KateBruin

Don’t stress about the anesthesia. Ask for Zofran or something which reduces post anesthesia nausea and vomiting. My body isn’t a huge fan of anesthesia. It sticks around for a long time and I’m a zombie even without additional pain meds.

I’ve probably had 6 major general anesthesia surgeries. You’ll be okay!

So who is on April 4? I know there’s a ton of us. Anyone in the LA area? I’m nervous for my surgery even though I’ve had a sleeve so I’ve basically done this before.

I’m getting a sleeve to bypass conversion because of uncontrollable GERD. GERD is pretty common after a sleeve because your stomach becomes a high pressure system so lots of doctors put you on prophylactic PPIs for a few months. As you see above, most people don’t need conversion. GERD is either controllable on meds or goes away. I’ve been unlucky with a lot of complications.

I’m a year and a half out. I never truly felt full until I got to soft/solids. I think I was told about 2 Oz for Snacks and max 6 for meals. I measured everything until I developed complications because now I can barely eat liquids or solids so I eat whenever I can.

Saw Burch today. I’d kiss that man on the face. He’s so wonderful I’m surprised he’s a surgeon. Drew pictures of bypass and handed it to me and I jokingly asked him to sign it so I could frame it and he did and even wrote 1/1 on it. The most personable surgeon I’ve ever met.

I do 2 scoops vanilla whey and don’t weigh out but add honey, almond milk, Greek yoghurt, Peanut Butter powder, a banana and strawberry plus differing amounts of ice depending on whether the strawberries are fresh or frozen. It makes a large smoothie so I put it into cups and eat it like ice cream after my initial shake. I got the recipe from my smoothie place. They call it PB&H. It’s delicious and extremely high in Protein.

Have you seen Dr Burch? Dr Chen at UCLA has been a total bastard that is way too long of a story to type out and even though I wake up choking on vomit from GERD he keeps pushing back bypass and recently had the balls to say I have Münchausen in my medical records but not to my face. I see Dr Burch Wednesday! I’m praying he can help me. Cedars is a horrible hospital but my GI doc and a LINX surgeon at UCLA both sing his praises.

Liquid gabapentin is like **** directly from satans ass hole. I take all my meds in solid pill form just over a long period of time.

Still no poo [emoji23] on day three of Miralax. Contemplating the murder and BBQ of my adorable dog.

I bought shorts for the first time in at least 10 years. Started with 4 in inseam and now I wear tiny booty shorts to HIIT and 2.5” inseam shorts. I have bad inner thigh stretch marks but I don’t care! I worked my ass off (literally) to get the legs I have and I’m certainly going to flaunt them!

Bought my first swimsuit since pool physio in 2007. It’s a 1 piece but I’ve had 4 abdominal surgeries, one 3 months ago (hernia repair) plus have loose skin so a bikini won’t ever happen.

I bought shorts for the first time in at least 10 years. Started with 4 in inseam and now I wear tiny booty shorts to HIIT and 2.5” inseam shorts. I have bad inner thigh stretch marks but I don’t care! I worked my ass off (literally) to get the legs I have and I’m certainly going to flaunt them!

Bought my first swimsuit since pool physio in 2007. It’s a 1 piece but I’ve had 4 abdominal surgeries, one 3 months ago (hernia repair) plus have loose skin so a bikini won’t ever happen.

I had surgery end of August and lost 107 lbs. I was 267 and got down to 160. However, I’m about to gain 20-50 lbs on steroids. That’s fun.

Anyway, it can happen. My doctor claims I have 25 lbs to go but my friends say they’ll send me to eating disorder treatment. I wear a size 25 at the gap!

I’ve had significant complications. Gastric emptying slowed to 55% in 90 minutes and 50% is considered the cut off for gastroparesis. And I’ve developed swallowing issues or severe GERD (didn’t have it before) on Monday I got an upper endoscopy, esophageal manometry, which is pure torture, and a 48 hour test with a transmitting capsule attached to my esophagus. Capsule only just detached today and was quite awful. Don’t know what is wrong till I see my GI doctor on Monday.

