3 week update - LBL
Hello!
I had my 3 week follow up with my PS. It went very well. She took out my last drain, YIPPEE! Looking me over, she is very happy with how my scar is healing up and gave me the clearance to start exercising moderately again starting next week. I can lift weights and do the elliptical, though no abs and no running yet (got to wait till 6 weeks out for that)
As far as the dizziness goes after I take my compression garment off to shower, she said that is normal. My body is adjusting to the blood/fluid flow getting unrestricted and likely causing my already low blood pressure to drop. Nothing to be too worried about but I should be careful, so the shower chair stays for now.
I also say my bariatric surgeon. Today is my 2 year surgi-versary of my revision from band to bypass. He was THRILLED by my results and confirmed that those "2 bumps in the middle of my body" are indeed my hipbones. Who knew I had hip bones? :-)
In my excitement of getting my drain removed, I made a little pit stop at a Marshalls on my way home. I was dying to see what size I could fit my (formerly) fat ass into. I walked out of there with a size 4! HOLY MACARONI people! A fricking size 4! (visualize a pale white girl dancing around the Marshalls' dressing room... that was me!!) And just because I needed to "see" if I could, I jammed myself into a size 2. Now, the poor lil button was looking at me like "lady, I am only plastic, you can only expect so much from me" but I got them on and got them zipped and buttoned. Way too tight, but I did it. I fit in a size 2. Unbelievable.
So today is a good day. :-)
I had a revision, not a BOB. My band had slipped and it was causing me lots of issues. I couldn't really eat anything w/o vomiting after and I had awful acid reflux. So my doc removed the band and revised me to RNY.
I had lost @ 65lbs with the band before I started to have problems. Gained about 30 of that back. My total loss before (from highest) the LBL was @ 103 lbs. My starting weight was 272.2, my weight the morning of the LBL was 170. My weight today, even with the swelling is 159.
With all the exercising I (normally) do, I know I have a good amount of muscle mass. Accordingly to the dreaded BMI charts, I should be 136 to be "normal BMI". Given the amount of muscle I have, I doubt I will ever see that number, but I'm ok with that.
Thanks for clarifying about the BOB/revision.
Yowza many of you are skinny!!! I am envious.
The BMI chart is not that great a predictor of fitness. I used three weight calculators to find my "ideal weight" and even they reveal a range. I have a large frame BTW.
Traditional Body Weight Calculator: 144-148 lbs.
Ideal Body Weight Calculator: 158-173 lbs.
Full Body Analysis Calculator: 143-168 lbs.
PS I want to add that I did something similar - went into the dressing room with a few bikinis and a pair of jeans size 10. I was delighted when they all fit -- albeit the jeans were TIGHT. And the bikini looked great until I turned around and saw my old lady back... docs gonna have to do something bout that!
Right now, I am in swell hell and with a nice sized seroma, so I will not try it. I was hovering between 4 and 6 pre-op, not sure what I am now.
I had a dizzy fainting spell yesterday in shower, very scary. I figured due to overheating or dehydration, but have read about compression garment thing also.
Glad you are doing well and can exercise, I am envious, if I get any less active, I will turn into a slug. I am tired of "resting", recovery going very slow for me.