Rebecca Y.

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Obesity & Me

Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.

Even when you know that the food you're eating is hurting you, it can be impossible to stop. You tell yourself "just one more time won't hurt in the grand scheme of things," but you're so wrong. All those "one more times" add up, and a little bit of a weight problem slowly becomes morbidly obese. Food had a hold on my life. Every day was an exercise in determining what the next meal would be and figuring out how to get the largest, best meal possible. And it wasn't really that I was hungry or that I always ate food that was fattening. Sometimes I actually did make good choices. It was less about quality and more about quantity. Satisfying that fixation on eating was a craving that was never satisfied. It's like being an alcoholic in a way. The more you eat, the more you feel that you need it instead of want it. I knew what I was doing was ruining my health, but I have always been a perfectionist in every other part of my life. I've always tried to be everything to everyone, and overeating was finally something that only affected ME. It was the one thing in my life that I could fail at, and no one would be disappointed. The people who loved me would still love me, and I could go right on eating and digging my grave one spoonful at a time.

What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?

The worst thing about being overweight was not fitting in to society's idea of what people should weigh. Airplane seats do not accommodate larger people. You have to ask for a seatbelt extension. Clothing stores assume that all women over the size of 14 must be over the age of 70, and they make clothes that no woman in her 20s would want to wear. If you go to Lane Bryant or other specialty stores, often the clothes don't hang correctly on your frame, and they don't take into account that not everyone who is overweight wants to wear clothes that lets their stomach hang out. Movie theater seats are restrictive, and often there is no room to move or to allow room for the person next to you to share the armrest. Even civic centers do not accommodate larger people. The turnstiles that you go through when entering to go to a concert or a sporting event require that you turn sideways to enter. And don't even try to go to a public bathroom unless you can get in the handicapped stall. But if you do go in the handicapped stall, be prepared for dirty looks when you come out.

If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?

Crossing my legs and tying my shoes without having to pull my leg up by grabbing my pants leg and pulling or having to turn sideways on the bed to reach the shoe! Also, I love catching a profile shot of myself in the mirror because that is where I see the most dramatic difference. Who knew I needed to lose so much weight in my back and butt?!

How did you first find out about bariatric surgery and what were your initial impressions of it?

I first heard about laparoscopic RNY two years ago and initially balked at the idea. It seemed so dastric and so "last chance."

What was your stay in the hospital like? How long where you there? What things are most important to bring?

My hospital stay was wonderful. The nurses were very calm and reassuring and very, very polite. Everyone was so encouraging, and several of the people I spoke with had had weight-loss surgery and were comfortable sharing their experiences and knowledge. The pre-op staff was excellent and were able to start my IV the first time with very little pain, even though most people can't even draw blood from me. My IV stayed in through the entire visit, and I hardly even had any bruising. The recovery room staff were way too talkative, and it was very irritating to wake up to conversations about where they were going to have lunch, what movie they had seen and who heard who say what. I was in a lot of discomfort and pain when I first woke up, and their chatter was not helping. I let my attendant know, and they were very accomodating about my need for quiet. Dr. Lavin checked on me personally, and the nurses kept me informed about every step of my care. They were consistently nice to both me and my husband, and we got the impression that they all loved their jobs. You could never hear complaining or arguing from the nurses' station, and the whole group was very supportive. My surgery was on Thursday morning, and I left the hospital on Saturday just before noon. I was most glad that I brought an oversized t-shirt and a pair of stretchy pants that I could roll down below my incisions. One of the ways I got myself out of the post-anesthesia funk was to take a shower on Friday morning and put on my own clothes.

Did you have any complications from the surgery? If so, how did you deal with them?

One of my sutures did not dissolve, and the incision got a little bit infected. My primary care doctor gave me some antibiotics, but it still did not dissolve, so I cleaned up my tweezers and pulled it out. Now it looks fine and is healing well. Also, I did not react well to the anesthesia and couldn't breathe in recovery. They were threatening to put me on the ventilator, but with an extra 30 minutes or so on the oxygen mask, things evened out. I had to do a lot of very concentrated focusing and ignoring the pain so I could breathe and not have to be vented.

In the weeks after you got your surgery date, how did you feel? How did you cope with any anxiety you might have felt?

Anxiety was a big issue for me, and I was fortunate to have a friend who had the surgery three weeks before me. I learned a lot from her, and she benefited because she was able to look at me and be glad she wasn't still where I was! Obesityhelp.com has been my saving grace. Every day when I get up in the morning and when I come home from work in the evening, one of the first things I do is check the message board. If I have a specific question, I will post a message or check the library, and within minutes I have an answer. Obesityhelp.com is better than any local support group, although I still recommend people find a group they can talk to face-to-face.

Describe your first few weeks home from the hospital. What should people expect from this period?

The first couple of weeks were not all that painful, but it was still quite an adjustment. Getting up and down without pulling on the incisions was the most difficult part. I got very dizzy very easily and had to really work to get food down...not because I was sick but because I really just didn't want to eat. The surgery gave me the will to overcome my old food demons, but I still had one craving - or as my husband called it, one "crazing." Chewing, chewing, chewing! I thought I would never eat food again that could be chewed! Of course, once I did finally get to chew something, it made me queasy, so I figured chewing was not all it was cracked up to be. :o) During the first few post-op weeks, people should expect that you will be going through many changes. They should be supportive and not eat your favorite foods in front of you, especially during the first month. Even though you know you can't have certain things, it is disappointing to see someone else eating them, and it can lead you to question whether or not the surgery was a good decision. Deep down you know it was, but there are so many uncertainties and questions when you start something new like this. Taking away the temptation and the blatant reminder that you have done something so drastic is very helpful. Eventually, of course, you will have to overcome the desire to slap everyone you see eating large amounts in front of you, but at first, it's best to take baby steps.

