Christin S.

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Went to Bally's today, after a hiatus.  My supervisor joined at the same one I go to, so we went together.  I did 20 minutes on the treadmill which was 150 calories and 30 minute light strength training which was another 170 calories.  My food intake prior to dinner was only 338 calories, but the great 15 minute chili gave me an additional 300 calories, but also 30 g of protein. 

I've been feeling like I want MORE food, but my stomach is already saying NO.  I need to learn to respect the feelings it gives me, NOT what my head says. 

Hubby is having his surgery tomorrow morning.  I'll be 10 wks out tomorrow, and he's just starting.  Its going to be kind of tough for me, honestly, because the washer/dryer is in the basement, bedrooms are upstairs, lots of litterboxes to clean, animals to care for, etc.  I know that there will be some stuff that just has to be neglected (such as steam cleaning the carpet, which was a goal for prior to MY surgery), etc. 

I notice that some men I'm usually around have started to flirt with me. The guy at the bank when I make the daily deposits is flirting, a client at work is as well.... Initially it made me very uncomfortable, but I'm starting to be like a little girl and giggle and enjoy it.  I know the fact that I stopped wearing my wedding band/engagement ring 4 wks ago give the wrong signal, but I really don't want to lose it.
It simply is too big.  I tried those snug fitters, but it doesn't work with 2 rings. Also, those things are highly uncomfortable.  Someone suggested that I put 'tape' around them.... well, my set it not very thick, so I'm not sure.  I know I'll wait a little longer to get started on the sizing.

I bought MORE clothes today at Wal-mart too.  Bad me.  I just couldn't resist.  I bought size 16/18 mainly, because that's what I fit into (pants).  Didn't buy any tops, I have plenty of those.  Pants is where I'm slacking.

Rich's birthday is on Halloween and I hope his Birthday present I ordered for him will be here by then.  It cost quite a bit of money, but I know he'll love it.  I purposely bought it a few sizes smaller, as he will be at that size fast enough. 

Well, I need to get busy with something... boredom is setting in and that usually makes me want to eat.  Ugh!

Yes, 50 lbs gone in close to 10 weeks.  Unbelievable when I think about it, but it makes me VERY happy.

I've discovered a shake I love.  FINALLY.  The ONLY problem with it is that it has fructose (sugar) in it.  A fairly high amount, BUT I'm getting protein down.  I started 2 days ago and I tolerate them and they taste soooo friggin good.  So, I'm sticking with it, even though they give me 500 calories a day (with lactaid milk), but they also give me 45 protein.  Right now, this is highly important. 

I'm sicking with soups right now too, continuing to get my liquids. And of course that yummy stew!  hehehe.

I'm looking at those pies down below and honestly, I don't care at all about it.  I don't crave chocolate anymore, or carbs in general.  Amazing.

I need to return to the gym though, have been slacking, mainly because I've been feeling sick (dehydration) and now a sinus issue that hurts horribly... but I can't let that be excuses.

Well, tomorrow Rich will start his pre-op diet (nothing to eat) and then drink the lovely stuff that makes him clean out all night (he won't listen to me and take it around 4, he will follow doc instructions and take it at 8, even though he remembers how bad it was for me).  Then Tuesday morning, we're off to surgery.... I will not go to work, but stay with him. He said I can return to work once he's out and in the ICU, but no, I'm not going to do that.  I will be by his side, just in case he needs something and the nurses won't be quick enough to help him (I have experience with those nurses, remember). 

So, this is about it.  I'm off to shower and then find something that helps sinus pain, since I can only take Tylenol bases products, no longer anything else (ulcer danger).

Have a wonderful Sunday.

Here is the original haircut I'm aiming for. I was told 6 more weeks, that my hair is not long enough to have it like that.



And thats me this mornng, with semi-wet hair... stage one of the growing process :)








and I just came across this picture of me this past summer.... indeed, what a difference.

First, THANK YOU to all of those that have been helping me through the last 9.5 weeks of trial and error.  Not having the support of a nutritionist, a doctor's office that is bad in returning calls and answering funky questions, I turned to YOU and I usually was sent on my way with some great information and inspiration.  Thank you again.

Now, to newbies.  Here is something I wanted to share with you that I've learned in the last 9.5 weeks.

