sarah Shonfelt

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10-year Weight-loss Surgeversary ??
10 years ago I made the decision to undergo the Duodenal Switch Bariatric Surgery to lose weight for a healthier life. I had struggled with my weight since I was in my early teens, turning towards food as an outlet to curb anxiety. In my 30’s my top weight was 325 lbs, just diagnosed with diabetes, lost my gall bladder, and my body was slowly crippling, I underwent the surgery. In just 2 years after the surgery I lost 185 lbs. my energy level was up, within the first month my diabetes was gone. I have a wonderful group of friends and support that also had the same surgery and through the years we continue to discuss the good and the bad results.
Since having my surgery I have guided and mentored many people through their decisions in the same or similar surgeries, some have gone through it, some have lost weight just by following my post-surgery diet. I have lost 2 friends that had this surgery for post-related issues, which keeps me mindful that it was not a cure all. I have transference of addictions, so when food was no longer an issue, I turned towards alcohol, which finally I surrendered into a 12-step program that I have been successful in learning about myself and why I use substances for my anxiety and issues, whereas now I have a god of my understanding and a great fellowship for support and friendship. I also didn’t take my vitamins through the years as my doctor instructed, and this has caused many vitamin deficiencies. My potassium, vitamin D, A, and E are all very low. I also got Iron deficient anemia where my body doesn’t make red blood cells on its own, so I will forever have to have iron infusions a few times a year.
I tell my story for anyone that had the surgery or anyone considering this form of weight loss, as yes their is a great side that we lose weight, however it is not a crutch, we still need to follow a positive approach to eating and following our doctors directions on nutrition, attending support groups, and watching for transferring addictions.
325 lbs and today 170 lbs
October 2008 - 2018!!!

10-year Weight-loss Surgeversary ??
10 years ago I made the decision to undergo the Duodenal Switch Bariatric Surgery to lose weight for a healthier life. I had struggled with my weight since I was in my early teens, turning towards food as an outlet to curb anxiety. In my 30’s my top weight was 325 lbs, just diagnosed with diabetes, lost my gall bladder, and my body was slowly crippling, I underwent the surgery. In just 2 years after the surgery I lost 185 lbs. my energy level was up, within the first month my diabetes was gone. I have a wonderful group of friends and support that also had the same surgery and through the years we continue to discuss the good and the bad results.
Since having my surgery I have guided and mentored many people through their decisions in the same or similar surgeries, some have gone through it, some have lost weight just by following my post-surgery diet. I have lost 2 friends that had this surgery for post-related issues, which keeps me mindful that it was not a cure all. I have transference of addictions, so when food was no longer an issue, I turned towards alcohol, which finally I surrendered into a 12-step program that I have been successful in learning about myself and why I use substances for my anxiety and issues, whereas now I have a god of my understanding and a great fellowship for support and friendship. I also didn’t take my vitamins through the years as my doctor instructed, and this has caused many vitamin deficiencies. My potassium, vitamin D, A, and E are all very low. I also got Iron deficient anemia where my body doesn’t make red blood cells on its own, so I will forever have to have iron infusions a few times a year.
I tell my story for anyone that had the surgery or anyone considering this form of weight loss, as yes their is a great side that we lose weight, however it is not a crutch, we still need to follow a positive approach to eating and following our doctors directions on nutrition, attending support groups, and watching for transferring addictions.
325 lbs and today 170 lbs
October 2008 - 2018!!!

It has been 2 weeks today since I had my DS surgery and I am down 23 lbs..Wooohooo! I feel so good and my energy level is up so much more than pre-op. I am now transitioning to soft foods which seem to be filling me up even faster than pureed/liquids.

My Mom is coming to visit me this week for my 40th birthday and it will be exciting to see her reaction to my weightloss.

I still find it hard to get all the calcium pills in, I will have to find a liquid or chewable. My PCP recommended TUMS, but I looked on the TUMS bottle and it had Calcium Carbonate, not Calcium Citrate, so that won't work for me.

I don't have much gas as I expected. The first week was pretty bad and potent....P.U. :)

Sarah

Yesterday was quite a day and I learned a BIG lesson about the importance of Vitamin K, let along ALL my vitamins and nutrition!

I woke up in the morning to a heart rate of 174, which lasted about an hour off and on.  This was really freaky as I could hear and feel my heartbeat pounding in my chest and throat.  My dreams affected by death left me thinking oh gosh, what could this mean? My doctor’s explicit instructions were to come to the hospital with Tachycardia (fast heartbeat) and any impending doom (thoughts of death - weather my own or not). This was a high-risk for Pulmonary Embolism, Surgical Leak, or Infection and is extremely serious not to play around with.  Hah, did I every say that I have a little bit of Hypochondria in me? 

I called my surgeon's office that instructed me to call my PCP immediately to see what they recommend.  I called my PCP who instructed me get to the hospital ASAP.  So Hubby in hand, we left for the hospital. Wow, lets say the hospital does not play around when it comes to someone right out of WLS, as there can be sooooooo many complications.  I was rushed back to a hospital room immediately and placed on a heart monitor and an IV within minutes bypassing a whole slew of people in the waiting room. 

My EKG first showed irregularity on the 1st beep, so blood was drawn to check my CBC and all blood functions tests.  The blood tests came back and my Potassium (Vitamin K) was extremely low and the d-Dimer test (Blood Clots) came back slightly high.  I was given a chest X-ray and rushed into a CAT Scan within minutes to check for Blood Clots in my heart and/or lungs. 

The CAT Scan test was quite interesting.  The dye that they push into the IV is HOT and you can feel it travel within 1 second from your arm, through your chest, down to your legs.  That was a very strange feeling.  Test was over and I was taken back to the hospital room to await results within 45 minutes. 

