Long time no update!
So I realized I hadn’t updated in a reaaaaally long time. My weight loss ticker is also incorrect because of this. :- I will update that soon (hopefully)…
Bad (and embarrassing) news: I regained a few pounds. 😦
Good new: I’ve lost some once again. 🙂
I had nearly gotten down to my BD (before Damian [my 8 year old]) weight by Christmas day. But then I gained almost 20lbs back during Damian’s winter break. During this time, I was walking MUCH less and my eating was not so great. I wasn’t eating more (still am not), just wrong things. I could have (should have) made better choices. Point is: I gained back 20lbs quickly. Although I am, for the most part, back on track… the weight just isn’t coming off as “easily” anymore. It’s taking alot longer and requiring alot more work now.
I have yet to get back to my Christmas weight, but my goal for the summer is to get back there. I am still 100lbs down from two summers ago and 82lbs down since surgery day… and that is awesome. But, I will feel so much better once I reach this mini goal…
Numbers… so far:
Weight lost since high weight on 06/07/10 (24 months ago): -99.4lbs
Weight lost since pre-op on 11/01/10 (17 months ago): -90.0lbs
Weight lost since surgery on 11/23/10 (16 months ago): -81.6lbs
1 year surgiversary!!
It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year already. My 1 year surgiversary was this past Wednesday, November 23. My surgery last year was TWO days before Thanksgiving! I remember sitting at the table with everyone last year, but not eating ANYTHING. I was on clear liquids at the time, being so soon after surgery.
This year, I had a “normal” Thanksgiving dinner, just a MUCH smaller portion! I did still have some pie, but was not able to finish my slice. Yay! I have lost quite a bit of weight this past year, but I still have quite a ways to go.
I’m also realizing that no matter how much I lose in my stomach area, there will always be loose skin left there. :- Ideally, I would get plastic surgery (tummy tuck, boobs, etc) but unfortunately, I don’t have an extra 25 grand laying around. 😦 I think I’m ok with it though. Maybe. I’m not even sure yet. Just glad I made it one year post-op. Looking forward to many more….
Numbers… so far:
Weight lost since high weight on 06/07/10 (15 months ago): -111.2lbs
Weight lost since pre-op on 11/01/10 (12 months ago): -101.9lbs
Weight lost since surgery on 11/23/10 (12 months ago): -93.4lbs
9+ months post-op – 08/29/11
My 9 month surgiversary was August 23. Tomorrow will be my next (at home) weigh in. I haven’t been looking forward to weigh-in’s recently. Most have not been great. The good news is that i’m still losing weight. The bad news is that the weight loss has slowed to a super-slow-motion-crawl!
As of today, I have lost a total of 106.2lbs from my highest weight (06/07/10)… 96.9lbs from my pre-op weight (11/01/10)… and 88.4lbs from my surgery date (11/23/10)!! Check out my weekly weigh-in info under the “My Progress” link.
I had my 9 month post op follow up with the new surgeon, Dr. Brian Smith, in early August. I mentioned my bout with constant nausea, vomiting and worsening heartburn/reflux and bile. The surgeon believes it may be an ulcer and/or reflux, which is common after VSG. He prescribed me medication and said it should help with the reflux/heartburn. If this does not help with my symptoms, then let him know asap and we’d move on to something else (like an upper endoscopy). So far, it has helped some, especially in the vomiting dept. I was puking everything I ate or drank for the week+ prior to my appt. My nutritionist told me to immediately start taking a Vitamin B-50 complex, because so much vomiting depletes the body’s B vitamins, especially B1/thiamine. She also said that if the vomiting continues for 2 days in a row to immediately call and let them know! I went almost two weeks of daily vomiting. It has since calmed down since starting the ulcer medication. My surgeon believes it’s a combination ulcer and reflux because: reflux is commong after VSG, BUT, it usually happens soon after VSG surgery. Mine started several months after my surgery, pointing to an ulcer. He did not request any blood work this time. He said he would at my next appt scheduled for mid-December, unless my symtoms continue or worsen with the medication.
