I'm Baaack - Update

This morning I posted the following. Below, I have an update to report about the REE test I took this morning:

Good morning OHers! It's been a while since I have been here, no excuse except life just got busy! I will bring you folks up to date on my so called life.

I had my RNY on 12/4/2015 (HW 256, SW 217). Then just 2.5 months after my surgery, during my regular yearly GYN checkup, several lumps were discovered in my right breast and lymph nodes. Many extensive tests later it was determined that I had highly aggressive metastatic breast cancer, stage 2 PR-/ER-/HER2+.

Months of heavy duty chemo were started immediately, followed by a a bi-lateral mastectomy on 8/9/16, followed by 30 radiation treatments which ended just days before Thanksgiving 2016. Six months later my breast reconstruction began, the DEIP Flap procedure.

So far I have had 2 of 4 surgeries to complete my reconstruction. I was scheduled to have surgery #3 this Friday (5/4/18), but I cancelled it. Why? Because during a recent CT a suspicious 4mm nodule was discovered in my right lung (same side as my primary BC). My radiation oncologist will be monitoring this and has me scheduled for a followup CT in August. I couldn't see going through more breast reconstruction surgery if this nodule is CA and surgery to remove it is needed.

Meanwhile, during all this BC flurry of chemo, etc, my new pouch has worked great. Even though I didn't get to experience the honeymoon excitement of the 1st year following a RNY, I still lost weight, only it was a "controlled loss". Being on chemo, my oncologist didn't want me losing more than 5 lbs every 3 weeks.

By the time chemo, surgery, and radiation were over I had managed to lose 125lbs. I'm now 30 months out from my RNY surgery. I do hard exercise at least 4 days a week, and stay active the other 3 days. I have stayed completely on program, never once cheating. However, I have still managed to somehow gain 20 lbs. My bariatric doc believes that my cancer treatments have totally messed up my metabolism. So, today I am having a Resting Energy Expenditure test to see what can be determined my calorie intake should be.

By tomorrow I should have a new plan of attack to successfully get off this 20 lb gain and continue on to my original weight loss goal. I am looking closely at the Bariatric Keto WOE. Has anyone here been on it?

UPDATE: The result of my Resting Energy Expenditure test came in with a RMR of 1,360 calories. This sure seems like a lot of calories for me! I am eager to hear from my bariatric office tomorrow as to what I need to do now to lose the 20# I have gained, and how to get to my goal weight of 125. Hopefully, I will be given my Bariatric Keto macros when I am called with my results.

We look forward to your updates!

Good to hear from you. Your have been through it all-- praying for positive news for the module that you are watching.

Hoping you can figure a game plan knowing the REE. Sometimes I feel like we're privy to to much information. It's why I don't pay attention to the gadgets that measure sleep, I don't want another thing to tinker with.

Wow. You have been through a lot. I wish you continued good health.

How many calories are you eating now? I would try 1200/day and see what your body does as far as losing weight. You can adjust it after a few weeks.

My goal is 1,000 calories/day. Some days I may go over that a little, maybe to 1,100, but usually not. I think alot of my problem is that I love cheese...with cheese comes fat.

I commend you for responding so positively to these challenges. There are low fat good cheeses - 75 percent fat free sharp cheddar for example part skim ( and even fat free ) mozzarella .. fat free ricotta if you can catch it . ( delicious)

huge hugs ((( ))))

Low fat cheese is not appropriate for keto.