OUR STORIES

[SassySenior 111]

When I was a teen, I had a fabulous life. I was very active: In high school, I played basketball, folleyball, badmitten, swam in competition, was a member of the Saddle Club, and was a "modern dancer." After I graduated, I went dancing 3 times a week, joined a Ski Club, spent summer at Lake Michigan and Wisconsin, danced often in sock hops at roller rinks, went almost weekly to the world's largest amusement park, and had at least 2 boyfriends at a time. Interestingly, I weighed 116 lbs. at 16, 120 lbs. at 20, 130 lbs. at 30, etc., etc. For the most part, I was pretty slim, never really had a problem with weight or eating. Then a series of medical events led me on a downward path where I began to gain weight. Took steroids while receiving chemo, and began putting on weight like mad.

Like others who didn't gain weight until a major life event occured (having babies, etc.) once I started to put weight on, it was like a train rolling downhill. The more time passed, the faster the train went, picking up a lot of extra weight as it rolled along. By 2011, I weighed over 400 lbs.

It is now 2 years since I began my Quest for surgery. I went from being totally rejected by the first doctor, to rejecting the second doctor (we actually got into a confrontation) to wasting my time with more doctors, who wouldn’t take me for various reasons, mostly because they wouldn’t take Medicare.

Finally, I went back to my first choice, Dr. David Provost, some 40 miles away. One of my challenges was finding a way to get there. I’m too big to drive my car. I no longer use a walker and need someone to push my wheelchair. Once I solved the travel issue, I was ready to surge ahead. But I had to jump through a bunch of hoops first. I’m on my last hurdle, cardiac clearance. My cardiology appt. is next month, so I hope surgery will follow soon afterwards

Getting everything arranged for the surgery is hard enough, but since I live alone and have to take care of everything myself, it’s even harder. My size at nearly 400 lbs. creates a lot of problems. Couple that with arthritis for which I take Vicodin and Ibuprophen, and things get complicated.

Some say they wouldn’t have my persistence. As I see it, however, it’s my life I’m dealing with. Between being in pain and not able to do much, the future would be unbearable if I didn’t have slimming surgery to look forward to.

It has been a very long road. It’s hard to imagine a time when it will be over. But that goal keeps me trudging forward, one step at a time. I stay positive most of the time because opening the pity door is a dead end to nowhere.

[Chris R 217]

I'm Chris. I'm 50 years old. I had my vertical sleeve gastrectomy last Tuesday, February 12, on my 50th birthday - my present to myself lol! Here's my story.

I've been overweight all my life, and have dieted 'successfully' several times, losing up to 83 pounds at a time. But each time, I'd eventually fall off the wagon and gain back everything I lost, and then some. I never even considered surgery for a moment - after all, I knew I was able to diet successfully, I just had to find a way to stick to it.

I have two children, both of whom are also overweight. When I realized last Spring that my 18-year-old son now outweighed me (I was 450 lbs!) I knew something had to change. He was thinking about surgery, and although I did't relish the idea of his body being irreversibly altered at such a young age, I also didn't want him to suffer through the physical, psychological, and emotional pain that I have had to live through. We talked, and decided that we would look into the surgical option together.

We went to Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, NH - about an hour from where we live. Their Obesity Treatment Center is rated as a Bariatric Center of Excellence. They have a very comprehensive program. You are required to attend an informational session and two support group sessions, a lifestyle changes class (6 monday evenings or two Saturday mornings), two visits with an exercise physiologist, two with a dietitian (one to advise on the pre-surgery weight loss, and one to go over the 2-week pre-surgery liver-shrinking diet, the 1-day pre-surgery clear liquid diet, and the first two phases of the post-surgery diet), and and lose 8% of your body weight before you can schedule your surgery. They do lap band, sleeve, or roux en y bypass. After surgery they do several follow-ups, including two more visits with a dietitian to educate you on the post-surgery diet phases and one more with the exercise physiologist, as well as follow-ups with the surgeon, and they follow you up annually for the rest of your life.

We started early last May. I had a lot more success with the 8% weight loss that my son. He's still got about 12 lbs to go. I lost 57 lbs before my surgery over 9 months. I think it's harder for a teenager to make the kind of changes in diet - but he's working toward it slowly. He hopes to be ready for surgery by the beginning of the summer, after he finishes his freshman year of college. I used myfitnesspal.com to help me with the pre-surgery weight loss. I can't get him to record what he eats, and I think it would really help him. I don't think he actually realizes how much he eats, especially when he stays up late at night gaming.

