Craig Wildi

Hello all, I haven't posted in a while. I figured since I am 3 months post surgery, I would update about my journey. Since surgery, I have been regularly going to a gym, and power walking 2 to 5 miles a day. As my weight has dropped, my mile times have gone from around 22 minutes per mile to around 17 minutes per mile, average. Best time so far was a little over 16 minutes, which for my short legs, is gettin' it! I haven't lost enough yet to jog for extended periods, but I am getting close. I went through a period of low energy level, started about 4 weeks ago, and I went to my surgeons office early last week, and had labs drawn. All my levels were good. I requested and was given a prescription for B-12 and hypodermic needles, and I gave myself a B-12 injection later that day. My energy level has returned to normal. It is also much easier to do an injection once a month, instead of sublingual tablets or liquid. While at the doctors, the PA told me that my weight loss is above average and above expected results. As of today, I am down 68 pounds. I have had to bust my butt for every one of those pounds, and anyone who thinks this surgery is like "cheating", really has no clue how difficult it still is to lose weight. I have had to push my body to the limit while at the gym, or in general, to achieve the loss I have experienced. Easter weekend, I set a new goal. I hope to be at the 100 pound loss mark by early June, when my wife and I go on vacation. That is a very lofty and ambitious goal, I know. But, I am going to step it up and push myself even harder. (Safely) It will be nice to go on vacation, and not have to shop for bigger swimming trunks, like I used to have to do. I am looking forward to feeling how I will feel at the 100 pound mark, because I already feel like a new man. Thanks for listening and thanks to everyone here for the support I have received over the last few months! Craig

@@Roalmc77 Thank you, and best of luck to you! I think you will see great results, especially with your gastric bypass.

Yesterday was the 2 month anniversary of my GSV surgery. I felt like sharing that I was at 58 pounds of weight loss yesterday, 59 pounds as of today! I had set a goal of reaching the 60 pound mark by 2 months, and for all intents and purposes, met my goal. Close enough, anyway! It is easy to stay focused and motivated when I see this kind of result. I have had my plateaus, which everyone knows how aggravating they are, but have managed great weight loss, with a lot of gym time and power walking! Here's to the next 60!

Not young anymore, but feeling younger every day. I started at 349# on December 7, when I began the pre-surgery liquids diet. Surgery on December 28, 2015. Yesterday was 2 months post op, and I was at 291. 290 today. Advice: Don't go into this thinking that it is easy. It really isn't the easy way out, that many have associated with weight loss surgery. It still takes a lot of work and determination, and the understanding that it is a complete lifestyle change. You decided to have this surgery because you want to be healthier, and be on this rock a little longer. Just remember why you made the decision! Me: I have worked very hard at this. I power walk nearly every day, and I go to a gym at least 3 times a week. I keep a food journal and track every calorie that I consume. I went from a 52 waist to currently a 46 waist, and I am needing to drop down another size now. Every time I pick up a 50 pound bag of whatever, I remind myself that I was carrying that much plus some, around on my body. Some of the back, leg, and foot pain I was having at 349 pounds, has lessened quite a bit, and I look forward to seeing how my body reacts to the next 50 pounds of weight loss! At 349, I found a great deal of difficulty in most any task. The difference between pre-surgery and now is quite noticeable. Good luck to you, I hope your surgery goes well!

I have been tired tired tired for about a week and a half to two weeks. Hardly able to keep my eyes open, kind of tired. Surgery date was Dec 28. I began taking B-12 on January 28, the sub lingual, quick dissolve pills 5000mcg Natures' Bounty brand. I'm not sure that the B-12 has anything to do with my lack of energy or not. I went from power walking religiously nearly every day and going to the gym 3-4 days a week and hitting the weights, to not having the energy or will power to do the power walks. I'm still hitting the gym 3-4 times a week, but it is a real struggle. With the amount of protein I take in each day, it looks like I would have energy to spare. What gives? Just my body going through all the changes in relatively rapid order? Or should I try B-12 monthly injections instead of the OTC pills?

