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Post by Lissie on Sept 19, 2014 14:08:19 GMT -5
It’s been forever since I’ve checked in! Now that my husband is seriously considering WLS I logged back in and realized that I’ve reached my 2 year anniversary. I thought it might be helpful to give an update from someone with the DS after the rapid weight loss phase ends. I’m going to be honest about my experiences, feel free to ask questions.
In a nutshell, I was a Band-to-DS revision that had some complications, resulting in an emergency second surgery and a larger sleeve capacity (thanks to the band damage). After living with the DS for 2 years would I do this surgery again? Yes, definitely!
The Good 1. I continued to lose past the 1 year mark and have lost a total of 140 pounds now. I’ve also maintained my weight loss for the most part. I never reached my surgeon’s goal for me (150 lbs) but I consistently hover around 170 lbs. My BMI is still considered in the “overweight” category (26.6) but I suspect if I didn’t have a lot of this extra skin I’d be in the “normal” range.
2. I can get around better in general. I can walk without getting winded as easily. I’m not afraid of unfamiliar chairs, booths, or airplane seats now. Being smaller has a lot of benefits. I’m very happy to be average size.
3. My diet. I love being able to eat the fattiest foods around. I love fatty meats, buttered veggies, and rich sauces so it’s a great match for me diet-wise. I slather everything with mayo. I have a serious love affair with cream based soups. I *crave* them. I still love candy but I now have an “off switch” of sorts and only eat reasonable quantities of it. It will take me over a week to eat a bag of sour patch kids now. That’s a big change.
4. Fluids. I drink a lot more fluids now than I ever did before surgery. I focus on water, iced tea, and a few diet sodas a day. I think this is a good thing that came from this surgery as I bet I was chronically dehydrated before it.
5. My weight loss has inspired others to work on their health as well. Three of my friends decided to get the sleeve and now my husband is considering it. I think they saw me succeed and felt they could do it, too. I’m glad for them.
The Bad 1. A variety of odd little medical problems that could be related to the DS or not, not sure. I tend to fall asleep or need to lay down after big meals, regardless if it’s carbs or protein. I’m cold all the time and often have to use a space heater. I have multiple bowel movements a day, sometimes urgent, especially in the mornings. I’ve developed a very painful hemorrhoid (ARGH). I have annoying edema in my ankles.
2. I stopped keeping up with my supplements like I should. I still take my morning multi vitamins but I started slacking on my afternoon doses/calcium about 8 months ago. I will do my big vitamin bloodwork soon and see what damage this has caused. It’s surprisingly difficult to get back in the habit of taking multiple doses a day once you stop. I’ve been back for 7 days now though, so that’s something.
3. I’m off my ideal DS diet. I stopped drinking protein supplements completely. I started eating what I wanted instead of focusing on protein first. For example, I just ate a can of minestrone soup when I could have chosen to eat beef stew instead. Those choices add up. Some routine bloodwork a month ago indicated I had low protein so this is something I need to tackle ASAP.
4. I fell off the wagon with exercising and being active. I quit working out, both cardio and strength training, and became increasingly sedentary. I used to go to the gym 5 days a week and I’m completely out of the habit.
5. My relationship with my body has suffered. All the hanging skin and rolls are a real bummer for me and makes me not want to look at or care for myself sometimes. Although I have some wispy regrowth my hair remained thin. I’m in therapy but I had hoped my body image would be naturally better after the weight loss. I’ve discovered, as many others have, that weight loss doesn’t magically fix that.
When my husband has the sleeve done I’m fairly confident I’ll be able to reclaim those “honeymoon period” good habits since I’ll have his journey as a positive influence. I’ll be curious to see if I lose more weight after going back to my strict ways or if this weight really is my body’s happy place.
Well, this helped me to write it all down and face my successes, failures, and what I need to change. Hope this helps others, too.
Lissie
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2014 16:01:51 GMT -5
Thxs for your honest and forthright posting! I’m a pre-op dude absorbing everything I can (besides food), and appreciate your self-assessment. Congratulations on your success and your WL!
