Amanda Dutton LPC

Thank you! There's been a lot of miles on these tires in 14 years, so I'm happy to hear that! 🤣🤣

~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

Hi, everyone!
I posted this in the veterans forum, but I thought y'all might really benefit from hearing/reading this, too.
Today (1/3/19) is my 14 year surgi-versary, and I wanted to Celebrate by sharing the gift of knowledge with anyone who may be a few steps behind me.
1. Be kind to yourself. This journey is long and hard and most definitely bumpy - but it's yours to do with as you see fit. Don't settle, but don't beat yourself up for a misstep. We did that for too long before surgery, k?
2. Be strong. You are your own best advocate. You know your body, and you know when something is not right. Push for answers. Assert yourself. Fight for what you need.
3. Be vulnerable. Cry, scream, punch pillows - do whatever works and won't get you in trouble, hurt or arrested. Be emotional. Keeping those feelings stuck deep inside is what lead many of us to overeating. Don't give feelings back that power.
4. Be open. Ask for help. Seek help. It may feel weird and strange and icky, I know. But take care of yourself. Self-care isn't selfish. It's totally selfLESS. We can't do anything for people that need us if we fall apart, so flip the script and practice recognizing self-care as the greatest gift you can give others.
5. Be grateful. Every day. Even for something small. Each time we wake up, it's a reminder that we get another opportunity to make a change in ourselves and the world.
And above all else...
BE YOU.   
~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

This makes my so happy! That's all the payment in the world! 🤣

It's a super hard thing to own our stuff. We don't want to admit it's happening because then we have to do the work to change it - so really, you did the most amazing thing!

Steady progress, baby steps. It's not about getting it perfect. You're already ahead of the game!

~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

Hi, everyone!
Today (1/3/19) is my 14 year surgi-versary, and I wanted to Celebrate by sharing the gift of knowledge with anyone who may be a few steps behind me.
1. Be kind to yourself. This journey is long and hard and most definitely bumpy - but it's yours to do with as you see fit. Don't settle, but don't beat yourself up for a misstep. We did that for too long before surgery, k?
2. Be strong. You are your own best advocate. You know your body, and you know when something is not right. Push for answers. Assert yourself. Fight for what you need.
3. Be vulnerable. Cry, scream, punch pillows - do whatever works and won't get you in trouble, hurt or arrested. Be emotional. Keeping those feelings stuck deep inside is what lead many of us to overeating. Don't give feelings back that power.
4. Be open. Ask for help. Seek help. It may feel weird and strange and icky, I know. But take care of yourself. Self-care isn't selfish. It's totally selfLESS. We can't do anything for people that need us if we fall apart, so flip the script and practice recognizing self-care as the greatest gift you can give others.
5. Be grateful. Every day. Even for something small. Each time we wake up, it's a reminder that we get another opportunity to make a change in ourselves and the world.
And above all else...
BE YOU.
  
~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

100% normal right now. Oh honey, your body is already running off of the fat cells just to keep you upright, so you are getting a big old hormone dump.

Since we hardly get any nutrients early on, we are using way more calories than we take in just to think, breathe and keep our organs running. So our bodies are just throwing fat cells into the furnace and those hormones are raging.

It WILL continue to get better, bit I know that doesn't help now. Vent here. Rant here. Let us support you, cheer for you and Celebrate with you.

If you DO want to journal, don't think of it as a "dear diary" type thing. It can be your thoughts, song lyrics, doodles, or even a giant profanity scrawled across the page! LoL

Whatever you feel, feel it. Your experience is valid and real. Allowing yourself to feel thos stuff now will help you beat cravings later because you will know that you can live through the feelings without food. And you'll be a rockstar!

~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

I love love LOVE this response! And love other pros chiming in! Bravo!

~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

I posted this last week, but I hope it is helpful for you.

https://www.bariatricpal.com/applications/tapatalk/index.php?/topic/421945-Sharing-my-knowledge---my-14-year-Surgi-versary!#entry4731671

~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

Thank u so much. I needed this

Sent from my SM-N950U using BariatricPal mobile app

First 2? "Thank you for your feedback." Last one? "That's not an appropriate question." All said with a neutral and calm voice.
All of the above? Walk away after the reply. It is the perfect "end of discussion" statement.
It's their jealousy talking - they are projecting what they AREN'T doing at you. They see you are accomplishing something and it reminds them they aren't.
Keep up the good work - it means you're doing the right thing!

~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

First 2? "Thank you for your feedback." Last one? "That's not an appropriate question." All said with a neutral and calm voice.
All of the above? Walk away after the reply. It is the perfect "end of discussion" statement.
It's their jealousy talking - they are projecting what they AREN'T doing at you. They see you are accomplishing something and it reminds them they aren't.
Keep up the good work - it means you're doing the right thing!

~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

First 2? "Thank you for your feedback." Last one? "That's not an appropriate question." All said with a neutral and calm voice.
All of the above? Walk away after the reply. It is the perfect "end of discussion" statement.
It's their jealousy talking - they are projecting what they AREN'T doing at you. They see you are accomplishing something and it reminds them they aren't.
Keep up the good work - it means you're doing the right thing!

~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

Check out Bariatric Fusion. I was just on their site yesterday and they had 2 of their Multivitamins on sale for under $20 for a 30 day supply (120 chewables, 4 a day). There was an orange flavor and a berry. Look under the sale section of their menu. Everything we need except the iron!

