SWallace81
The Story
Oct 19, 2009
Hello, My name is Suzanne. I am from a small town in Northeastern Louisiana. My story is probably like most others; big for most part all of your life and you tried the diet and exercise, pills, and doctor regulated programs but didn't get anywhere. I found out when I was 12 that I had hypothyroidism and started the medication for it. A little too late in fact I had already went over the 200lbs mark. My greatest weight loss was 50 lbs when I was 14, doing what is called the Mayo diet or grapefruit diet and was riding a bicycle for 6 miles and running for 2 miles a day and of course there was the softball and swimming that I was doing. I then started gaining the weight back plus some. When I graduated high school I was at 280.
It has now been 9 years since that time and a extra 106 lbs.
When I moved to Covington, La and started working @ STPH I meet Dr. Ordoyne. I work on the post op surgical/ Ortho floor. I watched his work and decided to try to see if I would qualify for the surgery. In the 9 years I had to stop playing softball due to my knees and I just couldn't handle it anymore, my sleeping pattern started to see changes finding out in pre-op testing that I had severe sleep apnea, and with a line of heart and Diabetes problems on both side of my family, life wasn't looking too good for me.
It took me 6 months from starting the process of pre-op testing to get a Doctor's consultation visit. I saw him on August the 6th, I was interested in the RNY and he suggested the sleeve. The details he gave me was sound reasoning so I told him okay. I was denied by my insurance for the sleeve due to still considered experimental in their standards. We reapply for the RNY on Sept the 8th and I had my okay that afternoon. We scheduled the surgery for Sept 23rd. I weighed in at 386 lbs. with 3+ pitting edema from my feet to the shins.
My parents came down the night before surgery. I went in at 7 am the day of, surgery was at 9am. I received heparin before surgery. The surgery for as the surgeons part went well. I am hypersensitive to heparin and started bleeding more than usual and clotting. When I got to the recovery room and was coming around I started vomiting blood and clots. I did this for about an hour and I requested a NG-tube due to not wanting to rip stitches or staple lines. The doctor agreed to put it down. It took till 5 pm for me to get into my room. I wasn't too with it. My pain wasn't too bad. I used the pain pump only when I rolled over. I felt better lying on my left side, plus it was easier to hurl a clot when the NG-tube got stopped up. The first night wasn't too good. The doctor came in around 11pm to check on me before going home. The next day he pulled the NG and the Foley(boy was I happy), he left me with the fluids and the pain pump yeah buddy. I didn't get my bariatric swallow study until 3pm that day, they where backed up. Let me say for the record yes I am a nurse but they really need to invent contrast that is PATIENT FRIENDLY. That stuff was awful. They told me not to vomit it up but it came up with a couple of clots and the the contrast started moving into the intestines hmmmm. There was no leaks but a lot of old clots. I started my meals after that. I was able to get up and walk and when I did so I became very light headed and weak. My blood levels were borderline transfusion level, and we kept a close eye on it. I also did not receive anymore heparin. I was discharged on the 25th around noon.
When I got home all I wanted to do was sleep and drink water. I couldn't stand the taste of anything, certain smells bothered me. When I tried to drink the protein shots they came back up. It also took me almost all day just to drink the required amount of protein needed using the whey protein powder and milk. I was still lighted headed for a couple of days. I quit taking the pain pills on Sunday. I was so tired I took allot of naps but I also had to walk due to keeping down the chance of a clot. I kept it in the house I would walk around to living room and down the hall to the bedroom and back again. I would try to walk down the road to the mail box the first time I did that I almost passed out on my mom so I kept it small trips. I had allot of BM's first dark and tarry due to old blood and then I just couldn't hold it. TIP- don't try to pass gas again without being on potty. I also found out I liked things that I never did before. V-8 juice love it now, got tired of plain chicken broth. Couldn't keep down beef broth. 1% Milk with all shakes.
