drnoel
327/327/175 (07/12/06) BMI 44.34327/314/175 (07/19/06) BMI 42.58
One week post-op -13#327/299/175 (07/26/06) BMI40.55
Two weeks post-op -28#327/288/175 (08/02/06) BMI 39.06
Three weeks post op -39#327/287/175 (08/09/06) BMI 39.01
One month post-op -40#327/283/175 (08/16/06) BMI 38.38
5 weeks post-op -44#327/278/175 (08/23/06) BMI 37.70
6 weeks post-op -49#327/274/175 (08/30/06) BMI 37.16
7 weeks post-op -53#327/269/175 (09/06/06) BMI 34.53
8 weeks post-op -58#327/267/175 (09/13/06) BMI 34.28
9 weeks post-op -60#327/264/175 (09/13/06) BMI 33.89
10 weeks post-op -63#327/257/175 (10/04/06) BMI 32.99
12 weeks post-op -70#327/249/175 (10/18/06) BMI 31.97
14 weeks post-op -78#327/242/175 (10/25/06) BMI 31.07
15 weeks post-op -85# 327/242/175
16 weeks post-op - 87 327/240/175 (11/01/06) BMI 30.81
17 weeks post-op -91 327/236/175 (11/08/06) BMI 30.30
18 weeks post-op -91 327/236/175 (11/15/06) BMI 30.30
19 weeks post-op -94 327/232/175 (11/22/06) BMI 29.78
20 weeks post-op -94 327/232/175 (11/29/06) BMI 29.78
21 weeks post-op -97 327/230/175 (12/06/06) BMI 29.53
22 weeks post-op -101 327/226/175 (12/13/06) BMI 29.01
23 weeks post-op -103 327/224/175 (12/20/06) BMI 29.76
25 weeks post-op -111 327/219/175 (01/03/07) BMI 28.11
26 weeks post-op -112 327/218/175 (01/10/07) BMI 27.99
27 weeks post-op -114 327/216/175 (01/17/07) BMI 27.73
30 weeks post-op -116 327/214/175 (01/31/07) BMI 27.47
33 weeks post-op -113 327/217/175 (02/21/07) BMI 27.86 +3#
34 weeks post-op - 118 327/209/175 (02/28/07) BMI 26.83
35 weeks post-op -119 327/208/175 (03/07/07) BMI 26.70
36 weeks post-op -118 327/209/175 (03/14/07) BMI 26.83 +1#
37 weeks post-op -118 327/209/175 (03/21/07) BMI 26.83
Have a surgery date penciled in, 7/12/06. My surgery date is firm. I received my approval yesterday, one week after sending in the materials. See my PCP on Friday for clearance and my Cardiologist next Thursday for his clearance. 21 days to go. Pre-op went well, but ran into a little glitch requiring a CAT Scan of my abdomen and pelvis area, should have those results by Friday. Unless something unusual happens between now and surgery, I probably won't be back here until after surgery. Thank you to all of you for providing such support. I'm back, and I haven't had the surgery yet. The situation with the problem has grown. I have had a renal sonogram after something was discovered on my right kidney. The sonogram wasn't clear enough so I am now scheduled for an MRI down in NYC. I am on hold pending clearance of this matter with the right kidney. Apparently there is something on the kidney, and it doesn't show as a cyst, hence the MRI. There are four stages to this "mass" and if it falls into the category of #1 or #2 I should get clearance for the surgery. If it falls into #3, the surgery will probably have to be put off until the problem is addressed, probably laproscopically. In the event it is #4, the kidney has to come out. I am hoping that it is #1 or #2, for the obviouls reasons. My PCP and the specialist that I now have working on this problem have been wonderful, getting me the pre-cert numbers and lining up the tests. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I do meet with the specialist on July 5th to get the information. Hopefully this will still be a go, and it gives me a week from then to get ready. I will get back here after my meeting with the specialist and let you know what has transpired. Wish me luck.
06/29/06. Just got back from my Cardiologist and got a clear bill of health from him. I do have faith in this man as he is the one that saved me when I had my heart attack in 2002. He has had other patients go this route also and he feels that it is the best for me since I have been battling my weight for many years. I'm going to the city in a few hours for my MRI, and will know next Wednesday when I go see my specialist, if I will still be having surgery on July 12, 2006. Except for the glitch with this kidney thing, it has been a smooth trip since I was approved. More when I know. Have a great July 4th weekend.
