Week 11 - Reached My First Mini-Goal

Weigh In

Highest Weight: 320lbs
Weight Before Surgery: 311 lbs (-9lbs)
Previous Week: 274.4 lbs  (- 45.6 lbs)
Weigh In: 269 lbs (-5.4 lbs)
Total Lost: 51 lbs
Total Lost Since Surgery: 42 lbs

The Journey

I celebrated my birthday this week and it was special. Not special like a number or anything, but special because it was one of the healthiest birthdays I've had in a long time. And, as a plus, it wasn't really focused around food, as it was in the past. Before surgery, I used to go to an Italian restaurant that had all you can eat bread, pasta, and salad. But I didn't do that this time. This time I just went out to a movie.

And I felt really healthy this birthday. I didn't have to use the wheelchair anymore. It felt good to be alive and not be held down by the health problems I had in the past. And losing weight was a bonus!

I noticed my hair was starting to thin out. I wasn't too concerned; I knew this would happen. And it would grow back.

I also reached my first mini-goal, which was to lose 50lbs. My next mini-goal I would do in 25lb increments.

Lab Work

My labs came in from a few weeks ago. My B6 was high and zinc was low, To fix this, I went on the Costco multivitamin and stopped taking the B Complex.  I also started taking the vitalady plan minus the iron and B complex.

PCP Visits

I went into see my PCP for the first time since surgery. He refused to give me anti-nausea meds, despite my vomiting still. I explained how it was common after surgery but he didn't care. I needed a new PCP!

NSVs

The good part about saving all of your clothes that became too small at one point in your life is when you finally lose weight, you can just open your closet and pick something out that fits :)

I tried these on this week and amazingly they fit. Before surgery, I wasn't so lucky!

This black dress was a size 3 from Torrid that I hadn't worn for years.

Another size 3 dress from Torrid.

Week 10

Weigh-In

Highest Weight: 320lbs
Weight Before Surgery: 311 lbs (-9lbs)
Previous Week: 276 lbs  (- 44 lbs)
Weigh In: 274.4 lbs (-1.6 lbs)
Total Lost: 45.6 lbs
Total Lost Since Surgery: 36.6 lbs

Before Surgery:

10 Weeks:

The Journey

I ended up having a scare this week. Out of nowhere I started to get an excruciating gas pain. It hurt so bad sometimes I could barely take in a breath. I was doubled over in pain on the bed crying and my husband called my surgeon. We weren't sure if it was a bowel obstruction or what. The pain wasn't constant, it came and went. With a bowel obstruction it is constant. So, they said it was probably a food I ate but to monitor it and if it gets worse, head to the ER. I was also throwing up and couldn't keep anything down. The pain finally ended up subsiding. As it turned out, my stomach no longer liked chicken. :( I was sad as chicken was easy to cook. Now I had to figure out something else for protein. Silly, picky stomach :/

Week 9

Weigh-In:
 
Highest Weight: 320lbs
Weight Before Surgery: 311 lbs (-9lbs)
Previous Week: 279 lbs  (- 41 lbs)
Weigh In: 276 lbs (-3 lbs)
Total Lost: 44 lbs
Total Lost Since Surgery: 35 lbs
Before Surgery:

9 Weeks:

The Journey

This is probably TMI but I'm trying to keep it real here. Aunt Flo showed up for the first time since surgery. I thought for sure I was going to gain weight like before surgery but somehow I didn't. I was so happy! The period itself was a nightmare! I had such horrible cramps I had to lay in bed.

My brain fog was still there. I thought it was normal, just having surgery and everything. My memory felt gone. I had to write things down and half of the time I couldn't remember what I did the day before or what I had eaten.

Food

I tried bacon again. It sat well this time so this became a daily staple for me.

Overall, I was happy. Something I hadn't been for a long time. I felt like I was finally taking back my life. And I loved every bit of this journey.