As for me, so far, so good! My surgery went smoothly. My incisions are healing nicely - just a very uncomfortable pulling sensation on the largest incision when I walk for very long, which my surgeon said will magically disappear as soon as the internal sutures fully dissolve. I'm still on phase 2 - full liquids. I've been eating a lot of cream Soups, but I'm really craving something I can actually CHEW! I get to start phase 3 on Monday - soft solids, including cottage cheese, tofu, mashed potatoes, pureed poultry, fish, and veggies. Just give me some FLAVOR and TEXTURE! I haven't had any problems with sliming or vomiting. My surgeon told me let my sleeve be my guide - just eat until I feel satisfied - and don't drag out a meal by eating until you're full, then waiting a while for that feeling to subside and eat more. He said if you feel hungry a couple hours after a meal, then eat again. I've been eating about 800 calories a day since I've been on the full liquids. Usually one to two Protein Shakes made with milk, one greek yogurt, and some cream Soup made with milk for lunch and/or dinner, I use myfitnesspal.com to record what I eat - it tracks not only calories, but Protein, carbs, fat, Vitamins - very handy. I gained about 10 lbs in Fluid from being on the IVs while I was in the hospital after my surgery - I've lost all that, plus 3.2 more lbs since then, 10 days post-op. Just 230 more lbs to go! LOL!

[SassySenior 111]

Hi Chris,

I am so glad you joined our fledging new group. It is actually gaining ground faster than I thought. I have several more people to invite, and please do the

same if you run across a pleasant addition.

I both love and hate your story. Love - kudos to you for sharing all that you did. You made it real. Plus, you gave us a lot of details without rambling. That is high praise coming from me since I am a professional writer/editor. I am balled over at the amount of weight you lost pre-op. Amazing. I was shocked

myself when I dropped 20 lbs. in the first 2 months of my own "just eat less" diet. Thanks for explaining your post-op diet in such detail. It sounds like one I might use. You are doing so great! Even tho you think 225 lbs. is a lot more left to lose, heck ... you started out at 450!

You're a rock star!

Now to the Hate part - I hate that your son has to go through this, too. Poor baby. Gaming, huh? For me, I find that the longer I stay awake, the hungrier I get. I've been eating Quest Protein Bars when that happens. They're #1 for taste, nutrition ... you name it! With 20 gr. of Protein. 20 gr. of Fiber and only 1 gr. of sugar and 5 carbs, they're the best on the market!! However, they ain't cheap at $2+ a bar. Best buy I've found so far is at GNC, 2nd best is at Amazon, but they don't carry the full line. BTW, I think they help the urge to chew ... because chew you must with Quest.< /p>

More hate ... sheesh, you are sooo far ahead of me, and I don't even have a surgery date. That, plus it is obvious now that I'm gonna have to be on a strict pre-op diet because my bmi is a whopping 68. <crash ... pick yourself off the floor> ha ha.

I can't wait to hear about your continued progress and that of others as our group grows!

[Chris R 217]

My BMI was 68 when I started the program last May. At my first post-surgical check-in it was 59.8, and I think you can see my current BMI on my ticker below. Feeling GREAT about myself!

Even better news - my fiancee and I went to the town office and got our marriage license on Thursday, and today we went and told the jeweler what to engrave in our wedding rings and paid for them. We're planning to go to a JP and make it official on March 15

[SassySenior 111]

Chris,

Congratulations! If you wait a day, you can be married on my birthday!

[SassySenior 111]

Doncha just love a good story? I do! I really enjoy hearing others stories on life before the sleeve, experience with surgery, and life after the sleeve.

However, we haven't heard many others. SouthernSoul was gonna post her story here but didn't. She probably was busy with a ton of other things. I think she's going through finals right now, so wish her good luck. But I did mosey on over to her page & read the story last night. It's a good one. I could see so many similarities. I'm gonna check out you other guys to read what you had to say.

Hey ... I know it's a chore to write out your story, but it really helps us to compare our similarities. We hardly ever get a chance to do that with anyone. I hope other Boomers have left a peek into their past. How 'bout you?

[CA712 111]

I love to read everyone's stories too. I know we can all relate to each other in so many ways. I started out with a BMI of 58.8 and 9 weeks post surgery I am now 50.7. I want to congratulate Chris on her success I know this is a hard road ahead of us but it is something we needed to do for ourselves and stop the crazy eating habits. There is no turning back now, we have today to get thru and a future that will be brighter than our past. I am not sure if Chris or Sassy has ever heard of a weight stall. I have heard from the threads about these and I think after losing 45 lbs I have come to my first stall. I have not last any weight this past week and it is so painful to be doing what I am told and the weight has not come off. I have heard that these stalls can last anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks. Do you ladies or anyone else have any ideas on how to break a stall and begin losing again.

