Isha F.

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Wow- 3 years already. I know you do not see me around here all that much anymore, and I apologize for that.  I do read as often as I can, and comment when I have something I think might be helpful to share. 

My weight loss journey has been amazing to me.  I cannot even believe what a wonderful surgery choice the Duodenal Switch has turned out to be.  My quality of eating is just plain heavenly.  The amount I can eat, the variety, the lack of repercussions etc, it is just mind boggling.   I do continue to keep a mental note of making sure I get in enough protein, but other than that, I truly eat what I want. 

Things you may wonder about at 3 years post op:

Did you make it to goal and stay there? 

Yes, and no. I did reach my goal.  I maintained there for over 2 years.  Due to a bleeding issue, I was put on the Mirena IUD, and within a couple of weeks I gained 15 pounds.  Was it the birth control, the famous bounce back weight, or just too much junk food?  I don’t know.  I think it was the birth control, but it could be any one of those things or a combo.   I have fought with it, and it does come off quickly if I low carb, but most of the time I just don’t want to!  So usually I would say I am about 5-10 pounds above my goal weight.  I am pretty happy with that.  When I get to the high end, I cut down for a few days, and get right back down. When I started my journey I was 366 pounds, and wore a size 5X.  I currently am as of today 162 and a size 10/12.  I am pretty much just a medium.  I find that to be completely wonderful!   

What kind of problems are you facing? I still work hard to maintain my Vitamin D and Iron levels.  These are my worst side effects from WLS.  

What are the bathroom issues like for you? So many people worry about the bathroom issues with this procedure.  For me, it really is a non-issue.  I do remember early post op, not being able to sleep in.  When I would wake up in the morning, so did my guts, and I HAD to go to the bathroom THEN.  It is not that way anymore.  Also the Fish Zole (Flagyl) has been a godsend as far as a license to eat junk and not have any gas etc.  If I am going to eat like a moron, I pop one of those and I have a free pass.  It is a beautiful thing.  

I have said this a million times, but I will say it again – NO ONE would ever, in a million years be able to tell I had WLS by watching me eat.  If you are someone researching surgery, and want a surgery that allows you to continue to enjoy eating, take a harder look at the DS. 

When I was researching, I so badly wanted a surgery that I would not have to continue to be on a diet with afterward.  This was the perfect choice for me.  I am living life to the fullest, and enjoying every bite along the way. I wish all of you so much success in wherever your health goals take you.  If I can answer any questions or be of support, please let me know. 

Things have improved in the iron & vitamin D areas.  I am happy about that.  Also, I did very low carb for about 8 days and lost 7 pounds.  I am still hoping I can get off of the 2 birth controls ASAP, as they are a challenge for me.  I was very excited to see how quickly the weight flew off, as this is the first time in 3 years I had any gain...this DS is amazing, in spite of my LOUSY body!

Things have been going so-so here.  I have been struggling with my iron & vitamin d for a quite a while.  The D improved over the summer, but my last blood work showed it dropped again, in spite of taking the 50,000 i.u.'s of dry D daily.  I am going to add tanning and see if that helps.  

The iron is an issue because of my other health problems.  I cannot take oral iron because it cancels out my thyroid meds, which are SUPER important for me as I am severely hypothyroid.  My iron got so low that infusions were the only option left for me.  The infusions helped (one was REALLY bad and caused me to have hives, barf everywhere & send the hospital staff into a total panic).  At the moment I am in the normal range after receiving 4 infusions, 2 weeks apart.  Still low, but in the normal range none-the-less.  I am waiting to hear back from the hemo doc what we will do next.

The biggest problem causing my iron issues is my periods.  I have now gone into spells where I bleed for up to 2 months straight.  Of course my GYN wants me to have a hysto, but I am just not there yet (emotionally).  I am getting more used to the idea, but I'm not there yet...

Soooo, in an attempt to "band-aid" the issue, they put in an IUD.  When that didn't stop the bleeding they added the pill.  When that didn't work, they doubled the pill to two a day.  That has finally worked, but has added almost instantly 11 pounds!!!!!!!! 

I cannot even express to you how much that gain has upset me.  And it doesn't seem to be going down.  As of today, I have started very strict low carb, so we will see.  I am wanting to blame the gain on the birth control, but maybe it is the "bounce back" weight, or maybe it is my eating habits, I just don't know!  What I DO know is that I don't want it!

