update-updo & uptight

Three years out for me.I have been on antibiotics for 3 months now. Mayo Clinic prescribed these and also gave me a life supply through my local PCP. My labs came up, A in the mid normal range,  Iron holding strong, anemia still struggling but better, and the bacterial overgrowth in check. Hyperglycemia acts up and got worse, but working with my endo to manage this. I feel better than I have in the last year and longer.

Revision. What can I say. Went back and forth over the last 3 years on this one. Many doctors saying many things. Why did you do this to yourself? You need to redo this before you die. Those were the nut cases I chalk up to somebodies  got to be dumb, might as well be you today. 

I had anemia before my DS but it was mild and took OTC iron. After the DS I got a different kind of Anemia. Might have got this anyway. Pre diabetic before DS,  gone now. Mother died at 61 after being SMO half her adult life. Road map I choose not to follow.

Having reactive Hyperglycemia is very rare for a DSer. Mayo educated me on this and I am not going to lie and say this is not a hard thing to live with, but one can live with it and keep it managed. I have been working learning new ways to eat. I think what made it hard for me these last 3 months with the RH was the fact my hernia was acting up and I ate soft slider things with more carbs than usually for me. I now have 2 hernias. 

Apt. with hairdresser tomorrow for a up-do. Yes a UP-DO. I have never had a real life up-do. Saturday I go in for nails and toes. Apt. for Tuesday for 2 hernia repairs and a TT. Getting these muscles fixed to take me into my old age. Why? Because I believe for the first time in a long time I am going to make it to a ripe old age. Some say they want to grow old gracefully, I say I just want to grow old with quality of life.   

Uptight-yes. I went in for preop today for surgery on Tuesday. I put research into Dr.Sando for his skills for the TT, just didn't realize it was a drain less TT. He has been doing them for the last 2 years doing over 300. Dr. Sando is one of 12 PS in the Nation that does them. You heal faster, infection rate lower, pain reduced. Somehow he sews each layer of the skin from the inside out. I left my packet in Jerry's car so can't really describe it to a T. Keep me in your thoughts, Prayers, and Trust Fund, as this is costing more that what I thought I would ever do for myself. Things change, Thoughts change, and I will be saving my change from here on out for my Arms!!!!  Maybe I can do a bake sale for Arms. 

I am 52. Wt. 131. Ht. 5'6-My DS and I are best friends and I trust her and she trust me. That's today, who knows what tomorrow will bring. Gotta love life. Karen

So happy for you Karen, sounds like things are going so much better.  You're going to look awesome!

Thank you Danie. Strange thing is, I think I look awesome now! I know that sounds not right, but it is true. I have always knew PS were not for me. Heck not a lot there to remove. The benefits from the muscle repair will help me so much with my back and my BM's. Karen  

Karen,  awww a TT.  I'm so jealous.  And drainless.  Neat.  Everyone says the drains are a real bother.  You'll have to tell us more. Glad your labs and stuff are showing signs of improvement.  I'll be sending  you healing thoughts on Tuesday.  Hey, the up-do sounds cool!  hugs, Jenny

Thanks Jenny. I have been told by quite a few doctors and 2 people that have lived with short gut syndrome a TT helped for them with pressure and BMs. My DS at 3 years out is very effective and still trying to out eat it. The egg protein  keeps me good on my protein numbers. 

TT cost 8,000, but with the hernia repair being covered by my insurance his cost was 4,600. My father will be giving me half and I will pay half.  So for 2,300 I knew it was within my reach.  

Karen!   I'm so glad to know the antibiotics are working for you and your labs are getting better. Sending up healing thoughts for you next week.

--gina

Gina, I think of you often, but have peace knowing you are only a keyboard away. Mayo gave me the knowledge I needed to go foreward with living with my DS. I am a rare DSer. I always thought it but never wanted to admit it to myself. No one really knows what a revision will do. Doctors just can't give ya a straight answer, and it's because it is a guess in the dark how one will react after. For 21/2 years I struggled with bacteria overgrowth not even knowing it was there. I am a extreme case, and will have to monitor this for life as my labs will jump up and down when it acts up. What does act up mean? For me nothing but bloating. It is so hard for me to wrap my mind around this. I talked to Diana Cox about this subject. She hopes, like me that Mayo makes it's findings public soon. It does not seem to matter what I eat,  or don't. The overgrowth has a mind of it's own. I tried protein shakes for 2 months 6 a day and small amounts of Greek yogurt, and a banana a day, plus a green veggie and still yet it acts up. Oh well, having the prescription for the antibiotics makes my life so much less stress full not having to deal with the doctors the rest of my life retelling the facts.  Sometimes I wonder how many RNY, and DSers are dealing with this and just do not know it. Mayo told me RNYers get into big trouble with this and they most generally are not taken the amount of vits and supplements we are and they are hurting big time with malnutrition by the time they get there. So blessed that I took the high doses of vits I did right out of my DS surgery, I would be in a big hurt today if I didn't. Someday we will meet up again, when we both have time for a good visit between each other. You can wear your army boots and I will wear my UPDO. Why army boots?  You are going to have to kick ass at all who stare at the honeybee on my head. Peace Karen

Wow honey you've been having a rough time. I feel you pain on the overgrowth side of things.  I'm on flagyl right now SIGH...but it is only the second time in almost two years so.............

I always feel I have to justify my surgery choice with health professionals and the entire time they are patronisingly waiting for the shoe to drop. I guess in some ways we traded one set of issues for a new set of issues. I much prefer the occasional bout of overgrowth then the constant IBS symptoms and suppressed immunity I had with my SMO self.

Kirmy, we do have a trade off and I had a hard time learning the new set of rules to live by with the RH, and overgrowth,  mainly because doctors just don't understand the DS and how it all comes into play.  Now that I have them under control, but more so have a game plan for when they get out of control I feel more relaxed and ready to live life more. It seems with RH the further out we get it can become more severe in some. Working with my endo, monitoring my blood levels are a start.

I did not take flagyl or any antibiotics for 21/2 years until I went to Mayo. Didn't think I needed them. I read the symptoms here on OH, and I did not feel like I had those issues. I bloated 6-8 times in a month, but most women do. This is why it is so hard for me to keep the overgrowth in control. I will tapper off next month after my surgery, and then as soon as I have any bloating I know this is my sign to start the meds. 

Love your post they have kept a smile on my face these years. You sure rocked your DS. Your So cute. I know the inner strength it takes to keep up on our health after our DS, you set a great example for us all. Many times when I had these ass hole doctors tell me such silly things, I would sit there and think to myself, You don't know what I know, like a girl name Kirmy who tells me I may have a absorption problem but last resorts,  ace in the hole, is pill in the ass hole! What would you do to keep your DS?  You better believe I was willing to try this, and still might in my later years if need be.

Peace Karen

Karen,

I hate that you've been going through tough times, but I absolutely admire your positive attitude!