~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

I hope it helps! I feel like it's something that isn't shared enough.

~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

Be careful going too low with calories this far out. Our bodies go into starvation mode after awhile and will have to start burning muscle to run our basic functions because there aren't enough calories being consumed to keep us going (our brains need 300-600 calories by themselves!). After awhile, if we go "off" that super low calorie diet, our bodies freak out and hold on to all the extra because it doesn't know when we will feed it enough calories again. I wouldn't be going under 1200, especially if doing some sort of exercise.
You should figure out your basal metabolic rate (the number of calories my body burns if I stayed in bed all day and did nothing but breathe and blink) and eat about 300 calories under that to safely lose weight.
For example, I'm 5'7" and weigh 165, female 40 years old, and the calculator gives me a BMR of 1,500 calories. I don't count calories at 14 years out, but I must stay in a pretty good range because my weight is pretty stable.
https://www.active.com/fitness/calculators/bmr

~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

First 2? "Thank you for your feedback." Last one? "That's not an appropriate question." All said with a neutral and calm voice.
All of the above? Walk away after the reply. It is the perfect "end of discussion" statement.
It's their jealousy talking - they are projecting what they AREN'T doing at you. They see you are accomplishing something and it reminds them they aren't.
Keep up the good work - it means you're doing the right thing!

~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

First 2? "Thank you for your feedback." Last one? "That's not an appropriate question." All said with a neutral and calm voice.
All of the above? Walk away after the reply. It is the perfect "end of discussion" statement.
It's their jealousy talking - they are projecting what they AREN'T doing at you. They see you are accomplishing something and it reminds them they aren't.
Keep up the good work - it means you're doing the right thing!

~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

With a history of issues with Adderall, definitely avoid the phentermine. And with a history of negative experiences with Topamax and Wellbutrin, tell the surgeon you can't take them (or Contrave) for that reason.

You're your own best advocate here. Plus, anything chemical you use before surgery to lose weight is going to throw off your metabolism even more, so the longterm effects may not be worth the short term benefits. And serotonin syndrome sucks. I watched my husband go through it - he looked as though he had Parkinson's. It was terrifying.

You're smart to do the research on this and to be taking care of your mental AND physical health. Focus on proving them wrong, that you can meet the pre-surgical goal without meds, and let that be your motivation (and let us be your cheerleaders)!

~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

Holy cow! Well I am very very thankful that you popped into this thread when you did. I filled everything out and faxed the doctor his portion. It says it should only take 5-7 days after they receive the application. Fingers crossed!

You are very welcome! I've been there, so I'm happy to help. Even WITH insurance coverage, I am on a med for an autoimmune disorder that would cost $2300 a WEEK if it wasn't for patient assistance. Now it's $5/month.

~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

You are very welcome! I've been there, so I'm happy to help. Even WITH insurance coverage, I am on a med for an autoimmune disorder that would cost $2300 a WEEK if it wasn't for patient assistance. Now it's $5/month.

~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

Apply for patient assistance through the manufacturer. You may be able to still get the Trintellix, possibly for free. Scroll down on the website to the Trintellix link.

https://www.takeda.com/en-us/corporate-responsibility/patient-assistance

~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

I'm so glad I came across this thread. I just posted a question in the vet thread that I said I would delete if needed, then realized I couldn't delete (if in fact I need to)!Glad to know I can report my own post and request it be deleted should the need arise. Thanks, Matt!~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

With a history of issues with Adderall, definitely avoid the phentermine. And with a history of negative experiences with Topamax and Wellbutrin, tell the surgeon you can't take them (or Contrave) for that reason.

You're your own best advocate here. Plus, anything chemical you use before surgery to lose weight is going to throw off your metabolism even more, so the longterm effects may not be worth the short term benefits. And serotonin syndrome sucks. I watched my husband go through it - he looked as though he had Parkinson's. It was terrifying.

You're smart to do the research on this and to be taking care of your mental AND physical health. Focus on proving them wrong, that you can meet the pre-surgical goal without meds, and let that be your motivation (and let us be your cheerleaders)!

~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

Cbdistillery and Lazarus Naturals are my favorites. I have RA and fibro, so not being able to take NSAIDS is a b**ch. But I also do the CBD under the tongue and it works well for me.

And it's recently been federally approved for farming, so every state should be able to get it now (CBD has 0.3% THC or less, so it's legal to sell/have/use in even non-MJ friendly states.

~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."

100% normal right now. Oh honey, your body is already running off of the fat cells just to keep you upright, so you are getting a big old hormone dump.

Since we hardly get any nutrients early on, we are using way more calories than we take in just to think, breathe and keep our organs running. So our bodies are just throwing fat cells into the furnace and those hormones are raging.

It WILL continue to get better, bit I know that doesn't help now. Vent here. Rant here. Let us support you, cheer for you and Celebrate with you.

If you DO want to journal, don't think of it as a "dear diary" type thing. It can be your thoughts, song lyrics, doodles, or even a giant profanity scrawled across the page! LoL

Whatever you feel, feel it. Your experience is valid and real. Allowing yourself to feel thos stuff now will help you beat cravings later because you will know that you can live through the feelings without food. And you'll be a rockstar!

~SW: 278 CW: 165~
RNY 1/5/2005
"What got you here won't get you there."