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Post by bboop on Sept 19, 2014 21:39:08 GMT -5
What a refreshing and honest post.
I want to encourage you to take your vitamins. I know the docs don't see the importance of it - none of them do. But trust me they are. I had one woman PCP tell me all I needed to worry about was vitamin D. What a dufus...needless to say I won't be seeing her again. After your labs see where you are. If their are deficiencies then start working on them. Many deficiencies can't be brought back up easily. So what you are doing by not taking them is a real risk to your health. Just sayin'.
When you are ready you will go back to DS healthy eating. Go ahead and pig out, but just remember what you used to feel like and look like. For me is a no brainer. Sure I fall off the wagon...I'm about six year out. But I try very hard to get back on so I don't have to buy larger clothes. Plus, I like you can move around better and that I love so much.
If you are happy at 170 then go for it. I never reached goal either...my weight gain is from medication and trust me I was glad for the pills but the weight I'm furious about.
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Post by newyorkbitch on Sept 20, 2014 7:40:37 GMT -5
You have to take your vites and supps. You have to. Or else you are going to have some very serious problems. I would bet that you are anemic - you will likely need iron infusions. This maybe help with fatigue and feeling cold. If you don't take calcium and D, you are going to end up with bone loss or worse.
Also, you don't have to eat big meals - it would probably help you to eat frequent small meals.
You know this - but you have to get a good amount of protein in - again, if you don't, you will be facing some very serious problems.
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Post by newyorkbitch on Sept 20, 2014 7:46:43 GMT -5
Lissie I also want to say that I don't think being unhappy with all the excess skin and rolls means there is something wrong with your body image. The excess skin and rolls are awful. After I lost a whole lot of weight…yes I felt better, active, thinner, attractive. But the excess skin and rolls were vile, and I felt (and was) disfigured. No amount of therapy was going to fix that. I'm not sure you need to work toward feeling 'good"about those issues - but rather, acknowledging that the issues are there and that feeling bad about them is okay.
Sometimes I think we gloss over how difficult all the excess skin and rolls are to live with down the line. I don't think I felt truly good until after I had plastic surgery. But I realize that many people cannot afford to do it - and I think we need to prepare people so that they understand that the issues with excess skin, for some people, are severe and difficult.
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Post by bboop on Sept 20, 2014 21:26:39 GMT -5
Oh the excess skin...I have a hanging panni and I loathe it. I just put on my pants and go on...there's nothing to be done. I have Medicare and would have the plastics, but I'm just so tired of surgery, I'm not gonna do it. Meaning it can be lived with. Not easy, plus you have a husband and I know you want to look good for him, but I"m sure he will understand. It's no fun, but you can do this, we all have it...it's better than what we had before, right?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2014 22:34:18 GMT -5
Oh the excess skin...I have a hanging panni and I loathe it. I just put on my pants and go on...there's nothing to be done. I have Medicare and would have the plastics, but I'm just so tired of surgery, I'm not gonna do it. Meaning it can be lived with. Not easy, plus you have a husband and I know you want to look good for him, but I"m sure he will understand. It's no fun, but you can do this, we all have it...it's better than what we had before, right? Ladies, mostly I think that’s whom I’m replying to…..I’m not a woman, but, ben around women my whole life and I know how you’ll think. Who gives a rats ass about the extra skin??? You guys accomplished the most unachievable goals possible!!!!! BE HAPPY with that and the increased health benefits and associated longevity from the weight loss!! I promise, no real man or husband will care.
