Post by Girlrocker on May 17, 2012 9:38:35 GMT -5
Ok, 5 mos plus 2 days 
I'm the novel writer, so *warning*
In some ways it still doesn't feel that long...and in others, I feel like I've lived 3 lifetimes already. I still remember being released, meeting my home health nurse for the first time, which I arranged since I live by myself, I was a revision and had so many complications after my RNY 10 years ago. After the fast/swift approval and scheduling, my head caught up a few weeks after I got home from the hospital. In large part to basically being able to LIVE on this site during my recovery 24/7, I took an extended leave from work (5 months) fully paid, and for which I'm beyond grateful.
Food
The first 8 weeks or so I lived on about five things - protein shakes, peanutbutter, tomato soup with pureed tofu, eggs in a couple of different forms (scrambled, hard boiled) depending on what I could stand at the time, cottage cheese. I had to do low fat in the beginning, and anything with fiber killed me, but that too has all worked itself out. After years of lean, clean eating I have figured out my own balance with eating Atkins style, adding good fats and red meat daily. The only things that seem to bother me are white flour, sugar alcohols in too large doses, regular potatoes. Doing fine with all vegetables now, and even just recently started adding salads again, loaded with protein, less of the lettuce and veg, and often with spinach for lettuce instead.
Bathroom
I had major poop/diahrrea issues during the first 8 weeks, all which started to regulate closer to 3 mos. Some more adjusting as I started adding in foods. I do great with red meats, chicken, turkey sat a little harder but did ok if I made them in very moist recipes. I had to ease into vegetables, higher fiber good starchy carbs, doing fine now. Poop is pretty normal now, have occasional gas, and yep, the smell, ewwww, but then I always had bowel issues anyway. I have a purse kit for work and outings!
Labs/vites
I was anemic going into surgery, low iron of 32. Still anemic, with a hemoglobin of 10.6 and low Vit D 26.6. For anemia, not sure what the culprit is, might not be surgery related and I'm now seeing a hematologist to work that out. My iron is now 111! My cholesterol is 105, glucose 80, all around, doing great! Never had trouble getting down my vitamins except very early on iron irritated my sleeve.
Weight
I have gone from 240 to 191-193 by 4 mos out. The last month has been a true stall, not just because of my body catching up from a nice drop, and I'm a lightweight so now only 30 lbs from goal, but going deeper into the trenches of...menopause, oh joy! So for the last month and half I have had cramps, constant diahrrea, breakouts, fluid retention, unbelievably crabby, salt/sugar cravings - which somehow I've managed not to cave to beyond soy flaxseed chips and chocolate-peanutbutter or mint protein bars (usually EAS Myoplex, Power Crunch or Pure Protein, occasionally a Zone or Balance) Ladies, you know of what I speak - like perpetual PMS. I've been miserable, and still tired because of being anemic.
At one time my weight spiked up to 198, and while I knew it wasn't real weight, well, I had a weekend meltdown. Some of those fears creeping in again, I'll never get out of the bermuda triangle weight zone, never see my goal or close to it no matter what I do, ok, I'm 51, this isn't shocking of course, but why NOW...you get the picture. And then I had to slap myself back into reality. Thankfully I have a good therapist seeing me through, and, supportive people HERE, as well as a couple of friends I can confide in. I skipped a period last month, and now, it has arrived. So I imagine I will also finally see my weight dropping again too, and soon will be on hormone therapy to keep me steady.
Behavior
I am a card-carrying carb addict, my trigger foods are pizza, bread and potatoes. I've had pizza once, for a special occasion after my friend's one-man show debut. Bread I replace with non-gluten, low-carb alternatives that I truly enjoy - skinny fiber low carb pockets, blue corn/low carb tortillas, soy-flaxseed chips, my own 'bread crumb' mixture with ground almond, brown rice cracker and parmesean, baking with coconut or almond flour. I had my french fries - but they were sweet potato fries, delish! Love quinoa. I've had some wine and champagne on occasions, my birthday, a couple of special events. I keep it to a super duper minimum, it's a weight loss killer, and something I have turned to in the past when under duress, the old switcheroo of one bad habit for another. I choose lower alcohol options and limit to a glass or 2 tops. I choose to do all of this to continue to maximize my weight loss window.