1)  Don't be afraid to ask questions.  Demand answers.  If you are like me and don't get much support AFTER your surgery, THIS place is the place to come to.

2)  Not everybody is going to be up and back to normal within a week like I thought I would be.  I was on pain meds for 2 weeks, mainly due to carrying a lot of weight on my tummy, and the muscles didn't appreciate being cut for surgery and then having to continue to carry the weight.  I also had previous abdominal surgeries and lots of adhesions, which my surgeon removed, that added to pain.  IT'S NORMAL! 

3)  Take your time with food.  I didn't on some occasions and paid for not waiting it out.  I thought I feel good enough, I can start the next step but wasn't ready for it.  Take your time!  Modify your foods to work with your stage, do what it takes to stay on track.

4)  USE a food journal (I signed up with both fitday and sparkpeople, but like sparkpeople better).  I was up to 1000 calories last week, not enough protein, no ideas for appropriate foods, etc.  I used the food journal and learned within a matter of days what to change.  Its a great idea to get used to it as soon as you can to make these entries. 

5)  Don't be afraid to remind other people that you can't eat something (or don't want to).  My cow-workers are still offering me hot chocolate, cookies, candy, etc.  I have to remind them I can't have it.  They ask why not, its not that bad, I have to tell them that I CAN have it, but I'd get violently sick and I prefer to save them from puking noises or the smell coming out of the ladies room.  Trust me, it works on most of them (unless they are ignorant).  Don't be afraid to tell people you had surgery and demand support. I did and I get it 99% of the time.

6)  Not everyone is going to dump from sugar.  I'm not!  So, for me its using my brain not to eat sugar, because I know in the back of mind that I will not dump and I could have it. That's where the food journal comes in. 

7)  This surgery will change your life for the BETTER!  Regardless how tough it is.  I regretted having this surgery during the first 3 weeks many times, thought I'd ruined my life, etc.  I'm down to 254 as of last night and I haven't had aching knees, aching feet, no back pain, etc.  I am sooo much more happier.  I can shop for clothes now that are actually on a sales rack!  Most of all, I look in the mirror and see cheekbones coming through, I can see a lot of things I didn't know I had :)  This surgery is worth it.  And yes, be prepared to have regrets, to feel horrible for a while.  IT WILL PASS.  Come here, look at pictures, but most of all, be patient (not one of my qualities). 

When I read all of these entries of people saying that it will be worth it, I sat there and thought to myself 'yeah right, look at this, I can't eat anything I want to eat...' and hated how cheery the 'losers' were.  It will happen to you.  You will become happy beyond belief. You will feel soooo much better.  You will start to gain confidence and discover so much more life has to give. 

Hang in there and don't be afraid to ask questions, no matter how 'silly' they seem initially, but questions are there to be asked!

I've been keeping track of my protein, calories, fat, etc via head!  Yeah, you know, you add up in your head, that spoon has that much, that and so on.

Well, today I decided to give fitday.com another try (laziness took over) and was SHOCKED to see that by 2 pm I had the following

Fat:  8g
Carbs:  56g
Protein:  39 g
Calories for the day:  450

I was stunned. 

I had the following to eat:
breakfast-- 1 pack Sturm's Whole Grain Oatmeal, with 1 scoop of GNC unflavored protein powder
lunch - Gerber's Toddler Graduates/beef ravioli and green beans
snack at 2:30 pm - Instant Carnation with 1 scoop of GNC unflavored protein

That still leaves dinner.  I'm sort of stunned how quickly that added up!  Especially the carbs! 

My recommendation is you start to journal to see what you're truly taking in.  I know I will.

Hubby's remark was 'you look hot'. Made me blush.

I realized I need to organize my meals better.  I come home HUNGRY as a bear and tend to overeat.  Nevermind that overeating is a cup and a little bit more... but for me that's a huge amount.  I figured out the reason now I need to jump into action.  I know that when Rich has his surgery in 1.5 wks, it will be much easier as he won't be able to eat anything but liquids for at least 2 wks.  hehehehe

So... I can see where I'm going wrong here and I need to change that now!

I need to plan my menu to have snacks as well. I think that's a big issue with me.  After all, my pouch can't hold a whole lot, so its done faster.

