Following Up...

I am nearly 4 years post op and I honestly think that one of my keys to success is that I go in to see my surgeon/RNP for my follow up appointments no matter how I'm doing. What I mean, is that it's easy to go back in and see them when you are losing weight and want to celebrate your achievements, but it can be more challenging to go back when you feel like there isn't anything to celebrate, are worried that you might get bad news because you either weren't taking care of yourself by not taking your supplements, not exercising or may have experienced some regain. To be honest, I have all of those scenario's occur during the past couple of years, but I keep going and as I said, I think it's a key to my success. Not only my success in keeping the weight off, but also my success in taking care of myself because when I go in and I'm having a problem they are able to help me get back on track.

When I went in this time my weight was stable and while my pulse and BP where in 'normal' ranges they were somewhat high for me... I have fractured vertebrae in my back that are causing some significant pain and it's likely the reason for the escalated BP/pulse. We discussed pain management issues; I let her know that I was having issues with my oral pain meds not working well for me and that I'm certainly not drug seeking, but needed a better solution and that transdermal pain patches seem to help with pain medication delivery, bypassing the gut when managing the delivery of pain meds. We discussed treatment plans to manage my osteoporosis considering that I'm a RNY bariatric patient. I was focused on the serum ferritin number and she helpedme see the bigger picture. I have a somewhat unusual condition called Hemochromatosis and my serum ferritin was lower than most and I was concerned that it was becoming a problem, but she showed me that I have the iron stores and platelet counts that let them know that my body is doing just what it needs to do to produce plenty of iron to take care of my needs. I also have had some low D readings and she was able to talk to me about the course of action my PCP has recommended and she concurs with the direction we are taking. We also looked at things like my B12 readings and other details that are important to a bariatric patient. She sees my labs through a slightly different, more specialized view than my PCP does and I really appreciate her perspective and advice on what we are doing to keep me healthy.

So, I hope that weather you are celebrating your weight loss or working to maintain, that you are making sure that you go see your Bariatric specialist to help you maximize your health in the long term.

Hi Barb,
I am also coming up on 4 years myself.
Life can be a whole combination of twist and turns.

I know I am at such a better place in my new body than I was in 1998.
I love the fact I am able to do so much.
The past year my family is dealing with the severe lillness of my brother John.
He is waiting for a kidney and liver transplant.
He is attending all the preop classes and sticking to his diet and is sober.

Because of this family stress it started to affect me with high PB and panic attacks.
I saw my PCP Monday and I am happy to say my BP was 120/74 and the antidepressant is helping so much.

I do have balance issues with my extra skin and have to stay on top of my lymphedema all the time.
Tuesday night I took some of my ativan and was getting up to use the bathroom.
Well I fell twice during the night banged my knee up pretty bad.
Thank God Lee was off yesterday which was the worst after my fall.
He was so helpful by getting me up helping me in and out of the shower.
This morning I am alone Lee had to open and I managed to take a shower feed the animals my knee is not as stiff because I kept making myself move slowly around the house yesterday.
I also feel that the increase in my daily walking is going to make my recovery time quicker.
A few times during the month my friend and I have been going to the NC flea Market and walking.
It is so much fun.
My demo job has been cuttung hours so sometimes I am only working one day.

I have noticed a few more food changes which it took me 4 years to be able to have.
I finally found I am able to drink milk and eat a whole grain cereal.
My daily bill of fare remains constant lots of soups,lunch meat,salads cheese I listen to my pouch and hate to over fill it ..
Avoid steak but can do lean hamberger seafood does well.

Tomorrow I am scheduled to have lunch with my brother and mother so in keeping with my brothers diet I will be having chicken salad with walnuts and red grapes heriloom tomatoes served on romaine lettuce and some fresh basil and balsimic vinegar.
For a small treat, lemon curd in mini phylio shells with a fresh rasberry.
So today I am going to keep moving slowly around my house in hopes I will be able to prepare lunch for my family.
Called my PCP about my fall we decided to only take a half of an ativan at night if needed.
Life is good and WLS has blessed me in many ways.
                                                                       Annie

Hi Annie,

I'm sorry to hear of your falls and hope that you recover gently and quickly. I'm glad to hear you are taking care of yourself as you work to reach out to your family during this difficult time. Sometimes it's hard for us to realize that we have to take care of ourselves first so that we have the strength and bandwidth to support those we love.

I'm sorry to hear that your hours have been reduced, but glad it may give you some more time. If you ever have time on the 3rd Saturday morning of any month, be sure to stop by to visit the group.

Enjoy your family and the lovely lunch you are creating.

Mom just called and I told her about my falling.
I told her I still want to do lunch but she offered to have her housekeeper make the chicken salad.
So I agreed she could do that keeping in mind no added salt.
The main thing is not so much the food part even tho I so love creating healthier foods.
The most important thing is spending time with my family.
My sister saw my brother two weeks ago and called me crying saying he looks so bad and wants my opinon.
My brother wont go out in public anymore because how bad he is looking right now.
My heart breaks for him but also at the same time I remember how ashamed I was to be in public because of my weight and low selfesteem.
                                                             Annie

Since my WLS a little over 2 and a half years ago I have lost my health insurance and am reluctant to go to see my surgeon since I can't afford to pay out of pocket. But I am very proactive with my health and I am good about getting at least 90 grams of protein a day and getting all of my suppliments in. I excercise regularly and stick with all available support groups (including yours). It is the best I can do for now. I do watch my sugar levels in my blood and took advantage of free A1c testing recently. I adjusted my diet accordingly and expect a better reading next time. I for the most part feel very healthy and am not worried for now. I am certain that when I again am able to get health insurance I will get a full physical with my PCP and possibly get a follow up with my surgeon. Fortunately my PCP is able to order any bloodtests I need and would be most cooperative since she is very pleased with how well I have done so far. As reluctant as she was to give the referral in the beginning I know she is glad she did it anyway.
You are right though support and follow-up has to be key to continued success to stay healthy for the rest of our lives.