Thank you,

Cheryl

[Chris R 217]

I've already had a couple of stalls. I went up and down the same 4 pounds for a 2-week period between 7 and 9 weeks post surgery, then lost about 10 pounds in a little over a week, then stayed the same for a week. Now down another 7 in the last week. On average, I've been losing about 4 lbs a week, post surgery. I'm very happy with that! As of this morning, down 51 post surgery, 112 since starting the program!

[coco.c 11]

I love to read everyone's stories too. I know we can all relate to each other in so many ways. I started out with a BMI of 58.8 and 9 weeks post surgery I am now 50.7. I want to congratulate Chris on her success I know this is a hard road ahead of us but it is something we needed to do for ourselves and stop the crazy eating habits. There is no turning back now, we have today to get thru and a future that will be brighter than our past. I am not sure if Chris or Sassy has ever heard of a weight stall. I have heard from the threads about these and I think after losing 45 lbs I have come to my first stall. I have not last any weight this past week and it is so painful to be doing what I am told and the weight has not come off. I have heard that these stalls can last anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks. Do you ladies or anyone else have any ideas on how to break a stall and begin losing again.

Thank you,

Cheryl

I was sleeved on 3/25/13. I lost 11 lbs. pre-op and have lost 22 lbs post op. I have been stalled now for 3 weeks and I have been getting really depressed about it. People say, just wait, it will happen. I am not sure and feel like maybe this has been a failure for me. I am in a wheelchair and can not really exercise. The doctor signed me up for Water therapy, but I am now waiting for the therapist and the pool in my small town to work out some legal arrangement. I have an appointment with my doctor the Wednesday and I know he is not going to be happy. I really don't know what to think. Are there gastric sleeve failures where people just don't lose?

[SassySenior 111]

Hi girls,

I'm glad you guys are talking to each other. I've been buried with work, which was supposed to end May 9, but is still going on. I'm pretty sure I'll be free very soon and will have some time to talk at all y'all.

With regard to stalls, have any of you read anything about them. I have copied a large amount of info on many aspects of the sleeve, but nothing about stalls. I guess that's cause I haven't yet had the surgery.

But I do a lot of reading at this site and a couple others. So I have read a lot of info about stalls. I would suggest that you do a search for stalls, and see what you turn up.

As I recall, they usually occur at the 2nd month and periodically after that. It's part of the "Sleeve Experience." Seems there are a couple of things you can do to move a stall along. Hydration plays a big role, as does Protein. But one of the reasons I've seen is that stalls can occur if you're not eating enough. I don't know the exact numbers, but it is something like eating a minimum of 800 calories a day.

What have you heard or done to stop stalls in their tracks?

[SassySenior 111]

Coco,

I am also in a wheelchair, so I understand exercise limitations. Unfortunately, I am a sensitive child who gets chilled easily. As a result, most of the pools are too cold for me. When I get chilled, sometimes I get sick afterwords ... with either the flu or cellulitis and I wind up in the hospital.

I even wear clothes in the pool to try and stay warmer. It's quite a site with my purple print bathing suite, my black leggings, and my gray & white strp[ed long sleeved knit top underneath the suit. Hmm ... maybe that's why they are so glad when I leave -- I probaby scare the traffic away! LOL

There is only 1 pool in my area that is warm enough for me. It costs like $90/month after a yearly fee of $150 - $300, depending on specials. I wanted to swim there soooo badly, but they refused to let my attendant in unless I paid for a separate membership for her (even tho she wasn't getting in the pool). It's called the Tom Landry Center, named after the long-time coach of the Dallas Cowboys. I guess he wanted it only for the elite who have money to burn.

If your doctor gets mad at you, tell him if he can be either part of the solution or part of them problem. If he can't be supportive, you can see a different doctor for your aftercare. Last thing you need is some blowhard breathing down your neck, blaming you.. Stalls are a part of being sleeved, and if he doesn't know that and can reassure you, screw him!

Of course, you're gonna lost more weight. I know of no one on the Sleeve that hasn't. I know it feels like that now, but "this, too, shall pass."

Hang in Cheryl and Coco ... and any anonymous Boomers who aren't posting. You're gonna be just fine. I'm sure.

[CA712 111]

I am so glad that we have each other to get thru this tough period post op. Coco and Sassy, does your local hospitals offer any kind of pool excerises? If you have not checked it out you should and if by chance they do not maybe somebody at the hopsital can give you a recommendation. I know when I am in Water I always feel free. Does the local united way have anything they can help with? There really should be a solution for both of you. Tom Landry should be notified about this situation, after all a therapist is there to help not have fun.

I have been told that the local Shapes workout has a swimming pool and they have lifts to help peope get in and out of the pool who are disabled maybe you can also check there since they have certified trainers at the facillity. I am just frustrated right now and now I have to have a D&C on May 28th. I will keep you guys informed. Where are all the boomers??? Take care Coco and Sassy. Let me know if you find out anything, there has to be a solution.