I'm going to work on a menu for next week and plan it out.  I always have these 'superficial' plans, such as turkey and mashed potatoes and peas or something (before surgery).  Then I buy what I need and fix it whenever I feel like it.  Now that is my downfall.  I can't do that anymore.  Its time to plan things and stick to them.

I have a shirt that reads:  Procrastinators UNITE!  Tomorrow....

That's me.

I didn't sleep well last night thanks to Rocket.  He was cuddling with me all night, even at a point where he was laying on my face and I was gasping for air.  I remember whenever I turned around, he complained loudly waking up the rest of them.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE that he's my baby and loves me like that, but boy, today at work I was asked if I'm ok.  I looked very tired.  How do you explain to people that have no understand of how I love my pets that my cat tried to loving suffocate me a few times overnight?

I hate that I can't drink with my food, prior to eating and for 30 minutes after eating.  My mother always hated that we drank with our food. She said its rude, it says to the cook that you didn't like what you're eating and trying to wash it down.  Could it be that I remember THAT and that's why it bothers me?  Who knows.

I just had a PBJ sandwich.  On 7 grain bread.  Gross, but I know that it will stay down, and after the last 3 nights... I think I need just that.


Did you notice the kitty up in the left corner?  I love it....

Ok, those are my thoughts.  I think I'm going to work on that darn eating schedule now.

I just discovered the coolest site.... check it out.

DIYNetwork.com

I'm officially now under 260.  259.1 to be exact. That's a loss of 42.1 lbs since the day before surgery and 8 weeks.  I'm thrilled.

However, I'm still having hydration issues, as well as protein issues.  I tried last night to get more protein in and voila, vomitting.  I really wish I could eat all of these things that I should be eating.  I hate that I have to be so choosy...

The scale moved!!!!  I am now down 41 lbs in 7.5 and I lost as much as the AVERAGE human leg weighs.  So, I guess I lost a leg...

I have 100 more to go, but I know it can be done.  It really pumped me up!

Have a wonderful day everyone.

Oh, Rich is going to stop tobacco chewing this weekend for his impending surgery.  PLEASE say a prayer that I will not hurt him during the initial withdrawal phase.

And one more thing...

yesterday I told people at work the reason why I'm leaving early is to go to the ER because I had a piece of a cashew stuck in my throat (my boss gave me some).

The way I said it was: "I need to go to the ER because I have one of xxxxx's nuts stuck in my throat".

At the time that didn't dawn on me... but when I told Rich he couldn't stop laughing.  Well, everybody this morning is asking me about xxxx's nut

I just posted this on the WLS board:

I had surgery 7 weeks and 2 days ago (who's counting?).

In a military facility (if you're familiar with military hospitals, you know what's coming next already), with a surgeon that does 2 surgeries per week.

I had good reviews and everything and everyone speaks highly of him.

The problem is that I have a throat problem for the past 2 weeks now. I've been to the ER TWICE on it, went to see my doctor who told me to call him if the feeling of having something stuck in your throat continues, yet he doesn't return my phone calls.  I'm soooo frustrated.

I was put on Bentyl (anti-spasm medication) because an xray test showed no stricture at that time (the second or third day after it started) and the Bentyl worked for a short while.

I am back in the same boat.  Liquid goes down very slowly, but food items seem to get stuck and I've thrown it back up each night in the past 2 nights.

Now, obviously I can't go to see my doctor because all they do in the military ER is give me meds that I'm allergic to (yes, that has happened several times) and no help at all.  Told to go see my surgeon.  Well, he's gone for the rest of dang week!  And he hasn't returned my phone calls/messages yesterday and today.  The receptionist says she gave him my messages personally.

I'm at a loss.... what should I do?  This is driving me insane... feeling like the food is stuck right below the uvula (the thing that hangs down in the back of your throat)... I feel myself going into panic because I'm afraid it will close off completely and I won't be able to breathe.....


Later that night:

I left work early, this was starting to freak me out.

I was there from 3 to 7, saw the doctor for 2 minutes, he prescribed anti-anxiety medication for me that is supposed to help with the spasms.

We'll see.  Its working on my head, I'm woozy.

I will try to cause a ruckus tomorrow and contact the patient rep.  The only problem there is that the patient rep and I don't see eye to eye after an episode of falling off a gurney on medication and when I complained.... well, It was more or less presented that I was the idiot for not asking to have the rails up.

