July 25. 2011
Wow! I have been remiss in keeping up with my blogging. I really wanted to journal my entire journey but... life intervenes. I suppose it is a testament to the sleeve that I often forget I have it. 4 months out my life is pretty normal. Not like it was before, but what I assume most people would consider normal, lol.
I eat a lot less. I make better food choices, I go to the gym a few times a week. Sadly the weight has not come sloughing off as Id hoped it would. 50 pounds down I feel good and am grateful as ever, but I did think I would be father along at this point. I try to stay optimistic. My mother, who had a bypass about 10 years ago, is constantly remonstrating me for the amounts I eat (though normal stomach folks think Im sick or something, I eat so little). She lost 75 pounds in the first 3 months of her surgery and has very vocally espoused that I should have done the same. I keep asking my surgeon when I see him, he keeps telling me Im doing great and not to compare myself to others. I need to keep working on that though.
I HAVE started losing my hair. I thought I was going to be one of the lucky ones because my weight loss has been comparatively slow but... Right at the 3 month mark it started falling out in clumps. It hasn't abated yet but I am taking better care of it now. Less brushing, more vitamins. Hopefully it will end soon. Ive heard the 3-6 month period is the worst for hair loss.
All told Im happy and loving my sleeve most days... though I wouldn't mind the process working a little faster, I am still losing and cheerfully waving goodbye to each and every pound.
April 19, 2011
I am Officially 4 weeks post-op today (but not quite 1 month, weird how that works out sometimes...)
I've got 2 more weeks of the mushy stage, I'm enjoying the food choices a lot more than during the liquid diet but Im not seeing the same dramatic weight loss. From my weigh-in last tuesday to today I have only lost 2 pounds. And the week before that it was only 3. I'm wondering if veeerrrrryyyy slooooowww weight loss is part of the infamous 3 week stall? Its a little disheartening to think I'm going to progress at such a slow rate from here on out.
On to the good stuff:
I feel almost no pain at this point, though soreness and fatigue have become close compatriots lately.
I'm tracking my food and doing much better about getting my protein in.
Atleast once a day someone comments on how good I'm looking lately
I've had to get rid of a few items of clothing that have simply become 'tentlike'.
I feel better/more confident about the future, my health, and what my life will look like.
I've been walking but my Surgeon hasn't given me clearance for any more athletic exercise. Hopefully when I see him next week everything will look good and he will give me the go-ahead. That should kick-start things a bit!
~ Bellah
April 5, 2011
Today is 2 weeks out, and Im feeling good. I'm completely off and pain meds and rarely have soreness around the incisions (except right after walking for 20+ mins). The most notable changes are in the inclusion of one egg per day to my continued clear liquid diet, (I never thought I would be so excited to eat half a scrambled egg!) and beginning my vitamin regiment. My surgeon has his own line of multi-vitamins and supplements designed for people who've had weight loss surgery so I ordered a bottle and picked up some sub-lingual b12 from GNC. So far so good. My stomach seems to be tolerating the changes well, and to this day I haven't had a moment's nausea.
Since going back to work (yesterday) Ive started waking up in the middle of the night and having trouble getting back to sleep. Maybe I've just thrown off my internal time clock with all the vacation time? My hope is that it will sort itself out. I'm still pretty fatigued most of the time.
Oh yeah, someone came up to me at work today and told me I looked like I lost a ton of weight. That was frickin awesome. The scale keeps moving down but I'm comfortably wearing the same clothes... Not sure where the weight is coming from. And to be honest, when I look in the mirror I don't see it (yet). Ah well, steady the course.
www.wlsvitamins.com
~Bellah~
March 29, 2011
Well, week 1 draws to a close and I'm blessed to be sitting here feeling 100x better than I did on day 1. Each day has been a little easier than the last. Each morning I wake up and can sip a little more water, drink a little more broth, and walk a little farther. The first walk in the hospital was from the bed to the doorway. The first walk at home was from the bed to the mailbox. Today I managed to walk 20 minutes on the trail by my house. I was sweating (from exertion not heat but there was just a warm, almost pleasant, soreness from my workout.
