Sep 18 2010 Were Am I Now

I have finally made it to 164.4 pounds. I hit 70 lbs lost at 166. Very exciting. The only thing is I sat at 166 for more than a week. My regular doctor thinks 70lbs is the average one looses with the gastric sleeve surgery. I hope not. I think I would like to loose another 15-20lbs. I still have a tummy. I have started excising again, walking and callenetics, this should help a lot.

I'm still happy I had the surgery. It has helped a lot with my fybromyalgia and arthritis. Paul said we should be saving for a "tummy tuck." I saw a quote and it was over $4,000. I also saw the Care Credit covers it. That is a credit card that covers dental, vision, pets and other medical costs.

That is all for now, hope I keep up the exercise.

been a long month - and im NOT loosing!`

i have been at 175lbs for over a week! in fact yesterday I went up to 176.2 and today I am 176.4! talk about frustrating! I think the problem is with my bowels. They told me that i would have constipation problems with the surgery. But I also take methadone for my face pain, which causes the same problem. So i take stool softeners every couple days (should remember to do them daily) Sorry for being so personal but I am writing this blog to help inform others who want to do the surgery. Better they know all I guess. Anyway, I finally "went" yesterday, several times and even some diarrhea. And what happened? I gained!! I will give it a few more days then call the doctor. I will try hard to take the stool softeners daily too. If I have to I will start drinking parlsey tea like my family is that is a diaretic, they have lost a lot of weight. It helps the bowels too.

we will see - sorry for being so personal

just think happy thoughts and forget about what you just read LOL

Vacation and tummy surgery

Well I went on my 10 day vacation. And experiment I did! I can eat sugar without getting sick. I thought I could only eat 4grms of sugar. Of course the whole point is to loose weight so I need to make it once in a special while. Like last night, we went out for dessert and I had hot chocolate and carrot cake, I ate 5 bites. I have also had a DQ ice cream cone, a whole SKOR candy bar and trifle, just a bit. It is recommended that I not eat red meat. Well I had a small carnitas taco and was ok BUT I shared a pork,egg and potato burrito and boy was I sick and in pain. I can still do popcorn in slow bites but I am not going near corn, lettuce or rice the other no-nos.
My biggest problem during the trip was protein drinks, and I will admit here (but not to my mother) that I have not had one in over a week. I tried, I really did. But first, they changed the taste of the chocolate mix. ewe too chocolaty I have to use less powder (which means another drink, drag) Then I made them in the morning at the hotel, but the plastic mixer cup rode in the car all day. Two of them are ruined with nasty stink (anyone know how to get odors out of plastic) they are $9 each! So I just got in the habit of breaking my habit. I must get 80grams of protein a day, one normal drink is 27grms. I should be drinking two normal a day. I hope I don't have to do blood work for a while. I found a third mixer in my room when I got home, I emptied it today (had about an inch of dead drink) I won't even describe the horror of the smell and the dishwasher didn't save the three of them!
Another problem I have been having is eating too fast. I was an Olympic champ in this category prior to surgery. When I eat to fast I have terrible tummy pains and nausea. The night we got home I had two meals in a row inhaled, thus sick for 6 hrs. I have a stopwatch on my phone, maybe I should time between my bites.
The other painful moments (or hour) is when I am hungry, which happens every 2 hours. Probably would be better if I was drinking my protein! But I haven't been so tummy aches until I get those two or three bites. Not a good idea when traveling through Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and S. Texas - way too much bare land for hours between food stops. Next time I will pack granola bars not just licorice and I will do my protein drinks for sure once and hopefully twice a day. Now I need to go make one. Just had Nalley's chili we brought from Utah - yum - and this time I ate slow hehehe

