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Post Date: 2/7/10 4:58 pm
The scale read 199.9 this morning! 
last time I was in the hundreds was 18 years ago.

It's hard to believe I was 300 pounds less than 6 months ago. . . . .

I really love my DS 
 

Trying to catch up here. ..... Sorry its going to be boring! 
 
I have been feeling great.  I hate to say that because I feel like I am going to jinx myself.  It really has not been an easy adjustment for me.

Now at 5 months I am feeling more normal than ever, though I have felt great all along.   Seems like I can eat more, not sure if that is a good thing or not. I have never thrown up.  I have only felt like I might one time after half piece of bread, egg, an 1 slice of precooked bacon.  I have never have had precooked bacon again.... but who knows what the cause was. That was around 12 weeks.

  I  get gas when I have white flour, sugar.   I do not count carbs, I try to limit them and often do not have room for them but they sneak in from time to time.  I am definitely not a die hard about them that is for sure, maybe that is why I do not feel I have an obsession with them either, who knows.  My bm's are quite normal and formed unless I have eating something that changes them like carbs. I go once in the am, once in the pm. I have only seem that oil slicks or drops in the bowl that people mention once, and that was around 3 1/2 months out. 
. 
 I sure have been clothes shopping a lot.  It is kind of getting annoying!, never thought I would say that!  Expensive and time consuming, but a girl has got to do what a girl has got to do!  I try to shop really good sales but preferably clearance. I am determined to look good in the weight loss stage, not just in the end.  I do not go overboard, just 2 pair of work pants at all times, 1 pair of jeans, sleep clothes. But when I need to get new clothes every 6 weeks, well you get the picture.
I did buy a pair of jeans and the next 2 sizes down, that worked great but they do not make my next size : ( now I am on the hunt again for a good pair of jeans size 16 or less....

I am wearing a size 16 pants down from a tight &  generous size 22-24 (I probably should have been wearing size 26-28) My shirt size was about 2-3x and now I am a  x-large/14/16.     

I think I might be hitting my first stall. We will see how the next few days go. If I have done my math right, I am 61% weight loss. That means 58lbs to get to go to 150lbs. I might even like to loose more than that, I just don't know yet, I plan on playing it by ear, but realize it is not all in my control either.  Medical range for me is something like 111-150lbs, lowest I ever have been in my life was in neighborhood of 170lbs so it is hard for me to judge 150lbs.  Plus I am older now and I will have extra skin. ...  

Here are the statistics:
3 Months- November, 18, 2009 
233.8 lbs
total loss of  66.2 
monthly loss of 16.4

4 Months - December 18, 2009   
222.1 lbs, 
total loss of  77.9 pounds
monthly loss of 11.7

5 Months - January 18, 2010
 208.2 lbs 
total loss of, 91.8 lbs 
monthly loss of 13.9

60 Inches lost  
here are some of the few main ones:
hips down 9 inches
bust down 4 inches
waist down  8 inches
neck down 2 1/2 inches 


 

12 week follow up with the surgeon,  I am down 60lbs at 12 weeks (minus one day )
 *13lb of the 60 was from 2 week pre op diet.

Nurse said I am 38% weight loss achieved. If I calculate right they want me to weigh 140lb's.
      Only another 100lbs to go  

I can't find my measurements log book but when I do I will measure & post inches lost.

My A was low (25) and my D was great (74) , Iron is good right now but I want to be proactive & ordered some Proferritan ES.  I posted my labs & regimen right before this post if interested.

Had the dietitian appt too.  She says I am not eating enough, not enough fruits & veggies, I need a balanced plate every time I eat.   MAN!  I have the stomach the size of a sharpie..... and I can't cook 3 course meal to have one bite of each food group! some times a piece of string cheese is just going to have to do it! She also said I should not be afraid of any food, carbs etc.  and if I get gas then it is most likely from too much fat. 