TMI Warning: STOP reading here if you are not interested in” well-woman appt” talk**
I also had “one of those” yearly woman exams in mid August… ten days after my VSG follow up. I only lost 2lbs from one appt to the next. But my ob/gyn was very pleased! That was the ONLY good news from that appt. Turns out they forgot to get authorization for something they were supposed to do at this appt, so I have to return, yet again, to my ob/gyn in a couple weeks! I was furious and the dr kept apologizing for their mistake and inconvenience to me. I guess it’s good so I can see how much i’ve lost since. :-
Numbers… so far:
Weight lost since high weight on 06/07/10 (15 months ago): -106.2lbs
Weight lost since pre-op on 11/01/10 (9.5 months ago): -96.9lbs
Weight lost since surgery on 11/23/10 (9 months ago): -88.4lbs
8 month surgiversary – 100lbs down – 07/19/11
So it’s been a couple months since I wrote an update. Decided to do so right now, since the end of this week will mark the 8 month anniversary of my weight loss surgery!!
I have lost a total of 100.2lbs from my highest weight (06/07/10)… 90.9lbs from my pre-op weight (11/01/10)… and 82.4lbs from my surgery date (11/23/10)!! Check out my weekly weigh-in info under the “My Progress” link.
Just a year ago, I weighed 100lbs more than I do today! On the one hand, I am thrilled to have hit this milestone. On the other hand, I think how much i’ve lost and how much more I have to lose. If my weight loss completely stopped right now, I think I would be ok with it. But ideally, I would like to lose 40-50 more pounds (76 to reach my fairytale weight…lol).
It is still a struggle but I take it one day at a time. I go to bed thanking God for getting me through that day. Then, I wake up thanking God for allowing me a chance at another day. Meal times are not that bad, but when I get hungry it feels like I haven’t eaten in days. I feel nauseas and my stomach aches rather than growls. I dry heave as well. At almost 8 months post-op, I still can only eat literally three or four bites of food and i’m full, BUT… I am hungry again within 2-3hrs! And these in-between-meal-snacks are where I could be doing better. My nutritionist recommends no more than 1200 calories a day at this point. I’ve found that when I get to 1,000-1,200ish calories a day, I go to bed feeling uncomfortable and sometimes with a stomach ache. So, I feel the most comfortable staying at around 900 calories a day. I am not even a year post-op, so I am sure my calorie intake will increase as time passes.
I remember around my 6 month surgiversay I had sort of celebrated by drinking several drinks over the course of about a week. That phase passed – the weight loss stall, caused by the alcohol, makes drinking not even worth it. Just this past weekend though, I drank again. Not anywhere near as much as last time! Two months later and the alcohol still hit me. Hard and fast. I really do not see the point in drinking anymore. The empty calories make me go over my daily calorie goal and stop my weight loss, sooooo NOT worth it!
Also, this past weekend I chopped my hair off! This is something I’d wanted to do BEFORE I had WLS. I really wish I would have done it before. Since surgery, I have lost ALOT of hair! The hair loss was at it’s worst around February/March (about 3 months post-op). It has since calmed down alot, but I no longer have a thick, full head of hair. Hopefully, it grows back nicely and quickly.
Numbers… so far:
Weight lost since high weight on 06/07/10 (13 months ago): -100.2lbs
Weight lost since pre-op on 11/01/10 (8.5 months ago): -90.9lbs
Weight lost since surgery on 11/23/10 (8 months ago): -82.4lbs
6 month Surgiversary & Issues – 05/24/11
Soooo… Yesterday was my 6 month Surgiversary!!! And today is Week 26!!
I have lost a total of almost 92lbs from my highest weight (06/07/10)… 82.5lbs from my pre-op weight (11/01/10)… and 74lbs from my surgery date (11/23/10)!! Check out my weekly weigh in info under the “My Progress” link.
It has definitely NOT been easy. Those who say weight loss surgery (WLS) is the easy way out can suck it! This is the hardest thing I have ever done. But it’s paying off. I hope it continues to go well for me. I have reached 3 of my goals so far, but I still have a few more goals I would like to reach. My next goal is to get down to my BD (“before Damian”, my 7 year old) weight.