2 Months (Week 8)

Weigh-In:
 
Highest Weight: 320lbs
Weight Before Surgery: 311 lbs (-9lbs)
Previous Week: 284.2 lbs  (- 35.8 lbs)
Weigh In: 279 lbs (-5.2 lbs)
Total Lost: 41 lbs
Total Lost Since Surgery: 32 lbs

Before Surgery:

2 Months Later:

NSVs to Date

1.) No longer SMO (super-morbidly obese)! SMO is having a BMI greater than 50!

2.) No longer a diabetic!

3.) Less medications and no more heart failure!

4.) Ankles! No more edema! And no more water pills!

Before vs 2 months:

5.) I can do a tiny squat without knee pain!

6.) Walking! And it's mostly pain free and without heavy breathing!

Before surgery I couldn't walk, as you can see the above wheelchair picture.

Right after surgery I could walk a tiny distance with assistive devices:

And at 2 months I could do this:

7.) Wearing smaller clothes!



Before surgery I could only fit into my sweat pants as my size 32 pants were too small. And I had to wear 6X shirts. At 2 months, I was able to fit into a size 24 pants and 3X shirt from Ross!

Week 7

Weigh-In:
 
Highest Weight: 320lbs
Weight Before Surgery: 311 lbs (-9lbs)
Previous Week: 288 lbs  (- 32 lbs)
Weigh In: 284.2 lbs (-3.8 lbs)
Total Lost: 35.8 lbs
Total Lost Since Surgery: 26.8 lbs

Before Surgery:

Week 7:

The Journey

I was so excited to be over the stall! Stalling is such a mind game and it just plain sucks. It's good for your body but the mind part of it, it can drive you crazy. It can make you totally frustrated and you feel like you are doing something wrong, even though others may tell you that you are doing everything right. I knew stalls happen from time to time but I was still frustrated. I waited it out and it passed. I was happy to be back on the losing part of the journey again.

I ventured out to the movies this week to see Les Miserables. I was totally stressed on what to eat, as I should be eating something every couple of hours. I brought a jar of peanut butter and a spoon in my purse. But I wanted some popcorn. Before surgery I'd get the refillable bag and eat both. I knew I couldn't do that this time. I was aware that some DSers eat popcorn as a snack and, as much as I wanted some, I'll admit, I was nervous on trying it. So I didn't this time.

 When there was 10 minutes left of the movie, my stomach was starting to rumble, which it hadn't done since right after surgery. It usually meant I had to go to the bathroom -- now! I kept thinking to myself, Oh dear God, please let the movie be over! I didn't want to get up and leave before it ended so I tried to hold it in. When the credits hit, I was out the door, almost at a run towards the bathroom. It was diarrhea. I thought it was just once. I got up to leave but nope it was happening again. Other patrons in the bathroom commented on the smell. I was so embarrassed.  One even said, "do you smell that? That is why I hate using public restrooms." I was beyond mortified. I think it was the snack I had before the movie: a breaded mozzarella cheese stick. I was still under my carbs for the day but bread is a no-no. Lesson learned!

After the movies, I ordered a double bacon cheeseburger at Dennys. This was about 4 meals. Not sure why I ordered a double. The server commented on how I hardly ate anything. I was embarrassed again.

I started a new acid reflux medicine, Prevacid, as I kept waking up at night with reflux going into my lungs. It burned and the next day I would be wheezy from it like it was asthma-related but it was just the reflux. I started noticing a difference right away with the new medication. I also decided to give up the sausage and hot dogs for now, as those may be aggravating the reflux.

So far, I was excited with my progress, both number wise and health wise. I had lost almost 36 lbs total so far, which was more than I could do pre-op. And the biggest thing was that it was staying off. I was happy and grateful for my miracle surgery. :)

Week 6 - My First Gain :(

 Weigh-In:

Highest Weight: 320lbs
Weight Before Surgery: 311 lbs (-9lbs)
Previous Week: 287 lbs  (- 33 lbs)
Weigh In: 288 lbs (+ 1 lbs)
Total Lost: 32 lbs
Total Lost Since Surgery: 23 lbs

Before Surgery:

6 Weeks:

The Journey

This was my first week since surgery of gaining weight. :( I knew there was no way it was something I ate, as my stomach isn't that big (only 2 ounces) and I was sticking to the plan. Before when I had dieted, my body would do something similar to this, where I would start gaining for no reason. So, I just figured it was my body being, well, my body.