Ah Dr comes to our room right when the results come back with good news and some very informative news.  Good News - No Blood Clots, yay.  Evidently the d-Dimer test was picking up on my blood thickening since I was on Blood Thinners during my complete stay in the hospital during my surgical procedure.  This is common as when the blood thickens again the coagulating values start working again.  Informative News – Make sure I get my Vitamin K in along with all the required vitamins I am to take daily (I will post another blog on this another day…it is a long list).  There are many risks and symptoms with low Potassium.  One being an irregular heartbeat that can be felt throughout the chest and body.  I was given 4 Potassium pills to take….in my small 2.5 oz stomach and sent home. Ya that took a while to get down as I still only sip water and are on pureed foods still.  I felt like the pills got lodged in my esophagus. The impending doom that I was feeling was caused by personal stress and surgical stress.

I came home and ate a 1/3^rd of a banana to also increase my Potassium and took my daily pills as required.  Lesson – Don’t forget my vitamins, eat lots of Potassium, and try to keep my stress levels down.  Good luck J 

So any of you WLS, DSers, or RNYers, be sure to take all your vitamins as required, remember protein first, then fruits and veggies, then any carbohydrates. Lesson Learned. 

I had my wls on Wednesday without any hitches and everything went as planned.  I got to the hosptal at 6:30 am on 10/15/2008 to be admitted into the hospital.  I was met by Dr Smith's team and they explained what I will expect throughout my surgery and what my family will expect.  His nurses and surgery staff were very informative and cleared any reservations my kids and husband may of had. 

I was given an IV through my PICC line and then some meds to help me relax, and that is all I remember.  I woke up in recovery where my family was standing by to say "hello".  Dr Smith came by to talk to me to let me know how surgery when, what size my stomach was, and that they did not remove my appendix as it was too hard to reach.  My surgery was performed laproscopically as planned and I have 7 bandades covering my abdominal area.  No pain associated with those areas.  I was told that my stomach went from the size of a football to the size of a golf ball at 70cc (2.5ozs) which is the same size as a 1st stage baby food jar.

I didn't have much pain in the beginning and only used 7.4 doses of morphine, which I thought I would use much more.  My first night at the hospital was a bit uncomfortable, not because fo the pain at all, but the bed was too soft and was too high off the ground.  The bed I was in was for Obese patients and it inflated everytime I moved.  I requested a new bed in the middle of the night and was given a regular hospital bed that was worse than the one I was originally ordered.  My family was not present, as My husband got an abcess on his abdomin and needed to stay away from me as it may have been staph.  I was given my original bed back and decided to be quiet and deal with what I was given. 

My family came the next morning and my daughter Ali stayed with me for 2 days I was in there and my other daughter Dezi stayed the 1 other day.  They were my saviors, and my husbands who was also admitted to the hospital 5 doors down from me as his abcess did turn into a staph infection.  Our 2 brave daughters dealt with both of us laid up and needing pampering.  We will have to come up with something special for them once my hubby and I are both healed. 

I occasionally had pain meds after the morphine pump was dismissed after the first night in the hospital ( by my choice) but the pain was not misserable, it was more of a crutch to assist me in sleeping.  I would wake up every hour on the hour to go pee or the staff would come and check up on me.  I was a blessing when I was told today, Saturday that I was going home.  My daughters were excited, Ali came home to clean and sanitize to be sure there was no staph here when I got home as my husband was still in hospital, until this coming up Monday.  Dezi got all my belongings together and my friend Donna picked me up and took me to the market to buy some babyfood and other items I would need for the next couple days my husband John would be away. 

I haven't had any problems with keeping foods down at all, I started out on 50cc of water and then was moved up to 100cc the second night in the hospital.  I was given protein drinks, soup broths, and pudding during my stay, oh and a lot of crystal light which we snagged.  There was no way I could eat all the food infront of me, nor was I going to try.  I do get a bit gassy and did have my first bm in the hospital.  I honestly thought it was me passing gas and when I stood up, there was a little Poop on the bed....sorry but I am going to be brutally honest in my blogs of all situations.  It didn't hurt to go to the bathroom and the gas just feels like bloating after overeating.  I don't like the hiccups much either.  Those are startling and put pressure on the abdomin. 

I am home now, kicking it with my daughter Dezi she is a great nurse, and we are watching tv as I doze in and out of sleep.  So for now, I will say good night and will post in a couple days.  Oh ya, one disappointment, I didn't get to weight myself in the hospital.   I will probably go to GNC tomorrow to see what my outcoming weight is from the hospital, though it will be 1 day late. 

Today is October 14, 2008 (Nonnie's 94th Birthday} and I am having the DS surgery tomorrow morning at Kennestone Hospital in Kennesaw, GA. 

This afternoon I had my PICC line put in my left arm at the hospital.  This was an experience.  The PICC line is the port (or IV) used to administer medications and take blood while in surgery.  Some PICC lines are in the neck, mine is in the left arm. 

PICC Line procedure wasn't too bad.  I went to the hospital and was taken to imiging where a Practitioner and team of 5 instert the PICC line from my arm into a vein that leads right under my heart.  They use Ultrasound to thread the cathiter into the vein.  My arm was injected with novacain and then the ultrasound machine was placed over my.  A tournaquate was placed on my upper arm for what seemed to be forever.  They found a good vein and then used an ultrasound to make sure they weren't going into the artery.  There wasn't much pain, the worst of it was when they took the tape off my arm.  I now have  an PICC line that looks like I came out of some Star Wars movie.

I have been on liquids for 2 days and this afternoon I had to do my bowel prep.  What fun!  Wasn't too bad though....when your on liquids for 2 days, there is not much to evacuate :)

Well tomorrow is the day, I am excited.  I will post after I get out of the hospital, about 2 - 3 days.