In spite of my other issues, the DS is still the best medical decision I have ever made.  It takes works to maintain my health post op, but that is nothing new, and I am completely willing to do it.

Well, it has been many months since I did an update, but my switch sistah Jill inspired me yesterday.  So I have added a picture taken today.  It isn't a very good one, but it is current, and since I am always behind the camera, there aren't many taken of me!  If you are one of my friends you can see it in my profile.

Wow, 27 months since my surgery.  I can't believe it has been that long.  I am sitting happily in the 146-151 range.  220 pounds lost!!!!  I still stick with my 5 pound rule.  If I hit 152, bye bye carbs.  It is working quite well.  Most of the time I hover at 149.  I rarely hit the 152 range where I have to cut back.  The DS is so amazing, I just still find it hard to believe.

I eat so well.  I enjoy food just as much as I always have, the admitted foodie that I am.  I eat and drink what I want, trying to focus on protien first.  Bathroom complications are very minimal now.  If I eat really horrible, I do get gas and occasionally dhr, but since I had IBS pre-op, this is all totally no biggie.  The urgency I had early pre-op has past, and it is so easily managed.

I am still working on my Iron & Vitamin D.  My iron got really low, and the oral meds did not work because they were cancelling out my thyroid meds, and still not bringing my levels up.  They just kept going down.  So far I have had 2 infusions (not a big deal, even though I was nervous) and now my level is just barely in the normal range.  I am still going to go see a hemotologist for his opinion on how often I will need these.  I have been spending time in the sun daily, and taking 50,000 iu's daily (dry) of Vit D, so I am hoping those results will go up also.

Finally, the newness of my weight loss has worn off on those around me, and life is returning to normal...meaning people talk to me about things besides my weight again (thank goodness!)  This makes me happy as I really, really was sick of talking about it every waking moment.

My scars from my plastics are healing.  My arm scars bother me the most, because they are the most visible, so I still wear sleeves that go to my elbow when I will be around people I know.  I hope that by next summer they will not be as pink and raised, and I might get up the courage to just let it all hang out.  We shall see.  I just hate answering questions about it.  Everytime I go for a blood draw, "What happend to your arm?"  I should get a "It's none of your business" tatoo!  Overall, I am happy with my PS results.  There are a few areas that I am dissatisfied with, but I do not want any more revisions (I have had 2 already).

So there you have it, that is what life is like when you are me, 27 months post-op from the DS.  I love my surgery, and am so thankful for this second chance to enjoy life more comfortably.  Thank you all for being a special part of my life.

Thank goodness for Fitday, I would never remember how much I weighed a month ago!

I was surprized to look today and see that I have lost another 4 pounds this month.  I am really happy where I am, and not wanting to lose any more.

My goal for the next couple of months is to get back on my elliptical regularly (Jeanie, let's clean the laundry off together) and start to work in some aroebic DVD's.

Anywhoo, just zipping this note in for the newbies mostly, to see that the window on weight loss with the DS doesn't slam shut too early!  Oh and yes, I am still eating like the best of 'em.

This month I lost 1 pound, don’t all faint from shock. 

 

So I had my 2 week checkup yesterday, and got to see my surgeon.  He pressed and felt around on my upper abdomen for quite a while (which, really, really hurt).  He finally said it was swelling, fluid and possibly still some fat in there.  He said he wasn’t sure if it would flatten down enough on its own yet or not.  He also said my mons area was still very hard & swollen.  He also felt that my arm may or may not flatten out.  Were these the things I wanted to hear?  I am not sure.  Part of me thought maybe I had a seroma in my upper stomach.  That could have been good, if it was one that just drained and never came back.  Alas, the one I had in my thigh is still visible, and no longer able to be drained.  So maybe I didn’t want it to be that.  What I was worried about was if it wasn’t a seroma, the only other answer would be more surgery, which at this moment is too depressing for words.

 

BUT – his final word was, “If 2 months from now you are not happy, come back and I will revise it.  Anything we do from now on will be minor, fixed in the office with local anesthetic.  All your major work is behind you.  I will fix this until you are completely happy.”