As of a few weeks ago, I resumed exercise, starting out slow - up to 30 minutes of cardio now, usually on the eliptical and treadmill. Added situps, pushups and next will be light weights. I had been doing bootcamp for a year, with extra cardio, working out regularly for 15 years with cardio, free weights, spinning, aerobics, so this is very different for me, not quite like starting over, but half of what I could do before. It feels great and I'm looking forward to building up my endurance again.
For all the grief I had with my RNY, including the complications and additional surgeries, I have had a beautifully smooth revision ride. For someone who is such a blowhard like me, I still can't find the words that fully express my gratitude. My heart goes out Cathy, Jamie, Deb, who have had such a tough time.
NSVs
So, being the second time at the rodeo, 10 years of intense yo-yo dieting, weight losses/regains, visiting the bermuda triangle zone of the weight at least 3-5x (190s-205), are there still NSVs? Yes, there are.
First off, I might be 'stalled' for now, but its at 191-193. Still not as far away as I'd like, but it ain't the 2s either, so progress has been made! I know I have to dig my heels in and do the work, fight for these next 30 lbs. If they could be off within a year, great, I know it might take longer, they just need to come OFF, or very close to it.
We've been having summer-like weather here, and yesterday I walked the dogs in my capri jeans, which are falling off me, and a long tank top, flip flops, in southern California (I'm from Chicago, here 6 years); even stopped to chat with a super handsome neighbor about our dogs. I felt completely at ease. Relaxed. In warm weather, in weather-appropriate clothing, talking to a dude.
When my 5'8, 130 lbs sister was here for a week visit, she went nuts for my closet, and kept trying on clothes. Twice when we went out, she put together outfits...from MY CLOSET. I couldn't believe it, still can't.
I've become good friends with a cool lady here, who is talking about camping trips with a group that's guys/girls. I never would do trips like this before, this is still new to me, because I felt terrible about being fat, and, didn't know how I would be able to eat in front of people.
I just turned 51 and enjoying what it's like to actually feel good. It feels good to feel good. I used my extended work leave to do major good for myself - plant seeds in a career redirect, including going to school, developing websites for my own work, purchased additional tools to make this happen (netbook to take to work, printer/fax/scanner, etc). I saved a bundle my first 3 mos post-op due to not eating much, not really going/doing, so I re-purposed that money to work on getting out of debt and tackling all this. I have to return to a less than desirable boss - very toxic - but I've been gone for 5 months, our division has undergone a massive restructure, and there are boundaries - and new accelerated duties - that didn't exist before. It's a solid paycheck and benefits which will be the conduit for the other things I want to do in my life. I feel like I'm just beginning, and while I feel the pressure of my age sometimes, it's not because I feel old or used up, but because I just have less time to do ALL these things I want to do...did I mention travel?!
Dr. Keshishian gave me my life back the day I met him - I took myself off the hook forever for being obese, for being a failure. I'd long accepted that I'm an addict and have done well with learning how to eat, live with the devil, regular exercise, no trouble living a post-op lifestyle. But I was missing this very important part. It's been a ride ever since. To have this site for guidance, education and comfort has been amazing. I'll have less time now of course, but always have time for here. To meet as many as I've been able to has been simply awesome. I thank everyone here who has seen me through my first leg of this journey, and I'm looking forward to the rest of it.
My mantra to newbies of virgin and revision surgeries: surgery is a tool, it's about long-term, successful weight management, and if you have the DS, you have the best shot at that and life-long maintenance. Some people do lose very rapidly but for the overwhelming majority, it's a big drop in the beginning and then it's the steady horse wins the race. Read up as much as you can on people's first year post-op experiences, understand the surgery procedure you're having, buy the Atkins Diet book and read it. Eye on the prize, people, eye on the prize!
51st birthday in Palm Springs
Meeting people from here
With MsVee and her sweet brother David, I'm pretty early post-op here too
Girl talk with Leonie and Trxxyy (and Leonie's daughter Desiree)
Leonie's Open House - whole bunch of us!
