Found this site today while looking for the Good Morning America story on Weight Loss Surgery. There aren't many people in my area that I know that have had the sleeve done. Most at our support group have had the by-pass and a few have had the lap band. I am hoping to chronicle my journey here.
My surgery was 9/13/11 at 7:30 in the am. Sure was an early wake up that day. Once I received the Versed I don't remember anything until around 1 pm when my wonderful was sitting next to my bed. I drifted in and out for a number of hours but was able to get up in the early evening and start walking. The hardest part was getting in and out of bed. Having had surgery in the past I knew how important it was to get up and moving asap. I knew how to get out of bed with the least amount of pain so I was up and moving. The next morning I had the video fluoroscopic swallow study and was found to be leak free. Started drinking an ounce an hour of fluid. No nausea or vomiting - yeah! I must have been quite tuned into the hour restriction because I woke up all night on the hour to drink my fluids. The next day I was sent home.
I was out of work full time for 2 weeks and then returned to work part time for 2 weeks. I actually worked 69/80 hrs. I found I was exhausted each day but during the week my endurance improved. The 5th week I returned to work full time. Once again I found I was exhausted but improved as time went on. I am now almost 8 weeks out and still require more sleep. That may be that my CPAP isn't working as well with the weight loss. I am awakening with a dry mouth, the pressure is to high for my weight and I "puff" out air due to the pressure. I am not awakening refreshed as I was. The pulmonologist did send an order to reduce the pressure so I expect to sleep better next week.
My insurance required I participate in a weight loss program for 12 months prior to getting approval for surgery. I am 5' 4.5", I was 255.8 lbs. Over the course of a yr I was able to lose 25.8 lbs to a weight of 233.0 lbs. I had a 4 month plateau regardless of exercise and continuing to follow my diet. This was an effect I had experienced in the past with all the other options for weight loss I had attempted in 25 yrs. I started the liquid diet 3 weeks before my actual surgery even though it was only required for 2 weeks. My insurance didn't get the approval done in time so I continued on the liquids for the 3rd week. I dropped another 6.4 lbs over those 3 weeks. I really did expect more. 3 days after surgery, my 1st day home I weighed in at 223.6. What was this? I had surgery, basically had not eaten anything for 4 days and I was still almost as heavy? Figured it might be the IV fluids, swelling and inflammation from the surgery. The weight did start to come off, quickly at 1st then right into a plateau again. at 209 - 210 for a week. Since Oct 4th I have been dropping again. Today I was 197.6 after a 2 day stay away from home at a conference. I finally broke the 200 lb barrier on Oct 28th 6.5 weeks past surgery and 6 weeks after I restarted weighing after surgery, 24.8 lbs lost.
Now losing about 2 lbs a week. I have dropped from a size 24 pant to a size 18. Some of the 18s are still too tight but the 20s are to big. Will have to look to see if I have any clothing in smaller sizes. I have several bags that never got to the Goodwill. If I don't have any smaller clothes I will be shopping at Goodwill soon.
