From near-death to a rousing success (4 weeks out)

[jesse3110 9]

Hey all. I've been overweight/obese since my Dad passed away when I was 18. Finally this past year I decided enough was enough, I could hardly walk, I would lie awake at night fearing a sudden death, and on and on. On February 1st I weighed in @ 537lbs. My surgeon wanted me to lose 40-50lbs before he would approve surgery. That day changed my life, I committed to eating healthy and exercising. By March 2nd I had lost 40lbs and was approved for surgery....but first a 4!! week 600-800 calorie pre op. It was a struggle but I stuck too it and on my surgery date April 2nd I weighed in at 471lbs.

The day of surgery my hemoglobin reading was 11.8, my surgeon said it was fine, I had enough to compensate for any loss. The surgery itself was a success. Here's where it got scary. Immediately after surgery, still had the anesthesia and fentanyl in my system. I was on IV dilaudid and ativan. Anyways, once I got to the bariatric floor I was in misery...I was thrashing from the pain, so I asked a nurse if I could get something for my nerves (remember what I'm already on) and sure enough in she came with iv filled with valium. I remember her injecting it, and then BOOM....lights out, I woke up to a team of people over me, a tube in my throat and general confusion. Apparently the combo of meds sent me down....scary!

During my thrashing one of my incisions opened and started bleeding, because i was covered with a blanket it took a nurse 8 hours to see it, she put a band on it. The next morning my surgeon came in and was AGHAST at how much blood I'd lost, he was visibly angry. My lab work came back and confirmed his suspicions...my hemoglobin was 6.4!!!! For the next day plus I was on the verge of a transfusion, my pulse was out of control and more. It slowly got better.

Ok, fast forward to today as I'm probably boring ya'll. I am...drumroll...416 POUNDS!!! I've lost 55 pounds since surgery!! and 121 total!! My bloodwork came back today and my hemoglobin is back to 10! I feel AMAZING!!!!!!!! Even though the first few days were scary as hell, I wouldn't trade it.

I've gone from a 60 pant size to 54

7xl shirt to 4/5x.

I'll post pics later!

Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

[Orchids&Dragons 9,047]

How terrifying! I'm so glad you were able to recover! Best wishes for smoother sailing from here on out!

[jesse3110 9]

How terrifying! I'm so glad you were able to recover! Best wishes for smoother sailing from here on out!

Thank you! It didn't really hit me until Friday. I had an appointment with my main PA (he was in on the surgery). We were talking and he goes "I'm glad you're doing so much better, you had me terrified, I thought we were going to lose you".

Hearing that was a shock, you don't always get that kind of blunt honesty.

Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

[FluffyChix 17,409]

Wow! How very scary! So so scary! Hope they sacked that nurse. It's malpractice for sure! How could you NOT look at the meds before dosing??! How could you NOT check on wounds during rounds? You can see if the bandages or wet or dry from the outside--or like me, mine were open with just glue on them--so you could see.

Congrats on your recovery and the massive weight loss so far and on being under 400!!!!!

[jesse3110 9]

Wow! How very scary! So so scary! Hope they sacked that nurse. It's malpractice for sure! How could you NOT look at the meds before dosing??! How could you NOT check on wounds during rounds? You can see if the bandages or wet or dry from the outside--or like me, mine were open with just glue on them--so you could see.
Congrats on your recovery and the massive weight loss so far and on being under 400!!!!!

Yeah, I don't have good answers to any of those questions. I will say my final day I had the charge nurse and she was absolutely, positively WONDERFUL!

Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

[Mattymatt 491]

59 minutes ago, jesse3110 said:

Hey all. I've been overweight/obese since my Dad passed away when I was 18. Finally this past year I decided enough was enough, I could hardly walk, I would lie awake at night fearing a sudden death, and on and on. On February 1st I weighed in @ 537lbs. My surgeon wanted me to lose 40-50lbs before he would approve surgery. That day changed my life, I committed to eating healthy and exercising. By March 2nd I had lost 40lbs and was approved for surgery....but first a 4!! week 600-800 calorie pre op. It was a struggle but I stuck too it and on my surgery date April 2nd I weighed in at 471lbs.

The day of surgery my hemoglobin reading was 11.8, my surgeon said it was fine, I had enough to compensate for any loss. The surgery itself was a success. Here's where it got scary. Immediately after surgery, still had the anesthesia and fentanyl in my system. I was on IV dilaudid and ativan. Anyways, once I got to the bariatric floor I was in misery...I was thrashing from the pain, so I asked a nurse if I could get something for my nerves (remember what I'm already on) and sure enough in she came with iv filled with valium. I remember her injecting it, and then BOOM....lights out, I woke up to a team of people over me, a tube in my throat and general confusion. Apparently the combo of meds sent me down....scary!

During my thrashing one of my incisions opened and started bleeding, because i was covered with a blanket it took a nurse 8 hours to see it, she put a band on it. The next morning my surgeon came in and was AGHAST at how much blood I'd lost, he was visibly angry. My lab work came back and confirmed his suspicions...my hemoglobin was 6.4!!!! For the next day plus I was on the verge of a transfusion, my pulse was out of control and more. It slowly got better.

Ok, fast forward to today as I'm probably boring ya'll. I am...drumroll...416 POUNDS!!! I've lost 55 pounds since surgery!! and 121 total!! My bloodwork came back today and my hemoglobin is back to 10! I feel AMAZING!!!!!!!! Even though the first few days were scary as hell, I wouldn't trade it.

I've gone from a 60 pant size to 54

7xl shirt to 4/5x.

I'll post pics later!

Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

So glad to hear that you're doing better and that the surgery was ultimately a success. Keep on coming back and posting.

[Frustr8 7,886]

wowee talk about scary,i am glad you are still here to tell the storu. Heal well and keep us updated.