had a month like this since the first one after my DS!!  To say I am thrilled is an understatement. 

So, though I'd long ago given up ever getting there, my next goal is to earn a 100+ pound card - and I'm only 4 pounds away!  It may take me awhile, but I WILL get there!

Smiling from ear-to-ear in spite of being cut from  breastbone to pubic bone and hip-to-hip!


16-months, 10-days...ONEderland at last!!!

Aug 07, 2007

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Woopie!!  I was really beginning to think that I would never see this day!  But here it is!  ONEderland, at last!  It may not last, with the way I tend to bounce up and down a few pounds, but I wanted to show that, at least for one day, I made it to ONEderland!  (See the picture of the scale in the "Photos" section!)

16-month update

Jul 31, 2007

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Another month with ZERO weight lost, however, I did see 200 several times - which would have been a 1-pound loss.  Just didn't stay there on weigh-in day.  Poop! 

Still haven't had my hernias repaired or my tummy-tuck.  Been really dragging my feet.  I just don't feel comfortable with the local surgeon.  I really want Dr. Anthone to perform my surgery, but he was uncomfortable with my out-of-state status for the TT portion.  I've decided to talk to him again, and see if we can't work something out.  I'd be willing to commit to a 2-week in-state stay, and arrange with a local guy to follow-up if needed after that.  I'll see if this will satisfy him.  Keep your fingers crossed!

Man, I just keep thinking, if I get these @#$ing hernias repaired and a tummy-tuck, I should be firmly into Onederland!  At this point, I doubt I'll ever get to goal, but I think I could learn to be happy at 175 or so.  Hopefully, this surgery will be the boost I need to make it to my "revised" goal.


Finally! Moving in the RIGHT direction!

Jun 28, 2007


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6/28/2007 -

Well, after gaining 2 pounds last month, things have turned around.  I am down that 2 pounds, and they brought along a couple of their friends!  So for month-15 I am down a total of 4 pounds to a new low of 201 pounds.  Not to Onederland yet, but maybe I will make it there after all. 

Also, my daughter and I went into Old Navy to window-shop while our car was getting serviced, and just for giggles I tried on a pair of size 18 bermuda shorts, and to my great surprise, THEY FIT!  These were NOT stretchy polyester, either!  And the XL shirts I tried on were actually big.  Granted, they were not fitted styles - my hernias won't allow for that - but still, they were actually too big!  Didn't like the look, but man, just to have them fit was great.

On a more sobering note, in preparation for hernia surgery I had an upper GI with small bowel follow-thru done, and the results were not too good.  Seems the GERD I've been experiencing really is as bad as it felt. 
My reflux is classed as Severe (grade III) with a moderate sized sliding hiatal hernia and the possibility of an ulcer or small mass at the gastroexophageal junction.  In fact, the films showed spontaneous retrograde (backward) flow of the dye to the level of my clavicles! 

The surgeon feels that I will probably need surgery, but the surgery of choice (Nissan wrap) is not possible because of the partial gastrectomy done with the DS.  So I've sent my films off to Dr. Anthone for his opinion, and have an appointment with the local gastro-doc next week.  I'm assuming he'll want an EGD with biopsy done to rule out Barrett's - but that's just my guess.  I'll be interested to see what he has to say - and what Dr. A says, too.  Also, not sure if they'll feel that the hiatal hernia repair takes precedence over the regular hernia repair, as I don't think they can do both at once.  Then, of course, there's the question of a panneculectomy (?)/tummy tuck.  I don't know if it will be possible to do that at the same time, considering the other things that have to be done.

Anyway, please keep me in your thoughts.  Really nervous about the road ahead.  These surgeries really scare me - whereas I had no doubts or fears at all with the DS.  Funny, huh?

I'm going the WRONG WAY!

May 30, 2007

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05/30/2007 - Well, as you can see, I'm now going the wrong way! Up 2 pounds from last month. This makes me so sad, but I know I am responsible for this gain. My eating has been out of control - grazing and eating carbs and sweets with abandon. I guess I just feel like I've given up. I had really thought that I would never have to diet again, and so I guess I've kind of thrown in the towel and just depression-ate. I hope I can at least stop this self-destructive behavoir and eat healthier. It's just so easy to fall back into old, depressive habits.

13-months and another big ZERO

Apr 30, 2007

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Okay, can we just say it - I'm done. Two pounds in the last 4 months, 7 pounds in the last 7 months and zero in 3 out of the last 4 months - I think that's all she wrote.

1-year post-op weigh in

Mar 28, 2007

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Well, another month with ZERO weight lost.  Not exactly a happy camper, but sure you've figured that out from my last few posts.