I'm noticing when I get more protein in I have more energy and feel better in general. I have some pain and discomfort but a tylenol and a heating pad have knocked it right out.
I keep flashing back to the moments before surgery when I was looking up at the lights above my gurney and wanting to run. I had no right to expect things to go so smoothly but am very grateful they have. Even the liquid diet is not so bad (well... All in all I'm glad I went through with it. I changed my life that day in ways I'm only beginning to guess. I feel so blessed to be exactly where I am right now.
May the recovery continue to be this calm.
PS - 10.4 lbs lost since surgery
16.5 lbs lost since pre-op diet started
Bellah
March 22, 2011
Tuesday morning arrived like any other. After all the time I'd spent worrying, planning, and preparing, it came so fast I had hardly anytime to panic. Some... but not much.
My appt was at 10:30, got there right on time, signed in at the front desk and settled in to wait. The waiting was excruciating, I thought I would faint as I sat there twirling my surgical bracelet. One cool thing that happened while I was waiting, I ran into a girl I met at the nurse's class. She is getting sleeved next week and was there for her pre-admission testing. She was super bubbly and positive and distracted me from my near-suffocating panic for a few minutes. lol.
Finally someone came and got me, told me to leave my bag and family and come to the back. I went to a little room where a nurse was waiting. She asked me all the consent questions again, had me put on a hospital gown and tucked me into the bed. Over the next ten minutes two more nurses, the Anesthesiologist and eventually my Surgeon came in to check on me. He was short with me but full of confidence as always,and somewhat more sensitive than usual telling me to 'stop crying' when I teared up at leaving my mom. The good news was the IV had been started and and pretty soon I wasn't worried about a thing. They wheeled me down some halls and looking up at the lights passing I told the nurse I feared I was chickening out but she just laughed and slid me into the operating room. I remember one look at the surgical table, all the camera equipment, people milling around (does it really take a team of 10?) and then... nothing. Whether it was fear induced or just a strong dose of sedatives I don't know, but I was out in a flash.
I woke up in the recovery room about 3 hours later. There was a brunette nurse talking to me, telling me to relax. I tried to tell her I had to pee and she kept trying to convince me I had a catheter in and could go anytime I felt like it. Despite trouble speaking I tried valiantly to argue against this scandalous lie because my Surgeon assured me I wouldn't have a catheter. When I calmed down a little, a nurse Anesth. came and checked my breathing. He was very sweet and called me beautiful. After the most harrowing day of my life, no make-up, sticky sweat and a bag of pee trailing around after me, I'm certain this was another scandalous falsehood but I took it with much less resistance.
After some time (10 mins? who knows, its super fuzzy) I was rolled into my hospital room. My mother says I said something angry about the catheter to my two nurses but I don't recall this either lol. The next 24 hours were filled with intravenous pain meds, constant vital checks, and forced walks around the corridor. I remember going down for an x-ray and trying to tell the tech my stomach was only about 3 ounces and I COULD NOT swallow all the dye he wanted me to but he insisted and it came right back up. The one and only time I puked, I'm proud to say. Also, luckily, the x-ray came back clean, no leaks, no bleeding, no nada.
On the 2nd afternoon I was discharged when my Surgeon saw that I had no fever, steady oxygen levels, could tolerate clear liquids and was managing my pain. I did regret going off the IV dialudid to the oral Roxicet (not nearly the same punch) but I was excited to get home. We waited about an hour and then a volunteer came and wheeled me out the front door. The ride home was brutal and I shambled/ran to bed. The most difficult day ever drew to a close and I gratefully succumbed to sleep.
March 15, 2011
So I spent my ENTIRE day at the hospital getting all the last minute things crossed off my list.
First I had a consult with my Surgeon. He was very nice and to my surprise I felt quite comfortable talking to him and asking my questions this time around. I was weighed, then brought to the exam room. He leafed through a binder on me and told me all my test results look normal. (EKG, Chest x-ray, endless bloodwork, etc) He very briefly described the surgery then had me lie down and lift my shirt so he could show me where the incision, camera, and stiches would go. I asked where the drain would be and he told me he doesn't insert one, and that its not medically neccessary! The man has an incredible reputation and I trust him completely but I was pretty surprised by this... every account I've ever heard involved a drain and a catheter. (Also not included in my surgery I was told!) The whole consult took about 20 minutes, with questions, and was pretty painless. I left feeling pretty good and went to another suite to wait for a nurses' educational seminar to begin.
