tammym

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Finally starting to get fit again after an extended illness. My iron level went down to a very dangerous level of 2. It should be over 100. I couldn't fight off any bacterial virus' so I was constantly sick. I couldn't retain or absorb any nutrients from food. I spent over a month of saturdays in the hospital undergoing treatments that took over six months to have any effect. I'm finally feeling good again and started exercising about a month ago. 

 

It's been a while.

I drink 16-20oz of water every morning before I get out of bed.

I get on the scale every single day, first thing in the morning, before I get dressed or eat.

Currently I weight 90lbs. BMI is 18.7. Size 0.

I exercise once a week, walking a half hour on the treadmill. 3mph.  It's not much and has very little effect but at least it's something. I haven't excersized in a very long time. I'm afraid I'll injure myself. I have a desk job and I'm very sedentary but I don't eat very much. 

My A1C is 7. I'm not happy about it but my Dr. is OK with it for now. He's not going to put me back on diabetes meds unless it continues to rise because my hypoglicemia is bad too.

3/21/2015

Happy Spring!

I finished the marathon in 2013 dead last and still proud! I was very ill afterwards. It took me over a year to recover. I'm still not exercising but staying between a size 4-6. This isn't skinny for someone 4'9", but my BMI is still in the "normal" range. 

The honeymoon is definitely over, my appetite has returned, and I'm able to eat large meals again. I can eat whatever I want for the most part, but I still get dumping or hypoglycemia if I eat too much sugar (so hopefully that will keep me from re-gaining.)

My BMI is 23- still within the "normal" range. My A1C continues to climb and is 6.3.

I'm exercising a LOT! Currently training for a marathon, so I walk/run 25+ miles per week.  I am not sure if I will keep running after the marathon or try a different activity. I'm thinking about learning roller derby or dragon boat racing. I play racquetball too, but I did that when I was heavy so I already know that it doesn't help with weight loss or fitness level. 

I recently attended a support group, which was very enlightening. I hope the memory of it will keep me on the straight and narrow with my diet.

I don't feel very supportive of my less successful peers. Post ops still use the same excuses as the pre-ops, and that I used as a pre-op too. "I exercise every day by walking" or "My job is very physical so that's my exercise," "It's just a plateau."  But if you are doing something to treat an illness, and it's not working- YOU NEED TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT!

WLS is not the answer, the cure or the magic trick. It's a tool just like a drug or a medical device. If my inhaler doesn't help my asthma- I HAVE TO TRY A DIFFERENT TREATMENT!

If you aren't losing weight on your current diet or exercise program, similarly, GET A NEW ONE!

I'm getting off my soapbox now. 

I have gained a little bit, BMI is now 22.4. I am running 20 miles per week and wear a size 2-4.

My A1C has gone up a little, which is disappointing, but 6.1 is not bad at all compared to a few years ago when it was 9.5.

I am freezing most of the time, but sweating buckets at night. The Doctor says it's not menopause, so I'm not sure what to do about it.

My taste buds have completely changed since WLS. I couldn't stand yogurt at all before, and now it is my primary food source. I can eat as much yogurt as I want as long as it's under 10g of sugar per serving. This keeps me filled up and fueled very well!  

I'm getting better at predicting what I can and can't eat and in what combinations. I can have up to 12g of carbs in one sitting, and more if I have salad or beano first. Sugar alone will cause severe hypoglycemia, and sugar with fat causes major gastric consequences. 

It's been good to get to know my body better. I am hoping this helps keep me from re-gaining. I don't like having SOOO much saggy hanging skin, but I look fine with clothes on.  ;-)

I'm size 0-2 now. Smaller than I have ever been in my adult life. My BMI is 21.7. Picking out clothes is fun, but losing 100lbs in 10 months caused so much loose skin that I have to keep my arms/legs/belly completely covered at all times. I'd guess I have about 20lbs of loose skin. 

My diabetes is getting better very slowly, but now I have hypoglycemia which is new and confusing to me. My A1C is down to 5.9. I had cataract surgery last month, so my vision is better in some ways. Despite the dark, dreary, dead of winter, my depression seems to be well controlled by making sure I get enough light and exercise. Listening to audiobooks while working helps tremendously!

I stick to a very regimented routine and diet. I found an exercise program called Couch to 5k that worked very well for me. I completed the program and now run 10-15 miles a week and have signed up for a marathon next year. 

I'm a size 6-8 now.  The weight loss is very slow but thats OK, I never expected to lose even this much.  I'm down 75lbs now.  My BMI is 25.2, so close to "normal!" I want to lose this last 25 pounds really badly!

I had a long plateau but I started exercising and started losing again.  

Sadly, and I'm not sure if it is a result from my surgery, but my vision issues have increased.  Macular degeneration is worse.  I have cataracts in my right eye (had surgery on the left a few years ago,) and I have a hemorage behind my eye that will cause loss of sight if it doesn't stop bleeding.  They say getting my diabetes in even better control will help stop the bleeding, after which, they should be able to operate to fix the cataracts and a minor problem with other eye.  

My A1C was 7 the last time it was checked.  I thought this was very good until the problems with my eyes.  It's amazingly easy to ignore my hunger when I am faced with the reality that I could lose my sight.  

After having WLS in 2001 (VBG,) my diabetes virtually went away for nearly five years.  I'm a little disappointed that this didn't happen again after the gastric bypass, but I'm older and less fit now.  Also surprisingly, I've been struggling with depression again.  I know WLS has no effect on depression, but after a few years of treatment for depression in the 90's I thought I had all the necessary tools to prevent it from coming back.  Exercise does help.  I have to keep working on it.   

I'm down to a size 12-14.  I've given away all my 18-20s.  I'm hungry quite often and eat 4 or 5 times a day.  I think I am eating 800-1000 calories a day.  I'm so surprised that I am losing weight with that amount of calories.  I used to eat 700 per day to maintain and would can if I ate 900 or more.  One negative so far is the gas.  I have horrible gas every time I eat.   I wish I could vary my diet more.  I have an energy drink or coffee for breakfast, a protein drink snack, beans for lunch, and usually chicken for dinner.  Salad is OK too, but raises my blood sugar.  

I'm feeling pretty good now.   Still haven't lost much around the hips/waist area, but the top is way smaller. I'm eating 400-600 calories per day.  I had my post surgical follow up appt.  They told me that all of my small instestine- 100cm was bypassed.  A lot has changed about digestion.  I can't eat too fast or I get a lot of abdominal pain.  I have found that I can eat a little bit of carb if I make sure to eat it with protein.  I still get very gassy and my blood glucose isn't going down like I had hoped, but as I lose more weight that might change.  

My BMI is 34.  I've lost about 10 pounds.  I have been too tired and weak to exercise enough.  I'm getting off the pain meds (lortab) but having trouble sleeping and still having a lot of sharp pains when I move. 

I have tried applesauce, mashed potatoes, and Jello in the past week.  So far the only one that doesn't cause extreme pain is the applesauce.  But it does raise my blood sugar.  Fasting glucose is still close to 200. This is disippointing since I am only getting 200-500 calories per day (mostly protein drinks.)

I tried some new protein drinks, special K and Odwalla, but both are LOADED with sugar so I will stick to the Premier Protein and 100% whey from costco. 

I'm taking a chewable multivitamin from Trader Joes, and their Greens supplement in almond milk when I can stomach it.