joetta70

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Hello all, I have not been on here for quite sometime, but thought I better update my stats. I am all most 5 yrs out now, my weight seems steady now with a give or take 4-7 pds depending on how much salt intake I have before weighing in. I have been holding pretty steady around the 125-130 mark. I am wearing size 6 in jeans, although If I could afford the extra skin removal I could easily fit into a sz 2, I do have A LOT of body image hang ups to mentally still deal with and probley always will, since having surgery is not in the plans for me money wise. I am still having trouble with my sugar dropping at times, and of course my love for food is about non existence anymore. i am still amazed that even this far out If I really watched what I ate and exercised I can still drop weight, but what i really want is to be more toned, but that don't seem to happen. I don't have time to exercise like i used to, although i still walk at times. winter is hard on me because I am cold ALL the time anymore which in turns keeps me indoors alot. I still can't do greasy foods or breaded things and def nothing high in sugar or simply carbs, so I guess that is good and that's what keeps my weight down. but I feel like at times I am missing so many good foods, eating out is like a game of chance everytime never know how my body will react to some foods even this far out, and when I "cheat" and eat something I know is not good I pay for it in the end with my sugar dropping out. but I am healthier still, no meds to take, and still active in any way I choose to be.So that's what's going on here in  my life for now.

Well let me start by saying, I am happy that I have reached my goal and then some. I just recently lost another 10 pds in the past 4 months. my trouble is that the doctors don't tell you ALL the side affects that can arise. For me it has been 2 SBO, a hernia and now for the past 1 1/2 yrs  hypoglycemia, I have to eat ALL the time it seems.I finally went to see and endo Dr. and she ran a battery of tests and said I am insulin resistance now. My sugars drop 4-7 hrs out after a meal, a lot of times without any warning, although I have learned when I am starting to feel that way now. I had the surgery because I wanted to be around for my grandchildren and with my hubby, all my Dr's said it would be the best thing for me, although now I tend to disagree with them. Yes it has helped me with the high bp, lessen the heart load ect.. but I feel at times it has taken more from me than i expected. I am not happy with my body image now, oh yeah I look great clothed, but undressed I hate it! I feel like a mylar balloon with most of the air gone, saggy skin, thinner hair, NO BOOBS,you name it. and before you ask No plastics is  an option that I can afford nor a risk of more surgery and trouble that I can  have as a result not to mention the scars. I eat very healthy, NO simply sugars at all, everything I eat is either whole grains or complexed carbs, healthy fats and a boat load of vitamins. I take Biotin a lot for my hair although I don't think it has done much, I take 6000mg of B-12 daily and multi vitamin, zinc,cinnamon, pills to help stabilize blood sugars, but to no advail it seems to happen more and more, I have to have food on me at all times for the "just in case" times, If I try and exercise it is worse cause of the extra energy my body is burning, and mental stress does it too. So all that being said i don't know now if I would of had it done if I would of had ALL this infor before hand, and believe me I had A LOT of questions to ask before hand that I asked and none of the infor I got told me anything about this insulin thing. So now I am having to go BACK on Metformin to see if that helps. I pray that it does, I worry about my job cause I have had to be sent home 4 times cause of it, I worry about driving or long trips that it might happen ( i keep a stash in my car now). So I guess once again I will try another approach to my diet and try the new med to see if it helps. I have done a lot of research the past yr and am finding that there seem to be a lot of people like me that are dealing with the same thing and all are trying to find a solution just as I am. Many have lost there jobs, had the drivers lic s taken due to wrecks, and a host of other trouble all due to this. I work (in an er dept) with 3 other women that have had it done 2 or the 3 have gained back 50% or more of there weight, of course they eat crap and junk food, and yes they dump but I guess they don't mind that. I have done so much to get healthy, I have a lot of support from my husband and family, but it is still very frustrating to have this all happen. I cringe at the doctors that say "this is a new way to rid type 2 " No it is not a cure, i am like a diabetic in reverse now, so how is that a cure? I am very happy with the people that have had this done and never had any problems,I am I guess one of the few 3% that have this Rare side affect of the surgery, and trying to find a doctor who is willing to take the time and REALLY get to the root of it all is just as exhausting and expensive. So for today I will go pick up my Metformin and give it a whirl and hope for the best, If not after this 3 mos trial then I will be forced once again to seek medical help, next time it will be at the Cleveland clinic where I have found out that some dr's there do believe that there is a link between gastric bypass and hypoglycemia but only with those of us that had the RNY done, seem to be the only one's affected by this. So for me this is my take on my journey thus far.