I'm actually going to update my information in the lab-rat data sheet and my chart to reflect the "official" weight and goal that Dr. Anthone uses as this will better reflect my actual situation.  I had been using his office scale weight, rather than the hospital scale weight (an 8-pound difference) and was using MY goal of 152 instead of his goal of 125 pounds. 

So, with the revised weights it means that I have only lost 49.7% of my EWL in a year...not even a "technical" success.  I know that I still have some time in my "window", however, in as much as I have only lost 13 pounds in the last 6 months, and only 2 pounds in the last 3 months, I'm not really counting on losing anything else - unless, of course, getting my hernias repaired works some magic, which I guess is always a possibility.

So, I guess I'm not exactly the DS poster-child! 
Am I disappointed in my results?  You betcha.  Am I still happy that I had surgery?  Yes, absolutely!  Without it, I could well have been dead by now.  I have NO idea how my already damaged heart managed to withstand the strain of that extra weight for so long.

Reflections of a Less-than-successful 1-year post-op

Mar 26, 2007

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3/26/2007 -

I nearly get an RNY, but fate does intervene.

I find a better surgery, DS is "it" it seems.


Weight loss better, long-term, too,

Able to eat well, geez, who knew?


No dumping, no regain, and cure my Type-2.

Cholesterol great, now drop the other shoe!


Well, that was the dream, I bought it for sure,

But, at least for me, DS is NOT the cure.


Cholesterol is great, but Type-2 still here,

And that goal you all speak of, I'm not even near!


I know I'm not perfect, so the fault may be mine,

But seems once again I'm going to whine.


Why is it for me that I wake from the dream?

No perfect size seven - or even fourteen.


I'm still wearing twenties and shopping LB,

And still qualify for weight loss surgery.


Am I some better?  Well, surely, and yet...

I still want the dream, it's jut not what I get.


Spoke with Dr. A....

Mar 22, 2007

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03/22/2006 - Okay, I finally emailed Dr. A. and he wanted to speak on the phone, so I called him back.  I wasn't happy with any of the news.  I questioned my slow weight loss again, and asked again about shortening my 200cm common channel when performing my hernia repair.  Seems HE is happy with the length he selected.  He feels I'd ONLY lose another 10-15 pounds with shortening the common channel.  I don't know about you, but that would be okay with me!  At this point, that 10-15 pounds, plus 5-10 pounds for the tummy tuck, is more than I've lost in the last 6 months. 

Also, because of my partial bowel obstruction last August and continuing pain, he wants to do a lycess of adhesions.  Since this complicates the surgery and recovery time, he no longer wants to do the tummy tuck as I would be coming from out of state.  He's concerned about possible issues after and not being able to follow up with me properly.  I do understand his concern, but I am on Medicare, and if I don't get the TT with the hernia repair, I doubt I'll ever get one.

So, I'm checking out my local surgeon, Dr. V.  I actually met him when I was in the hospital.  He and his partner are the RNY surgeons for the group, so they were called in when I was hospitalized.  I had seen his parter for removal of my J-tube and sutures following my DS, then saw both of them in the hospital.  I was really impressed with Dr. V.  He knew all about the DS - had been to some kind of seminar with Dr. Gagnier - so I didn't have to spend a lot of time explaining things.  In fact, it sounded like he was interested in bringing the DS into his practice. 

I figure the only real reason to go to Omaha for surgery was if Dr. A. would shorten my common channel - which apparently he won't consider.  So I have an appointment with Dr. V. in a week and a half.  I'll discuss everything with him, and see if he recommends I use a plastic surgeon for the tummy tuck portion.  The plastic surgeon in my medical group actually claims post-bariatric patients in his write-up, so it might be a good match.  Plus, it appears that both doctors take Medicare.  I have a Medicare Advantage plan, so need to make sure they'd honor that, too, but I'm hopeful. 

As this would be local, it would really make things easier for my daughter, too, as she would have been going to Omaha with me.  Less expensive, too, as no hotel costs involved.  So keep your fingers crossed that everything works out.

About Me
Aurora, IL
Location
33.7
BMI
DS
Surgery
03/28/2006
Surgery Date
Aug 22, 2005
Member Since

Friends 21

Latest Blog 37
Problems...
18-months and fantastic news!
16-months, 10-days...ONEderland at last!!!
16-month update
Finally! Moving in the RIGHT direction!
I'm going the WRONG WAY!
13-months and another big ZERO
1-year post-op weigh in
Reflections of a Less-than-successful 1-year post-op
Spoke with Dr. A....

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