morpheus8263
The following entries were written on Nov. 8, 2018:
My struggle with obesity:
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been overweight. And my size wasn’t just from being overweight, I have always been just a big person. I know that the saying goes “I’m not fat, I’m big-boned!” Well, I was definitely fat, but I also have always had a big frame. Growing up, I knew I needed to lose weight, but it was always easier to plan to lose weight and start a diet, then to actually lose the weight. I would start a diet, stay on it for awhile, then I would fall off the wagon. I would start a relationship with a gym, but it wouldn’t last. Motivation was always an issue for me. My addiction to food started at an early age. I would eat food that wasn’t good for me, and in portions that were not appropriate for proper weight. As I got older, I would continue to eat just for something to do, not just when I was hungry. I was also a stress eater. Food was my comfort. After high school, as I entered the workforce, I got jobs in the restaurant industry, so that just added to my issues with weight. As a single person working in a restaurant that I could get free food from as a benefit, you can imagine that my eating habits were never where they needed to be. As I got older, my size got north of the 300 pound mark through my late 20s and all through my 30s. I always had jobs where I was on my feet all the time, so I would justify my weight by thinking that I was getting exercise at work, but looking back on it now I was just fooling myself. There was no way I was getting the proper exercise at work as, even though I was on my feet all the time and I was walking, it was nothing but short trips that didn’t do me any good. All this combined to me staying overweight my entire life.
What got me to the point where I decided to have surgery? Well, my biggest character trait (or fault) is that I have always been comfortable being in control of my life. I’ve always had a very independent personality, and that has developed into me liking the control I’ve had over my life and my world, and I’ve never liked it when I didn’t have that control. In 2014, I broke a bone in my left foot, causing my to be in a cast and then a boot to heal. This lasted around 4 months, and it severely hindered my ability to walk and drive. What caused my bone to break was essentially me wearing it out with a combination of weight and working on my feet. As I healed, I ate too much with no exercise, adding to my weight. Around that time, I started noticing symptoms that would eventually lead to my diagnosis of sleep apnea in December 2017. I knew I needed to go to the doctor to get checked, but I always put it off, mainly because of the fear of what the doctor would tell me. As 2016 ended and I made my way through 2017, I was getting more and more tired all the time. My body was sore in too many places, like my hips, feet and knees. I was getting more winded and exhausted at work, just from walking around. I was having some constant pain in my left shoulder, so that was what finally made me go to the doctor. He discovered that I had high blood pressure (around 220/90!), and that start the troubleshooting of my health. I got on three different blood pressure medications. I went for a sleep study that diagnosed my severe sleep apnea. At my sleep study, my apneas peaked at 130 in one hour! I learned that two of the symptoms of sleep apnea is high blood pressure and increased weight gain. I started my CPAP treatment in December 2017. In going to the doctor, the subject of bariatric surgery came up, and I started listening and considering. I realized that my sense of control over my world was gone. My body was out of control. I could no longer lose weight without help. I needed a major kickstart to better health. At this point, considering my increasing health issues and my sleep apnea, my life depended on me losing weight. By January 2018, I was up to 417 pounds. I decided to go for gastric sleeve surgery, which I had on June 27, 2018.
My Surgery Experience:
So, my gastric sleeve surgery took place on June 27, 2018 at Blount Memorial Hospital in Maryville, TN, with Dr. James Ray performing the surgery. Even though my surgery was that date, my surgery experience actually started in Feb. 2018. The reason for this is that, in order for insurance to pay for their portion, there were certain and specific obligations that I had to complete before surgery would be approved. These obligations included losing 5-10% of my total body weight pre-surgery, attend a diet/exercise meeting, a psyche evaluation, a support group session, and 6 monthly check in visits with my primary care doctor. The reasoning for all these requirements pre-surgery was two-fold: 1) to communicate to the insurance company that I was a worthwhile investment, and 2) to ensure that I was making a well informed, well educated decision. The decision to have bariatric surgery is not one to take lightly, and it cannot be an impulse decision.
Changing my eating habits was not as hard as I thought it would be, as by that point I was sitting at 417 pounds and I was properly motivated to make a change. I shifted to a diet consisting of high protein foods and very low carbs. I totally cut out soda, drinking only water and protein shakes. I cut out bread as well. Lots of eggs, salad, and meats.
Exercise pre-surgery was very difficult. I tried getting on a walking routine, but I was still so far out of shape that walking even short distances was difficult for me. Even standing for a short amount of time made my legs feel like they were about to fall out from under me. So, I had to wait on a regular exercise routine until my body could handle it.
One week prior to surgery, I went on a liquid only diet, consisting of broth, sugar free gelatin, water, and sugar free pudding. The first few days of this was pretty rough as my stomach adjusted to the lack of solid food.
By the time surgery day arrived June 27th, I weighed 384 pounds, which was down 33 pounds since February. The surgery itself went fine, there were no complications. The first few days post surgery, I experienced no real issues. I heard and read about people having issues with nausea, pain, feeling tired and weak, but I did not experience any of that. The only real issues I had were some digestion issues that I worked through over the course of a few days, and my stomach was sore, like I had worked my abs too much at the gym. The doctors encouraged me to get up and walk as much as I could handle, as this would help get my metabolism back up to where it needed to be, help to reduce the chances of blood clots, and help my digestion issues. I took it slow at first, but getting back up and walking was not as hard as I thought it would be. My liquid diet continued for two weeks post-surgery. After that, I could transition to soft proteins, which included eggs, yogurt, and cottage cheese. And I have to admit, after 3 weeks of nothing but liquids, that first egg was the greatest meal ever! Over time, I graduated up to harder proteins and more solid foods.
As time moved on post-surgery, my education about this experience continued. I learned that I could no longer eat anywhere near what I could before. A small portion was all it took to fill me up. There are some foods that I still don’t eat, like carbonated drinks and bread, and I’ve found that I don’t miss them at all. I’ve learned that food, especially food that is bad for you, can be an addiction, and it may need to be treated as such. Every meal for me is a planned thing, I cannot eat on impulse as that leads to bad eating habits again. I can’t wait until I’m really hungry to eat as that can lead to bad eating decisions as well. I started exercising more, eventually joining a local gym that I go to every other day, maintaining a regular exercise routine. Ultimately, I learned that the surgery itself is not the main event of this experience. In order to benefit the most from this experience, a person has to reorganize their mind first. They have to be ready mentally to make this change for their health, then the physical side of this experience is that much easier. If you don’t have the right mindset going into this, there is no point in even starting.
In total, this has been a life changing experience for the better. As of November 7, 2018, I now weigh 307 pounds, which is 110 pounds lost and counting! My goal weight is 250 pounds and I hope to reach that goal within the next 6 months. I’ve had to buy new clothes for work as the shirts and pants I had were way too big now! I’m now wearing clothes that fit me the first time in 4 years! My blood pressure medication has been reduced by about 70%, and I’m close to reducing it further! The surgery itself was not the cure-all for my health issues, it was more the proper foundation for me to make real change and give me the kick to maintain the change. The combination of surgery, sleep apnea treatment, changing my eating habits, and a regular exercise routine has made me feel the best I’ve felt in years. Is bariatric surgery the right choice for everyone? Probably not. But, I would encourage anyone that is considering having the surgery to educate themselves about the surgery and the risks involved compared to the benefits for the person. I did, it was the right decision for me, and I am thankful every day for that decision!
About Me
Before & After
rollover to see after photo
