sassysuez

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.

Yesterday was exactly 3 months since my surgery. The whole process seems so surreal! I can't believe that I'm down 55lbs now. I haven't been this size in over 15 years! I went from a size 24W to a size 16 so far. The changes in how I feel are amazing and seem like a miracle. I feel great, and everyone tells me that I look amazing. My diet has seen some really big changes. I now eat primarily fresh foods, and very rarely eat processed foods. When I do eat out, I'm am extremely cautious on what I choose. Since I hold so much less, I would much rather put in good quality food, than a bunch of junk. Yes, we still eat out about twice a week, but we choose restaurants that have a better quality menu than fast food places do. Also, I drink water all day. I walk 3 miles 5 days a week, and have recently started a Beginner's Yoga CD and really enjoying it. The fact that I weigh less, helps me try things that I haven't tried in 15 years, and I'm thinking about trying bicycling. I really don't want to buy one - they can get pretty expensive - until I know it's worth the investment.
 
Looking back, it seems like a dream. All the worry, all the liquids and protein drinks, all the preparation was so worth it. Even the post-op diet seems to have passed so quickly - although at the time it seemed to take forever. I thought about the sleeve 24/7, and now it's just a normal part of life,
 
It's been the best decision I've ever made regarding my health, and I have no regrets. I read some of the posts of others who haven't made their decision yet, and all I want to do is shake them and tell them to just do it! However, everyone is different and just because it's been a great experience for me, doesn't mean it will be the right one for them.
 
At first, I was very vague about how I was losing weight. When folks would ask me, I would just tell them that I'm eating a lot less. Now I'm much more vocal about the surgery. If someone asks, I tell them that I got the sleeve. So far, no one has been negative about it, and if they are, I'll just tell them to mind their own business. My immediate family has known about it from Day 1 and been extremely supportive.
 
This forum has been a life saver for me. All the friendships, support, and feedback has been fantastic, and I wouldn't be healthier today if it wasn't for this website.

I have always been very "normal" when it comes to going number 2. Ok, stop laughing. Yes, I am going to talk about bowel movements. I have always said I would be honest and open and this is something EVERYONE does. There is no need to be ashamed or shocked. If you feel uncomfortable reading about this, move on to another blog. I won't take it personal.
 
Ok, now that I've told everyone what's coming down the pipe (pun intended) we should all be ready for an open and frank discussion about poop. It's something that everyone does and after surgery, I have found that I do it much less than before. I used to go once or even twice a day. There were times where after a good poop (you know the kind I am talking about....the ones where when you're done you feel like you've lost five to ten pounds) I would feel lighter and have a little more energy. Now, I barely go. Then, to top it off, it's never easy. I can't just get the feeling and go sit on the toilet for five or ten minutes. Nope, I get the feeling and end up spending a half an hour in there listening to "plop, plop,plop." It's never a nice S shape poop that you hear Dr. Oz always talk about. It's more like there is a very large rabbit in my colon. And, I have the poop to prove it. Well, I don't have it sitting next to me in a bowl or anything. That would just be gross. I just mean that when I do poop it comes out in small little nuggets. I have tried everything. I have added fiber to my drinks, taken stool softeners, and even laxatives. The only change is that the little things come out a little easier.
 
Now, the reason I am writing about this is to see if anyone else is having this issue and if so how are you dealing with it. Also, is this normal and does it get better over time. I will be honest, I don't think I can live with a rabbit in my colon for the rest of my life....I don't care how thin I am. Wait, I take that back. I used to say I would do anything to be thin....I guess little nugget poop is my "anything".

Had to do a upper GI test yesterday. Not to bad but the barium drink is wanting in texture (uuggghhh). Drank one bottle as told and all was fine. Then you have to wait for your stomach to release so they can see the mix go into the intestine. But of course since they said no eating or drinking after midnight I was very dehydrated. So we wait and check, wait and check, wait and check. Nothing just sat there and would not move, told ya I needed a drink of water. So the say just a minute and they mix up another bottle of plaster of Paris ( that was the consistency). Wonderful! Yuck! Yuck!
Finally, about 5 more minutes the stomach releases an I can now go. Thanks alot. My stomach feel like a brick, only good part was for the rest of the day no hunger and did not even eat. Yall might want to patent that drink. If you can get it down you would be sure to lose weight. Of course one would have to like drinking Spackle.