6 weeks and still going

I hit my 6 weeks the other day and was rewarded with real food! Oh how I missed some of it. The things I still can't eat are rice, lettuce, and corn. I shouldn't eat fried foods either or red meats, and refined sugar. I snuck a little chocolate treasure yesterday and didn't get "dumping syndrome" That is were sugar makes you very ill, instant cramping and flu-like symptons. Paul said it is because I can have 4grams of sugar. I enjoy "no sugar added" ice cream and sugar free pudding for my desserts.
I have been to a couple of restauraunts and to fast food. I got a grilled chicken sandwich at McDonald's and just ate 1/2 the meat, and a little bread. I have been to mexican and had my green chicken enchiladas and they lasted 4 meals, ooh they were so good. I am making turkey stroganoff this week so I can eat it too, I will let you know what the boys think of it.
I am at 192lbs, one side effect is constipation and this week the scale shows it.
I am still going to our W.O.W ladies weight loss group at the church, and I love it. It is so nice to have support during this process. Oh and my size 16 pants I got into (from 20) are getting loose! I am leaving on a 10 day vacation this week. A week at Fish Lake Utah for Paul's family reunion then 3 days in Vegas with Paul (meaning buffet). I am a bit nervous about eating around his family but I just have to get over it. Well that's all I have, enjoy your summer
Carrie

popcorn and potluck

Hi - I am at 196lbs. For our W.O.W. celebration I had lost 38lbs since Jan 9th. 22 on my own, 17 since surgery. It was so special to being escorted down the runway and show off the new me. I wore the expensive dress I bought for Tonya's wedding and it was too big. Yippee. The dinner was a potluck, most folks brought vegie dishes or fruit. One lady brought stir fry rice, but I can't have rice for a year. I guess we don't chew it small enough. I made spaghetti with turkey Italian sausage. It was actually a hit. I was surprised and relieved. I had some even though I can't have noodles for 2 more weeks. I just had to try it out. Yummy. I am going to use turkey more often in things, well since I can't have red meat, this works.
I dished up my plate with a little of this and that. then I cut up everything really small, made my plate look fuller. I visited and ate over the next 40 min and did quite well, no stomach pains even.

Then today we went to the movies, I just couldn't resist the popcorn, oh my goodness it was so good! I just ate one piece at a time every few minutes over almost 3hrs. no problems with overeating. Now the reason why I single out popcorn is I am not approved yet. I hope it will be approved on June 9th my 6 weeks. We will see if there is any problems.

OOh taters! I made homemade taters the other day, I thought it was to die for - so good!

I feel good about my surgery decision. It was nice to eat out and not have to worry that people were looking at my small amount.
I am struggling with getting my calcium in and my 80gms of protein in each day. And I have been drinking lots of water but probably not 64oz.

everyday is a new day.

3 weeks

Well, I made it the 3 weeks of liquids. Didn't think I could, in fact I cheated there the last day, I had mashed potatoes. I knew I would be approved in a few short hours and I was out of homemade chicken broth. oh well. Now I can eat mushy stuff. egg, mashed taters, steamed vegies, tuna, salmon, moist foods, I am loving it. Food never tasted so good. Scott was in the mood for egg salad so I got some of that first, not the bread though. Bread is still too dry. Then I had some of Paul's left over Mexican - some refried beans and a few pieces of chicken from an enchilada. oh it was good. But the best is sugar free Boston cream pie pudding! yummers. It is funny to hear my tummy gurgle. So I am on these foods for 3 more weeks then I go to another level of food. Trying to heal that tummy. can't have lettuce or rice for 3 months.

I am at 200lbs, very exciting. Lost 14lbs in 3 weeks,this is good but I can't wait until I hit 199Lbs. I was like 165 4 yrs ago when we moved here. I looked pretty good, size 14-16. I had a whole new wardrobe. Then life and meds happened. So this time it will stay off.

Oh - the girls at the doctors office said the protein drinks would get thick after surgery because it takes so long. Not. It doesn't take that long to finish one. I like mine with just very cold water. The protein drink gets thick when it is made with milk or when it is with water but put in the fridge. I use Baraitric Advantage. I hear there are others out there. so far the chocolate is pretty good. But payday I am going to try a single shot of Oh Yeah, they have cookies and cream hhmm.