I drink at least 100 ounces of Water a day, and take in 70-75 grams of Protein. sleep has been fine, although it takes every ounce of my being to get up in the mornings. My blood pressure has been funky lately, and at the advice of my PCP, I have cut the dose in half. Even with taking half a pill, my pressure some days gets relatively low (for me). My wife suspects that my BP may be the culprit too. I'll see my PCP at church Sunday, I will discuss the issue with him then. Thanks y'all!

Quick question, I am almost a month post-op, and I just received a bill from the Anesthesiologist for $850. I was told up front what to expect, as far as out of pocket expenses, I met my deductible and max out of pocket with my insurance provider (Humana) prior to surgery. Then, I receive this bill for $850 yesterday, and the bill says that insurance was billed, insurance paid $850, leaving me with the remaining portion, of $850. After some checking, I learn that the Anesthesiologist is out of network (as are most), and therefore I am stuck with the bill. What recourse do I have? After all the co-pays, and deductible prior to surgery, I am maxed out on credit and have wiped out the savings. Feels like highway robbery, to be told what to expect and then have this bill arrive. Fleeced!

@denniemiddlegirl Good luck with your stress test and surgery! The surgery is a breeze. My EKG was normal.

Has anyone who was taking a beta blocker for blood pressure prior to surgery, who is exercising regularly, had slow weight loss? While I am losing weight, I am in my second stall since surgery. I am exercising regularly, walking two to four (or more) miles a day, almost every single day since surgery, and I am noticing that my heart rate never really speeds up. So, if my heart rate isn't speeding up, I wonder if my metabolism will speed up? I'm going to ask my surgeon at my next appointment in a couple of weeks, and also my primary care doctor, if I should be switched to a diuretic instead of the combination diuretic/beta blocker I am on now (Ziac). Just wondering if anyone has had experience with this? Thanks everyone, I appreciate all the great information and advice I have received from this forum. Craig

Thought that I would update this thread a final time... I have switched back to my old medicine (Ziac) containing the beta blocker, but I am down to splitting the pill and taking half each day. The Losartan that my doctor had switched me to, was not doing a thing to control my blood pressure, and it felt as though my heart was beating irregularly. Further, when I would power walk or get on the treadmill, my pulse would almost immediately shoot up to 150 bpm. Last Sunday, I spoke with my doctor after church, and explained what was going on, and he told me to stay on it a few more days, then if I still had issues, to switch back to Ziac. So, I switched Tuesday. That said, my weight loss did not restart in the week that I took the Losartan. . I'm still convinced that if my heart rate never gets up during exercise, then my metabolism will not rise. Now, I had my one month appointment with the surgeon on Wednesday this week, and explained that I keep stalling, and am losing very slowly. Immediately, he asked how many calories I was taking in per day, and what I was eating. I was taking in 600-700 calories, mostly protein, per day. He said that I need to take in more food, that my caloric intake needs to be 1000-1200, and that the body tries to "hold onto" what it has, because it senses that it is starving. So, I am trying to take in more calories. Must say, I have never had a doctor tell me to eat more!

@@Patchakc I did the same thing. Especially over Thanksgiving- I ate to excess. The day before I started pre-op liquids, I went to a Chinese restaurant buffet, because I knew it would be the last buffet.

@Geof01 I have to agree with your last sentence. My wife, who is blessed with the ability to eat anything she wants and remain petite, has been devouring huge suppers, especially since she started to join me on the power walks and at the gym. Every now and then I slip, and ask her "How are you going to eat all that food?"!! In the beginning, especially during the post-op liquids stage, I was envious of just about everything she would eat in front of me. But now, I must admit, food doesn't hold the same value to me in my mind.

Try benefiber. It is a tasteless fine powder that you can add to any drink, or sprinkle on your food. Totally tasteless. I think the problem is the amount of Protein we take in, if I am not mistaken.

@VDLT Can you inbox me please, what you mean by that above? My 1 month weight loss has been slow, compared to my activity level and my intake. I'm just looking for answers.

@Geof01 Your history and experience is almost identical with my own. I've been fighting slow weight loss and stalls in the month since my surgery though. Even your caloric intake is the same as mine. Good luck with your journey!

I'm currently in my second stall in the month since I had surgery. I don't know if there is a way to get out of the stall or not, but I have tried everything I know to try. I find it very discouraging to be working so hard (exercise), and only have lost 17 pounds in the last month. I lost much more on the pre-op diet, compared to post surgery. Good luck, hope your stall doesn't last long.