The Nurses' class was basically just reading aloud of the booklets we received on whats going to happen when we arrive at the hospital, what we should expect when we wake up, a detailed diet plan for the first 6 months... all that good stuff. They said they implemented the class becuase people were taking the book, not reading it, and then not following directions or calling the office a million times. They actually made me a little scared to call with questions because they said it drives them crazy and they are just going to tell us to open our book to page...whatever... to find the answer. All told, I chose this office becuase its such a great program, but the customer service has a lot of room for improvement... The best part about the class was that I met two other women who are getting ready to get sleeved in the next few weeks, as well. Im sold on attending the support group at the hospital, the gals made it sound REALLY helpful.
After the class I had to scoot around to another building for my PAT - Pre-Admission Testing. A rep in the business office went over my paperwork, took my down payment, and filled out my financing application. She shared with me that her best friend (age 51) was a patient of my surgeon and got the sleeve 2 years ago and 'looks and feels like she's 16 again'. I took it as a good sign. Next I met a registration nurse who asked me a lot of questions about my medical history, went over my lab results again, drew blood for a type-cross-match (just in case I need an infusion) and had me sign some consent forms. It was a little creepy filling out advanced directives but I know its in the unlikely event I need it so... I put on my big girl pants and did it. She also shared that she was a former patient of my surgeon and had gotten the bypass 10 years ago. She showed me pictures of herself on her desk and I would NEVER have believed it was her! She also disproved my fear that people who've gone through WLS seem to age a lot in the face. She looked beautiful and I'd never have even known she had surgery. I guess I've just known a few who did...
Anywho, after that came the meeting of the surgical nurses and Anesthesiologist, more questions, more reviewing of lab tests. Make sure ALL your lab work is done before your pre-op consult because they will want to review every little thing 2-3 times atleast. I guess its good to be thorough though! The Anesthesiologist was in disbelief that I've never had surgery before and even made me show her my tonsils to prove they hadn't been taken out when I was a kid. She seemed a little worried that I have no history to suggest I will or won't have a bad reaction to the anesthesia... but everyone has to have a first surgery right? Im a little worried about that myself. All the consent forms listing all the terrible-things-that-could-happen-if-something-goes-wrong are a little overwhelming. I was at the hospital , in all, about 6 hours but now everything is done and the I have my booklets to read, items to go shopping for, and a time and date to show up for surgery!
6 days and counting!
February 18, 2011
Spoke with the PA again, got a reminder to get my 30 days labs done and reviewed the plan for March.
I am so stoked I have finished almost all the pre-op requirements. One week before the surgery I will have my consult with the surgeon, class with a nurse, and pre hospital admission testing. At that point I also have to start the pre-op diet. Only 1 week, most people on here seem to have done atleast 2. I will start early I think (I am full of optimism today .
I also had to confirm my time off request with my boss. As expected she asked a ton of questions which I was afraid to refuse because she might be spiteful and make life (even) more difficult as her employee. It was really uncomfortable and I had to sit through the "can't you just diet and exercise..?" speech YET again. Oh well, at the end of the talk I got the time off so I am choosing to be focused on that instead of the mortifying 30 minutes preceeding it
Now I just have to finish my finanical maneuvering. As a self-pay I have to put down 30% (5300 big ones) at the time of the surgery but the hospital and doctors are the best so I feel confident the investment is worth it. The day is getting close. I can hardly believe it! 34 days to go...
January 19, 2011
I called the Surgeon's office this morning to confirm my decision to go ahead with the sleeve. The PA was really excited and encouraging. She said they love when people decide to go with the sleeve or bypass over the band because they see such better results in follow-up. It was one more little encouragement making me feel better about this decision.