Post op week 2 appointment, was on Thursday Oct. 8th. When I weighed I cried(due to the fact I was thinking that I wouldn't lose it like I have on every other diet and I couldn't believe it happy). I weighed 336 lbs. I had lost 50 lbs in just 2 weeks. I had some questions as well like which if I should be taking the Iron, Zinc and B-12 or stop, which meds could I take for back pain(due to the fact that I started having problems), and if I could start swimming for my exercise. I was told to keep taking the meds and that I could do Tylenol for the pain, and as long as my wounds where healed over I could swim. I told him the problem I was having about keep the protein down, he told me to start trying a little more stuff but to get my quota in any way I could. I told him I was thinking I was mildly dehydrated due to still being dizzy and lightheaded. He stated it was related to the blood lose and a case of not drinking enough water. He cleared me to return back to work on the 21st giving me 2 more weeks to re-cooperate and to return back to him in 3 months earlier if something wrong.
With that I went to my parents in North Louisiana. I have to say shopping can be a pain, looking at all the ingredients and then trying to find things that you might could eat that would give you protein but has less that 5 grams of sugar and fat. I have really dry skin I have had to change my shampoo and soap and no matter what I do I have body odor. I looked it up and saw due to my body burning fat my body is excreting ketones. I am happy with smell if it means I am losing pounds but I get upset due to I can't find anything to cover it up and I hate that. I am emotional as well. My mind tells me I want that hamburger from McDonald's and when I think that I say I should have never had this, and I cry. Cause I know I just didn't want this I needed this change in my life for my life to be better and more full. So I say to hell with McDonald's. I just ask everyone to savor their food and give me a description. Well all for now my hands are tired.
4/1/10
Happy April Fools everyone. I have to say alot has happened in 6 months. Where do I begin I am now down to 266 I lose about 2 lbs a week now. I am running stairs and doing things that I haven't done in years. My clothing size ranges for 16-18 in tops to some 20's but 22-24 and 2x scrubs. I like that figure cause I wasn't even fitting into size 28 jeans and my 4x scrubs where stepping into 5x. The body oder that I had at the before is gone along with some of my hair. I have to say I always had a problem with hair lose now it's more noticeable to me, many people can't tell. I am having some problem areas with sagging- ARMS. other than that my stomach and legs or looking okay can live with it. I do have a news flash, I am engaged and we are getting married in November of this year. Dressing shopping is so much fun considering I don't know what size I will be come that time I am having trouble finding a dress. I am able to eat a few things they said no to. I love veggies before and I had to try some home grown peas and corn(not much due to starch) but I can keep it down. I don't vomit much unless it is something that doesn't agree with me (taste). I still have problems with some things. I have been forgetting to eat at times cause I don't get hungry. Wal-Mart carries protein bars that are great, 20 grams of protein per bar and they are only about 2 oz. When I eat it I feel stuffed. I still have the goal of under 200, really shooting for 180's. Will keep fingures crossed.
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It has now been 9 years since that time and a extra 106 lbs.
When I moved to Covington, La and started working @ STPH I meet Dr. Ordoyne. I work on the post op surgical/ Ortho floor. I watched his work and decided to try to see if I would qualify for the surgery. In the 9 years I had to stop playing softball due to my knees and I just couldn't handle it anymore, my sleeping pattern started to see changes finding out in pre-op testing that I had severe sleep apnea, and with a line of heart and Diabetes problems on both side of my family, life wasn't looking too good for me.
It took me 6 months from starting the process of pre-op testing to get a Doctor's consultation visit. I saw him on August the 6th, I was interested in the RNY and he suggested the sleeve. The details he gave me was sound reasoning so I told him okay. I was denied by my insurance for the sleeve due to still considered experimental in their standards. We reapply for the RNY on Sept the 8th and I had my okay that afternoon. We scheduled the surgery for Sept 23rd. I weighed in at 386 lbs. with 3+ pitting edema from my feet to the shins.
My parents came down the night before surgery. I went in at 7 am the day of, surgery was at 9am. I received heparin before surgery. The surgery for as the surgeons part went well. I am hypersensitive to heparin and started bleeding more than usual and clotting. When I got to the recovery room and was coming around I started vomiting blood and clots. I did this for about an hour and I requested a NG-tube due to not wanting to rip stitches or staple lines. The doctor agreed to put it down. It took till 5 pm for me to get into my room. I wasn't too with it. My pain wasn't too bad. I used the pain pump only when I rolled over. I felt better lying on my left side, plus it was easier to hurl a clot when the NG-tube got stopped up. The first night wasn't too good. The doctor came in around 11pm to check on me before going home. The next day he pulled the NG and the Foley(boy was I happy), he left me with the fluids and the pain pump yeah buddy. I didn't get my bariatric swallow study until 3pm that day, they where backed up. Let me say for the record yes I am a nurse but they really need to invent contrast that is PATIENT FRIENDLY. That stuff was awful. They told me not to vomit it up but it came up with a couple of clots and the the contrast started moving into the intestines hmmmm. There was no leaks but a lot of old clots. I started my meals after that. I was able to get up and walk and when I did so I became very light headed and weak. My blood levels were borderline transfusion level, and we kept a close eye on it. I also did not receive anymore heparin. I was discharged on the 25th around noon.