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Post by goodkel on Sept 21, 2014 1:05:22 GMT -5
It’s been forever since I’ve checked in! Now that my husband is seriously considering WLS I logged back in and realized that I’ve reached my 2 year anniversary. I thought it might be helpful to give an update from someone with the DS after the rapid weight loss phase ends. I’m going to be honest about my experiences, feel free to ask questions. The Good1. I continued to lose past the 1 year mark and have lost a total of 140 pounds now. I’ve also maintained my weight loss for the most part. I never reached my surgeon’s goal for me (150 lbs) but I consistently hover around 170 lbs. My BMI is still considered in the “overweight” category (26.6) but I suspect if I didn’t have a lot of this extra skin I’d be in the “normal” range. 5. My weight loss has inspired others to work on their health as well. Three of my friends decided to get the sleeve and now my husband is considering it. I think they saw me succeed and felt they could do it, too. I’m glad for them. The Bad1. A variety of odd little medical problems that could be related to the DS or not, not sure. I tend to fall asleep or need to lay down after big meals, regardless if it’s carbs or protein. I’m cold all the time and often have to use a space heater. I have multiple bowel movements a day, sometimes urgent, especially in the mornings. I’ve developed a very painful hemorrhoid (ARGH). I have annoying edema in my ankles. 2. I stopped keeping up with my supplements like I should. I still take my morning multi vitamins but I started slacking on my afternoon doses/calcium about 8 months ago. I will do my big vitamin bloodwork soon and see what damage this has caused. It’s surprisingly difficult to get back in the habit of taking multiple doses a day once you stop. I’ve been back for 7 days now though, so that’s something. 3. I’m off my ideal DS diet. I stopped drinking protein supplements completely. I started eating what I wanted instead of focusing on protein first. For example, I just ate a can of minestrone soup when I could have chosen to eat beef stew instead. Those choices add up. Some routine bloodwork a month ago indicated I had low protein so this is something I need to tackle ASAP. When my husband has the sleeve done I’m fairly confident I’ll be able to reclaim those “honeymoon period” good habits since I’ll have his journey as a positive influence. I’ll be curious to see if I lose more weight after going back to my strict ways or if this weight really is my body’s happy place. 1. The weight loss window is 18 months-two years ordinarily. Some lose all their excess weight earlier, some have it stop earlier. But, 18-24 months is the normal length of the weight loss window. Not one year. 5. Are your friends and husband lightweights with portion control as their only problem? If not, why not the DS? 1. & 3. Being cold all the time can be a sign of anemia. Edema is a symptom of protein deficiency. I knew one guy who lost his legs and nearly his life from a protein deficiency. This is not something to be casual about. It can cause permanent physical damage and death. 2. & 3. You know the rules. They NEVER change no matter how far out you are. NEVER. You are risking severe health problems and it won't be the fault of the DS, the fault will be yours. You know better. Vitamins and protein in sufficient amount will be a daily requirement for the rest of your life. Carbs will make you regain, but going overboard with them won't kill or handicap you as swiftly. I don't care if you choose to get fat again rather than watch your carbs. But, I don't want to watch you go through a long tortuous battle with health problems brought on by your non-compliance. Do not wait until your husband has his surgery to get back on track with what you need to being doing with your protein and vitamins.
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Post by newyorkbitch on Sept 21, 2014 6:51:04 GMT -5
robs477, I wish you could be more sensitive here. The excess skin can be, for some, quite severe and quite debilitating. Instead of saying "who cares" we could say "yes, it's awful, and I'm sorry you're upset about it." Let's not tell people how they should or shouldn't feel about their own bodies.
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Post by fullhousemom on Sept 21, 2014 7:33:51 GMT -5
I loved Robs477 post! Thank you Robs477 a hundred times over!
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Post by newyorkbitch on Sept 21, 2014 7:45:51 GMT -5
I just want people who feel bad about their excess skin to feel comfortable expressing that, and not feel like they are being somehow foolish because their bodies upset them. I don't think saying "who cares " is helpful because obviously a lot of people do care, and for some people it's really really difficult, and I don't want their feelings to be "who cares " I want their feelings respected.
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Post by illinids2 on Sept 21, 2014 8:21:55 GMT -5
robs477, I wish you could be more sensitive here. The excess skin can be, for some, quite severe and quite debilitating. Instead of saying "who cares" we could say "yes, it's awful, and I'm sorry you're upset about it." Let's not tell people how they should or shouldn't feel about their own bodies. Wow! Way to completely misinterpret what the man said. Maybe it is time for me to take a break from this place because the irony is deep sometimes.