Hi Anne,

We have found ourselves in very similar cir****tance regarding both the 'ability' to go for appointments and associated labs and doing those things we can control to take care of ourselves. I'm sure that things will turn around and that you will be aple to get insurance and your regular exams. In the meantime, kudos on doing what you need to do to take care of yourself.

See you soon,

 Thanks for such good information.  I am looking forward for the challenge.

Cheryl

Hi Barbara,

I am just over 2 years out, and I'm struggling.  After an initial loss of 140 pounds (got down to 4 pounds below my surgeon's goal for me), I have regained 25 of those pounds.  For almost the whole first year after surgery, I was an exercise fiend, working out at least 4 hours at a time, usually 3 days a week, with the treadmill or stationary bike in between.  That was while my epidural pain shots lasted.  But then, they quit working, and the pain in my back and legs was ferocious, and I could barely walk, let alone exercise.  I ended up having back surgery when I was 13 months out, and was in a huge brace and not allowed to do ANYTHING for more than 3 months (other than walking - but less than a month after surgery, I was feeling so good and pain-free that I got careless and fell hard at work, breaking my knee-cap right in two, and breaking my right wrist).  I was in a wheelchair for a month, and in a leg immobilizer and a cast on my arm for 9 weeks.  So, still no real opportunity to exercise.  Then, in August this past summer, I finally got to do some physical therapy, and by October, I was back to working out 3 to 4 times per week, and even swimming.  But then, in mid-October, I tore my rotator cuff and wreaked out my biceps tendon, and once again had to have surgery that pretty much immobilzed me until about two months ago.  And during this time, the weight has crept back on.  I'm frustrated and scared.  I recently began deep-water aerobics twice a week at the warm water therapy pool at National Jewish because my knees are pretty much bone-on-bone (and I've been told 3 times in the last 6 months that I need total knee replacements), so walking is getting painful again, and even using the stationary bike can cause my knee to swell up double its size.  I went out and bought some dumbells and resistance bands, and a balance ball so that I can do strength and toning exercises at home in addition to the treadmill, stationary bike and water aerobics, and I've got this incredible pedometer that records all kinds of stuff and you can upload data to your computer, and I've even got (and wear) a BodyBugg (which measures your caloric output and when you log your intake and upload the data from the bodybugg it tells you where you're at system-wise - how many calories you need to take in and how much calories you need to burn to lose weight)... but it seems like most of the time I am just not motivated to go downstairs and JUST DO IT!!!  I need help.... I am attending a 4 week Behavior Modification group series put on by one of the therapists who works with my bariatric surgeon, and I also have a Health Coach through my place of employment who is working with me... but I have not held up my end of the bargain and honored my commitment to come home, go downstairs and walk for at least 20 to 30 minutes on the treadmill, or get on the stationary bike and pedal for 20 to 30 minutes.  I KNOW I need to do it.... but it seems I always find excuses not to.  I just feel sooo tired all the time (and yes, I'm taking my vitamins and have had comprehensive bloodwork recently, and all is fine)...

I need a good swift kick in the behind.... but what I really need is someone who will go with me, and be a workout buddy.  Someone who will motivate me to get off my duff and do what I know I need to DO! 

Feeling like a failure....
Erica

(((Erica))),

I'm sorry to hear that you are having such a hard time. I do understand. This winter I slipped and fell on the icy driveway fracturing my wrist and several of the vertebrae in my middle back. I've been on my back or in a chair much more than I would like and have to really watch my weight so that it doesn't creep back up because I'm not exercising to speak of right now. Like you, I've also have a great deal of stress in my life... job loss, several deaths in the family, lost our home, etc... and I'm a 'emotional' eater.... so I really do get it. I also don't do real well with 'deprivation'... as a matter of a fact, I turn into a 3 year old and rebel.

I have felt really overwhelmed. One of the things that I have done that has worked was spent some time writing down all of the things that I really appreciate about being thinner and/or why I want to be thinner. I found that they basically broke down into these categories: health, quality of life, and appearance. I now pick one of those things from my lists that fall into each of those categories that I want to have in my life. Then during the day I try to think about the decisions I'm making to see if they helping me or hindering me from attaining those things. It sounds hokey, but it's really helped.

I also have had to trim down my intake since I've been less active. When I'm 'normally' active for me, I typically ingest about 2000 to 2200 calories a day. Now, I'm more in the 1600 to 1800 calorie range. As I said before, I'm really not so good at deprivation so diets don't work too well for me. What I have done is leverage the power of my tool. I load first with protein, then backfill with colorful carbs that I like and are prepared in ways that I really enjoy. Finally, if I want them, I have some simple carbs, but they are limited by space.

Please consider finding a buddy that you can talk to, call, text, whatever when you are considering doing things that might undermine your health and/or weight, or not doing things that will support your goals.

Your are worth it. Take the time and initiative to take care of yourself as well as you would take care of others.

I don't know if any of this might be helpful to you, but I hope it is.

Hi Barbara-  I am new here and i had my surgery on March 15,2010-  and i am 4 weeks post op and i am down 40 lbs.  I do struggle with the protion drinks.  I am on stage 3 foods for another week.  I did have my post op appointment two weeks after my surgery and he said i was doing great!.  I dont go back to see him until June.  I have been doing some walking but have been tied up with my sister at the hospital she had a double bypass heart surggery caused by her diabetes.

I am no longer on my meds for diabetes and my sugars are normal I am due for blood work for my april 28 appointment for diabetes.  so we will see how things go.