It’s kind of weird to me that people are really noticing my weight loss. I’ve gotten many compliments. Even weirder to me is that I don’t know how to respond to these compliments when I still feel and see myself as my old (HUGE) self. I think it’s because I still have so far to go.
I’ve been getting out my old BD clothes and am shocked that not only do these things fit, but some are actually BIG!! These clothes barely even fit BD and now they’re big??
I remember around the 3 Week Post-Op mark… I was freaking out because I had hit the dreaded 3 week stall. The one that depresses you and makes you think you are the only one in the world that WLS will not work for. The stall that makes you fear you have gone through such a drastic (and SURGICAL) intervention and then 20 or so pounds is all you feel like you’re going to lose. That was so depressing. But eventually, your body gets back into losing mode. Yeah, I’ve stalled a couple more times since then. But each time I just continue to do what I’m supposed to and know that my body will respond.
On the other hand, I have gone back to some bad habits recently. As recent as not even a week ago. This is not even something I wanted to bring up because it’s shameful to admit… to myself and to the rest of the WLS community. And it has to do with drinking. I had not had much alcohol in a very long time. I’d had maybe two drinks in the past couple of YEARS. This past week, I’ve started to experiment with alcohol again. Not like I used to, but it’s still something I know I should NOT be doing!
I’ve probably had 10 drinks in the past week. Granted, I would have had 10 drinks in one day in the past. But it’s still something that I’m not proud of. Especially because I’ve been known to do completely stupid things when drunk. This is going to be what I work on for a while. I can’t turn to food for comfort, so I’m finding myself turning to alcohol. But I will find a way to control this so that I don’t ruin what I’ve worked so hard for.
Just now, I am seeing that it could actually be self sabotage. I don’t know how to handle people’s reactions and comments, much less their compliments. I am not seeing what others are seeing yet. Or maybe it’s just that I’ve hit a pretty big milestone. Or both of these combined. I don’t know!
And as few and far between as my updates have been, they will probably happen even less now. I started out trying to do an update on a weekly basis but I would just forget. I’m going to try to do a monthly update and see how that goes. I may or may not continue to do weekly weigh-ins. I’m not sure. But if I ever have anything I need to get out, I will make sure to do so here. After all, I started this blog with the sole purpose of documenting my journey for myself and no one else.
A few years down the road, hopefully I would have reached my goal weight by then, I will print all these entries out and put together a scrapbook-type of thing for myself. Sadly, this scrapbook will not have many “before” pictures of me. Being so big, I would get mad if a camera was even pointed in my direction. I still dislike the camera very much, but I take pics much more often now. I really want to look back at my journey and see where i’ve been and where I do NOT want to be again.
Numbers… so far:
Weight lost since high weight on 06/07/10 (11.5 months ago): -91.8lbs
Weight lost since pre-op on 11/01/10 (6.5 months ago): -82.5lbs
Weight lost since surgery on 11/23/10 (6 months ago): -74.0lbs
6 month post-op follow-up – 05/09/11
I had my 6 month post-op follow up a couple weeks early. The appt was more of a follow-up to my gallbladder removal surgery 3 weeks ago… and to get my lab results from last weeks trip to the lab, where they drew 10 vials of blood!
My weight was right on target with my weight on my scale at home. I lost 23lbs since my last appt in February (the 14th). And I hit the goal I had set for myself! My blood pressure was good too (100/60). My goal for my next appt in 3 months is to lose 22 more pounds. Ideally, I would like more than that, but I’ll stick to 22lbs for now.
I saw Elizabeth, the medical student, first. We went over all my stats. Then the LCSW (medical social worker). Then my dr came in (who I secretly refer to as “Dr. Hottie”), with the other dr and the medical student again. We all talked about what i’ve gone through and how i’m doing now. Was relieved to hear that it’s highly unlikely that I would get pancreatitis again in the future. My pancreatitis was caused by gallstones, and since my gallbladder has now been removed, it’s nearly impossible to get it again. He checked my incisions and said they all looked good.