06/30/06 Had the MRI, and I was hoping that the doctor there would fill me in, but I know that doesnt happen. Generally speaking it was uneventful, except for my sheer girth. Hope the results are very clear. I know if there is a problem I will have to put off my WLS so that I can have the appropriate surgery on my kidney, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that such surgery isn't necessary and I can go ahead on July 12th. I won't know this until this coming Wednesday afternoon. 7/05/06 Visited my Kidney Specialist today and got great news. The problem with the kidney will only require monitoring (stage 2F), with no surgery at this time. This man was great with my wife, which is why I went to him. Had he said it would be necessary to go in and work on the kidney, I wouldn't have had a second thought, because that's what we would have done. Along with the good news regarding the kidney, I now have complete clearance from all professionals that I need and will be going ahead with the surgery next Wednesday morning. I have been concentrating on getting all of my ducks in a row, and will now be putting my final efforts into finding out about the hospital experience, and what is needed to make it as comfortable as possible. I probably won't be back on until I get home from surgery, so I want to take this opportunity to again thank all of you that have taken the time to send me your thoughts and prayers, they are greatly appreciated.
7/07/06 Just when I thought all was well, leave it up to Murphy to come up with something else. On Wednesday I was cleared for my surgery by my Urologist. He spoke with my surgeon and said that he would FAX the materials (dr's clearance report and a copy of the MRI). On Wednesday that didn't happen, and I got a call on Thursday telling me that the items hadn't arrived, so I called the urologist's office and left a message to have the materials FAXED, they weren't. I received a FAX this morning from my surgeon's office telling me that they still hadn't received the materials and that they were needed ASAP. Both times that this had happened, my surgeon's office also called my Urologist's office. I called my Urologist's office again, and even sent a FAX, sent an e-mail which the doctor responded to almost immediately, and he told me that it would be done. As of this time no materials have been received in my surgeon's office. Getting kind of late to do much else, I just hope this glitch doesn't mess up my surgery. I have to admit, this is the first time that I have had to do so much leg work to have a procedure. Keeping my fingers crossed.
7/08/06 Hooray!! My surgeon's office has the paperwork from my Urologist. It's always so much fun when Murphy rears his head. We're back on target for the Wednesday surgery, unless of course, Murphy has something else up his sleeve between now and then. I use to love riding roller coasters, but this type of ride hasn't been as much fun. Hopefully I won't be updating this profile until after surgery. Keeping my fingers crossed that there are no more glitches. Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers.
7/11/06 Twenty hours from now I will be on the path to losing. I wanted to take one last opportunity to express my gratitude to all of you for your suggestions, thoughts and prayers. God Bless.
7/19/06 I'm home from WLS and sort of up and about. Had surgery on 7/12 and came home 7/17. I had received a call the night before surgery to come in early so I could have an earlier surgery. Since I was all for getting it over, I made arrangements and arrived at the hospital at 6:45. My surgery started at 9:50, even later than my originally scheduled time, that two hours of sleep I could have had was sorely needed after surgery. The surgery itself went well, but I then waited in recovery for more than six hours for a room, the inn was really crowded. My first night post op was wonderful because my family was with me, and the nurse was wonderful. Didn't do much for the first two days, made sure I walked and took drugs for pain relief, which encouraged sleep. I stayed in my original room for two days, and was moved from it to accomodate a patient that needed it more than me. Only problem, TV and phone didn't follow me. I was told that it would be taken care of, and it was the next day when I did it myself. I had hoped to go home on Saturday, and when I woke up I didn't feel to bad, but as the morning evolved, I started feeling worse and worse. When the doctor came in to discharge me I must have caught his attention, because we then set up a discharge for Sunday. With the exception of brief walks, I spent most of the day sleeping, but it seemed to have helped. I was much better on Sunday. It was wonderful to sleep in my own bed Sunday night.All of my questions were not answered at discharge, but I have a call into my Doctor's office to get them resolved. This is my first day up and about, and I will be stopping this shortly as I walked before I did this, and I am still working on getting my lungs clear.I have to admit, I had anticipated some of the situations that were going to occur, including Hospital Layover. The pain was not excrutiating, but nothing to laugh at either. One thing that I didn't expect was the discomfort from coughing and sneezing. Both of these are necessary to help clear your lungs, but the sharp pain initially experienced had me trying to hold back as long as I could. The nurses taught me the trick of holding a pillow to my stomach when I needed to cough or sneeze, as the little extra pressure helped. I have lost 13 pounds this first week, and would have my problems solved in a matter of months if I could continue at this rate, but I know that's not going to happen. I am in this for the long haul. I will post more about my experieince later as I am getting a bit tired. Thank you for your support.
7/20/06 Some more on my hospital stay.For some reason I went through 3 IV Pumps, with the last one taking two hours to replace without having a source of fluids. I had mentioned on the 4th day that my hand with the IV in it was tender and swollen, but I was told that was normal. Early in the morning of the 5th day they removed my IV because my hand was swoillen like a balloon, hurt a lot, and I couldn't move it. Generally speaking, my hospital stay was good, but it could have been much better save for the glitches in care. Logistical problems in a hospital can be corrected easily, but medical care is the main reason you are there, and should be monitored to insure that it is provided.