On the bathroom front: I mainly go in the a.m. , once in while in p.m. , they are formed. 

I have felt good from about a week post op. I notice that I am able to eat a bite or 2 more each month and tolerate more carbs some days.  I sure hope the weight keeps coming off.  It is slow but I will take it.  Oh yeah & I need to start exercising. . . . ..

I THANK GOD for this site and everyone on it.    

 

I am feeling good. 

 I have lost 19 lbs in the 30 days post op. 13 lbs lost on preop diet.  I now weigh 268 so down 32 lbs total in 6 weeks.  
 
 Inches lost in 30 days  = 13.5" 
  
3 1/2" lost on Hips over Belly
3" lost on lower hips
1" lost on waist
1 1/2" lost on bicep
1/4" on wrist
2" above my knee
1/4" on calf
1" on bust
1" on neck!

.

I am 13 days post op today (I do not count THE day of my surgery when I count my days post op) 
I weighed in at 276.4 so I lost 11 lbs in 13 days.  Nurse took of the bandages everything looks fine.  (I had 8 lap holes)
I was told I can advance to the pureed diet  (I want real food!)  
  They want to see me in 4 weeks.  Not much more to say other than I feel better than I anticipated.  No nausea, throwing up, choking, & my energy level is good.  Just sick of the food choices. 

 Not much more to say.  I am crossing my fingers that my future is as uncomplicated at recovery.

Prior to liquid diet / HW = 300lbs
Day of surgery / SW = 287
2 week check up = 276.4 (14% WL per nurse) 

Day one after surgery: Wednesday I got my catheter and  got out of bed for the first time.  Went down had a leak test.  I only was told to swallow small sip 2 times. The person running the test said, did you have a sleeve? I said yes.  But after I left I thought I hope he check the intestinal connections too.....I got back to my room and never heard another thing about the leak test.  I assumed the Doc had looked at results and all was good.  Next thing I did was walk "around the block"   I remember being told by support group to walk walk walk. It will  help work the anesthesia out of me and the gas. I was all for that! I felt like my belly was a bruised up cut up beach ball.   I tried to walk every hour.  I burped a lot.  No farting. 

Nurse brought in little 1oz shot glasses for me to start drinking water.  I was instructed to turn them over once I drank them so they can count.  Drinking felt like swallowing rocks and would almost always be followed by a burp.  I burped a lot.  No farts at this point though.  Bowels must not be awake I thought.

My mother, father, brother came to visit me. We walked down the the family visiting area.  The nurses had told me that I looked good, had good color to my face.  My family told me the same and didn't know the nurses had told me that too. Weird.  I just had major surgery.

Day two after surgery: Thursday the burping caused me to pull a muscle in my neck?  I know pain from the gas can travel to the shoulder but mine was in my neck.  It was probably a combo of both.  I was not a happy camper.  The bed was uncomfortable.  My husband had decided to go to work and left at 7am even though that was not the original plan. I was fine with that and even encouraged it.  The Doc stopped in real briefly and said that he was going to allow me full liquids and maybe I could go home.  I took that comment as go home later that day but I never heard another thing about going home.  I did not press it because the pain in my neck and I had not passed gas.  However come mid day I passed gas.  Passed gas and had a little Hershey squirt on the chucks pad.  Nurses came & changed the pad, no big deal.  I tried to have a BM but that did not happen until a few hours later.  The BM was black but formed. Nurse listened to my bowels, they were just going crazy, she said they are waking up. She look suprised how loud they were! 
I was told to order food.  I ordered minestrone.  Only able to have a few sips of the soup.  I had pudding for dinner. Yuck. Oh yeah & they brought in a nasty EAS protein drink for me to work on.  Terrible flavor. I got my IV out of my arm.   I had one drain & it was requiring lot of emptying today.  In the evening the nurse was told by the doc to instruct me on drain care, which she did.  GROSS. 