Dr. Hottie wants me to go back in three months for a 9 month follow-up and more lab work (!) Then he let me know he would be moving out of state. 😦 I will need to see the new dr, who’ll be starting in July when my dr leaves. That was a shock to me. I’ve had two other drs leave but it didn’t hit me like this time.
The first of my drs to leave was a resident. His residency ended and he moved to Arizona last July (2010). This was the dr who was right on board with me regarding the WLS. He requested the initial consult with the bariatric surgeon repeatedly for me. And he referred me to be tested for sleep apnea as well
The second dr to leave was the director of the sleep disorders center, who also moved out of state (Minnesota, I think?) when the center closed last January (2010). This was the dr who diagnosed me with severe sleep aprea and restless legs syndrome.
But now this dr…. Dr. Hottie, of all people! Someone who’s operated on me… not once, but twice. Someone I feel a strange attachment to, probably because I really, truly feel like he saved my life… twice. I literally have tears in my eyes as I type this. I simply told him thank you for everything, knowing that thank you would never be enough for what he’s done for me. I asked him if we could take a picture and he said of course. He joked with me about putting it up on YouTube and I told him it was going up on my Facebook and Twitter and…
But anyway…the nutritionist then came in and I had several questions for her.
1) How many calories should I be eating now? I told her i’m still at around 800 calories a day and the manual I was given pre-op says I should be at between 1000-1200 by now! Part of it is that I still really can’t eat much, but also it’s that i’m sooooo scared to either stop losing weight or worse… gain it back! She said as long as i’m not feeling hungry and I focus on my 60 grams of protein a day, then I should be ok and 800 a day would be ok.
2) Are children’s sour gummy multivitamins ok to take, since i’m not feeling the BA chewables anymore? She would rather I stick to the bariatric ones, but if not then it’s better than nothing. Or to alternate between them. The children’s ones do not have the minerals that the bariatric ones do.
3) When will caffeine, soda and alcohol be ok to drink? Caffeine is ok. Soda is not, simply because the carbonation in it will make me feel uncomfortable. Dr. Hottie had already told me last time that soda would NOT stretch my pouch but would make me uncomfortable. Alcohol is ok in moderation. She reminded me that alcohol is just empty calories, which I know. It’s not like i’m planning on replacing food with tequila (Patron, I miss you!).
A research student then came in to ask me some questions. It was really quick and then he left.
They gave me my copy of lab results. 4 pages worth of tests they did with those 10 vials of blood they drew last week! And ALL tests came back excellent! YAY! Even my Potassium, which I’ve had trouble with.
I went over to the appt scheduler’s desk but she wasn’t able to make my follow-up appt. They don’t have the new dr’s schedule yet. She told me to call in about a month and a half and make the appt at that time. Honestly, I’m kind of scared of seeing a new dr. though. :-
Numbers… so far:
Weight lost since my high weight on 06/07/10 (11 months ago): -88lbs
Weight lost since pre-op appt on 11/01/10 (6 months ago): -79lbs
Weight lost since surgery day on 11/23/10 (5.5 months ago): -70lbs
Another long stall – 03/22/11
So my last appt with my surgeon – Dr. Hottie… LOL – was over a month ago. In those 5 weeks since then, I’ve only lost a few pounds. I lose a couple pounds, gain them back by weigh-in day (Tuesdays) and then lose and gain… those same 3-4pounds. It’s really getting annoying!
I finally managed to have a good weigh-in today. I lost 3.8lbs this week. This is following several weeks of losing only 1… at best.
I think my anxiety and depression have been worse because of this. I am obsessing over the numbers again. Because I don’t see the numbers on the scale get lower, it depresses me. I do feel some relief when I put on clothes that did not used to fit me and I’d stopped wearing for that reason. So even though my weight loss was at a stall for so long, I continued to lose inches. It’s something. I want to see those numbers going down again… soon.
I need to step it up. Walking isn’t cutting it anymore. I’m going to start using my eliptical machine again. My PCP had forbidden me from using it some time ago when I was at my heaviest. Apparently, my heart rate was high to begin with and got dangerously high when using the eliptical. Since this is not the Biggest Loser show, I don’t have a team of EMT’s and doctors standing by… just in case. I wish I did though!
