woma
5 years post op!
May 02, 2013
I am over 5 years post op. I am amazed at the changes in my life. My max weight was 273 pounds. My surgery weight was 260. I am now at 164 pounds. I am so glad that I had this surgery.
I do think that more scrutiny should be put on emotional eating. I had lots of counseling about my eating disorder and I think that helped. There were reasons I was addicted to food. I could have easily transferred addictions.
After being a serious meat eater all my life, I decided to try a plant based diet. I did it on a whim. I loved how I felt! My food cravings diminished and I was even more energetic. My hair thickened up and my skin improved. This was three years post op. At first I was worried about protein. My research showed that a healthy woman only needed about 45 grams of protein. I could do that. I monitored my nutrition strictly. I found that if I stuck to whole grains, beans and greens I could easily meet my nutritional needs. I take a calcium supplement and a multivitamin. I do get my labs done annually. My doctor told me on my last check up that my cholesterol was so good that I had a negative risk for heart disease. I no longer worry about nutrition. I just eat a good variety of foods.
This has been a wonderful journey!
Almost 3 months!
Jun 27, 2008
I am one week from my three month surgiversery. But that is July 4th and I will be traveling so I thought I would post now. I just read my previous posts and am amazed at where I am. I do remember the discomfort I had but it is like a dream. I am still learning how to eat with my new tummy but I have done so well!
As of 6/23/08 I have lost 52 pounds in all. The weight is just slowly going away. I do have to watch what I eat. It is so easy to just graze on carbs. I must make myself eat 3 meals and a snack or two. Then there is no room to graze. I have been taking care of my 1 year old grandson since 4 weeks out. That has probably been the cause of my grazing. He keeps me going and I don't sit down for a meal. But he is also the reason I have done so well. He keeps me moving!
I am so glad I had this surgery. This is the first summer in a long time that I have been excited about summer clothes. I find myself just going in to try on clothes for fun.
One month!
May 04, 2008
When I look back I remember how hard some days were but I am so glad I did this. I have lost a total of 32 pounds so far with 16 of those pounds lost since surgery. Not a record but great for me. I am down two sizes in my jeans and am at my lowest weight in a long time.
I love my sleeve!
Two Weeks!
Apr 17, 2008
Yesterday was one week!
Apr 12, 2008
I don't have too much trouble getting in my fluids but I am not getting the protein. Yesterday I managed 42 grams of protein. About half of what I need. I am just not hungry and clear liquids go down better. I am really trying to get more protein.
The weight is falling off. I promised myself that I would not weigh everyday. But it is so much fun to see it go. The first few days after surgery I had gained about five pounds but that is long gone. On March 17th I weighed 260. On my day of surgery I weighed 244. Today I weigh 238! I just realized that for the first time in a long time I weigh less than my husband. Had a good happy cry over that one. Also, my avatar is at 240 pounds so that is what I look like now.
While there is some discomfort, I really do think this was the right thing to do for me.
Six days post op
Apr 10, 2008
Three days post-op
Apr 07, 2008
4/4/08 Nervous and excited. Had to wait for four hours before they brought me back. I was very worried about nausea. I have always had severe nausea after surgery. The anesthesiologist told me that they give all WLS patients a pill called Emend. It is a med they give cancer patients at MD Anderson. It is supposed to stop nausea for up to 48 hours. So I took my little $75 pill.
Woke up in recovery with no pain and no nausea. They had asked me to bring my C-Pap machine but they did not use it on me. Soon I was in a room with a morphine pump. Had some pain across my chest. Figured it was gas but also found out I had a large hiatal hernia repair. Mouth was very dry but I could not have anything! They let me rinse my mouth out and spit. I did that alot! I walked around the floor with only a little discomfort.
4/5/08 Slept fitfully. No excessive pain but I was pressing my morphine button just in case. 7 am the x-ray tech came to take me for my upper GI. So the very first thing I swallowed was 2 oz of a clear barium solution. YUCK! I had to stand up for the test and was very weak. Back to the room and they let me have some liquids. My chest pain was not so bad now but the swallowing caused some spasms of my esophogus. Not pleasant but I was told that would get better. I did not have a foley cathater at this point. I was getting an IV but was not producing urine. I tried and tried but by that evening I had to have a cathater. And I could not go home. They also stopped the morphine pump because that could have been causing my problem. The small amounts of morphine I had been getting had helped keep my pain at a reasonable level. Now I was getting LorTab every 6 hours. It would help for about four hours. For the first time I had a little nausea due to the pain. Nausea meds helped and I kept drinking. This is the day I felt awful. I wondered what I had done to myself. I cried for a little bit. But I did manage to do my walking several times that day.
4/6/08 They took out the catheter in the am. After an hour and drinking very small sips very often, I finally peed on my own. I was so proud! I actually felt fairly good. As soon as my husband got there I got dressed and packed. When the doctor got there I was ready to go. I was sent home with a prescription for LorTab elixor. We stopped on the way home to get it. Was tired but was able to make a few phone calls. Later that day I decided the LorTab was causing a headache, so I switched to liquid Tyenol. It worked fairly well. I do not like the taste of any of the liquid meds though. They are too sweet and syrupy. Worked on getting in my liquids. Probably managed to get 35 oz. in. Took the LorTab at night and slept fairly well.
4/7/08 Woke up with a very stiff neck! Figured it was because of all the stuff that was shoved down my throat. I know they hyper-extend the neck to entubate you, then they had to put in the bougie and scope me after it was all done. The neck pain worked out fairly quickly. But I did go straight to my Tylenol! Site pain at two of my incisions was definately noticable. A burning when I would tense my stomach muscles. Drinking was much better today. I have worked at it but did get in 64 oz. Some spasms still but not if I take small sips slowly.
I am taking a very small BP med, Protonix and my thyroid meds. Also, a chewable vitamin. That will be all for this week. I see my doc at one week and will see what else to add. I managed to sit at the computer for this long to post this. Thought I would have to do it in shifts but I only had a little discomfort. But I think that will be all for now.
Heading toward surgery!
Mar 16, 2008
Surgery is scheduled for the 4th of April. At times it feels like forever and at others it seems to be rushing towards me.
I am supposed to start my liquid diet on 3/20. But I am planning on starting tomorrow. I have been having a really difficult time with food. It seems like everytime I sit down to eat I feel like I will never enjoy it again so I have to load up. I am stuffing my face. And I hate the way I feel after. So I made the decision to start now. Of course this is Spring break and all the kids will be home. And my mom (who lives on our property) invited family over for Easter dinner. That will make it more difficult but I am determined to be my best and this is the way to go.
I am anxious about surgery...more I want to get past it. I want to start losing weight!
