How are we doing? (Yet again!)

should have gone back and proofread.  My starting weight was 330 and my current weight is 254 so that is a total loss of 76 pounds. I do know I need to get with the routine of my vitamins and water.  I have started making a jug of crystal lite and putting a huge cup by my bed so I can sip on it at night but you know what that means I am up all night........... My hubby reminds me of the vitamins he is a RN and he just shakes his head at me when I saw I forgot them. I think I am going to bring a bottle of vitamins to work and keep in my desk so maybe I will get ina routine of taking them. I am wondering if weigh****cher ice cream bars would be healthy for me or if any lowfat brands would be okay.

1 - October 31, 2006   / 320 pounds/ 5'2"  2 - 113 pounds current / 207 pounds lost 3 - cottage cheese, chicken, chicken, more chicken. I can eat any meats, but I like chicken, it  is so versatile and the hubby doesn't need a bunch of red meat. Don't even like the smell of fish 4 - lots of water and/or crystal light. 80 + ounces 5 - never miss my vitamins 6 - 2 multi vitamins, 3 calcium & D, Biotin, Zinc, folic acid, B-12 sublingual. Fosomax once a week (just started) 7 - some hair loss, always had fine hair but it's okay now 8 - walking daily, leg lifts with weights (the grand's)  9 - I have started eating too quickly and taking big bites - bad, old habit. To help the problem I eat with a baby spoon and a shrimp fork.  10 - Today is not a good time for an uplifting answer from me. For the most part, I am happy to have had WLS. I am off all 10 meds, no longer need injections in my knees, can walk up a storm, have super energy, and have changed most of my bad eating habits. But .. STOP reading NOW if you don't want an honest answer ... - From the beginning I have adhered to all the rules, exercised, drink the water, take my supplements - everything by the book. I have had one odd problem after another since 4 days out of surgery. I spent an additional 10 days in the hospital with an infected incision, plus an infection of unknown origin. That turned out to be a 'self contained infected blood clot'. Thrush developed while on IV antibiotics. I have become dehydrated, not from lack of drinking, but from a prolonged high fever and a doctor who told me to 'just drink more water'. I have had 2 surgeries for hernia repairs, scar tissue, adhesions, and bowel compression. I am facing another hernia repair. I developed peripheral neuropathy, probably caused by rapid weight loss. Sure didn't feel very rapid. It has been super difficult to maintain my weight and not get too low. The salivary gland in my neck is now the size of a golf ball - reason unknown. Over the winter I had one illness or another plus massive NEW antibiotic allergies. Twice given via IV by the doctor. I have lost 20% bone mass in my hips. The icing on this cake is that my liver functions are off.   I am beginning to feel like a LEMON! - Although this chapter of my "book" is bleak and gloomy, I expect to write a happier chapter in your future additions. 11 - WOW moments - taking the grand's for a walk for the FIRST time!!! walking without effort or pain. having my hubby easily lift me in his arms. trying on a size 4 and dicovering it was too big. too many to write. the list is much longer than the previous answer. 12 - No struggle with sleep. I have accepted the fact that I don't sleep for any length of time at once. More like a baby - sleep a couple of hours, then awake for a couple.  13 - nope I hesitated answering this for fear of scaring new people. Right now I am debating whether to hit "submit" or "cancel" ???? Annette

My dear Annette...I am SO GLAD YOU HIT Send instead of Delete!

I know you have had a roller coaster ride since your surgery, but we all NEED to know about those things as well as the trouble free success stories that some share. The gem that comes from your story is that you meet this challenges head on, get past them and LIVE your life fully and with energy, love and compassion.

So many times I read your posts and seriously listen to how you are handling a current situation because it could so easily be ME getting the same diagnosis since I'm way down past my goal, too, and now facing some unusual "episodes" that I didn't months ago while still trying to lose.

It's like the support groups we go to........we learn as much or more from the problems as we do from the stories of smooth sailing. So, don't ever keep quiet for fear of scaring someone....I think everyone needs and wants to hear how we handle the crises as well as the everyday living with WLS.

Thank you so much for giving us all of you.......warts and all!! We love you!

Aloha nui loa,

Maui Karen

Hi Annette, as a "newbie' I am glad you told it all.. The thing I like most about OH is getting the truth, the more information we have the better choices we can make.  I know that at my current weight I am open to all kinds of complications even without having wls. My hope is that by having the surgery I can get rid of the problems I have and LIVE the next part of my life the way we were meant to do. Just normal aging leads us open to things happening to our bodies the excess weight makes it more likely to happen.   hugs, Paulette

Thank you very much Paulette, Hitting the send button was a concern but I'm pleased to know you gained some insight. Some problems have been caused by the WLS, but my age is also a factor. Thanks for reminding me of that fact. The oldies learn from the newbies too Annette   

Hi Annette, I read each and every post on here, hoping to gain knowledge and to start doing the healthy things before surgery. I've learned so many helpful things to do. I'm hoping by the time I have surgery the changes will already be a habit and make the journey easier. I can;t  figure out why it has taken me this long to finally get smart about my eating habits and weight. It's not like I gained all this weight overnight.   BTW I didn't mean to imply "your age" I meant all of us over 50..  Paulette

1. SURGERY DATE, WEIGHT, HEIGHT: January 15, 2008  264/5'2" 2.CURRENT WEIGHT AND LBS. LOSTt: 188current/76 lbs. lost

3. MAIN SOURCE OF PROTEIN: Protein Shakes, yogurt, cottage cheese salad, chicken, steak, chili, shrimp, peanuts, Pure Protein bars.