How far did you travel to have your surgery? (If far, how did this affect your aftercare?)

I traveled from West Monroe, LA, to Covington, LA, which is approximately four and a half hours. My primary care doctor saw me for my one-week visit, and I saw my surgeon for the one-month visit and will continue to see him for follow-ups. It makes it quite difficult when you have to take off a full day from work and travel nine hours round-trip, but Dr. Lavin and his staff are well worth every boring second of Interstate between here and there. Plus, they are very helpful by phone, and I have never had a problem that they weren't able to address simply by talking me through it.

Please describe in detail what things you could and couldn't eat in the weeks and months following surgery. What foods have been off limits? Please explain how your dietary tolerance changed week-by-week, and then month-by-month since surgery.

At first, sugar-free popsicles and cranberry juice mixed with Crystal Light were my only friends. I didn't like chicken broth, so I drained the broth out of chicken noodle soup and threw away the noodles so I could have something that tasted more like real food. I also discovered the joys of soup from the Chinese restaurants. As things progressed, I was able to start eating creamier soups, and my favorites have been the Carb Focus soups, especially the Tusan Tomato and Creamy Southwest Chicken. I have little or no tolerance for most rice and bread, although I can eat sugar-free wheat bread highly toasted with Country Crock cinnamon butter. What a treat! White meat chicken is out of the question, but a few bites of dark meat went down pretty well. One day I can eat a scoop of chicken salad, and the next day, I can't. Also, if lettuce is shredded, it is easier to work with than if it is simply torn. My main problem has been tomato-based products. I did okay with spaghetti sauce, but cocktail sauce and ketchup are out of the question, which is really a shame. I was a big ketchup eater pre-op, but then again I really don't eat many french fries now, so I suppose it's no great loss. Also, another problem is that I am, unfortunately, NOT someone who dumps on sugar or high-fat foods. If your doctor does not prescribe carafate suspension, ask for it! It will coat your stomach, help prevent gastric ulcers and help "real food" settle much better in your new stomach. Cheese is wonderful and fairly high in protein. I especially love Colby Jack. Also, baked or grilled fish is excellent and also a good source of protein. My favorite protein source is six tablespoons of peanut butter mixed with two scoops of Aria chocolate protein mix. Mix it all together, roll it into several small balls and enjoy!

What was your actvity level in the days and weeks after surgery?

I walked around the fourth floor at the hospital quite a bit, and the first full day I was at home, my husand and I went to Target and the mall. He pushed me in a wheelchair at Target because it was really crowded, and we had to go to the back corner for what we needed. In the mall, I took it very slow and avoided large crowds. I wasn't ready to race anyone through the mall, but at least I was there and making the effort. The next day was my first day at home by myself, and two family members came over at different times of the day to check on me. They took me to a local medical mall to walk in the mall walking program, and I was able to get in one lap the first time and two laps the second time (approximately 1/3 of a mile and 2/3 of a mile). I have tried to remain active and not lay in bed feeling sorry for myself that it had to come to this point for me to get healthy again. As time has passed, I've gotten more and more active and feel much more able to keep up a good pace throughout the day and maintain my energy levels.

What vitamins and/or dietary supplements have you taken since your surgery?

Just this week, I added a hair, skin and nail calcium supplement, and I've been taking Centrum for Kids chewable multivitamins since I got home. I also take Foltx for the first six months, and half of one blood plessure pill. In a couple of weeks, I will add an iron supplement and am currently trying very hard to get in enough protein in a day.

What side effects (nausea, vomiting, sleep disturbace, dumping, hair loss etc.) were worse for you? For how long after surgery did they persist? How did you cope with them?

Nausea still happens, depending on what I eat and how quickly I eat it, but I usually am able to lay down and sleep it off for an hour or so and it will go away. I haven't vomited yet (knock on wood!), and my sleep has been great. I don't snore anymore! Hair loss was a big concern for me from day one. The anesthesia made my hair thin out, but it seems to be doing fine now. I'm trying to stay up on my water and protein so it is not a problem in the future.

What was the worst part about the entire bariatric surgery process?

The worst part of the entire surgery was the moment I woke up in recovery. I had quite a bit of pain from my chest to the bottom of my stomach, and my breathing was very shallow. In that moment, the realization hit me of what I had done and that it was far too late to call a "do-over." That moment caused me to panic a bit, but thank goodness for anesthesia! I went back to sleep pretty quickly and when I woke up, the pain had subsided quite a bit, and I felt much better.

What aftercare support group/program do you have? How helpful/important is this?

Obesityhelp.com has been my primary support group because there are people from all stages of weight loss here. I do have a local support group, but because of my job, I am not always able to attend, and they only meet once a month.

What is your scar like? Is this what you expected?

I have six very small scars, and they are healing really well. This is pretty much what I expected, and I'm not at all disappointed. It's better than the alternative!

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I'm in a plateau right now unfortunatley. At about five weeks post-op, I hit 40 pounds, and I have hardly lost any since then, even though two weeks have passed. There's really nothing to blame that on except myself. I haven't been keeping up with my walking or water, and I'm trying to get back on track.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

People are definitely treating me differently. The men in my office are flirting more, but that could be because I'm exuding a whole new level of confidence. The women, including my CEO, are treating me differently, partially because I'm dressing much nicer. Many people have said things like, "you look so beautiful" or "you just look healthy" or even "you're glowing." They are noticing the differences because I'm noticing and I'm acting differently.
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