Old-Timer & New Directions :)

Thanks for all the info.  I'm focusing on getting vitamins onboard first and working on my diet, cutting out carbs and sugar.  I just ordered Patch MD (never even heard of it until I visited here) Multi-Vit, B-12, Iron, and D3/Calcium.  In the meantime, I'm taking vitamins that I bought at the drug store.  I was doing some research tonight and it sounds like B12 deficiency can cause the muscle weakness I'm having.  I really do hope getting my vitamins back up to where they need to be will help me rebuild lost muscle.

I am sensitive to all artificial sweeteners (they give me a migraine) except Stevia, so most of the sugar-free items on the market I can't have.  A couple months ago, I cut out soda pop (of course I was drinking the full sugar kind) and sweet tea and I only have tea with Stevia once/day now.  I also just started using premier protein in my coffee instead of the high calorie creamer I had been using.  Other than one coffee and one iced tea, I'm drinking 3-4 bottles of water each day.  It's crazy how once my body gets used to getting water, I actually CRAVE it, where before I never actually WANTED water!

I have my fit*****arged and on my wrist. My first goal with my fitbit is to work on taking more steps tomorrow than I did today (each day until I reach 10,000 plus/day)...  baby steps!

I also found out TONIGHT that my husband is paying for a gym membership that I didn't even know he was paying for - since he doesn't use it - and maybe I will get up the courage to use it.  I'm scared and intimidated of gyms :-(

Getting all of the bad foods out of the house is easier said than done.  My brother is staying with us at the moment and he is a BAD BAD eater and he buys it and brings it in, so I just have to be strong.  Plus, our daughter...  but, she's taking a nutrition class in college this semester, so I have been noticing her making some pretty good changes to her diet (she is 5'6 and barely hits 100 lbs!)

I have been using MyFitnessPal to journal my meals for a week now and plan to continue that.

Next step is to have an appointment with my surgeon.  That's going to be hard for me too, because I kinda felt like he scolded me the last time I was in to see him because of weight gain and not journaling. I will bite the bullet and make that appointment though.  He is about a 2 hour drive from me, so it's going to take some planning to get down there.

 

Thanks again!

Dot

Dot, so glad you came in tonight! I would suggest you start with a medical appointment...with your WLS surgeon, if possible. If not, at least your PCP, and get labs done. You need to see where your levels are, especially your iron, since you are so weak. Once you get a good baseline medical going, you can get those vitamins on board. We peeps here can help you with that.

From there, you can start working on food plan, etc.  I really think, for now, you need to concentrate on getting your energy back, by being sure your iron levels, etc are okay

I will try to see my surgeon as soon as I can, but I will have to get it planned out since he is about a 2 hour drive away.  It's going to mean taking a whole day off of work.

I wrote a long reply above that kinda outlines what I plan to do to get back on track.

Thanks for your reply!

Good luck to us both, Dot!  :) 

Thank you for coming back and being brave enough to post.

Every year on my surgiversary I say that the one thing I learned through this process is that WLS does not solve all of your problems.

The fact that you made it through and have seen the light on the other side is an inspiration!

Scott

Thank you, Scott!

CitS, maybe this will encourage you:

I am almost 15 years post RNY, and be 60 yrs old this summer. I didn't reach goal until year 9 post op, having had many regains/loss/etc/etc...as much as 100 lbs...I am currently 12 pounds under goal

I share this in the hope anyone seeing it will know it CAN BE DONE...one bite at a time..one step at a time

 

I also think because sometimes there are not a lot of people far out posting. How to do long term maintenance is very difficult. You have given me much hope and support. What I got from you is that you're only cheating on yourself and never give up.

I'm glad when folks like this come back. There are thousands out there for the one who posts. We all need support on maintaining long term. 

For the original poster..Please get your iron checked. Low iron is a bad dark place to be. No one can understand that fatigue unless you've been through it. Many long term RnY friends require IV iron to maintain levels. 

I do keep my iron checked; I see my infusion physician every 6 months, and I take a daily iron supplement.  It was very scary - the gradual (at first) weakening and then the snowball effect.  I'm definitely on guard from here on out.

It is definitely an inspiration - thank you!