Well I just had my 3rd yrs post-op and wow what a difference 3 yrs can make. My weight has pretty much settled it seems between 138 and 143, my lowest was 131, Still with being only 5'1 the BMI scale still says i am overweight LOL, I go through spurts at the gym. but I never was a big exercise person to start with. I have quit smoking again so I guess that's where some of the extra 6 pds have come from mindless munching, have got to get that in check. I have had alot of  body image issues that I still struggle with and since plastics is NOT in my furture(no money for that) I am finding that I have more and more issues with it. I don't seem to know the person I am looking at in the mirror now, I feel like I have "lost" myself along with the weight, at times I think I am subconsceincely at times trying to "gain" my weight back. I battle now with bad hypogycemia, I can't eat any simple carbs to speak of no white rice, no sugar,only 1 kind of bread I can eat, I guess in a way it is nice it does keep me in line, but I feel I can eat larger portions than most not liking that to much. I am thankful though that I got my health back, I just wish insurance co would help to pay for one to finish the journey that one starts. I am wearing a sz 8 misses a 6 was the smallest I could wear, but if I didnt have the belly pouch or flabby thigh skin I could get into a sz 3-4, but I am learning to be content in an 8 since before surgery I was wearing a sz 20-22 womans, BIG difference. All in all would I do it again?? Yes I would, I would do a few things differently, but yeah i would go this route again, for having my health back is the best thing out of it all.

Well I am now 2 days from being a full 2 yrs out and all in all it has been great. Have had a couple of bumps in the road (2 small bowel obstructions and 1 ulcer) but was able to have them fixed by laperscopey so that was good, total lost is 128.6 Pd's WOO HOO!!  I have maintained this lost now for about the past yr give or take a 5-7 pd flux and that depends on how much salt i had the day before i weigh my self, yeah to much will make you retain water weight. Over all my health is 100% better then it was. Have had a few problems with my sugar dropping but come to find out that is it because I ate something that was to much in carbs or simply sugars, so now only 100% whole wheat items now in the house, the more complexed I can buy the better. I still have alot of energy and living life full throttle. I am a sz 6 misses now was a sz 20-22 women's, I only wish that my insurance would help pay some for a tummy tuck and thighs done, if it were not for the extra skin I could easy be in a sz 2 !!, I have about 15 Pd's of skin I think, but I am at goal been there for several months now and to be honest the plastics would just be for vanity's sake I look great other wise and with clothes i look great it is me that is not happy with the skin, hubby is not really for plastics he said it is to much of an unnecessary risk, he loves the new me skin and all LOL, and of course he is the only one besides me that sees it anyway hahaha. My only regret is that I wish i would of done this 10 yrs ago, but at least now I will be around to see my 2 lovely granddaughter grow and have a much better quality of life, what more could i ask for than that. I think the best advice my Dr gave me was no carbonation drinks (pop beer) because it blows up the pouch like a balloon and will stretch it out so I don't do any of that and in truth I don't really miss my diet pop any longer, I do drink alot of Iced teas and coffee. I am only on 2 meds now one for my heart stent (plavix) and prilosec to protect it from the plavix to help prevent another ulcer but considering i was on 11 pre-op i can live with that.Funny thing is that last 6 mos the scales haven't moved much by i am still losing inches in places and I am OK with that. All in all through the good and the not so good at times I am finally happy with myself and life, and so glad I did this journey, if I never get the plastics that will be OK too I am just happy to finally have great health!! and looking forward to the rest of my new life.

Well I am now 15 mos out and doing great! I am down 124 pds and wearing a size 8 -10 misses depending on the maker. I have so much energy now. I have been maintaing my weight good still losing a pd here and there still to boot. I have not really had any major problems to speak of, I don't tolrate sugars well or high carbs foods so thats a plus for me.My only thing I don't care for is the "extra" skin, but I guess i will have to be content with it, because it cost way to much for me to have anything done about it. But other than that life is great, I have the energy to play with my grand children and can now breeze through a day at work without feeling wipedout afterwards. Now that nice weather is here again I can get back on my bike and ride 3 days a week and do some walking outside. I have added a before and after pic now to my albums, I was at my heaviest in the before, wow I can't belive I was so big, and the after pic blows me away, I still look in the mirror and wonder who that person looking back is LOL, I am still adjusting to the "new me".

Well it has been a year now since my surgery and I am down 118 pds, and I feel like a new person. I love the "new" me. I have so much energy now and I love shopping for clothes again. I can now go to the stores that I thought I would never get to shop in cause I wouold of never been able to fit into their clothes. I am 4 points away from a "normal" BMI. I was on 12 different meds before my surgery and only on 1 now other than my vits.No more sugar,or sleep apena, can do so much without getting out of breath. I bought a new bike this past summer and love riding it, can't wait till spring comes so I can ride again. I was going to the gym 3 days a week but the winters cold had kept me in more, so needing to get back into that. I have been maintaing my loss good so far, although I have had some cravings and worry that I might retreat to old habits. So I try to mentally watch out for that, but it is hard on some days.I worry so much if my weight flexes a pd or 2, i never want to be that person again, I worry now that I can eat more that my pouch will stop doing it's job. I think alot of this a mental blocks that I need to work on. I am wearing sizes I have worn since the 7th grade. I must admit I don't care for all the extra skin and having it removed is not an option at this point, the cost is just to much and my ins will not pay for it in any way. So I am having to adjust to it and at times it is hard. But all in all I am loving the new me. People that havent seen me in a while can't belive it is me and that makes me chuckle. did post a couple of new pics in my albums if anyone cares to look feel free to do so. Well I will post again soon with more updates in the furture.

