lisa2010

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It's just not in my nature to keep up with stuff like this!  Even when I was a kid/teen, and kept a diary - I generally only wrote when I was upset about something, never when things were going well.  Life takes up too much of my time when it's good!  I do want to keep a record of my WLS journey, though, and hopefully help someone else down the line, so I'll try to post at least occasional updates.

I'm now almost 6 weeks post-op.  It took a solid 3 weeks for me to be completely back to my normal energy level and feel like myself, but things are great now.  I've dropped 3 clothing sizes, and 54 lbs total (around 35 since surgery).  My 4 week followup with my surgeon was switched to the Physician's Assistant, who I've seen many times before - I was happy to see her rather than the surgeon who I barely know.  She was happy with my progress and with my healing, and basically said to just keep doing what I'm doing.  

A few days ago, I had a follow up with the Dietician.  She too had all good things to say :-)  We talked a little about vitamins; apparently I'm not the first person to tell her that TwinLab changed their formula for the calcium citrate wafers, and they taste awful now.  She suggested Bariatric Fusion multi-vitamins, which I'd have to take 4x/day but they contain the calcium and B12.  The only thing I'd need to take separately is my iron.  She gave me samples, which weren't bad... I may give them a try.  Those are what the Physician's Assistant (also post-op RnY) take too.  

I brought my "Mad Hectic Oatmeal" to ask about, and the Dietician said it was great.  She asked me to bring the package bag when I'm done with it, so she can recommend it to other patients!  I am very happy not to be eating eggs every day :-)

A few things she told me about my eating at this point:
Because I'm getting enough food in consistently, I should not be on protein shakes anymore (I'm not).
I still can't have beef, lamb, or pork (not until 4 months out), and I should hold off on raw vegetables (don't like them anyhow)
Other than that, I can basically try anything.  Obviously I still need to make good choices, do protein first, pay attention to my body, and stop eating when I'm full... the things that apply forever.  But I don't have to worry about whether certain foods are "allowed" anymore!

I now eat 3 oz protein at every meal (or equivalent - breakfast is a little different, but it's 20g protein, one way or another - egg, turkey bacon, cheese, or sometimes Mad Hectic oatmeal made with milk).  Then I can have a serving of cooked veggies, or fruit (haven't tried any fruit yet, but I've had the broccoli I was missing!).  AND, I can have starches, if I still feel like I have room for it!  I'm not eating many carbs, since I don't have much room at all after the protein and veggies... but I had taco meat with cheese the other day, and ate ONE shell with it (broken into pieces).  It was so good!  I also had a few bites of cous cous with dinner (in addition to turkey and broccoli, of course!).  It really makes me feel more like I'm eating actual meals, now that my meals are complete :-)  

I know this honeymoon period of quick loss will end, but I'm loving it for now!  I'm hoping to hit my goal within a year... 84 lbs to go, so we'll see!  Next goal is to get under 200 lbs - 24 lbs to go!

I'm doing ok.... still not sleeping on a normal schedule as you might guess by this 3am message lol!  Things went GREAT in the hospital.  I went in at 10:15 Monday, with surgery scheduled at noon but they were running around 30 minutes late.  It was around 4 when the surgeon called my mom to say that he was finished and they were just stitching me up.  When I woke up in recovery, the nurses were wonderful and I really didn't feel anything.  I waited a while before my room was ready, but they let my mom visit and bring me my bag.  I think it was around 8:00 when went to my room.  They have all private rooms at that hospital, which was a big deal for me since I wasn't awake/asleep at normal times - being under anesthesia most of the day has the effect of finding you awake at midnight.  

I woke up with a catheter, an IV in my left hand and an additional needle in my right where they *could* hook up or put something in if they needed, oxygen going into my nose, and a drain coming out of the right side of my stomach.  The oxygen came off on Monday night, IV and catheter on Tuesday, drain on Wednesday morning.  The catheter was the most annoying, but didn't actually hurt... the IV needles bothered me a bit but not badly. I had a morphine drip, but I didn't even remember to press the button as often as I could at first (I think it was every 6 minutes that the light came back on and it would work).  I walked a tiny bit down the hall Monday night.

Tuesday morning I had a friend visit, and we walked all over the place - went down to the gift shop and the chapel, and even after she left every hour or two I was doing laps around the floor.  My mom and daughter visited at night, and I enjoyed being able to walk them out to the front door of the hospital.  I think I was disconnected from the IV by then - I don't remember my daughter asking about the tubes coming out of me :-)  I slept a LOT on and off, but I was pretty mobile while I was awake, although I was more shuffling down the hall than actually walking.  Once they disconnected the IV, they started giving me liquid percocet ("Roxicet"), which is what they discharged me with.  Tuesday morning I was cleared to start my liquid diet (Monday was only ice chips and a sponge on a long stick to wet my mouth).  They brought me breakfast, lunch, and dinner - each a tray with a cup of broth and a container of jello.  I drank the broth, only had one jello then wasn't interested.

Wednesday morning a medical student checked on me at around 5:30, then a doctor from my surgeon's team came a couple of hours later and approved me to be released.  I filled my prescription for Roxicet and picked up my Prilosec in the hospital's pharmacy, and I was home by noon.  

I was mostly ok Wednesday, slept a lot.  I didn't even track my fluid that day (my urine had been getting measured just hours before, so I assumed I must be ok for the time being), and I had no protein.  I took my Roxicet every 4 hours to the minute.  Thursday I started logging my intake... I got 16.5 g protein and 53.65 oz fluid in.  Still taking Roxicet every 4-5 hours.  By Friday I was in a LOT of pain, and pretty unhappy... that's when I hit my "what have I done to myself" stage.  Cried for the first time, had a day-long pity party.  I did get in 40g protein and 28oz fluid.  Saturday was better, I was very sore in the afternoon but I'm sure that's because I didn't take any meds.  I had a friend visiting at noon and I wanted to try to be awake all day.  I pulled it off!  Only 36.5g protein, but I managed 60oz fluid AND I walked down to a BBQ place on the corner, got lunch for my friend and daughter, and sat at the table drinking my broth and protein powder while they ate.  I had picked up some pastry at the grocery store on Friday, and my friend enjoyed that with coffee while I had water.  It was so nice to have a normal conversation, mostly not even about WLS!  I did end up taking some Roxicet around 4PM, but stayed awake anyhow, and after she left I made dinner for my daughter which I had with her - lipton chicken soup, and I just didn't put any of the noodles in my cup.  Again, good to feel normal!  Watched a movie and went to bed before 8pm.

Today I have a lot going on... church this morning (someone is nice enough to pick us up, then bring me home after mass and bring my daughter home after CCD and choir practice), then I have a meeting from 7:30 - 10:30 pm.  I plan to take my Roxicet and a long nap and hope for the best.  I do want to wean myself off it, as I can start driving tomorrow but only if I'm not taking pain meds.  I'm hoping to go back to work on Thursday, but I'll see how I'm feeling.  My followup appointment is Wednesday.  Wednesday night I'm also volunteering at my daughter's play rehearsal... I'm trying to rejoin my normal life, slowly at least!  I still feel very sore, and I'm not yet used to what I feel like when I'm full versus the more constant achyness.  I'm on day 6 now, and hoping to make today the day I get my full 60g protein in.  I'm looking forward to eating my first food on Tuesday (an egg!), and actually looking forward to my follow up when I'll 1) get weighed, and 2) make sure I'm doing ok.  

Well, today was my final appointment before surgery.  I'm down to 259.3 lbs!  I actually asked if the scale was wrong, because I was *sure* I was a few pounds more.  It was a full morning of appointments, as I had my bloodwork done, an EKG, met with the surgical nurse, and with the anesthesiologist, then had a final appointment with the bariatric surgery department nurse practitioner. 

Tuesday, as I mentioned, was a required class.  There were 6 of us in the class, all with RNY in the next couple of weeks.  The first hour was with the Physician's assistant, who I have been seeing since August.  She gave us a lot of information about what to expect the day of surgery, as well as going over the rules leading up to that day (no vitamins for 2 weeks prior, only clear liquid from midnight on, nothing at all 2 hrs prior).  She also gave us a special soap to cleanse our abdomens with 2x/day for the 2 days prior to surgery, and she gave us prescriptions for the two medications they put patients on immediately after surgery (one is to prevent gallstones; I had my gallbladder removed years ago, so I don't have that one).  

The second hour was with one of the nutritionists.  She was not the one I've been seeing, but I like her a lot and might ask to see her in my follow up appointments.  She went over the program for eating after surgery.  Most of the discussion centered around protein.  I did learn that I'll start protein shakes the day I get home from the hospital, and will be on clear liquids and 2 shakes per day for the first week.  I need to choose a protein drink with 20g protein/100 cal/low sugar and far.  My info packet had 5-6 suggestions, I'll choose one to try first soon so I have it in the house when I get home.  We learned that we'll be on liquids for 1 week, then on day 8 we will start introducing soft foods.  An egg that morning will be my first bite of food post-op.  Once we're taking in 20g protein at each meal (3x/day), two things happen: first, that's when fruits and vegetables can be introduced.  Second, we will start weaning off the protein shakes.  I have a long way to go to that point, but I'm a planner and it's helpful for me just to have the information in advance.

Then, Wednesday morning I had my pre-op appointments, which were basically uneventful.  Today is my last day at work before my surgery; then Christmas, the week off, New Year's, and I'll be ready!  

Today I go in for a required 2-hour class.  I believe this will teach me what the requirements are post-op as I ease back into eating food.  We'll be with the Physician's Assistant for an hour, then with the nutritionist for an hour.  I'm looking forward to getting the info, as I've been thinking of all sorts of questions over the last week and I want to ask them!

I also kind of feel like today is my day of reckoning; I am on day 9 of the HMR liquid diet, BUT I cheated over the weekend and I'm a little nervous about getting on the scale.  I didn't eat much, but I did have 4 cocktail meatballs, 2 small pieces of cheese, 3 crackers, and half a slice of bread on Saturday.   Then Sunday, I had 2 pieces of cheese, 2 crackers, and small piece of french bread.   I was doing well before that, I had lost 7.6 lbs since my Dec. 1 appointment, so I'm hoping I'm still on track.  I can't decide whether to tell them that I cheated; if my weight loss is as they expect, maybe I shouldn't mention it?  I'm scared of doing anything that would cause them to delay my surgery.  

All in all, I'm optimistic.  I'm looking forward to Christmas and my week off (although, I suspect it will be harder to stay away from food when I'm not working), and starting to think about what to bring to the hospital.  I'll update either tonight, or tomorrow after my pre-op physical.

Today is my 5th day on the HMR liquid diet.  I have my required class with the Physician's Assistant and Nutritionist on Tuesday, and I'm now actually looking forward to it: I KNOW I've been doing what I'm supposed to, I know I'm on track with my pre-op weight loss, and I welcome the chance to ask the many questions that are popping up. 

I don't have a scale at home, because I obsess about it when I do.  My mom does have one, and I was there on Wednesday night.  I've lost 6 lbs since December 1st!  I'm sure most of that was in those first few days on the liquid diet, so I'm happy to be going back there tonight so I can see where I am now.  I've checked a couple of times, and my mom's scale matches the doctor's, so I trust the numbers.

The HMR diet has gotten a little easier.  I've experimented a little with the shakes, making some hot, some cold, some with ice in a blender.  I've been adding a small amount of sf ff pudding mix sometimes, and a few frozen berries or a bananna to others.  They usually do fill me, although they don't keep me satisfied for more than a couple of hours at most.  I drink lots of water, and let my hunger remind me that I'm on the right track.

That's all for now... I'll post more over the weekend!

I just joined this forum yesterday, and I think it might be a good idea to put my thoughts in writing so I can look back later and also to possibly help someone else at some point.  I'm scheduled for RNY Gasric Bypass on January 3rd, 2010.  In May, I went to an info session at Lahey Clinic in Burlington, MA.  I go to Lahey for all of my health care, so I only considered for a moment having wls elsewhere.  Not only is it the hospital I'm most comfortable with, but it's convenient (less than 15 min drive), making it easier to do all the pre- and post-op appointments, and more likely that I'll stick with the monthly support groups.

I had my first appointment on July 6, 2010.  I met with the Physician's assistant, Dietician, and Psychologist.  I was nervous about all of it!  I quickly found that I qualified with no co-morbidities, that I passed the psych eval, and that they supported my decision to go with the bypass (I suspect they would have been just as open to doing the band, but I knew from the beginning which I wanted).  I also learned that my insurance is one of the easiest to deal with; no waiting period, no medically supervised weight loss - they sent the paperwork off and had approval long before *I* was ready.

For a couple of months, I had a hard time getting started.  I needed to lost 15-20 lbs before surgery, and I honestly just didn't start trying.  When I went back for my follow up in late August, I had not lost anything.  I did meet the surgeon that day, so it was worth going... but I knew that I needed to get on track!

In early November, I was cleared to schedule the surgery.  I did the 4-week required behavioral modification group class in November, which I found helpful in part because it made the whole thing seem more real.  My surgery date was scheduled; a couple of weeks later than I wanted, but I was happy to know when it would be.  

I struggled with the pre-op weight loss... I think in the back of my head I was focusing on the fact that after the surgery, I would not be able to eat like I had been, so I had a lot of days of thinking "better have this while I still can!".  As of my December 1 follow up, I had only lost a few pounds.  That earned me an extra week on the liquid diet (they normally do 2 weeks, I'll be on it for 3).

And that's where I am now.  On Monday, I started the HMR 500 liquid diet; I can have 5 packets per day (chocolate, vanilla, or chicken soup), plus at least 64 oz of water.  The first 2 days were really hard!  I''m excited about the surgery, although I'm just now starting to worry about all kinds of things.  I suspect that being hungry is making me emotional, which results in freaking out about EVERYTHING.

94 shakes to go, then I'll be starting the first day of the rest of my life!