 

I am glad he said that, but honestly, I would rather there be no need for a revision to a revision, but relived he doesn’t think I need more surgery…Am I being too picky?

Kinda sorta in the order they happened on the way down the scale.
-Fitting in a booth. 
-Fitting in a movie theater seat.
-Not having to use a seat belt extender on the plane.
-Being able to put down the tray table on the plane.
-Being comfortable on a plane.
-Not rubbing my thighs raw when I walked for more than a few minutes.
-Walking for more than a few minutes!
-Not being the largest person at most gatherings or places I go.
-First person commenting on my weight loss (70 pounds lost)
-Not wearing nylons (I wore them to help with the rubbing even in 100 degree heat).
-Wearing nylons and being comfortable in them.
-Running with my kids.
-Fitting on rides with my kids.
-First realizing my gut doesn't go out past the armrests at church anymore.
-The first pair of jeans that I bought from The Gap that said "14 NORMAL" on them.
-Shopping anywhere I want.
-Seeing a 2 as the first number on the scale.
-Seeing a 1 as the first number on the scale.
-Weighing less than my husband.
-Skinny people finally noticing I lost weight (most it took about 125-150 pounds.)
-Being flirted with.  I DID NOT FLIRT BACK, remember, my husband weighs more than me HEE HEE.
-People referring to me as "small, petite, skinny, tiny" etc. *which are totally untrue*
-Buying shoes at Payless, instead of $100 ones special ordered from "The box would fit you better are-us".
-Having people not recognize me, even when they are talking to me.
-Buying nylons at the Dollar Store.
-Buy size 4/6 at Walmart.

I am one week post op today from my plastic surgery revisions.  I am feeling kinda blue & have been for days.  The surgery went as planned, and I am still up in the air about the results.  I am trying to decide why I am feeling sad.

One thing is having surgery again, in secret.  Which of course is my choice, but it is difficult.  Ultimately I am 110% sure it is the right choice, but it is always difficult at the time. This time I did it with even less support as the other 2 people who would normally be here to help me were not.

I got very ill again from the pain meds, and had to discontinue use of them after only 3 days (followed by an additional 3 days of horrific barfing).  It is very hard for me to have to deal with all the pain & the barfing (yes, I am a whimp).

Today the barfing has subsided (thank goodness).  I am in quite a bit of pain, but too afraid to try anything else for it.

So far,  I think I am unhappy with the results of my surgery again.  It may very well just be swelling, but that is what I kept telling myself after my first round of plastics, and it was not the case, it was that I needed a revision.  The thought that this might not have been done right it is enough to put me over the edge.  I had a revision to my upper stomach, because there was waaaaay too much excess skin after my Lower Body Lift, even though I agreed to an "anchor cut" so that that area would be addressed.  As of this moment, my upper stomach is quite large, and I look pregnant.  There is even a buldge in my upper 3 inches of my incision.  I am worried it is another seroma.  I also had a dog ear repaired on my left arm, and it looks exactly the same to me, only a nice new incision (gag).  I also had my mons area revised because after the first surgery I was left uneven down yonder and it is still uneven!!!!  I am just feeling like I did all of this for nothing.

Please, please, please let most of it be swelling.  I see my surgeon on Tuesday for follow up.  I hope I can muster a smile before I walk in there,  because I am unable to produce one today.  
Sorry for the pathetic whine.  I will be better when my DH gets home.  The days are l-o-n-g while he is at work.

Hurting and sad in the great northwest...

No loss this month either.  Just maintaining, which is fine.  Gearing up for my revision plastic surgery on 11/22.

So this month all I did was bounce around within my 5 pound range.  No loss
at all.

This has been weird emotionally.  I have been so used to losing for so long,
now I feel like a failure, and I am below goal!  I still can't shake the
feeling though.  I also feel an overwhelming fear of regain.  Does anyone
else feel this way?

Next month I will be having a revision to my upper stomach.  I think I will
be happy when that is done.  I look out of porportion right now.  My thighs
and boobs are saggy, baggy and horrid, but I have no idea when I will come
up with another $20K to fix them.

I guess I am kinda grumpy this morning.  It is silly to have come this far
and then be complaining.  I really am thrilled with my WLS surgery.  I just
wish I really had a magic wand so I could fix all the rest of me!