dexter

Those who’ve had revisions- how did you get your doctor to do something? How did you convey the urgency without sounding like a hypochondriac? It’s gotten so very bad and I’ve been begging someone to listen for two months now. I can’t keep going like this.

I had my sleeve 8 years ago and have been battling severe GERD for two years and serious weight gain since my hysterectomy just last December. Now, I am miserable and weak. 10-20 tums a day, unable to properly take my medications because I throw them up. Cannot eat because I throw it all up too. Just ordered some syntax iced tea and protein soups. I’m taking 80mg protonix daily and wake up choking on my bile bile at night. My PCP dismissed me. Saw her PA and at no time did she even look down my throat. Got a referral to a GI and they called to have a consult in a month! A consult! Only! Called my old bariatric surgeon and he’s not in my insurance network and I can’t afford him. Called one in town and have an appointment on the 9th. But if it requires a revision, I don’t know if it’s covered on my insurance. I’m losing hope. I feel like everyone else has since I’ve been dismissed at every turn. My brain is fuzzy, my eyes are sunken. Work is hard. I pretend I’m fine and eat at company meetings then go quietly to the bathroom to throw everything up. I’m miserable. I need an answer but no medical professionals seem to be in a hurry.

Insurance will usually pay. However, check with your surgeon. Since so many of us only need a cpap temporarily, my surgeon has started to rent donated machines out. Also, on a related topic, if you are anxious about your sleep study at all, ask your dr for an anti-anxiety med and not a sleep aid. Better be prepared but chances are you won't need it.

But what about your bone structure and are you muscular at all? BMI isn't the final word on everything. A story came out that a lot of Olympic athletes were considered obese by the BMI. That said: Don't dismiss your weight loss! You've done amazing stuff in just a year. Your body may not be done yet. Just keep on keeping on. As my surgeon says, "this is a marathon not a sprint"

My hubby has a CPAP. To me, it's like white noise in the background. When his seals started to wear out, they started to make a high pitch whistle that made me nuts. Or if his mouth should get stuck in the open position, it sounds 'off' and wakes me. But! It's all so much better than snoring!! My favorite thing to wake to is when the cat decides to sleep on the warm snore machine and inadvertently turns it off. Her name is Stash. So I hear: -snort snort- DANGIT STASH! I chuckle every time.

Thank you. I've just been taking a spoonful in the morning with my protein drink then lots of water. Been slow going for these first few days but I'm sure it's just transition. I saw a drink in the store that was a chia infused drink. Also heard you can use something other than water for it to gel like juice. Better flavor, but I'm a texture sensitive gal so downing the dry seeds is good for me.

So, I've been reading about the chia. Should I let them gel or just eat them straight with LOTS of water? I'm still pre-op so my use for them is more hunger control and internal sweeping. So, wet or dry? And same benefits either way?

I just need to keep her in the loop and educate her as well. If I don't watch out, I may end up with every kitchen gadget known to man!

She really is trying to understand this all and help me with my future food choices. She's worried about my puréed food stage. So, yesterday she gave me an early birthday gift. She bought me a super blender that just grinds up everything. She really wants me to be able to put whatever the family is eating into the blender so I can have 'real' food while on the purée stage. In my family, food=love. She's trying. Without food, she's lost- so this is her next best way.

I'm not sleeved yet but I've been instructed to drink as if I were. I agree with the Sobe Life Zero. I don't feel left out at convenience stores. I've become a lover of loose tea. Have my own special brewing pot and enjoy ordering and trying new types. It takes time to make and prepare so I make it at night. Just the little ritual seems to stave off the late night munchies for me.

Go to the 'damn u ambien' thread in the post-op section. A sleever started it because she woke up eating food she shouldn't. We've given lots of examples of other things we've found ourselves doing throughout that thread. A real eye opener!

Update: The psychiatrist believes the sleep meds were making my anxiety worse and helped bring on the panic attack. I'm going in for ANOTHER sleep study but with the mask this time. I stopped breathing for 30 seconds twice during the last study and apparently that means I need a mask. I'll do what I need to do to get to surgery. This time I'm armed and very dangerous. The psych and surgeon agreed and sent me home with 4 Xanax. One to try out this past week to see how it works and how it makes me feel. The other 3 are for me to dole out over the sleep study. I also upped the ante a bit. My hubby has a cpap machine. So tonight I had him hook me up so I can feel it. As soon as he clicked it on, I started to cry. Lots of anxiety, but hubby layed down next to me and just let me work through. He's also going to make the trip with me and stay with me until he sees I'm calm enough to be left alone. We're leaving the boys alone for the first time. They are 14 & 15 and their grandma lives .10 of a mile away. She'll keep an eye on them. They plan to stay up all night and play video games. But my family is so supportive of me. We are calling this a trial run for surgery.

Seems like the family members who are least supportive of me are husband's sisters. When we are all together, I'm the thin one! I think it's odd that the sisters of all people should understand WHY. Or maybe they just hate me. The first Christmas with my husband, his family anonymously gave me a jar a mayo. The people who have given me the most support are my friends who have had body issues the other way (too thin) or discriminated against for another reason (deaf, gay, female bodybuilder). Sometimes family is really not the best support out there.

I've gotten lots of "well, you know what's best for you" comments. I know many are backhanded in nature, but I respond in my head with "Yes! I do know what's best for me!" these comments come from (surprise or not) very overweight family members. The most support has come from friends (twins) who are very thin & get accused of taking drugs or being anorexic. Also from friends who have been discriminated againt. My deaf friends, gay friends and even one who is a female bodybuilder. People fascinate me. They really do.

Thank you all! It really is refreshing. I'm too social of a person to keep something like this secret. It feels good. Really does.