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Post by fullhousemom on Sept 21, 2014 9:34:46 GMT -5
NYB, robs477 never said "who cares!" Perhaps you are being a bit sensitive here. I can easily validate someone who has a poor body image. There isn't a girl, woman, female (and maybe man) who hasn't had that feeling at numerous times in their lives. But your circumstances of being able to fix it with lots of plastic surgery, is a rarity. If you can afford some plastics, great! But true beauty is found within, and that is good advice to anyone from a young child to a senior citizen.
I am sure the excess skin sucks, as did the fat hanging on my body pre-DS, and the skin hanging on my legs, and the skin hanging down from my butt. They have never defined me, nor should they be allowed to define anyone. Robs477 comments, and Scott's comments in the past have been a breath of fresh air! Who doesn't love a man who loves a woman exactly the way she looks?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2014 10:50:05 GMT -5
Yes, actually I do care…a lot. That is why I was trying to make her feel better about it. I was not saying she shouldn’t feel like that. My wife has a beautiful face and is over 50 now and she gets sad as she is aging. As we get older, we all lose what our society calls beautiful and women are way more sensitive about this, I know…so, it’s up to us guys to remind them that they are still beautiful…at least that’s how it works in my world. That’s what real men do.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2014 10:56:34 GMT -5
robs477, I wish you could be more sensitive here. The excess skin can be, for some, quite severe and quite debilitating. Instead of saying "who cares" we could say "yes, it's awful, and I'm sorry you're upset about it." Let's not tell people how they should or shouldn't feel about their own bodies. Wow! Way to completely misinterpret what the man said. Maybe it is time for me to take a break from this place because the irony is deep sometimes. No, no,no....Please don't leave!! We need to keep all the men around here we can!!...LOL
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Post by newyorkbitch on Sept 21, 2014 11:20:30 GMT -5
My only point is this: your comment "who gives a rat's ass about the skin" may make some people feel that their bad feelings about their excess skin are not valid. Sharyl talked about having felt disfigured because of the excess skin that was recently removed. The excess skin can be truly debilitating, and I want people not to feel like they somehow have to feel good about it - they don't. It's really really bad for some people and it's okay to feel bad about it.
I remember my panni very well - I was single, trying to date - and believe me that was no fun at all, having to lift up the huge panni in order to even find my vulva, which was also hanging very very low. I was disfigured and I was never going to feel okay about it. And no amount of "beauty is within" was going to fix the truly disgusting way those parts of my body looked. And I want to make sure people here feel okay feeling disgusted about this stuff. Not everybody here has supportive partners (male or female, gay or straight) who will still find them attractive with all that excess skin.
Also this "up to us guys" comment sits the wrong way with me. Not every woman needs a man to validate her attractiveness. Some don't care about men's opinions at all. I think many women just want to feel good about themselves in their own skin.
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Post by Girlrocker on Sept 21, 2014 15:57:33 GMT -5
Hi Lissie, I wanted to also say congrats on such an honest post and update. I'm also sorry that above denigrated into yet another dial it up to 11 of name-calling, all over the anguish expressed - understandably - about excess skin issues. It's inexcusable, ignore it.
You DO of course need to get on top of those vitamins, and I hope your labs are in decent shape, and that you'll let us know. It's possible some of the fatigue you're experiencing, the cold, being winded mean you are iron, calcium, D deficient. They can be more easily corrected/treated via iron infusions and D injjections if it's really low, won't come up fast enough even with high does of D3 at 50,000 2x a day.