Day three after surgery: Friday. woke up and neck pain was gone and I was a happy camper.  Doc came in early & said he is sending me home. Told me that I did "did good".  Nurse later came in and  said before I could go home I would have to have my PIC line taken out of my neck before I could go.  Couple hours later she came to do that..... I took a shower for the first time since Monday.
Few hours after that the nurse adivsed the paper work completed and I was set free around 1:30pm

After 2 hour drive we stopped at Walmart & filled pain medicine and script for Prilosec 40 mg sub-lingual.
I took the pain med at bedtime. That would be the last time I took pain medicine.

Day four after surgery: Saturday woke up for first time in my own bed still didn't feel like my self.  I felt restless.  Foggy in the brain.  Water still felt like swallowing rocks.  Lots of burping.  I took a brief walk and rested a lot. No pain medicines needed though.

Day five after surgery: Sunday I woke up at 4am. My bed is terribly uncomfortable in the first place. And now that my abs have been out of the picture my lower back is aching when I wake up.   Drinking only felt half as bad today, must be smaller rocks .  I thought to my self there is light at the end of the tunnel.  My husband went to get our 5 year old daughter in the late afternoon/evening. 

Day six after surgery: Monday I woke up at 4am.  I feel good. My husband went to work.  My daughter stayed home with me, she understands I cant lift or hold her.  She played well.  15 year old son was home to help.  He drove us into town to register him for school.  I bought them burgers and we went to Walmart for school supplies. I feel slow & tired but good.

Day seven after surgery: Tuesday I woke up at 4am.  Went for a walk.  Drove myself to a teeth cleaning appt.  Went to Target for a few things. Felt better than day before by a little.

Day eight after surgery: Wednesday, I rested.  Kids were gone.

Day nine after surgery; Thursday. I was able to sleep in for the first time.  I went for a walk.  Kids were still gone.  Daughter came home in late afternoon and I took her her open house to meet her teacher. Then signed her up for dance.  Went to the store to buy ink for the computer, came home.

Day ten after surgery: Friday.  My niece & nephews sitter didn't show up so they hung out with me and my daugther.  No issues.  I feel good.  Can't eat a lot. As time goes on I get more & more frustrated with the food choices from  dietitian. Full liquid diet =  cream of wheat, pudding, yogurt, protein drink.  I mean are you kidding me? Makes me not want to eat and I have been feeling like I want different tastes in my mouth and my stomach is growling! 
I am happy with my rate of drinking.  Life is finally looking up,  And the scale is going down! 

I am waiting to be weighed at my 2 week check up on Monday!  

Dietician told me that I would have to go on liquid protein diet for a week for sure, longer would be better because I was borderline in weight.   I took her advice, I wanted my liver to be clean.  14 days prior to surgery I started a liquid protein diet.  The first week I allowed my self protein foods like nuts, cheese.  The next  5 days it was strict liquid protein drink. The final  2 days before surgery I had only clear liquids & no protein drinks as directed by the dietitian.  No bowel prep required. I think that is good.  I was probably less dehydrated not having to do a bowel prep.

That night before surgery I had to give myself a blood thinning shot, Lovenex. It did not hurt much. Needle was real smal.  Just had anxiety before & after.  

Surgery was supposed to be at 8:30a. I got there at 6:30a at hospital request.  I had a pregnancy test.  An IV put in my arm &  was given iron. (I was low but I think this is standard)  I was also given fluid thru IV to prevent dehydration. I was taken back to the operating room holding area.  Both the anesthesiologist  & DR. came back to talk to me separately.  They wheeled me into the OR at 9:30am. They started an antibiotic drip in my IV.  The anesthesiologist and some nurses were the only in the room.  The anesthesiologist told me of how he was going to put a line in my juggler vein.  Told me of the dangers of this procedure.  I thought my this is a good time to tell me something like that.  Then they must have started the anti anxiety medicine because I do not remember anything after. 