So, now I have this prescription, that I will take, anger inside me for him not calling me when he himself told me I needed to call him so he can schedule a scope to look at my throat..... Something IS going to happen... I'll make sure of that.  I understand if I call one year post-op, but I'm only 7 wks post-op and I think he should have someone at least call me back and calm my fears.  Ugh....

I found this online about the whole lump in the throat thing.

I went to the local ER and was put on Lorazepam.  It worked within 30 minutes, and lasted for a couple of hours!

I did a seach simply on throat spasm, without adding gastric bypass to it and after some reading came across this:  (The symptoms listed in red is what I'm experiencing.

So, if anybody read this, remember it, someone else might go through the same thing and find no real answers.

Causes

This syndrome results from a spasm in the cricopharyngeus muscle. It is a self limiting disorder that will resolve on its own. The symptoms are so characteristic that as soon as a patient tells me they have a lump in the throat, I can usually describe all of their symptoms to them.
Symptoms

    * Lump in the throat sensation
          o feels like a golf ball, tennis ball ... is stuck in my throat
          o feels like my tie is too tight
          o feel like I am being strangled
          o my throat feels swollen
    * The symptoms can be mimicked by pushing on the cartilage in the neck just below the Adams apple.
    * The lump comes and goes depending on the day.
    * Symptoms are usually best in the AM and worse later in the day
    * Stress aggravates the symptoms.
    * Saliva is difficult to swallow yet food is easy to swallow.
    * Eating, in fact, often makes the tightness go away for a time.
    * The symptoms are similar to getting choked up at a wedding or a funeral.

Physiology 101

There are two valves in the esophagus or swallowing tube. The are normally contracted and they relax when you swallow so that food can pass through them going to the stomach. They then squeeze closed again to prevent regurgitation of the stomach contents. If the normal contraction becomes a spasm, like a charlie horse of the calf muscle, these symptoms start. Stress often makes these spasms much worse. Many people have experienced neck tightness when stressed and this is similar. Even if not caused by stress, stress will make the spasm much worse.
A management program

An exam of the neck and throat is extemely important to eliminate serious problems. In fact, it enters most peoples minds that a lump in the throat might be a cancer. In practice, real lumps in the throat, such as a cancer are not felt. It is one of the reasons that a cancer can get so big before it is discovered. It probably is fortunate that we don't have great sensation in the throat as we would then feel every particle of food, with every meal as it travels down the throat. So lacking great sensation in the throat, problems are a little mysterious there.

Unfortunately, many physicians are not familiar with how symptomatic a cricopharyngeal spasm can be and I often see patients who have been extensively tested with Barium swallows, esophageal endoscopies, pH testing, CT scans, xrays, MRI scans and they all come back normal or possibly with some finding that is completely unrelated to the lump in the throat sensation. Really, just a good exam of the throat, voice box and neck is all that is necessary and it is sufficient as well. You should know the following:

   1. Just knowing the tightness is not a sign of cancer frequently helps relieve the discomfort.
   2. You will get better. Often improvement is over several weeks or even a few months, but occurs once one knows what the problem is.
   3. Warm fluids should comfort the throat. Consider a cup of warm tea when the lump is bothersome.
   4. If stress lets up, the symptoms improve. Think about what stress might be making this lump worse.
   5. Muscle relaxants, such as valium, would be a good treatment, except for their addictive properties.

Medication

    * I sometimes dispense several valium (perhaps 4) as a test to prove the symptoms are from muscle spasms. I recommend taking one of the Valium on a weekend, when being alert is not important. When the lump occurs, one takes the Valium. Within an hour, there should be significant improvement in the lump sensation. If the symptoms improve after taking the muscle relaxant, then the symptoms are reasonably from a muscle spasm. Again, the knowledge that a muscle relaxant makes a lump disappear can help confirm that the cause of the lump is from a muscle and not an actual lump.
    * I have also tried injections with a local anesthetic, often with good, but temporary results. It does help to confirm in the patients mind, there is the possibility of relief.
    * If a local anesthetic injections helps, I have with inconsistent results injected botulinum toxin into the cricopharyngeus muscle, sometimes with prolonged relief.

Benefits

    * The symptoms go away.