I am still happy I did the surgery and I get support from some folks. but I do find it embarrassing to share it with new folks or people on Facebook who don't really know the real me or the reasons. One person said "why don't you just eat right and exercise" well I did do that and I lost too, but this is rapid and stays off, my health needs it. Plus I already had the surgery so I really need to say "who cares what others think" .
The weight isn't flying off either, not like I thought, I mean I only lost 2lbs this week. That is what I was doing before surgery. We will see what happens this next week of eating food.
I have found that some of my clothes are hanging on me, this is fun. Others seem like the same.
Well I will let you know later how I am doing and thanks for your support

my body

I have what some refer to is atypical trigeminal neuralgia, or myofacial pain. I have had it for 10 years. It rules me. What it is, the trigeminal nerve sits at the back of your neck. It has 3 legs of nerves per each side of the face. Then the 3 legs divide out into every spot on your face and head. So when I sneeze, cough, laugh, bend forward etc they scream. When it is too cold, windy or too hot they scream. having my hair on my face or a zit, they scream. Get the idea. I have taken so much medicines and seen so many doctors i can't count them anymore. I have even flown to The Cleveland Clinic, but their procedures didn't work. I am currently on Methadone which seems to help.
I can't work in the yard, do much housework. Sometimes i can't drive because I get use to the medicine and plateau, then it hurts too much to drive and it is not safe. Then several friends from the church are kind enough to drive for me. I never know when the pain is too much. Many nights I lie down to bed and pow, i realize my face has been hurting, i am just so use to it that it is not until it is quiet that i really get hit with it - then try to sleep - yeah right.
My husband and son have been life savers, they have had to put up with this for all these years. They have to pick up the housework slack. Many times we can't go somewhere because of my face. Or I am in laying down and can't be with them. My son missed out on a lot of summer fun growing up because it was too hot for me to take him places. At one point i was on so much morphine, soma and neurontin (5400mg) that i just sat and drooled in a chair. i finally told them noway would i allow them to drug me so much, i would rather hurt.
It works out nice that we live in Texas now, there is AC in all the house and everywhere we go. In WA we just had a little AC unit in our bedroom and that is where i hid.
I think Heavenly Father gave me this challenge, I am not saying I am grateful for the pain, but I am grateful that the Lord believed in me, that He knew I can handle it. Like so many others who suffer far more than I do. We are blessed in mysteriuos ways.

My new journey

I had a gastric sleeve bariatric surgery 12 days ago. I chose this because of my health. I have severe sleep apnea but my face pain (another topic) will not allow me to wear the cpap machine mask. My mouth is actually too small for mouth guards or surgery, leaving weight loss my only option. My arthritis and fybromyalgia rule me at times. I have tried to keep them at bay with regular exercise but they still flare up. My bone denstity is very low in my spine.

I was loosing weight on my own for a couple months. I lost 16lbs, from 236lbs starting. I was watching everything I ate, only having sweets once a week. And exercising like crazy. I mean physical therapy 3x a week, Callenetics (like pilates) 3x week then the gym 3-4x a week. I love working out now, can't wait til i am released from post-op.

I am on a 3 week liquid diet, sugar free popsicles, sf jello, chicken broth (i hate beef and vegie) and two -three protien drinks daily, actually 80 grams. each drink is 27 grams. Plus 64 oz of water, chewable multi-vitamins and chewable calcium that kinda tastes like starburst.

My problem is I only get 1-2 protien drink a day, I forget my chewables, and I don't get my 64oz water in either. It is really hard to remember to drink all the time.

I am so bored with the liquid diet. I want to taste something different. There are several ways to get my chicken broth, just the straight broth from the can, bouillion, homemade soup or drain various soups. I am atempting homemade.