As for the eating - you DO know what to do, and protein is essential of course. Since the eating style is such a good fit for you, you can really have fun with proteins and those creamy sauces you love. It's gotten so that I can eat stir fries, baked meatballs and cheese, alfredo and chicken or seafood, all without rice/pasta vehicles, it just tastes so good! Same with a lot of meaty casseroles. I'm, sure hubby having the sleeve will be a positive influence, but as you know, eventually you have to figure out how to be more self-motivating because your very life depends on it - protein and vitamin supplementation - due to our malbsorption. I think it's not uncommon to get comfortable and a little complacent, after working so hard, to want to 'enjoy' it a little bit. You can tweak and tighten and I bet you lose again. Same if you add back some exercise.
As for the excess skin, for most of us MO folks who have it, it's no small matter. It's voluminous, can feel like being trapped in an obese body when we have actually lost so much weight. We are deformed, it weighs a lot, and it wasn't noticeable when we were obese. I appreciate that many men would not care and love their gal as they are. I would love being in a relationship with a person like that. But the relationship that's hardest for me is the one with myself. And I'm pretty sure that's all NYB is trying to say - it's about self acceptance, not relying on someone else for validation, no matter how loving and kind they are; not making any kind of dis in the least,and the response above is atrocious. I don't think any of us should ever have to explain or apologize for why we feel so horrible carrying around anywhere from 18-50 lbs of excess skin, in one or more body parts combined. Anyone who has watched Biggest Loser can see that excess skin is not a product of weight loss surgery or rapid weight loss - it is a the damage of morbid obesity, period. My panni when it was removed in 2003 weighed 18 lbs. That was one body part. My lower body is a mess, my arms, even half done - boobs, side boobs, back - also a mess. There's nothing vain about wanting to be healthy and fixed all the way - it's not vanity cosmetic plastic surgery, the kind of work many of us need is reconstruction in dealing with the damage and deformity of the obesity disease we have been treated with via surgical intervention. It continually astonishes me the vitriol in which people are attacked, saying, so big deal about the skin, it's better than being fat, be grateful. Why does it have to be either or, better than, unless it is truly what we decide is ok for ourselves? I remember after the RNY how overwhelmed I was by the amount of skin and I wasn't prepared for it either, not the degree. I felt trapped between two worlds.
For me, I call this fat think. Unwiring my head as a I thought as an obese purpose. The surgery tool and weight loss can open many doors - how to live life in the middle, have balance; ask more for ourselves, not settle, not just about skin but overall quality of life. Bariatric surgery is not vanity surgery. Neither is the fixing that might be needed afterward. Being told to be grateful for weight loss, deal with the skin etc. - as I've often seen during my years in the bariatric community - to me is just as denigrating as being told wls is the easy way out, a quick fix to become thin. Not everyone gets this volume of excess skin - and while there are some 'patterns' - like the panni and bat wings for arms, man boobs, women boobs going way south and a ton of side boobage added it to, higher MO weights for example - there are many variables. Some people get none, some people get a lot, some people get it in one spot, some people get in several. I was considered a light weight both surgeries - RNY at 280 in 2002, DS revision at 240 in 2011. My highest weight in the 1990s was 315. I had been obese since I was 17 and now am 53. That is a LOT of years to be obese, besides the multiple weight losses and regains, never exercising until I was in my 30s, since high school. My skin issues are like that of someone who weighed in the high 300s or 400s even. There are people who were my age, weighed more than me, didn't have skin issues. Some people bounce right back. Not all young people don't get excess skin. I just had my 3rd hernia repair, component separation (extensive rebuilding of abdominal wall) and abdominoplasty. I fought hard with my insurance to also fix my outer stomach, not leave me deformed, quit dividing the abdomen into parts. They denied me anyway, my surgeon performed a miracle and DID it anyway, as a gift, because he thought the insurance was crazy to leave me like that when I needed so much work. I can't begin to describe the relief of feeling whole and just normal at last, in one part of my body, inside and out.
There is a weekly weigh in thread on the main board, and maybe you would also find checking in weekly helpful too, keep you looped into the support network. I find that staying here - even as I'm getting to 3 years out of my revision in December - helps keep me accountable. Besides just wanting to pay it forward re: the support and advice I have gotten through the years. Please do not allow this uncalled for segue deter you from being here and getting the support. Really glad you stopped by and posted!