 Husband said they didn't come to tell them I was fine until 5:30pm.  The Doc tells me I was under his knife for 4 & half hours.  And he had told my husband that the surgery didn't start until 10:30a. The rest of the time must have been prep, pre & post and then couple hours in the recovery.  I was brought to my room at 7pm.  The only pain I was concerned about at the time was pain in my right arm.  I knew it had been extended out palm up during my surgery because they asked if this would be okay. (I have a shoulder injury)  my forearm on the palm side had such an aching pain all I wanted to do was rub it.  That was hard with all the IV's......

Back in my room the nurse showed me my my pain pump button. She said it would  not dispense anymore medicine than it was allowed no matter how many times I push the button.   I told her I was not in a lot of pain from the surgery, just my arm. I remember pushing the button anytime I would remember.   It was kind of like a game. (I like pushing the envelope.)  The nurse must of saw the count on the IV,  I heard her tell my husband that she was going to "put it away for a while" (she threw it up above my shoulder).   My forearm was feeling better so I went to sleep.
 

I extensively researched  weight loss surgery for a year and a half prior to my surgery date.  Reading posts nearly everyday, web searches, reaching out to people.  I knew the DS-BPD was the one for me from the moment I read about it. 
Where as the RNY I could not get as excited over...The problem with the DS-BPD is trouble finding a surgeon.  We have 2 big baratric practices in the city I work in but neither does the DS-BPD.  I found a surgeon who was 2 hours away.  I didn't know if I could pull that off..... But I just put my determination hat on and went thru the process unfamiliar territory and all!    

I was overweight by the time I was eight or nine.  Up until that point my parents were worried that I didn't eat enough.....   Something changed quickly with my weight even though I didn't not eat anymore.   We did not have a terrible amount of junk food growing up.  Can of soda here and there that I would have to share with my brother.  Candy occasionally.  Other than that pretty normal.  I did not eat volumes of food. Although I was accused of doing so.  That was frustrating and play a whole other mental toll on me my lifetime.  

 Around puberty I remember eating ice cream almost every night to comfort myself, that could not have helped. I was still very active with recreational swimming, walking & riding my bikes miles here & there, to friends house etc,. In the 6th grade  I enrolled in WW (one of my many enrollments in WW.)  I lost 20lbs here and there.  (gained 20 lbs here & there too). I enrolled at the country club for aerobics, didn't really loose any weight.    At 15 I got a job busing tables.  I lost some weight.  At 16 I added cigarettes to that.  I lost some more weight.  Around 18 I tried Nutrisystem lost some weight,  I added in cigarettes. Lost some more weight and felt good. Sad that you have to starve, exercise and eat next to nothing to be thin. Or what felt thin to me. Weight was somewhere around 200lbs ?  

Weight didn't stay gone for long, 2 years later I got pregnant, boy did I GAIN SOME WEIGHT! 
I stopped counting the pregnancy weight gain at 78lbs.....to traumatic.   I had a 10lb healthy baby boy.  I went home from the hospital weighing the same as when I was carrying him!     How could that be?

I spent the next few years of my life constantly going up & down.  Its all a big blur.  Many exercise and diet attempts I cant even begin to track.   To many weight fluctuations to keep track off.  I do know that I have never been the weight I should be which is 125-150lbs.  Closest I was to that was probably around the Nutrisystem, cigarettes, aerobics days at 18 years old.  I had gotten by weight down to 175lbs (for a day or two : )   My boyfriend/1st husband told me I was fat.still. ( Now I am thinking to myself; want to see some fat, how about  302lbs!  )

After the baby the story doesn't change much.  I would guess my range was 225-300lbs. Diet & exercise attempts galore.  Then boughts of giving up in between.  I had another child 10 years after the first with my second husband.  My second husband has never called me fat.  He supports my weight loss efforts, or not, whatever I decide to do seems fine with him.   He will love me fat or skinny.