I'm the novel writer, so *warning* In some ways it still doesn't feel that long...and in others, I feel like I've lived 3 lifetimes already. I still remember being released, meeting my home health nurse for the first time, which I arranged since I live by myself, I was a revision and had so many complications after my RNY 10 years ago. After the fast/swift approval and scheduling, my head caught up a few weeks after I got home from the hospital. In large part to basically being able to LIVE on this site during my recovery 24/7, I took an extended leave from work (5 months) fully paid, and for which I'm beyond grateful.
Food
The first 8 weeks or so I lived on about five things - protein shakes, peanutbutter, tomato soup with pureed tofu, eggs in a couple of different forms (scrambled, hard boiled) depending on what I could stand at the time, cottage cheese. I had to do low fat in the beginning, and anything with fiber killed me, but that too has all worked itself out. After years of lean, clean eating I have figured out my own balance with eating Atkins style, adding good fats and red meat daily. The only things that seem to bother me are white flour, sugar alcohols in too large doses, regular potatoes. Doing fine with all vegetables now, and even just recently started adding salads again, loaded with protein, less of the lettuce and veg, and often with spinach for lettuce instead.
Bathroom
I had major poop/diahrrea issues during the first 8 weeks, all which started to regulate closer to 3 mos. Some more adjusting as I started adding in foods. I do great with red meats, chicken, turkey sat a little harder but did ok if I made them in very moist recipes. I had to ease into vegetables, higher fiber good starchy carbs, doing fine now. Poop is pretty normal now, have occasional gas, and yep, the smell, ewwww, but then I always had bowel issues anyway. I have a purse kit for work and outings!
Labs/vites
I was anemic going into surgery, low iron of 32. Still anemic, with a hemoglobin of 10.6 and low Vit D 26.6. For anemia, not sure what the culprit is, might not be surgery related and I'm now seeing a hematologist to work that out. My iron is now 111! My cholesterol is 105, glucose 80, all around, doing great! Never had trouble getting down my vitamins except very early on iron irritated my sleeve.
Weight
I have gone from 240 to 191-193 by 4 mos out. The last month has been a true stall, not just because of my body catching up from a nice drop, and I'm a lightweight so now only 30 lbs from goal, but going deeper into the trenches of...menopause, oh joy! So for the last month and half I have had cramps, constant diahrrea, breakouts, fluid retention, unbelievably crabby, salt/sugar cravings - which somehow I've managed not to cave to beyond soy flaxseed chips and chocolate-peanutbutter or mint protein bars (usually EAS Myoplex, Power Crunch or Pure Protein, occasionally a Zone or Balance) Ladies, you know of what I speak - like perpetual PMS. I've been miserable, and still tired because of being anemic.
At one time my weight spiked up to 198, and while I knew it wasn't real weight, well, I had a weekend meltdown. Some of those fears creeping in again, I'll never get out of the bermuda triangle weight zone, never see my goal or close to it no matter what I do, ok, I'm 51, this isn't shocking of course, but why NOW...you get the picture. And then I had to slap myself back into reality. Thankfully I have a good therapist seeing me through, and, supportive people HERE, as well as a couple of friends I can confide in. I skipped a period last month, and now, it has arrived. So I imagine I will also finally see my weight dropping again too, and soon will be on hormone therapy to keep me steady.
Behavior
I am a card-carrying carb addict, my trigger foods are pizza, bread and potatoes. I've had pizza once, for a special occasion after my friend's one-man show debut. Bread I replace with non-gluten, low-carb alternatives that I truly enjoy - skinny fiber low carb pockets, blue corn/low carb tortillas, soy-flaxseed chips, my own 'bread crumb' mixture with ground almond, brown rice cracker and parmesean, baking with coconut or almond flour. I had my french fries - but they were sweet potato fries, delish! Love quinoa. I've had some wine and champagne on occasions, my birthday, a couple of special events. I keep it to a super duper minimum, it's a weight loss killer, and something I have turned to in the past when under duress, the old switcheroo of one bad habit for another. I choose lower alcohol options and limit to a glass or 2 tops. I choose to do all of this to continue to maximize my weight loss window.