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Post by Joanne on Sept 21, 2014 16:30:06 GMT -5
Just to add in on the skin issue:
It might be difficult for someone who hasn't lost the massive amount of weight yet, to understand the type of excess skin we're talking about. It's definitely a YMMV thing depending on highest BMI, age, length of time obese, amount lost, etc. I know I certainly had no appreciation for what I would end up looking like.
Of course all that being said, I would have gladly changed the 150 excess pounds for excess skin any minute of the day...but that didn't make living with the skin any easier. I had plastics, which I never would have thought i would have wanted or needed.
My point being, I certainly knew there are excess skin issues to be expected, but really was not prepared for how significant they were. After my plastics, I went from a size 10 pants to size 6. I was tucking, folding, rolling, and smushing two pants sizes of skin and I was very unhappy. Others have dealt with much more than two sizes.
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Post by Lissie on Sept 22, 2014 8:53:26 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies everybody!
My 3 friends that opted for the sleeve all felt the DS was too “extreme” and that they didn’t want to deal with the malabsorption component. None were lightweights, all 300+ lbs. So far one has been successful, reaching ~70% EWL at 1 year, one is a very slow loser but still losing, and one gave up completely after a few months and already regained her meager weight loss.
My husband also feels he would rather risk possible regain than the chance of deficiencies. I asked him straight up “why not DS?” and he responded that he was “afraid of the malabsorption”. I have encouraged him to consider the DS but I understand why he only wants VSG. He is a volume eater and I’m hoping his choice of the sleeve will be sufficient but of course I’m skeptical for long term. I guess there is the second stage available if he changes his mind someday.
I had a routine bloodwork panel done about a month ago because of the edema and it didn’t indicate anemia yet. The only concerns were low calcium and low protein at that time. I will be calling this week to make arrangements for my “big boy” bloodwork panel done (17 vials). It’s time and I need to know how to adjust my vitamins ASAP. Once I get those results I’ll be sure to post for advice.
I have started drinking protein shakes for breakfast again and I’ve been current on my vits/calcium again. It’s never too late to turn things around. I’m taking it seriously.
It’s nice to know I’m not alone in feeling “disfigured”. That is the exact word I use to describe it. Like y’all my main complaint is my panni/belly. It’s really messed with how I see myself, getting to the point where I only wear sweatpants everywhere now. It’s as if I don’t even want to bother to try and “look good” anymore. I feel as though I have accepted it but I wish I had more “fight” in me about it, instead of despair. Plastics scare me but may be option down the line if this remains such a drain on my self esteem. I thought I had to reach goal in order to consider plastics – that a surgeon would require that.
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Post by newyorkbitch on Sept 22, 2014 9:06:01 GMT -5
Lissie you definitely have to reach goal and then keep your weight stable for a year before you consider plastics.