When I got home all I wanted to do was sleep and drink water. I couldn't stand the taste of anything, certain smells bothered me. When I tried to drink the protein shots they came back up. It also took me almost all day just to drink the required amount of protein needed using the whey protein powder and milk. I was still lighted headed for a couple of days. I quit taking the pain pills on Sunday. I was so tired I took allot of naps but I also had to walk due to keeping down the chance of a clot. I kept it in the house I would walk around to living room and down the hall to the bedroom and back again. I would try to walk down the road to the mail box the first time I did that I almost passed out on my mom so I kept it small trips. I had allot of BM's first dark and tarry due to old blood and then I just couldn't hold it. TIP- don't try to pass gas again without being on potty. I also found out I liked things that I never did before. V-8 juice love it now, got tired of plain chicken broth. Couldn't keep down beef broth. 1% Milk with all shakes.
Post op week 2 appointment, was on Thursday Oct. 8th. When I weighed I cried(due to the fact I was thinking that I wouldn't lose it like I have on every other diet and I couldn't believe it happy). I weighed 336 lbs. I had lost 50 lbs in just 2 weeks. I had some questions as well like which if I should be taking the Iron, Zinc and B-12 or stop, which meds could I take for back pain(due to the fact that I started having problems), and if I could start swimming for my exercise. I was told to keep taking the meds and that I could do Tylenol for the pain, and as long as my wounds where healed over I could swim. I told him the problem I was having about keep the protein down, he told me to start trying a little more stuff but to get my quota in any way I could. I told him I was thinking I was mildly dehydrated due to still being dizzy and lightheaded. He stated it was related to the blood lose and a case of not drinking enough water. He cleared me to return back to work on the 21st giving me 2 more weeks to re-cooperate and to return back to him in 3 months earlier if something wrong.
With that I went to my parents in North Louisiana. I have to say shopping can be a pain, looking at all the ingredients and then trying to find things that you might could eat that would give you protein but has less that 5 grams of sugar and fat. I have really dry skin I have had to change my shampoo and soap and no matter what I do I have body odor. I looked it up and saw due to my body burning fat my body is excreting ketones. I am happy with smell if it means I am losing pounds but I get upset due to I can't find anything to cover it up and I hate that. I am emotional as well. My mind tells me I want that hamburger from McDonald's and when I think that I say I should have never had this, and I cry. Cause I know I just didn't want this I needed this change in my life for my life to be better and more full. So I say to hell with McDonald's. I just ask everyone to savor their food and give me a description. Well all for now my hands are tired.
4/1/10
Happy April Fools everyone. I have to say alot has happened in 6 months. Where do I begin I am now down to 266 I lose about 2 lbs a week now. I am running stairs and doing things that I haven't done in years. My clothing size ranges for 16-18 in tops to some 20's but 22-24 and 2x scrubs. I like that figure cause I wasn't even fitting into size 28 jeans and my 4x scrubs where stepping into 5x. The body oder that I had at the before is gone along with some of my hair. I have to say I always had a problem with hair lose now it's more noticeable to me, many people can't tell. I am having some problem areas with sagging- ARMS. other than that my stomach and legs or looking okay can live with it. I do have a news flash, I am engaged and we are getting married in November of this year. Dressing shopping is so much fun considering I don't know what size I will be come that time I am having trouble finding a dress. I am able to eat a few things they said no to. I love veggies before and I had to try some home grown peas and corn(not much due to starch) but I can keep it down. I don't vomit much unless it is something that doesn't agree with me (taste). I still have problems with some things. I have been forgetting to eat at times cause I don't get hungry. Wal-Mart carries protein bars that are great, 20 grams of protein per bar and they are only about 2 oz. When I eat it I feel stuffed. I still have the goal of under 200, really shooting for 180's. Will keep fingures crossed.