Because I had been just about done prepping fo rthe band I have only a few more requirements to get ready for the sleeve, namely some pre-testing bloodwork and another consultation with the surgeon. I do have to wait for a school holiday to get the time off from work though. Its looking like Spring Break will be even more awesome than usual this year!!
My new date is March 22, 2011 -- 61 days and counting!
December 1, 2010
Well, just 15 days from my scheduled band-date I had my appt with the Surgeon and after all my nervousness, it seemed anti-climactic when he didn't try that hard to change my mind. In fact he seemed...apathetic and rushed. He did mention the other surgeries and why he likes them but in the end he shrugged and said if the band was what I wanted then he would put it in, gave me a pat on the back and said he'd see my on the 16th at the Hospital.
I left feeling upset. I wasn't looking forward to having to plead my case but I think I was spoiled by my primary care doctor's fantastic bedside manner and willingness to talk things through with me (without rushing from the room!!!)
The office assistant gave me the final paperwork and, in passing, handed me the optional insurance packet because, as a self-pay, my health insurance would not cover ANY complications that were a result of a surgery that wasn't covered. This was something I had never considered and decided to go home and do some serious research before selecting the insurance packet for me.
So here's where the sway starts, I started reading articles in medical health journals of extensive longitudinal studies performed on band recipients. I learned that the complication incidence rate at 1 year is close to 1:10, at 5 years it was closer to 1:7 and at 10 years after surgery, almost 1 in 3 people needed another surgery to correct slippage, port problems, erosion into the stomach, etc...
It really got me thinking. At only 27, I may (hopefully) have this mechanism inside me for another 50-70 years, The findings made sense: things would break down with time and strenuous activity and I hope to have lots of both in the future. And being a self-pay am I going to be able to pay another 15 grand in a few years to go back in and fix something..? Did I want to take the chance? I was starting to have some serious doubts, but didn't feel comfortable with any alternative surgery.
As evidence that karma is real and God DOES have a sense of humor, things started falling into place. A book I'd been on the waiting list came in from the library... Dr. Garth Davis' Expert Guide to Surgical Weight Loss. I had never seen Dr. Davis' show on TLC 'BIG MEDICINE', but I had heard the book was very good and been wanting to read it. I had been on the waitlist so long though, I forgot all about it until I saw it in the mailbox.
Reading the book, I learned that Dr. Davis' favorite surgery is the sleeve. He explained it thoroughly and stated all the reasons why he preferred it to the others but found it was really only an option for self-pay patients because insurance won't cover it.
http://books.google.com/books?id=ok 4iRskiDEC&printsec=frontcover&dq=garth+davis+big+medicine+gastric+sleeve &hl=en&ei=0q0gTae2DMH_lgeHwehP&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1 &ved=0CDEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=sleeve&f=false
Once I started talking about the sleeve and reading up on it, I seemed to become a sleeve magnet with people who'd had the surgery and wanted to tell me good things about it practically coming out of the woodwork!! I also started perusing this fabulous forum and hearing about other people's journeys and noted several members who switched to the sleeve after an unsuccessful foray with the band. I particularly liked this video I found on another member's blog:
http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/surgery-vertical-sleeve-gastrectomy-11968867
All told I wanted more time to think and read so I called the surgeon and canceled the surgery date after all. I told his office asst I would think and pray on it over the holiday and call back after Christmas. She seemedreally excited and told me they love the sleeve best and are always thrilled when someone chooses it over the band (although I maintain the surgeon himself is a bypass guy first and foremost!)
November 13, 2010
Went to the lab Friday to get the chest x-ray and blood work done. Despite the fact that I had to disrobe (again!) it was quick and painless. My PCP said she should have the results in a few days and if everything is in order she will send over my medical clearance for surgery.
I called my surgeon's office to confirm the next items on the checklist and got a bit of surprising news. With just 34 days to go, the nurse informed me that they have canceled my surgery date because the Surgeon wants to wait till my pre-op consultation (12/1/10) to talk with me about gastric bypass surgery.