I may also do a few days of liquids only, to kick start the weight loss again. Wish me luck!
Another annoying thing: hair loss!! O-M-G… it’s really coming out now! I was hoping i’d be one of the lucky ones who didn’t have that happen to… but no! I only recently started taking Biotin… I guess I should have started sooner.
Numbers… so far:
Weight lost since my high weight on 06/07/10 (9 months ago): -73lbs
Weight lost since pre-op appt on 11/01/10 (4.5 months ago): -64lbs
Weight lost since surgery day on 11/23/10 (4 months ago): -56lbs
10 weeks post-op & my second stall – February 1, 2011
I am 10 weeks post-op today. And… I’m at a stall once again. Not only did I not lose anything since my weigh in last week, but I actually gained about 6 ounces. I hope this stall does not last as long as my last one did. My last stall (first one) was at 3 weeks out/post-op and that one lasted two weeks. Weird thing is that I feel like I did much better than I did the past few weeks, yet no weight loss this week. 
All I can do is keep at it and hope that it continues to go the right way. And soon! ::sigh::
Numbers… so far:
Weight lost since my high weight on 06/07/10 (7 months ago): -55lbs
Weight lost since pre-op appt on 11/01/10 (12 weeks ago): -46lbs
Weight lost since surgery day on 11/23/10 (10 weeks ago): -38lbs
9 weeks post-op – January 26, 2011
Yesterday was 9 weeks since my surgery. 2 months. Still hard to believe.
Last week was a tough week. I had an upset stomach and migraine headaches almost every day. I didn’t want to think of, look at or smell food, much less eat food. Every day was a struggle to get something in… and I didn’t eat much. Most days (last week), I’d have around 300 calories. On Thursday I had just over 200 calories in the entire day. Normally, I have around 600 calories a day.
I have a feeling that it was my body reacting to me starting to get sick. Over the weekend my voice changed, like when I get sick and have an irritated sore throat and nearly lose my voice. I was sick with a sore throat and cold symptoms for a couple days.
This week has been better. I’m also drinking more water this week. I did attempt to get in a protein shake on Monday and that didn’t work out so well. I was barely able to keep it in. ::sigh::
I’m not sure what else I can say, since that was pretty much the entire week (my struggle with food). Hopefully it gets better from here on out. My weight loss remains the same… about 4lbs per week.
Numbers… so far:
Weight lost since my high weight on 06/07/10 (7 months ago): -56lbs
Weight lost since pre-op appt on 11/01/10 (11 weeks ago): -47lbs
Weight lost since surgery day on 11/23/10 (9 weeks ago): -39lbs
8 weeks post-op – January 18, 2011
I can’t believe it’s already been 8 WEEKS!! And in 5 days, it will be two months since my surgery. I have not been weighing myself daily (or more) like I was at first. Sometimes it’s depressing to do so, so I stopped doing it. But the good news is that i’m still losing weight… slowly but surely… an average of 3-4lbs per week.
This morning I got a call from my primary care provider I saw last time. He called me himself to let me know the results of last weeks blood draw came back normal. I didn’t actually talk to him because I was with my dad at his appt when I got the call, so I let it go to voicemail. When I called back I didn’t get an answer. I wanted to ask him what the number was, but I guess I can ask at my next appt. Just knowing that all’s well is good for now. Sooo, I can continue to not take my gross potassium drinks.
Oh, and just the fact that he called me himself and didn’t have one of the nurses or some other person in the office call me… is nice. The only other time I’d seen that is with my parent’s dr’s who call them with results or for updates. These are dr’s from Kaiser. My dr’s are not from Kaiser but I am happy with them.
Numbers… so far:
Weight lost since my high weight on 06/07/10 (7 months ago): -52lbs
Weight lost since pre-op appt on 11/01/10 (10 weeks ago): -43lbs
Weight lost since surgery day on 11/23/10 (8 weeks ago): -35lbs
mozmonq 