Complications began about 3 months out.

It’s funny our clothes are still wearable. I’m awaiting incisional hernia repair and not working so I live in workout gear, which gives me more ability to not buy new stuff since it’s so stretchy. However, I tried on my first year law school jeans from 2013 when I was at just a slightly chubby weight. I could yank them down fully buttoned. And my law school suit was like a kid trying on mommy or daddy’s suit. Those two moments were my holy **** moments.

I get peeved when people say you’re melting, you’re half a person, or my favorite...do you eat. My BMI is 28. I’m still overweight so eff off assholes. Learn how to compliment in a kind way.

I’m also going to add that I wish edibles gave me more munchies. Some days I eat nothing because of surgical or coincidental complications that make eating much of anything and drinking extremely difficult. sleeping next to the toilet difficult. I need to eat more to keep losing so bring on the munchies.

Anyone in the same boat as me...I finally bought shorts for the first time in 10 years! It feels like a huge milestone in my weight and self esteem

Anyone in the same boat as me...I finally bought shorts for the first time in 10 years! It feels like a huge milestone in my weight and self esteem

Anyone in the same boat as me...I finally bought shorts for the first time in 10 years! It feels like a huge milestone in my weight and self esteem

Anyone in the same boat as me...I finally bought shorts for the first time in 10 years! It feels like a huge milestone in my weight and self esteem

Anyone in the same boat as me...I finally bought shorts for the first time in 10 years! It feels like a huge milestone in my weight and self esteem

Anyone in the same boat as me...I finally bought shorts for the first time in 10 years! It feels like a huge milestone in my weight and self esteem

Anyone in the same boat as me...I finally bought shorts for the first time in 10 years! It feels like a huge milestone in my weight and self esteem

Anyone in the same boat as me...I finally bought shorts for the first time in 10 years! It feels like a huge milestone in my weight and self esteem

Prior to my complications I ate out frequently as I hate cooking. I think one of my first truly solid meals was takeout from my favorite habachi place. If I ate in a restaurant I put food on a salad plate and immediately have them box the rest. Leftovers for a few days or excited roommate getting free food! I’d also drink a glass of Water, iced tea, whatever before I ate. If I ordered to go I initially weighed out 6 oz (didn’t always finish) but now I simply eat intuitively because of my pretty life altering complications. Stopped really tracking once I mostly lost the ability to eat solid food. I even splurge on chocolate and some sugar from time to time since I typically eat so little.

If people find it weird they don’t say anything. I went out for thanksgiving with my mom (sleeved end of August), got a Soup, steak, potatoes and something else. Had a cocktail (shhhh don’t tell ) the yummy soup, and 3-4 bites of steak, potatoes and green Beans then a few bites of pecan pie. I honestly don’t really stress about good or “bad” foods since the majority of my diet is healthy or liquids [emoji58]. About once a month I get in n out. Sometimes do Protein style depending on my carbs and workout for the day, but other days do a bun since I only eat 1/3-1/2. Bun seems to go down easier than the lettuce.

My biggest treat was a sham feeding test where you chew and spit out all the food and drink. It tests for vagus nerve damage. I got a spicy chicken sandwich from jack and curly fries which were my Achilles heal. Best meal I didn’t eat!

Sorry for being long winded...insomnia

I was just talking to my psychiatrist today about how I’m treated so differently now that I’m down 90 lbs. Before I was 276ish at 5’6” and definitely appeared overweight but I was actually never visually huge. Now people are so much more friendly and chit chat more. Even people at my gym. We think it’s a combo looking much thinner and my increased confidence because he said I basically glow. It’s sad people treat the overweight/obese so differently. Now I make a cognizant effort not to in case I did before and never noticed.

They remove most of the stretchy part of your stomach. It might expand slightly and temporarily with carbonation or a straw but it isn’t permanent. It seems like a scare tactic like my surgeon’s tale about a guy from up north who ate a burrito on his way home and died. Next time it was magically a burger. I called him on it and he fessed up. Besides, I burp up carbonation. Burp like a drunken sailor and it’s gone.