Well it has been a while since I wrote on here last so I thought I should blog some on here. Well I am now down 70 pds since my surgery. It has been 5 mos now and for the first time in a LONG time I feel GREAT!!. I am off all my meds except for my vitatims. When they finally took me off my bp pills within a week my energy level shot up threw the roof. I can now work a full shift at the hosp and come home and still have energy left, I can play with my grandchildren without being tired in 5 mins, my bathtub is now bigger than I remember hahaha, and WOW I look good in jeans again. I have been going to swim alot something I dreaded before. I have people all the time telling me how good I am looking. I will say I am not crazy about all the loose skin, but hey I am a happy married woman of 20 yrs so I am not in any hurry to have another surgery for that if I ever will. Best of all is that I feel good again and have found energy that I thought I would never have again. I had a rough couple of months but now to look back it was all worth it now. I am about  38 pds from my goal and that feels good.
So yeah life is good now better than it has been in about 20 yrs. I am just loving life right now.

Well it has been 4 mos since my surgery and I am about 40pds from my goal!But man do I have stalls or what, it seems like I do good one week and then nothing for about 2 then a few more fall off. I know I am not getting in the water like they want me to but that is due to my job. Some days I can eat more than I should be able to and the next day can't eat much it is so confusing at times. I must say I am not a fan of the loose skin though, at times I wonder what looked worse. I am happy that I had the surgery, but it has changed my love for food. I used to enjoy eating and having "girls nite out" but not any more, I just can't bring myself to pay for a meal that I won;t be able to eat all of it, and me and left overs don't mix well. I just eat now because I have to I don't enjoy it any longer and I miss that, but that's the price I paid to lose it I guess. Anyway I am getting along and wondering all the time if I will make my goal or if it will stop. anyway just want to catch up on here.

Well I went to day for my 8 wk check up and have lost a total of 38 pds by their scales. I know that some of my clothes are starting to fall off me now also. They told me I was coming along fine, I told them I have been in a stall for the past week and they assured me that it is normal around this time, and that my biggest weight loss is yet to come, they say most lose alot during the 2-6 mom stage, so I am happy to know that it will pick up. I am cleared to eat about anything I can tolrate now, just remember to chew chew chew and small mounts and protein first. I am so happy that I can have a salad now and some fresh fruit, I had 1/2 and orange today and loved it. I got sideline with a bad sinus cold for about 2 wks so i have not been to the gym but I have to get back on that horse soon. So al in all it was a good day.

Well I know it has been a while since I have posted anything on here, so I thought today was a good day to write somethings. Well I am 8 wks post-op now and down 41 pds so far, people tell me how good I am looking, but I don't really see it yet, but do notice it in my clothes. I am still wearing my old uniforms but they are baggy and some I have to pin up on the sides,but with money so tight right now I don't want to spend yet on new ones. I told hubby I will when I can no longer hold them up hahaha. I go next wk for my 9 wk checkup and I will have some questions I have been having some discomfort around my pouch area I am not sure if it is my pouch or the repair to my diagraphm. I don't really feel to much hunger yet, but am a little shocked that I can eat somethings that I have ate. I can eat a SMALL amount of salad, and 1 piece of wheat toast and most pastas. I have to cook for hubby so when I do I try things out, for the most it dtays down just as long as it is not more than 1/2 cup. I am having trouble getting my protein in and my water when I am at work, I just do not have the time to stop and get it in. I am having some hair thinning at the back and some on the sides and I know it is because I am not getting in enough protein, I try and eat fish 3-4 days a week, but thats getting old too. I can not handle any more cottage cheese yet, I got so burned out during the first few weeks that i just can not stomach it again yet. I eat rice crisps cereal for breakfast when at work, eggs seem to make me very gassy, so I try and not eat that whan I work hahaha. It seems like my pouch is "tight" in the AM and it seems like I can eat better in the afternoon times and early evenings. I don't know if ir is real or in my head, a question for my dr next week. Anyway I have had some "sad feelings" that I can't eat out yet or have any of the cake or cookies that everyone brings in to work, I would love to just have a small taste but I don't dare try it. I have had some issues with not being able to "eat" the kinds of foods I just to and feel a loss for that, but they say that it is a normal feeling and will go away.  I did have a small stall about a week ago did'nt lose any weight for about 5 days, I know it is because I can not eat every 3 hrs or get in the water that I need to so that slows me down, but I work in an Emergency room and when we get busy I just don't have the time to get it all in and that is so frustrating at times. some days I don't even get my afternoon break if we are busy.So these are things I need to figure out I guess. Anyway other than these issues things are coming along good, gkad to see some warmer weather coming along,means I can get out a little more, I still try and go to the gym 3 days a wk but sometimes I am so tired after work I don't make it,being on my feet 8 hrs is hell some days. But I am going to have to make more of an effort to go maybe after resting a hr or so after work and with warmer weather coming hopefully  that will help. SoI am gonna post a new pic of me, but I didn't do those ones that some do with their bigger clothes yet not ready for that yet. So I will post again soon on here.