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Post by Joanne on Sept 22, 2014 15:24:12 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies everybody! My 3 friends that opted for the sleeve all felt the DS was too “extreme” and that they didn’t want to deal with the malabsorption component. None were lightweights, all 300+ lbs. So far one has been successful, reaching ~70% EWL at 1 year, one is a very slow loser but still losing, and one gave up completely after a few months and already regained her meager weight loss. My husband also feels he would rather risk possible regain than the chance of deficiencies. I asked him straight up “why not DS?” and he responded that he was “afraid of the malabsorption”. I have encouraged him to consider the DS but I understand why he only wants VSG. He is a volume eater and I’m hoping his choice of the sleeve will be sufficient but of course I’m skeptical for long term. I guess there is the second stage available if he changes his mind someday. I had a routine bloodwork panel done about a month ago because of the edema and it didn’t indicate anemia yet. The only concerns were low calcium and low protein at that time. I will be calling this week to make arrangements for my “big boy” bloodwork panel done (17 vials). It’s time and I need to know how to adjust my vitamins ASAP. Once I get those results I’ll be sure to post for advice. I have started drinking protein shakes for breakfast again and I’ve been current on my vits/calcium again. It’s never too late to turn things around. I’m taking it seriously. It’s nice to know I’m not alone in feeling “disfigured”. That is the exact word I use to describe it. Like y’all my main complaint is my panni/belly. It’s really messed with how I see myself, getting to the point where I only wear sweatpants everywhere now. It’s as if I don’t even want to bother to try and “look good” anymore. I feel as though I have accepted it but I wish I had more “fight” in me about it, instead of despair. Plastics scare me but may be option down the line if this remains such a drain on my self esteem. I thought I had to reach goal in order to consider plastics – that a surgeon would require that. Because it IS disfiguring. I strongly believe that it falls under "reconstructive' instead of cosmetic. No one wound ever deny a breast cancer survivor reconstructive surgery (nor should they). To me this is the same concept, but sadly not viewed that way by insurance or most of society. FWIW, I started out with similar feelings on the DS, thinking it may be too drastic. I actually had a thought to do the sleeve, and that I would diet and exercise the rest off. That didn't last long, though. It was only after I learned more, and carefully re-examined my own dieting history, I knew what I needed. I also came to understand that malabsoprtion doesnt need to equal malnutrition. The last thing I wanted to do was to subject myself to any surgery that didn't have the best chance of being effective.
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Post by Joanne on Sept 22, 2014 17:08:44 GMT -5
T He is a volume eater and I’m hoping his choice of the sleeve will be sufficient but of course I’m skeptical for long term. I guess there is the second stage available if he changes his mind someday. Just want to add a comment on this. The logic about if the sleeve doesn't work, there's always the DS is a common thought for many people. However, there are a few points he and you really need to be aware of and consider: -At the time the second stage is needed/wanted, will you have insurance? -Will the insurance cover WLS? Many companies change their policies, people lose jobs, people change jobs. -Some insurance plans have a 'once per lifetime" WLS rule -This is a biggie - will he still be obese enough to qualify for surgery? What I see happen is people losing an unsatisfactory amount with the sleeve, let's say to a BMI of mid 30's. Still obese, but not obese enough to qualify for surgery. This happens to many people who think they'll wait and see if they need the DS part. -Two surgeries = two risks, two recoveries, two prolonged absences from work. -Career-wise, FMLA will only cover one 12 week absence per year. And you need to be employed for more than a year at the company. Job changes or extended time off could mean not having the time or protection for the DS part.
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Post by Girlrocker on Sept 22, 2014 17:45:47 GMT -5
Hi Lissie, glad you found some answers and support, and I hope you keep in touch, it really can help a lot. This is a process, and now hubby will be in the mix too I very much understand being wary of the malabsorption, and for people who have portion control issues - and no metabolic issues - there's a better shot that the sleeve will work more successfully. It's arguable I suppose, that some people who get the DS might have done ok with the sleeve for those reasons. But after years of dealing with this for myself, and going through one failed procedure, I think the saying, 'think twice, cut once' is pretty crucial. I want to be healthy for the long haul too, that's what I thought I did with the RNY, it's why I chose it over the lapbad at the time, even though I too was scared about an 'invasive' procedure at the time, and had all that guilt of 'needing' surgery to be 'normal' and failing at diets. The DS is what taught me at last I didn't fail, my metabolism was shot, the RNY never would have worked for me any more than diets, I could lose weight to a point (usually 190s) but it always came back. But people have to do what they are comfortable with, so right, if the sleeve doesn't work as well as he hopes, he can revisit the idea of having the DS portion done later on. Definitely wait until you're at your weight goal and even past it some time, as the body tends to re-settle and re-distribute. But as you see, not alone at all, I have a lot to say on the subject having just been through this fight recently, and knowing a want a couple of other less invasive procedures done like my arms finished and my boobs (no augmentation, just skin removal and lifting back up) and I'll live with the rest, a combination of reasons, age, wanting to get on with my life, not spend it recovering from more surgery, etc.
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