As of a few weeks ago, I resumed exercise, starting out slow - up to 30 minutes of cardio now, usually on the eliptical and treadmill. Added situps, pushups and next will be light weights. I had been doing bootcamp for a year, with extra cardio, working out regularly for 15 years with cardio, free weights, spinning, aerobics, so this is very different for me, not quite like starting over, but half of what I could do before. It feels great and I'm looking forward to building up my endurance again.
For all the grief I had with my RNY, including the complications and additional surgeries, I have had a beautifully smooth revision ride. For someone who is such a blowhard like me, I still can't find the words that fully express my gratitude. My heart goes out Cathy, Jamie, Deb, who have had such a tough time.
NSVs
So, being the second time at the rodeo, 10 years of intense yo-yo dieting, weight losses/regains, visiting the bermuda triangle zone of the weight at least 3-5x (190s-205), are there still NSVs? Yes, there are.
First off, I might be 'stalled' for now, but its at 191-193. Still not as far away as I'd like, but it ain't the 2s either, so progress has been made! I know I have to dig my heels in and do the work, fight for these next 30 lbs. If they could be off within a year, great, I know it might take longer, they just need to come OFF, or very close to it.
We've been having summer-like weather here, and yesterday I walked the dogs in my capri jeans, which are falling off me, and a long tank top, flip flops, in southern California (I'm from Chicago, here 6 years); even stopped to chat with a super handsome neighbor about our dogs. I felt completely at ease. Relaxed. In warm weather, in weather-appropriate clothing, talking to a dude.
When my 5'8, 130 lbs sister was here for a week visit, she went nuts for my closet, and kept trying on clothes. Twice when we went out, she put together outfits...from MY CLOSET. I couldn't believe it, still can't.
I've become good friends with a cool lady here, who is talking about camping trips with a group that's guys/girls. I never would do trips like this before, this is still new to me, because I felt terrible about being fat, and, didn't know how I would be able to eat in front of people.
I just turned 51 and enjoying what it's like to actually feel good. It feels good to feel good. I used my extended work leave to do major good for myself - plant seeds in a career redirect, including going to school, developing websites for my own work, purchased additional tools to make this happen (netbook to take to work, printer/fax/scanner, etc). I saved a bundle my first 3 mos post-op due to not eating much, not really going/doing, so I re-purposed that money to work on getting out of debt and tackling all this. I have to return to a less than desirable boss - very toxic - but I've been gone for 5 months, our division has undergone a massive restructure, and there are boundaries - and new accelerated duties - that didn't exist before. It's a solid paycheck and benefits which will be the conduit for the other things I want to do in my life. I feel like I'm just beginning, and while I feel the pressure of my age sometimes, it's not because I feel old or used up, but because I just have less time to do ALL these things I want to do...did I mention travel?!
Dr. Keshishian gave me my life back the day I met him - I took myself off the hook forever for being obese, for being a failure. I'd long accepted that I'm an addict and have done well with learning how to eat, live with the devil, regular exercise, no trouble living a post-op lifestyle. But I was missing this very important part. It's been a ride ever since. To have this site for guidance, education and comfort has been amazing. I'll have less time now of course, but always have time for here. To meet as many as I've been able to has been simply awesome. I thank everyone here who has seen me through my first leg of this journey, and I'm looking forward to the rest of it.
My mantra to newbies of virgin and revision surgeries: surgery is a tool, it's about long-term, successful weight management, and if you have the DS, you have the best shot at that and life-long maintenance. Some people do lose very rapidly but for the overwhelming majority, it's a big drop in the beginning and then it's the steady horse wins the race. Read up as much as you can on people's first year post-op experiences, understand the surgery procedure you're having, buy the Atkins Diet book and read it. Eye on the prize, people, eye on the prize!
51st birthday in Palm Springs
Meeting people from here
With MsVee and her sweet brother David, I'm pretty early post-op here too
Girl talk with Leonie and Trxxyy (and Leonie's daughter Desiree)
Leonie's Open House - whole bunch of us!