I shared concern that I am not willing to consider the bypass after seeing what a HORIFFIC experience it was for my Mother a few years back. I also mentioned that I had to request the time off work months ago and if I lose the date I don't know when I would be able to reschedule. The nurse was adamant about canceling the surgical suite.
I felt truly frustrated. I had no intention of switching to another surgery. I have researched the lap-band, learned all about the lap-band, spoken to other lap-band patients and prepared myself for the lap-band. I scheduled this surgery back in August so Im not sure why it came up at the end of the process!
I've shared in previous posts that I could tell from the informational seminar that the surgeon was not a big fan of the lap-band. He spent far more time discussing the bypass and sleeve. That being said he stated he thinks the lap-band is more appropriate for people with a BMI no higher than 45 (mine is 47) but that he's performed the surgery on people with a BMI up to 52 and will do it if its all a patient is willing to consider.
I'm hoping that if I go in and show him that I'm seriously not going to be swayed, he will acquiesce and we can get back on track for December 16th. I would be crushed to have come so far only to be shot down now. I feel if a surgeon is not willing to do a lap-band procedure than he needs to be upfront and not make a patient spend months jumping through hoops only to say no at the end.
Here's hoping I can work this out...
:bored:
October 25th, 2010
Had a pre-op appointment with my Primary Care today. The visit was basically just an EKG, check-up, file review, and an order for the neccessary labs. In the next two weeks I'll need to get more bloodwork done as well as a chest x-ray. Then she'll send the surgeon a medical clearance document and I'm one step closer to the lap-band®!
The only incident of note was finding that I have high blood pressure. My primary care doc is great though, she is ALREADY planning how we'll make the prescription work after the surgery (for however long I'll need it).
Things are going well. Surgery is 50 days from tomorrow. I'm excited but really nervous. I'm starting to get burnt out on the uncomfortable/embarrassing tests too. I'm trying to stay positive and know it will all be worth it in the end.
Although Im hearing the x-ray is another one I'll have to go topless for. Yippee.
:thumbup:
September 18, 2010
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=r5ICI9q7nxU
I found this great (awful) video on youtube and have watched it several times now. It's quick and dirty but I think I have a better understanding of how the actual surgery is going to work.
Not gonna lie, I had to turn it off twice the first time I watched it so I could run to the bathroom, gagging.
I simply am NOT brave about hospital stays/surgical procedures.
All told though, I'm glad I found it. I've been looking for something like it for a while, and as always my imagination cooked up images MUCH scarier than the reality of it.
Just wanted to share.
88 days and counting! :thumbup:
September 5th, 2010
I had my consultation at the Hospital Diabetes Education Center. The appt was with a Registered Dietician and was probably the most helpful step of the process thus far.
The dietician sent me a packet to fill out a week before my appointment that asked for my medical/psychological history as well as a 3 day food journal. I brought the completed packet with me, and we spent the first 15 minutes going over my responses.
The only physical portion of the consultation was stepping on the scale. Always my favorite part... After that it was just sitting at a desk going over paperwork.
She asked me some more medical questions, my family history of obesity related weight concerns mostly... then proceeded into the information about the surgery.
She explained the process where everyone else left off... at the point of waking up from the surgery. What to expect pain wise, what to eat, the first day, week, month, year of recovery. And most importantly what the rest of my life would be like. She took out a 2 ounce measuring cup and put it in my hand to help me understand what it looked like, (and to drive home the point that a piece of pizza would NOT fit in it).
She went over a lot of possible complications and the requirements for getting the most out of band. She was incredibly patient and encouraging, answering all my questions and honestly laying out the difficult road that only STARTS at getting the surgery. She gave me a behavior modification schedule that the reccommended starting NOW to be an expert at it by the time the band is put in.
As I left I knew this was something I was going to do. I took the little cup home with me and set it on my foyer table where I would pass it often.
The next day I called the Doctor's office and scheduled the surgery. I'm still nervous, but really the hesitation and doubt have lifted. I'm so confident with my decision to have weight-loss surgery. I'm really excited about this first step in changing my life.
:thumbup:
August 31, 2010
The Psych Consult. For a therapist, I was surprisingly nervous. The subject matter rattled me. As I've mentioned in other posts, I don't make a habit of frank discussion of my weight and dieting habits.
