Kerry A.

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Today is September 1.  On June 1 I had my surgery.  I'm down over 55 pounds now and I can't believe the weight loss.  Today I weighed 201.8. I am so close to beating 200!  

The problem is that I have not been able to advance to solids. I try meat.  I try softer solids.  When I do I get a stuck feeling in my chest and there's nothing I can do but vomit it up to relieve the pain.  Last week I had an upper GI to see if I have a stricture.  The doctor doesn't believe I have one.  I think there's something wrong.  Why can't I eat yet?  I am able to take crunchy foods sometimes but chicken or beef absolutely not.  I tried staying away from mashed potatoes because of the starch but I have them regularly now so I can get in some calories. 

I have slim fast  and yogurt every day.  I strive for 60 mg of protein every day but am lucky to get in 45-55. 

I'm not hungry.  I don't desire food but I know I need it and when I don't eat for awhile I start feeling "dry".  

Overall, I feel good, even great about the weight loss.  My blood sugar is much better. My weight is good. I wear size 16W pants.  But the food thing is not going well and I hate that alot.  I take comfort in the fact that others I know who had bariatric surgery are eating later.  So I hope I will be able to as well. 

That's all. 

I went back to work on Monday.  From the beginning the Dr. said I would miss three weeks from work.  So that is what I planned on.  I have to say that returning to work after three weeks has not been easy.  My boss and my company have done all they can to help.  They're wonderful.  I had planned to go back to work full time.  It turned out that I have been working about six hours each day and coming home to nap and rest in the evenings.  Today, finally, I went out to the grocery store to pick up dog food.  Otherwise I haven't been out at all this week. 

I have been having a really hard time eating.  I haven't really advanced to pureed and I haven't been getting anywhere near 60 grams of protein each day.  I started working on the protein this week and today I managed to get into 57 grams. 

Overall, this has simply not been a good week.  It sucks, really.  I hope next week will be better. I hope this weekend will be better. 

I cannot say that it has been easy.  I have food cravings.  I want things.  I'm not hungry and I haven't gone hypoglycemic since the surgery two weeks ago today. I have lost 18 pounds which is a nice weight loss. I enjoy losing the weight but for big folks like me, 18 pounds doesn't show too much. 

All my incisions including the drain site have now healed. I no longer feel like a "sick" person. The drain site was the worst.  Having the drain in was painful.  Having it removed was painful.  The drain site was painful for about five more days after the drain came out.  Wednesday I went to see my PCP and he took a look at the site and told me it was looking fine. 

Let's see.  Wednesday was day 12.  I really felt that Wednesday was a turning point for me. I begain feeling better and having more energy.  I started taking flintstone's children's chewable multi vitamins for my vitamin supplement [2].  I just went on the bariatric advantage site and ordered some cinnamon flavored calcium.  I think I may try a sample of their MVI next time I order something. 

Overall, I think I'm in a pretty good place.  I am feeling good. My energy is returning.  I am scheduled to walk in a 5K walk on 6/24 and 7/8.  I hope I can do it!

K

I had the surgery 9 days ago.  I think I"m doing pretty well. I am dealing a lot with fatigue.  Last Wednesday when I went for my first post op visit I had lost 7 pounds which is very good for one week.  I didn't get the drain removed because it was draining too much to suit the surgeon [over 100cc per day].  So I went back in on Friday and they pulled it out.  

I am glad my surgeon puts in a drain. I know it's a kind of insurance policy against infection.  I sure was glad to get it out though.  It really was bothering me.  The main source of my discomfort postoperatively. Now I feel free again.  Having that drain out really helps my movement. 

I have been walking some every day.  Not as much as I want to, but some.  I find that I am very fatigued.  Yesterday [Saturday] I walked the dogs, cleaned the kitchen, took an old basketball goal to the dump. and played one game of duckpin bowling.  That was it for me.  I rested for the remainder of the day. 

OH!  my weight.  I now way 244.4.  So I have lost approx. 14 pounds since surgery.  Not too shabby. 

Overall, I'm doing okay with the eating.  More on that later. 

K

Tomorrow we'll see if I lost any weight yet.  I'll also get rid of this drain that is dragging me down.  I'll be glad of that.  So far I find myself to be pretty tired most of the time.  I have pain from time to time from the drain but otherwise no pain problems. 

I'm crossing my fingers that I go under 250 tomorrow.   

K

Okay, it's done.  It is now Monday and I had my surgery last Friday.  I came home on Sunday morning and was very happy to get home.  I am healing well but I get tired real easy.  My biggest complaint is my left shoulder.  Dr. M says it must have been positioned weird on the OR table.  I have more pain from that shoulder than anything else.  2nd I have pain from the drain site.  That will end soon.  Wednesday I will go and see Dr. M and I will have the drain removed then. 

So far I haven't lost a hundred pounds.  I keep hoping I will wake up and it will be gone.  Not so far!

K

 People keep asking me if I'm excited or if I'm scared.  I think I am oddly resolved. I am looking forward to the change I have to go through to get to the other side. I don't know if I really believe there will be a new me.  I think the fears I have reside with whether I will lose the weight and whether I will keep it off rather than fears of the surgery itself.
 I find myself perusing this website almost every day looking at the before and after photos in an effort to convince myself this will actually happen to me.  What a thought. Me at a normal weight.  
  I have begun to say that my weight loss goal is 150 pounds.  I seriously mean it that I want someone to say to me just one time in my life that I am too thin.  In addition, I am certain I will gain some weight back after losing so I would like to be at a good place to do that. 
  Even as I write this I wonder if I am setting myself up for failure.  If I don't lose 150 pounds, am I a failure?  I have to think about that one and consider my goal loss.  Either way I am doing this on Friday and the roller coaster begins.

My surgery date is two weeks away now.  I'm still pretty much eating everything in sight.  I plan to reduce the carbs dramatically this weekend and kind of glide into the surgery that way.  Pretty much my emotions are calm now.  I don't feel really scared about the surgery like i once did.  I just want to get it done so I can get started "on the other side".  

Just about every day I go on to this site and look at before and after photos.  Sometimes I go to the websites of folks to read their stories.  Today is May 6 and my pre op appointments are 5/15.  I have no way been eating right. Carbohydrates are not my friend, never have been.  They are my addiction and I love them.  In fact his morning I had breakfast potatoes for breakfast.  My diabetes is not doing so well with all these carbs.  Just like every day of my life I wake up saying that this is going to be a new day but it rarely is.  I sure hope I can use this surgery to overcome a lot of these eating issues. 
 
I ordered a food journal and some books to read from Amazon that should come this week.  I sure do need the support.  I still have major doubts that I am going to be able to do this thing. 

K

I have had such a time getting the surgeon's office do simply do what they say they will do with regard to scheduling the surgery.  Finally today after calling twice I got a date!  At first I was upset about it because it conflicts with my partner's vacation at work but the office said there was  no way to make a change. So I spoke with my boss and she said we should go for it.  Now we are!  Six weeks seems like it's a long way off, but I bet it will go quickly.