@paknee I live in Screven county, Newington, just North of the Effingham county line.

I cannot say enough good things about Memorial Health in Savannah Georgia, particularly the Bariatrics department. My surgeon was Dr. Oliver Whipple, (surgery date December 28, 2015), and he is a great doctor. He is attentive, and thorough, and is a very kind person as well. The staff at the Bariatrics department was wonderful. I was discharged today. I would highly recommend Dr. Whipple, and Memorial Health. Hands down, the best hospital care that I have ever received.

@paknee Good luck with your process, it can be hectic! I did the process at record speed. I went to the information session in October, had my first appointment with Dr. Whipple on November 13, and had surgery on December 28. I can't say it was easy, I had to plead and beg with some of the doctors offices and class coordinators for earlier appointment dates, did a LOT of driving to and from Savannah and other cities for the appointments, but it was worth it. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.

@AmyQwith2 Amy, best of luck to you on your up-coming surgery! It is worth it. I began the liquid only pre-op diet on December 7, had surgery December 28, and with some luck, by February 7, I hope to be at 50 pounds of loss. I am at 43 pounds now, and I am working and pushing hard to meet my goal. Keep in mind, and I'm sure you do, that you still have to work hard at losing. But it is so worth making the life change! I'll update on this thread mid week next week, after I have been on this new med for a solid week.

@cindyw41Cindy, I had a similar stall a few days post op, that lasted 9 days. Fight through it. I have been walking nearly every day since my surgery, started inside on my treadmill, going a half mile a couple of times a day, and now I am walking outside unless it is raining, from 2 to 5 miles a day. I've got bad lower back issues and sciatica in my right leg, so my back and leg dictate how far I can walk each day. When I begin hurting bad, I push for a little longer, then quit. I'm not yet convinced that switching off of the beta blocker has allowed my weight loss to begin again, but I can tell you that my body isn't liking this new medicine yet, and my heart rate and BP have been running higher than when I was on the beta blocker. At least now, when I am power walking, my heart rate is rising, instead of staying low.

Thought I would give an update. I went to my PCP Tuesday, and he switched me off of the beta blocker to a diuretic. I had been taking the beta blocker for so long that I forgot what an elevated heart rate feels like. My body isn't liking the new med yet, but hopefully it will work. I had taken my old med prior to seeing the doctor Tuesday, and when they took my BP, it was so low that my doctor said it was time to at least reduce my dose, so it was a good thing I went. My weight loss has resumed, but I am hesitant to conclude that the beta blocker was inhibiting my weight loss just yet. I will update again in a few more days.

@@JohnZ54 Thank you, I was suspecting that my BP med may be hindering my success. I appreciate it.

Thanks y'all. Wish they would disclose this stuff prior to surgery. I pulled up my account for my insurance provider, and found that there is another $200 bill in review, for another out-of-network thing, that was marked "pathology". Guess I will be stuck with some of that bill as well. Unbelievable! Thanks again for the responses!

I just had to share this- I was sleeved on December 28, 2015. When I began the liquid diet on December 7 (I had an extra week of pre-surgery liquids, long story) I weighed 349. Today, I weigh 310. For the past few days, I have avoided my "fat jeans" as I call them, because they had become so baggy. You know the kind, the elastic waist, big baggy jeans. When I began, I had that elastic stretched to the point that, had the button cut loose and hit someone across the room, they would have thought they had been shot. No joke, they were tight. They were size 48 that the waist stretched to 52, and I was using that 52 comfort waist to the max. Like I say, I hadn't worn them for a few days because they were simply too big. So, this evening, my wife handed me a pair of my older uniform BDU style pants, size 46, and said that she had found them today in a tote full of her winter clothes. I scoffed, and said, well maybe in another 30 pounds, I can wear them. Than I thought, might as well try them and see how much I have to go to get back into my 46 pants. THEY FIT! Holy cow y'all, they actually FIT! I knew I was losing inches, my clothes had been showing it, but I haven't been able to wear those BDU pants (military style pants, for those who do not know the term), for a couple of years! That was my motivation to keep exercising every day and following my diet! Sorry for the long winded post, carry on!