The nausea got a little worse this week so I had to up my anti-nausea meds to three times a day again.  I must not be doing something right.

I had my first run in with constipation. It was nothing like constipation before surgery! I guess I did not get enough fat in, so I got constipated. It was so painful! It felt like I had a baby inside of me made of stone, pressing on all my incisions. This went on for about 3 days and then I went. And when I went, it even hurt. It was so solid it felt like bricks! Lesson learned!

 The Food

This week I tried a new recipe, the Easy Oven BBQ Chicken Drumsticks (which is in the recipe section of my blog). Not only did I love it but my husband did as well. A family pleaser!

I tried some cashews. I chewed it to mush, it went down and then I got a horrible stomach ache. Needless to say, going to stop that and try it later.

I tried some salmon but the consistency was off and, having a stomach that is a picky eater, it didn't happen. I had planned to cook some fish that night. I thought it would be soft enough to go down. But then I forgot to take it out of the freezer. I ran it under warm water to defrost it before putting it into the oven. But when I tried it, it was too rough. After this happened, I started freaking out, not knowing what to eat and if I even had something to eat; not because I was hungry but because I had to feed my body protein. Luckily we had some hot dogs that came to the rescue. But I did get a stomach ache and start to cry. The reflux started kicking in. I wasn't sure what to eat. Finally, we decided to go out.

We went to Burger King. I got a chicken parm sandwich, took off the bun and ate half. It sat really well. I tried a bite of a cheesy tot but it tasted like crap so one bite was all. Before surgery, I used to eat a lot of them. Now it wasn't even appetising.

The hot dogs me want some chilli dogs (without the bun of course!). So I ventured out and found some no bean, low carb chilli.  It tasted wonderful but my reflux disagreed. Too early to try this. I'll try again in a few weeks. Nothing is ever off limits forever. I just may not be able to tolerate now while healing.

Week 5 - My First Stall

Weigh-In

Highest Weight: 320lbs
Weight Before Surgery: 311 lbs (-9lbs)
Previous Week: 287 lbs  (- 33 lbs)
Weigh In: 287 lbs (- 0 lbs)
Total Lost:33 lbs
Total Lost Since Surgery: 24 lbs

Before Surgery:

Week 5:

The Journey

Why is it that when we are on a journey to lose weight, we hold so much value to what the scale says? For many, it sets our mood for the day, depending on what it says. If we lose weight, we are the happiest person in the world. And if we don't, you better run and hide.

What many of us fail to realize is how much negativity we are putting into our lives by becoming obsessed with what the scale says. Losing weight can be a good thing but when you put so much stress on yourself and negative emotions over a number on the scale, it becomes a bad thing.

And the number on the scale is just that -- a number. It doesn't tell you how far you've come, what you can do now that you couldn't before, or what size clothes you can fit into now. It doesn't define you.

During the fifth week of my weight loss journey, I was obsessed with the scale still. I hit a stall. I felt like I had failed but really I didn't. My body just needed time to catch up. After all, I had just put it through hell, so it was expected that it needed to catch up. At the time I saw the number on the scale, though, I did get mad and flipped of the scale.

Later that day I realized how much the scale didn't matter. It wasn't about the number, it was about the feeling. It was about all of the NSVs I had now. It was about no more diabetes, being able to walk, etc. It was about living.

The nausea and acid reflux were still going strong. I did start to notice that I felt worse about 2 hours after I had eaten. I wasn't eating around the clock since I didn't really get hungry. I only noticed the gnawing pain every so often and nausea to follow it. I noticed I was having strange symptoms as well. One was seeing something black out of the corner of my eye but when I looked, nothing was there. I also had cramping in my calves.

For food this week, I ate a lot of KFC. The chicken was good and I wasn't really sure what else to eat. I tried new foods but after a few bites they would start to taste disgusting.

NSV

My feet were not swollen anymore! I had balloon-looking feet before surgery and now they were starting to look normal!