Hoping...Praying...
It's SO sad...I have to come to work and get on the pallet scale to weigh myself. The scale at my primary doc's office doesn't even cut it...
Some of you may remember that I'm a risky candidate due to some health reasons - the SAME reasons I WANT (and NEED) the surgery...that ULTIMATE complication they always mention (death) is a HUGE reality for me. It's something I understand. Well the doc didn't say no. He needed time to think about it....
Well, Dr. Cunningham in 'cuse has put me on a diet. 20 teaspoons a meal, 3 meals a day. If you calculate that out, it's just under a half cup of food. So I've been sticking to a half cup (easier to comprehend that .461 cups).
Tommorow will end week 4. I have lost 26 pounds according the pallet scale. I started at 402. The doc required 20% loss before surgery. Hopefully this is a "test" to see how bad I truely want it and that I'll do what he wants. I REALLY want it, and I DO listen to my docs since nearly dying 3 years ago next month.
For those of you who don't know - I have NASH and esophageal varices. NASH is a liver condition that causes the varices.
Ok, so get to the point already will ya? LOL
The diet has done a few things for me. Besides the obvious weight loss, it shrinks the liver. The liver shinking makes it less inflamed and reduces the portal system hypertension which causes the varices. It has also lowered my BP. Was 140/80...now 130/70, this is FAIRLY consistant.
Support group has been great. When I started the diet, I was tired, weak, depressed. I thought about what we talked about in group...the "blues" you get without enough protein. I have been following the post-surgery diet (under portion control the doc set for me), and I noticed it (tiredness, weakness, depression) going away.
My hope is that Doc says he'll do it. If he says, "we'll see" or "keep going" or outright no...I'll walk away a broken person. I'm praying he says "welcome!" Pray for me (or think good thoughts for me). I really need this....
I see him next Tuesday.........
Obesity Help Support Group Leader
What a process of learning this is. It sounds like you're on the right track. Good luck with everything and keep us posted!
Amy
301/170/goal 160? Abdominoplasty on 8/21/07 with Dr. Jerome Chao, Albany Medical Center
Obesity Help Support Group Leader
I am very impressed with your determination. It has to be very difficult to eat just half a cup of food at three meals, without the restriction offered by the surgery. I hope that he gives you a date for surgery based upon loosing the remaining 14 pounds. Keep us informed about how things are going. There are so many great people who willing to support you during this time.
Jim
Hello! ~Welcome~ I want to say thank you for sharing your journey with us. It is important that we seek support and community as recovery can never happen alone in isolation!
In our program as you speak about yours we are required to loose 10% of our body wt before surgery (*there are folks who individually need to lose more or less basedon their individual issues/comorbidities)....
Loosing weight pre-op is required by many surgeons & for many reasons... and I am so happy I did! and similar things you speak about...
1.. to show motivation, (*Those who choose to see this as a negative miss a wonderful opportunnity IMHO!)
2.. ability to adhere to a plan (as we will need to for life!), if you can't be mindful and able to follow restrictions pre-op how will you do it post-op? We know surgey surely can not keep us or make us do anything longterm!
3.. to increase your health even a modest 5-10% wt. loss is very helpful, the National Institute of health has even researched this...(hence why weigh****chers is so focused on the 10% wt loss)
4.. decreases surgical complications (by exercise and decrease wt your heart and lungs are in better shape for surgery, anesthesia and healing!)...
5.. Also psychologically it is tough going from a super-sized big Mac meal to clear liquids for 2 weeks post-op!
6.. ***MAIN ONE FOR PROTEIN SPARING or MEDIFAST DIETING***It helps shrink the liver and this eases their surgical procedure and decreases chance of nicking it....And many of the obese have diseased livers, I had NASH as well, not to the severity you describe but still we have fatty livers most of us can use some shrinking/health in that are!
7.. exercising before helps you continue after! Habits take time to develop.
8..The more you lose pre-op the less you will have to lose post-op and the closer to a healthier and more ideal body-wt you will attain!
I have shared my journey before I lost the weight by doing the food pyramid. That's it, I was eating so bad (fast food daily, large portions, consuming every high-fat/sugar thing imaginable and NOT exercising that just cutting down and walking 2 miles a day helped!
For ME, it was "no one" was going to stop me from having this operation, it was my decision and all that was asked of me was to loose 30 lbs, I figured this is a small price for such a wonderful gift I would be given and the opportunity to have a healthier happier longer life....! I was so motivated/psyched; I dropped 30 pounds in 30 days and went on to drop 15 more before surgery! (Although this took me 2 months, as it got harder and I had a few last meals, we all do but you can't let this ruin your opportunity!) I believe it is what allowed me to get to a normal BMI as well! And it is not unheard of for surgeons to postpone or cancel surgeries if one gains weight!!! In this aspect of fear to keep me on track!
Exercise was another key; I faithfully walked 2 miles everyday..it helped that my mom went with me a lot! (a buddy is so helpful!) I followed the food pyramid given to me by clinical nutritionist Dr. Boham at the time...I also wrote everything down (Many find www.fitday.com helpful for this) that went in my MOUTH!!! Or you can get food pyramid/bullseye version at: http://www.xenical.com/hcp/1400_Am_Beye.pdf
I also had to remind myself how BAD I wanted this! Everyday it was/had to be more important to me to change my bad habits and lose weight to have this surgery than to continue to slowly kill myself with food/keep myself from the only hope I had!. I also told everyone about my plans and they helped support me, my friends/family and coworkers! I really can't give you any more guidance than this, it really had to come from within, it was a mindset with me, and I wanted this BAD real bad and I knew it was my last resort/chance! I felt invigorated and motivated by the end results...the long-term had to outweigh the short-term gratification of eating bad choices or overeating! It was a learning opportunity for me to change my habits and practice chewing well, not drinking with meals and eating smaller portions, giving up sugar/caffeine/carbonation/alcohol (if any of those are your issues, carbonation/caffeine/alcohol weren't issues for me)!
So a few weeks/months of healthy habits to lose pre-op wt is not a lot if you frame it right! IT IS NOT FOREVER and it is about starting this journey!
I will pray and keep you in my thoughts positively!
Your determination and mindset sounds on track!!! Good for you
I recommend those preop consider trying to fill their minds with as much optimism and positive thinking as possible! Basically, become more conscious of what you are thinking and feeling, and start preparing yourself to think of food and your life in a different way. This is a courageous step for you to take, and it's not just about weight changing -- it's about life changing. This is why so many of us are challenged by the enormity of the decision.
I wish I had worked more on finding inner peace with my decision to have WLS with living preop best I could by taking some time to meditate, journal, pray, use positive affirmations like those found at http://www.dailyinspiringquotes.com or http://www.nawls.com/public/department27.cfm or here http://www.unityonline.org/pray_prayersaffirmations.htmetc on my decision.
Be well! And thanks for the topic!
Jamie Ellis RN MS NPP
100cm proximal Lap RNY 10/9/02 Dr. Singh Albany, NY
320(preop)/163(lowest)/185(current) 5'9'' (lost 45# before surgery)
Plastics 6/9/04 & 11/11/2005 Dr. King www.albanyplasticsurgeons.com
http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/jamiecatlady5/
"Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect, it just means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections!"