The surgeon reccommended 3 therapists he had worked with before but only 1 was on my list of approved providers so my choice was made. The office was small but comfortable. The therapist was older and not threatening at all. After about 10 minutes I was able to relax and breathe normally.
We started by discussing a brief history of my life. Family, friends, school , jobs, relationships. How did my weight affect me in all these arenas? Did I have any mental health disorders or eating disorders? What did I expect the surgery to do for my life?
Then we moved into the surgery itself. What was my understanding of the procedure and the possible risks? How was I prepared to change my life afterwards?
The whole session was done in a very casual conversational manner. The only uncomfortable bit was when he was asking about my sex life and said "you know some guys really like big women. they look for that in particular..." Said with an ever-so-slightly-lecherous tone. Made me wonder why he chose this as a specialty. Lol.
Other than that it was fine. He said he'd send the report directly to the Surgeon and my work there was done.
As I left I called the office girl to let her know the report was coming and informed her, while I wasn't sure about the money or the timeline for being able to proceed as a self-pay client. I was interested in continuing and would be moving on with the list of requirements.
The next of which was the Nutrition Consult.
:thumbup:
August 19, 2010
I mailed back the paperwork I got at the seminar a few days later. The response was almost immediate. The surgeon's receptionist called and told me that AETNA had denied my appeal. I tried to get approval on my own at first but had held out hope that the medical staff had some secret language or handshake that would unfreeze the cold-dead hearts of my insurance benfits reps. Apparently not.
She told me I could consider doing it as a self-pay patient. The hospital has a financing plan that approves everyone (with 30% down) and gives you five years repayment time with prime plus 6% or no interest if paid in 1 year. She encouraged me to consider it and told me the next step would be a psych consult if I decided to proceed. I told her it was a lot to process and I'd let her know.
I thought it over for a week or so and vaccillated like a mad woman. My mother and friends convinced me to see the therapist, talk about it some more and not make my mind up just yet. Since my insurance covered the psych visit, I figured what the hell... :thumbup:
I created this blog months ago on the lapband talk forum. Somewhere along the journey, for reasons that become clear in later posts, I changed my plans and thus my blog site. I will start with my old postings...
August 11, 2010
I finally attended the Weight Loss Surgery seminar at the Hospital. I had registered for it twice before in the last year but then cancelled at the last minute. I kept telling myself I wasn't there yet. That I didn't really need this.
There were about 35 people there to hear the lecture, and 2 post-op volunteers who came to share thier stories. The surgeon discussed the gastric bypass, vertical sleeve, and LAP-BAND®. He flat out announced that he's not a fan of the LAP-BAND® but I was pretty sure I wanted this surgery before I got there.
It took a lot to get me to this point. I was really scared of rerouting my intestines OR removing part of my stomach. The band appeared to be the safest weight loss surgery. The Dr. shared he akmost ALWAYS prefers the bypass for any candidate.
At first, being at the seminar was terribly uncomfortable. I was embarrassed to sit in a room where everyone knew I had come because I want to lose weight. I've made a lifetime habit of blending in, wearing dark clothes, and sitting in the back. I don't draw attention to my body or discuss my weight. The fact that the Surgeon was so down on my preferred method didn't help either.
Despite it all, I liked him a lot. He is very frank and straightforward. I felt he was glib (almost to the point of rudeness) with some of the question askers but I appreciated his open discussion of some possible complications and even the possibility of death from the surgery. I've never had an operation and was really scared about the prospect of being cut open and talking about it upfront made it seem less sinister and more manageable, I guess.
One thing he said that really struck home was that... "if you go on living obese, there is a high likelihood you will need surgery in the future, hip replacement, hiatal hernia, open heart, etc. The mortality rates for these surgeries are 5-10x higher than the mortality rate for WLS." He almost convinced me right then and there.
As it was I took home all the paperwork he gave me to look over and filled out the health forms the next day on my lunch break.
I still wasn't conviced this was in my future but I figured it couldn't hurt to fill out the paperwork. :thumbup:
