PekinSal
20 week update
Aug 25, 2008
No reason why its 20 weeks. Perhaps long enough to see if the DS is working or not!
Firstly it seems to be working - the second goal was to have lost 50% of excess weight by 26 weeks. I'll have done that by the end of 21 weeks; 58 pounds gone, and a 'success' in statistical terms already. Regardless of which surgery you have, this takes some getting used to - no diet ever worked previously after all.
And after having one surgery not be successful, it was hard to get hopeful about a second one. I had the band in 2005 and after initially losing about 30lbs everything seemed to stop. I had some restriction, but not enough, even though my 9ml band was overfilled. I was always able to keep bad food down - ice cream, cookies, chips (biscuits and crisps in the UK!), but would have problems with protein food, veg, salad and anything cold. I started to get reflux at night, which left me no time to eat early enough to not suffer later, and couldn't get the band adjusted any other way.
I tried really hard to be patient, but two years is a long time to wait for something to happen, particularly when you have over 100lbs to lose and you're going nowhere. My band surgeon couldn't help, and in the meantime my diabetes was starting to affect my eyesight - time was running out for me to lose weight.
I picked the DS because I wanted certainty, and the least chance possible of failing twice. RNY works for many people, but some need revision of their pouches and stomas, and I didn't like the risk. Only 85% of RNYers are cured of diabetes, and I didn't like that statistic compared to the 98% the DS cures. If I hadn't already 'failed' with one surgery perhaps I would have had the RNY. But when you've had one temperamental bitch of a pouch you don't rush to get another...
The surgery was awful for a couple of days, but bearable. No complications, nothing dramatic. I was off work for 8 weeks - longer than some super-human people probably, but then I wasn't in brilliant shape from the diabetes and I was feeling 90 rather than 40. I have the luxury of a good team at work and an understanding boss too, and went back on short hours for a month. I still felt really tired until a couple of weeks ago though - probably the small amounts of food.
Edited to add (because i forgot) that the main purpose (health) of the DS have already been successful. Pre-op my HbA1C blood test came in at 9, which is rubbish and shows poor diabetic control and probable damage to organs etc. My first 3 month test came back at 4.3, and is good even for a non-diabetic. I'm off all the meds, and effectively cured. My eyesight has improved to 98% from about 75%, my nerve endings in my toes are healing, and my kidney ache has gone. I also came off the blood pressure tablets this week. Miracle I think.
I started at a size 24 (22 US), and now I'm a 16 (14). Or so the label says - doesn't seem right. I'm not thinking about it too hard until I get to a size I want to stay at. Not sure where that will be. I might even dare to get excited about it 20 weeks from now...
Firstly it seems to be working - the second goal was to have lost 50% of excess weight by 26 weeks. I'll have done that by the end of 21 weeks; 58 pounds gone, and a 'success' in statistical terms already. Regardless of which surgery you have, this takes some getting used to - no diet ever worked previously after all.
And after having one surgery not be successful, it was hard to get hopeful about a second one. I had the band in 2005 and after initially losing about 30lbs everything seemed to stop. I had some restriction, but not enough, even though my 9ml band was overfilled. I was always able to keep bad food down - ice cream, cookies, chips (biscuits and crisps in the UK!), but would have problems with protein food, veg, salad and anything cold. I started to get reflux at night, which left me no time to eat early enough to not suffer later, and couldn't get the band adjusted any other way.
I tried really hard to be patient, but two years is a long time to wait for something to happen, particularly when you have over 100lbs to lose and you're going nowhere. My band surgeon couldn't help, and in the meantime my diabetes was starting to affect my eyesight - time was running out for me to lose weight.
I picked the DS because I wanted certainty, and the least chance possible of failing twice. RNY works for many people, but some need revision of their pouches and stomas, and I didn't like the risk. Only 85% of RNYers are cured of diabetes, and I didn't like that statistic compared to the 98% the DS cures. If I hadn't already 'failed' with one surgery perhaps I would have had the RNY. But when you've had one temperamental bitch of a pouch you don't rush to get another...
The surgery was awful for a couple of days, but bearable. No complications, nothing dramatic. I was off work for 8 weeks - longer than some super-human people probably, but then I wasn't in brilliant shape from the diabetes and I was feeling 90 rather than 40. I have the luxury of a good team at work and an understanding boss too, and went back on short hours for a month. I still felt really tired until a couple of weeks ago though - probably the small amounts of food.
Edited to add (because i forgot) that the main purpose (health) of the DS have already been successful. Pre-op my HbA1C blood test came in at 9, which is rubbish and shows poor diabetic control and probable damage to organs etc. My first 3 month test came back at 4.3, and is good even for a non-diabetic. I'm off all the meds, and effectively cured. My eyesight has improved to 98% from about 75%, my nerve endings in my toes are healing, and my kidney ache has gone. I also came off the blood pressure tablets this week. Miracle I think.
I started at a size 24 (22 US), and now I'm a 16 (14). Or so the label says - doesn't seem right. I'm not thinking about it too hard until I get to a size I want to stay at. Not sure where that will be. I might even dare to get excited about it 20 weeks from now...
Jan 2008
Jan 18, 2008
Waiting. 12 weeks to go. Eating too much. Doing stupid things like twanging internal stitches from lifting heavy stuff. Planning to do a little walking, take vitamins and not eat so much chocolate. From next month, definitely.