4.WATER CONSUMPTION?: Approx. 80 oz. a day. 
5. ARE YOU KEEPING UP WITH VITAMINS? Yes, I  also keep vitamins in a weekly " pill box" usually in my work bag and when i get home on my night stand.
6.WHAT VITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENTS ARE YOU TAKING? 4 - optisource, Allergy a & d, 2 calcium, iron w/vitamin c, biotin, 2 stool softners a day  7. ANY HAIR LOSS? Knock on wood none yet 
8. WHAT KIND OF EXERCISE ARE YOU DOING? I try to walk 3 miles or at least an hour everyday either on my treadmill or outside.
9. WHAT ARE YOUR CURRENT CHALLENGES? I'm still pretty new at all of this so I would say making time for myself to exercise is sometimes a challenge as I always have horses and dogs that need worked with and garden and flowers to weed and not enough hours in the day to fit it all in. 10. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE WHOLE WLS EXPERIENCE? I have had a great experience with WLS and wish I wouldn't have waited so long.
11. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR "WOW" MOMENTS? I can breath!   I also posted recently that I can ride the roller coasters at Cedar Point and have done it two weekends in  a row and this week I'm taking my youngest grand daughter 1 1/2 her sister 6 and cousin 3 all to the amusement park and the water park.  I can't wait!
12. DO YOU HAVE AN "ISSUE" WITH SLEEPING? I haven't had my cpap back on since surgery and sleep very well.
13. OK, we're being open sisters here....ANY PROBLEMS WITH CONSTIPATION? It has been a nightmare!   I missed work 2 days in the beginning from being stuck!   I was taking everything I could.    I take two stool softners a day and use flax seed in everything and made that yummy muffin receipe you had posted!  

Aloha Melissa....I am SO GLAD that you responded! Your story is such an inspiration! You are doing it exactly right, and it shows. 76 lbs. in five months is just about perfect, and I know that you will continue on to your goal steadily. Please don't get discouraged if the scale doesn't give you 10 #'s a month...some months it won't as you get closer to goal, but it WILL go down if you keep on doing what you are doing.

I'm so delighted to hear that you no longer need the cpap and are sleeping good. That is such a gift!!

The constipation is a continuing issue for me too, and I keep trying different things and it will be fine for awhile, and then before I know it I'm stuck again. Our bodies are so different it seems...what works for one, may not for another. Good luck with that!

Aloha nui loa,

Maui Karen

Aloha Karen, 1. Surgery Date: September 5, 2007, weight 294 height 5'5 2. Current weight 149, LBs lost 145 3. Main source of protein: yogurt,peanut butter,shrimp,hummas, tofu,cottage cheese

4. Water consumption: around 50oz. day

5. I take my vitamins every single day.

6.2 stool softners,B12sublinqual,multivitamin,2 calcium 600mg.

7. Lost quite a bit of hair, at thus point still losing it.

8. walk two miles a day, treadmill 20 min. day, exercise bike 20 min. day

9. Can't eat any meat, pasta, rice, bread they don't sit well.

10. I feel this surgery has saved my life. I had so many health poblems before the surgery and now I feel terrific.

11. Wow moments: when I lost the rfirst 100lbs. when people did not realize who I was. When friends & family said you are more then half the person you were before. You look wonderful keep up the good work.

12. I only sleep some nights about 4 or 5 hours. Never moe then 5 hours sleep since home from surgery.

13. Had a problem with impaction a couple of months ago but now take ducolax each night and have had no problems since.

Thank you for doing this Karen, it just reminds us all to keep using the tools we have, and live our new life to the fullest. God Bless you.

KathiM

Aloha Kathi.....Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. You have done AMAZING with your weight loss in such a short time!! You have lost a whole person....isn't that totally beyond belief?? I tell my friends that I've lost THEM!! I no longer carry a person weighing 165 #'s around on my back.

I love stories like yours where your life literally is saved from health issues that surely would have shortened your life.

Sleep is an issue for many of us, isn't it. Have you tried any of the over the counter sleep aids? Trazadone works great for me for getting to sleep....not so much for staying asleep.

I'm going to try your ducolax for a few nights and see if that helps.

Thanks again!

Aloha nui loa,

Maui Karen