7/25/06 First time back on line. Just some updated info. Still on clear fluids, but I go to "Mush" tomorrow. Looking forward to sinking my teeth into something. Strangely enough, I don't feel hungry. I do remember being "starved" the 3rd day home from the hospital. I have been trying to get my 10 minute walks in, but I fatigue easlily, and am only up to about 8 minutes, but will continue to work on it. Did much better in the cooler weather, but now that the heat's back it seems to be a catalyst for the onset of fatigue. Due to weigh myself tomorrow, which will be my 2 week anniversary. On the bright side of things, I received my Hole in One Certificate from the PGA yesterday for making my first ace on the Sunday before my Surgery, it only took 13 years. One of the fellows that I was playing with has been playing for more than 30 years, and has never had one, so I do not plan on making a big deal out of it, because he is a friend. Having extreme thirst problems, but I believe they are tied to the sodium in the broth that I have been drinking (even though it's low sodium). No more pain coughing or sneezing, and have the breathing tool almost at max. I do know that I've lost 5 inches around my belly in two weeks, now only a mile to go.
7/29/06 Just another update. I'm now on pureed food, just delicious, but then again, much better than clear liquids. I am having a mixed bag with this part of the diet. Had some fish w/string beans and it tasted pretty good. I had measured it carefully (less than two ounces), thought I ate it slowly, but was very uncomfortable, sat in my recliner for about 1/2 hour, and the pain went away. Had the same reaction to 1 oz. of oatmeal. No problem with a scrambled egg. The only things that seem to work well right now are protein shakes and applesauce. Even after minimal exercise I am very tired, no muscle aches, but breathing is a problem, perhaps when the temperature drops it will get better. I've lost close to 10% of my body weight in 2 1/2 weeks, so this may be contributing to the fatigue factor. Seeing Dr. in 2 weeks.
08/02/06 Now three weeks post op. Still tired, still having a hard time getting my water in, but the pureed diet is definitely better than the clear liquid. I got a phone call from my surgeon's office today and my appointment has been moved back two days. My blood pressure is now in the 105/65 range, so I asked the nurse about this and she said it was normal due to the weight loss. I am a bit light headed (my pressure used to be around 140/85). The heat and humidity are terrible, so I have to limit my activity. I seem to be feeling a bit better, but definitely not up to snuff. Some say that it can take quite a while before that happens. Going to close for now. Have a great day!
08/09/06 Now one month post op. Only lost one pound in the past week, so I may be in one of those plateau periods. My cardiologist has stopped a couple of my heart medications and I am feeling better already, was having a problem with low BP. Still on "mush", but get off of it next week. I am having difficulty getting all of my water in. I am also careful with how much I eat, but on occasion I must eat to fast becasue I feel it. Eating to fast was one of my concerns before I had the surgery, becasue I was always rushing someplace. Haven't had any bad experiences yet, but it is uncomfortable when you eat to fast. I will be weighing myself less frequently now that I've made the first month. Seeing how this is a marathon and not a sprint, I don't feel it is wise to measure frequently to the point of frustration when the numbers stop or even reverse direction.Seeing my surgeon this Friday, and have a list of questions. Did develop some constipation and was told that this is normal, put me on Metamucil and it seems to be helping.I will probably be signing on during the anniversay day when I check my weight, unless something else comes up that may be helpful to others.Thank you for your support, and have a great day.
08/16/06 Started real foods today, but still can't eat very much. Takes time I guess. Still having a hard time getting my water in, its almost as if I am drinking constantly. Dr. gave me permission to have coffee, which I used to love and drink a lot of, but I am now satisfied with a 1/2 cup. Dr. also told me to not have shakes every day, only when I though I really needed it as it might interfere with my eating food. Going out to dinner for the first time tonight (our 41st anniversary), so I will see how I can do. At least it's a night out, and I will get to see how I can manage in the real world. I know that whatever I get, I will have for the next few days. This group is very helpful and continues to alleviate my concerns. Didn't have a great weight loss this week, but at that rate it would still be 12 pounds a month which is higher than the 10 pounds that I am shooting for. Come on goal.Have a great day.
8/23/06 Six weeks post op. Still finding out what I can do. On solids, but am having a bit of difficulty learning to eat slowly, but I am getting there. Had problem with protein bars, got cramps. I had tried one of these before the surgery and it tasted pretty good. From what I have been able to glean, the alcohol sugars may be the culprit, so I have stopped trying to take these, and will try Power Crunch bars as soon as they arrive, looking for a way to supplement my protein uptake. So far Oatmeal, Cherrios, Low Fat Cottage Cheese, scrambled eggs, tuna, flounder, sole and turkey burgers are agreeing with me. Still having problems with getting all my water in. I am three pounds away from being the lightest I have been in almost 20 years. I am still fatigued, but I am up to almost two miles for my walking and am doing the recumbent bike on days when walking is not an option. Am allowed back to "normal" activities, and will go to the driving range on Friday to see if I can still hit a golf ball. Hopefully all will go well with the range and I can continue playing in my league until the end of the season.Again, thank you to all on the forum for being so helpful in this journey.Have a great day.
8/30/06 Now 7 weeks post-op, but still not up to snuff, but better than last week. I am the lowest weight I've been in 20 years, wonder how long it will take to get back to my college football weight. Haven't had a chance to get into golf yet, the weather has been miserable, hopefully next week (it's supposed to rain the next 5 days). Tried my first Achieve One drink today, and I must say, it was good, best protein drink to date. I am drinking it cold as that seems to be the way virtually everybody else does, and its like a rich iced coffee. I am also eating "Power Crunch" bars (no more than one a day). These do not have any alcohol sugars in them, I was having cramps with the protein bars that had alcohol sugars in them. I seem to be getting better with eating a bit slower, and with the amount I eat, but still not where it should be. Haven't dumped or regurgitated yet. My best food so far is the omelet (1/4 cup egg beaters w/some milk, cheese and tomato), cooked in a closed pan on low heat, makes it very fluffy. Again, I have used the message board this week, and the members have been very helpful, thank you.Keep losing, and keep looking ahead.
09/06/06 Now eight weeks out and still doing well. It has been an interesting week. Finally went back to playing golf (I should have waited a bit longer, my game stunk), had fun with the crew that I play with and a good change of pace. Went out to Chili's with my daughter and her family and had some of their chili. It was a bowl, had about 1/2 and brought the rest home for lunch the next day. It tasted great and no problems. I also had part of a Chicken Wrap with some mustard on the side (about 1/2 of a half) and that too was great, and no problems. I learned something new this week. Even though I am getting good at portion control, I don't have eating duration down to a science yet. I had my first bout with eating to fast and paying the consequence. It is not something that I want to go through again. Not overly uncomfortable, but the regurgitation period lasted almost one hour. It's possible that the turkey burger was also a bit dry, even though I did add some catsup, and that may have contributed to the problem. Oh well, whatever the reason, it was a great incentive to keep closer track of my time line during eating. The Power Crunch bars and the AchievOne drinks are still going well, no apparent problems. Still having difficulty getting all of my water in. I actually thought before surgery that getting the required amount of water in was going to be a piece of cake. Live and learn.Again, I want to thank the members of the message board. Your advice and suggestions have been a god send.Stay well and enjoy you new path.
09/13/06 Lost another two pounds this week. If I can keep this up, I will be at goal in less than a year. I know that this is a marathon and not a sprint, so I will try my best to do my best, and as long as I am doing what I am supposed to, I will be happy with my weight reduction. I will not compare myself to others, but I will do all I can to encourage them in their quest. Had another issue with regurgitation last night, and again, not sure if I ate to fast, or the food was to dry. Luckily it wasn't a large portion, so it took only 45 minutes to pass, and I only spit up the white stuff, no food. Going to FLA. with my grandkids next week, hopefully I will be able to stay on task and make sure I supplement my protien.Still feeling tired. Last week I walked 9 holes of golf and I was exhausted, couldn't finish the other 9. I have also noticed that I do not have the strength that I had. In the past I could drive the ball 225-250 yards consitantly, but I am hard pressed to get it to 200 yards now. I am effectively, going up almost two clubs to match my previous results. Hopefully this will change by next year after I get involved in a gym.Can't add much else, but again, thank you to the members of this forum. God bless and enjoy your road to the new you.
09/20/06 Not a real exciting week. Getting set to go to FLA with the kids and grandkids, so I probably won't be back on here for a couple of weeks. Everything seems to be going well. Still tend to get tired, and my l/knee is still sore, but overall I think I'm doing well. Played golf yesterday, but definitely do not have the strength that I used to, I'm hard pressed to hit my driver 200 yards, and I now need an 8 iron to hit the same that I did with my pitching wedge. Oh well, the season is winding down, and I'll build myself up for next year. I'm still losing weight, and I am happy about that, but I've had to cut back on the walking due to the knee, I am doing some other things to get some activity, but I am hoping the knee gets better soon.I'm going to cut this short as I need to start getting ready for the trip. Again, and always, thank you to the members of this message board, your continued help and carring is greatly appreciated.
10/04/06 I'm back from Florida with the grandchildren. It was a great trip, albeit very hot. I did have two incidents of either eating to much, to dry, or to fast, one resulting in a full blown throw up, the other just the discomfort for about an hour and a half. I'm still in need of learning to eat out, but I think I'm getting better. I'm pleased with my weight loss, and will know better next week how I am doing internally as I am seeing my Surgeon and my Cardiologist. My Cardiologist ordered a full blood workup which I did yesterday, and I sent the results to the Surgeon and my PCP as well as my Cardiologist. I hope I am getting enough protein, but I think that will be addressed next week. Not sleeping very well, go to sleep without a problem, but about 4 hours later, I wake up, and can't get back to sleep, will discuss this with my doctors.Again, thank you to the members of this group for your continued assistance and suggestions, it is greatly appreciated.
10/18/06 Had a bout with Poison Oak and am on Prednisone, and wanting to eat everything I can. Trying to watch it, but it can be difficult. I'm pleased with my weight loss over the past two weeks, now under 250# for the first time in a long time. I do feel better, and the Predisone is helping my knee and back. Bad side of med is that it is not letting me sleep. Took my final pill today, hopefully I will start sleeping better soon. Still don't have all my strength back. Trying to clean up the basement, but don't have the strength or endurance to lift certain things. Hopefully this to will come to pass. A new store, catering to the bariatric crowd has opened in Westchester County, run by people that have actually had the surgery. I went there last week, and I plan on going back again, the web site for the store is http://www.c2linfo.com/. I'm about 18 miles away from it and I consider it worth while to visit it. I make large purchases, and the selection is great. Once again, thank you to the memebers of this forum for all the assistance and encouragement. Have a great day.
10/25/06 Now 15 weeks out, and I seemed to survived my bout with poison ivy and Prednisone. I am still pleased with my weight loss, and I know the only one that should be concerned about that is myself. It's not a race, but rather a marathon. I have been doing well with my eating, although last night I think I may have eaten a bit to much, as I didn't feel to well. Didn't bring anything up, but my recliner was a welcome place right after I ate. I'm now at the point where I am having 5 meals (actually 3 meals and two snacks). I tried a Lean Cusine meal, and it lasted two meals (salisbury steak and mashed potatoes) and I added some salsa to make it moist, very tasty. I think that once I get to 235, I will start weighing myself once a month. That's the magic number I was hired at 35 years ago, I also played college ball at that weight. I do feel much better, but I am finding out that I now have more energy, and because of that I may have torn a rotator cuff in in my left shoulder, find out for sure next Tuesday, let's hope not. For some reason I am not sleeping through the night, but I seem to sleep very well when I do sleep, just getting tired of getting up at 5:00 AM. Have been experiencing some problems with heartburn, and not sure why, happens at night, before I go to bed, and I'm not eating anything after supper, oh well, another question for my doctor. Again, the fourm members have been very helpful, and their assistance is greatly appreciated. God Bless, and stay focused.
11/01/06 Down another two pounds, am pleased, but I prefer the 5-7 pound rate. I know, 2 pounds a week is good, so I jest. Went out to eat this past weekend at an Italian rfestaurant, and in the past the food has always been good. Ordered a shrimp and chiken dish, sans the pasta. Ate about a third of it and took the rest home. It was delicious, and my fear of going out to eat is lessening. No complictions from the meal. I've tried a couple of the Lean Cuisine dinners, and I can just get them down, and I am full. there's some balance to them, and I do the ones that have the lowest carbs. Was drinking Skim Plus for my milk, but after reviewing the prices and nutritional information, I am back to plain old skim milk. This has been another busy week. I am now more active, and it may be a reason behind exacerbating a problem with my shoulder. Had to go to the ortho and will need to have an MRI, as there is something going on with my rotator cuff. I am really hoping that it can be taken care of without surgery. I still need to get quite a bit of firewood laid in, and my latest project, a 1991 Chevy S-10 pickup, need some more work (shocks and exhaust), and I will need both hands to do it. All in all, I am pleased with my progress, and am hoping that my golf game gets back to where it was before the surgery, but I won't know until next Spring.
Again, Thank you to the folks on the forums, you continue to be a big help and inspriation.
God Bless, and stay on track.
11/08/06 Down 4 pounds this week, I am surprised, but then again, I didn't eat out twice. Have tried to watch my intake, seem to be eating more, but at least its more of the good food. Not getting in 60 g of protein, but I am close to it by using supplements, particularly AchievOne. Visited C2L store again last week and stocked up on supplements (AchievOne, Cereals, and Power Crunch Bars). I am eating Tuna fish at least three times a week, Sometimes I can eat a whole can (6 ounces) and sometimes I can only eat a few bites, haven't figured out what causes that. I still get fatigued towards the end of the day, but several people have told me that it's going to take 6 months or more for my body to catch up. I went for my MRI yesterday on my left shoulder. It has been hurting since before knee surgery (April, 2006), but I've been putting it off. Now that I've lost weight, I am more active, and I think this is aggravating the problem because I want to do more. I'm just hoping that its not a torn rotator cuff. I am one pound away from the weight I was hired at 36 years ago, and that's also the same weight that I played college football at. I'm still considered obese, but hopefully I will just be overweight by this time next week (BMI ratio). As always, I continue to use the forums at ObesityHelp.com, and they are a Godsend. Thank you again to all that contribute to the forums.
11/15/06 For the first time, I have not lost any weight. Not sure why, as I seem to be eating the same foods. I did a lot of physical work this past weekend, but I don't think that is part of the problem either. Perhaps this is the famous "Plateau" that hits everybody. I will continue eating the same way I have, and will make a decision next week regarding changing the diet to encourage weight loss again. I am hoping that I do not have to do that, but, my goal is to be down 100 pounds by the end of December. I don't think that is unreasonable, but an extended plateau could play havoc with that. I must remember that even if I do hit a plateau, that my overall weight loss has been very good, and that I can't get discouraged. I will post to the forum regarding this situation. I know that Thanksgiving is coming up, but I really don't anticipate it being a problem. I'm not into sweets anymore, and while I do love stuffing and potatoes, I no longer eat these things either.
To all of you, have a Happy Thanksgiving!
11/22/06 Hooray!!! I'm not stuck anymore, I'm down 4 pounds this week, putting my weight at 232 lbs. According to the BMI charts, I am no longer obese, "just" overweight. I am happy to be on the losing side again, although I didn't change anything in my routine. Glad to hear that I don't have a torn rotator cuff in my left shoulder, but I am going tohave to do therapy for a while to see if it can be made better. Apparently I have pinched something in the shoulder, and we're going to address range of motion and strength issues. I must admit, I have been favoring the shoulder ever since I hurt it in April, which could be part of the problem. I haven't added any new foods, but have replaced the Lipton Diet Iced Tea with Crystal Lite Iced Tea, just to try and cut back on my caffeine. Back is still bothering me, and perhaps it is the bed, we're going to change some things this weekend and we'll see if that takes care of it. I still don't think that Thanksgiving is going to be a problem, but time will tell. We're having family, and it should be a good time. To you and yours, Happy Thanksgiving.
11/29/06 Oh well, didn't do to well this week. I've developed a bad habit since Thanksgiving. I have been browsing or grazing, particularly on chips. I must admit, they taste good, and go right down real easy. I had actually put on almost two pounds after Thanksgiving, thanks to my new habit. I have been trying to get back to my routine, and still have been grazing, but not as bad. I'm back to where I was before Thanksgiving, but I need to get back on track completely. I know that this is the eating season (Halloween through New Year's), so it will be a challenge. I have added one new food, Corned Beef Hash, and it seems to be going well. changed my mattress around and my back isn't as uncomfortable as it has been. I've started therapy on the shoulder, and it hurts. I've lost 50% of the range and strength since April, but we're hoping that the therapy will get it all back without the need for surgery. Have been doing quite a bit of work now that I am more active, but the cold seems to go right through me. Its not even cold yet, here it is the end of November, and the temp. is 54 degrees. It's supposed to become normal (in the lower 40's) starting this weekend. Still having some problems with heartburn, not sure why, but Tums seem to solve the problem. Oh well, back to the new life. Have a great day!
12/06/06 Down two pounds this past week, so I hope I am back on track. Three more pounds to go and I will have reached the century mark. My goal was 175 pounds, but, based on what I look like now, that may not be a healthy goal. I am beginning to think that 195-200 might be a more appropriate weight. I have lost a lot of weight in my abdomen which is to be expected, but my neck, arms and legs have also lost quite a bit of girth, and I must assume from adipose tissue. I would guess that I still have 20 pounds in the belly area, including what may have to be removed during plastic surgery, if I go for that route. Strange note, it was easier getting approval for the WLS than it has been to get approval for more therapy for my shoulder. I hope that's just a fluke, they gave me 4 visits,. and the pain and limitations are still there. I'll know better next week. Keeping my fingers crossed. Still using the AchievOne, and it is a good way to bet a little perk up as well as getting in some protein (20 g.). Having a very busy week this week, so I hope I can stay on track. Usually end up skipping or modifying breakfast, and I've found out that it does mess up the rest of the day as hunger pangs seem to be more prevalent when I haven't eaten breakfast. My primary breakfast is oatmeal, made with skim milk, and raisins. Seems to hold me over until I have the AchievOne drink around 10:30 AM. Oh well, going to close for now, until next week. I'm not going to do anything crazy or different, but it would be nice if I reached the century mark (100 pounds lost) by next Wednesday. Have a great week.
12/13/06 This will be just a quicky. I have passed the century mark, down 101 pounds. Not sure if 175 #'s is where I should be focused, but I think that 190 would be a better number. That means I would be 36 pounds away from goal. I would have to see how I look at 190, because I still have some fat on me right now, and I'd guess it's in the range of 25-30 pounds. Actually had some pasta this week, and salad (went to a luncheon and sampled a bit of everything that wasn't sweet) didn't have any bread though, that's my major weakness. I have to cut this short as I am very involved in a few other projects today. I hope to get back on next week, but if I don't, have a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and a Happy Holiday.
12/20/06 Wasn't sure that I'd be back today. Happy to report that I did lose 2 more pounds. Not sure why though. I seem to be eating more at my meals, although I am still eating the good stuff. I find that I can eat an entire can of tuna at a meal without being uncomfortable (as long as I take my time). Funny thing is, sometimes I can't eat more than a few bites of the same food, don't know why. My favorite meal is becoming a 1/2 can of Hash or Chili with a stick of low fat cheddar. Now 34 pounds from what I think will be my goal weight, although the flab around the middle seems to be sticking around maybe that 175 will be more accurate. Things aren't going as well as I would like with the left shoulder. I'm still doing therapy, and the range seems to be improving, but the pain is still there. Keeping my fingers crossed. Again, thank you to the forum and the participants, it makes this trip a lot easier. Not sure if I'll be back next week, my schedule is horrific. I do find, however, that checking once a week is good for me.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
01/03/07 I think I have survived the holidays, although I seem to be having problems with just about everything that I eat. I've thrown up 3 times in the last week, but it could have been dry food and or/spicy food. Not a good feeling. This warm weather is allowing me to get a lot done, but the injury to the shoulder is slowing me down a bit. I could have played golf this week if it weren't for the shoulder. Oh well, take care of it now, so I can play during the normal season. I had hoped to make my surgeion's support group on Jan. 9th, but my sked is still terrible. I thought it was supposed to get better when you got older. Perhaps I'm not older yet, although there are days when it feels like it. I hate to cut this short, but I'm on my way outside to do some more warm weather chores.
01/17/07 It has been very interesting this past week. I have been under a lot of stress, and some of the old habits may have encroached upon my being. I have been grazing on mostly good stuff, but some junk, and it's not good. I have lost some weight, and I have found out that there is an imbalance in my Thyroid medication which we are now trying to regulate. I haven't been sleeping to well, and have high thyroxin levels. I do not have a thyroid, so we're adjusting the amount of synthroid down over the next few monthss. The cold weather is here, and I'm not to big on it as this weight loss has gotten rid of a lot of my insulation. Therapy on the shoulder continues, but it is still very painful, although the range of motion seems to be improving. Strength and fatigue of the muscles are still issues, which I hope can be corrected. I do not want any more surgeries. Have started some projects that should help in the organization of the house, now all I need to do is finish them. For those of you on the same trek as myself, stay focused and keep up the good work.
01/31/07 I'm back. I was stuck at 216 for a couple of weeks, and my schedule was iffy at best. Hopefully I am on track again. I have been doing therapy for this rotator cuff thing, and the pain is unbelievable. Because I've had the RNY, I can't take many pain medications. I hope I am on the way to a better process for this situation. I will be getting a cortisone cocktail in the shoulder to hope with the therapy (I hope) We're pretty sure that I do not have a tear, but two of the other possibilites could lead to surgery also, so we're going to work on range and strength. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Have a great day.
02/21/07 Terrible!!For the first time since my surgery I have put weight on. It is my fault, but I obviously am still a stressful eater. The last month has been very stressful and I do not see it as getting any better. It is personal stress that I feel that I have absolutely no input to try and control it. It has gotten to the point where I feel I am getting very depressed. It has nothing to do with my weight loss. The sad thing is I am even more upset because I have had so much success to date, that this weight gain could possibly screw everything up and the surgery would have been for naught. Not sure how to deal with it. I am eating all of the wrong foods, and grazing like I have never grazed. Perhpas I am feeling sorry for myself and am attempting to compensate by eating, which is something that I have done in the past. No, I do not feel suicidal, but I am very frustrated to the point that I may want to leave home, just to get away from the crap. This situation probably won't change, in part, for at least another 2 months, and the underlying problems that were here before this situation will still be here. My stress has been exacerbated, and I may be at the point of the straw that broke the camel's back. I am going to try and stay focused, but I have sensed this happening, and wasn't able to do so. I was hoping by this time to be under 210 pounds, but back up to 217 just further frustrates. Oh well, I needed to vent, even though this probably won't be read by anybody other than myself.
02/28/07 HOORAY!! My problem was that somebody used the scale and didn't make the bottom weight clunk into position. All of that anxiety caused by my failure to check, and the other person's inablity to do the same. At least I am back on the track, and my mind is somewhat at ease. Still having problems with my shoulder, but if surgery is needed, will put it off until after the golf season. Didn't get to play much golf last year due to the surgery on the knee and the WLS.
Thank you again to those of you that aided me last week when I really needed it.
03/14/07 I think my stress may finally be catching up to me. I have put on 1 pound since last week, and strangely enough, I can feel it in my belt. I have finally joined a gym, and will start my program very slowly. Working on the shoulder primarily, but will also use machines to work on my abs and cardio fitness. I cannot due crunches or sit up as they are painful, so I will use the ab machine and start at 70 pounds with 3 sets of 25. I also started on the eliptical machine for 4 minutes. I did start to work up some heat, but I do not want to kill myself. I will keep records and progress at a decent rate. I do understand that as I increase my muscle tone, my weight may increase. I also have this miserable cold, and I seem to be eating more because of it, I hope not. I need to get back on track now that I am 8 months and 2 days out. I had hoped to be under 200 pounds by the end of March, but that may not be realistic. I have found that I can eat certain foods that I didn't think I'd be able to eat, some of which are sweets, and that is not good for me, I have to get rid of that notion. I am still on AchievOne and it does get me my protein, and I am now going to add 8 oz. of skim milk a day as it was suggested in the meeting last night. I still have a lot of energy, but my cold is sapping my strength. The shoulder is functional, but it doesn't have the full range, and therapy has stopped, hence my need to go to the gym to work on the joint. Looking forward to golf starting and am getting spoiled by the 70 degree weather. We're going to be brought back to earth by Friday and return to the more normal 40's with the possibility of snow. Spring is a comin however. I'm goiing to sign off for now, and hope that I can get back on track.
03/21/07 Still at 209, still eating the things that I shouldn't, still under stress and it seems to be increasing. Already on anti-depressants, don't want to increase dosage if I don't have to. Need things to keep me active, but have run into some problems doing that. Finally sprung for insulation for the workshop, even though my wife was not big on the idea. If I can do this project, it will chew up a lot of my time and won't kill me. I may even try to sheetrock it, unless I can get a good price to have it done. Will need to do the ceiling because the wind does blow the isulation down when the doors are open. Joined the gym and am spending a lot of time working on the shoulder, but have gotten up to 9 minutes on the eliptical machine and up to 3 sets of 80 on the abdominal machine. Can't do crunches or sit ups as they hurt to much, hopefully that will get better. Will try to work out everyday and increse the other workouts, as well as start to do some muscle toning exercises as well. Let's hope I can get my weight back on track. C'mon Spring!
07/10/07 I continue to find this forum very valuable. Sadly, I have been very busy, seems I have all kinds of energy and am doing things that I never thought of doing when I had the extra weight. My anniversary date is coming up (07/12/06) and I am pleased with the results. I am still finding out what foods I can't eat, but I knew that this was going to be a life change for me. I am down 133 pounds, and my doctor thinks that I have lost enough weight. He also thinks that I will probably put 5%-10% back on, which, from what I understand, is "normal." I was in 48" pants only 1 year ago, and I was able to squeeze into a pair of 34's the other day, I am very comfortable in 36's. I'd like to keep my weight under 200 if I can, but I won't be a fanatic. I have noticed that I can't hit a golf ball anywhere near as far as I used to, but I can also walk the course now, instead of a cart, I'll take the trade off, I'll never be on the tour, but would I really want that pressure? People I haven't seen in a while do not recognize, and sometimes that can be good. The big joke is, I don't have a butt, and I guess that can be a positive or a negative, but at my age, as long as I'm not in the obits, I figure I'm ahead of the game. For those of you looking into this type of procedure, I recommend it highly, but, do your research. I did not rely entirely on the internet. I would suggest the following:
1. Talk to people that have had it done, there are many types of bariatric surgeries, find out as much as you can about all of them from the people that have had them. This can be done with friends, or, if you have them in your area, support groups. I belong to two of them even now, and they continue to be beneficial.
2. Read books. Just make sure of the expertise of the authors. Like the internet, some of this information can be contrived.
3. Go to various surgeon's seminars. They are usually free, and these can offer insights that you may have overlooked. Don't be afraid to ask questions.
4. When you decide to have the surgery done, don't give up becasue of insurance problems. This is not a cheap procedure, and insurance companies aren't big on apying for it. Just remember, if you have decided that you really need to do this for your health, the procedure can add years to your life, as long as you are willing to accept the lifestyle change.
5. Above all, always have faith and believe in yourself. This can be a very helpful tool in getting to a healthy body, but you must continue to work at it the rest of your life, DO NOT GIVE UP! If, after surgery, you have some issues, don't be afraid to communicate them with your surgeon, or whomever you feel comfortable with. And as you progress, enjoy the trip.
