NurseJenn

I'm a psych nurse. Not physically intense and we work 8 hour shifts. I went back at 3 weeks. I still have days where I'm utterly exhausted. I think I really got back into my groove at 5 weeks. Take breaks to eat, stay on top of your liquids and proteins.

My journey into WLS began over 5 years ago. I went to Dr. Clif Thomas' seminar on WLS options and why WLS is a good idea. I knew he was right. I worked with his office staff to get Gastric Bypass approved. Denied. Appeal. Denied. Appeal. Denied. A year or two later I ended up with a new insurance. Denied. Appeal. Denied. Appeal. Denied. And yet a 3rd insurance company... same results. I was finishing nursing school at the time. I knew I wanted to work for the State in Mental Health and I've always heard that the State's insurance covers it. I committed myself to getting it ASAP. I started my new job last year. I check out the insurance... Oopsie... You have to be employed for 5 years, 1 year of psychological counseling, another millionty hoops to jump through. I was so sad and distraught. I kept my vow that if I ever worked out a way to pay for it, it was totally happening. I should mention... during the 5 years of all this mess of trying to get approved, I decided VSG was the way to go. Good results, less invasive, fewer negative side effects... it's a winner, all around. Late June 2012 I get a call from my Mom. My parents are getting a lump payment and are fronting me the money for my surgery. Time to get a surgeon, get a date, and get back with her with the total. Late June I go in with Dr. Clif Thomas for my consultation. The following Thursday I go in for my EGD. Two weeks later is my follow up appointment with surgery details. I have a massive hiatal hernia that he will repair for me. 07/19/2012 I am sleeved and I wake up into a new life. PreOp Weight: 290lbs It's funny that I truly feel like a new person since I woke up from surgery. food is not the forefront of my mind any longer. It's funny that I am getting ready for my drive to work and I think "Oh, I'll go to Sonic... Oh wait... why would I do that?" LOL! I have had little interest in food since surgery. Sure, recipes look good and I cannot wait to cook them... but the day to day drive to eat constantly is gone. My parents are both proud of me. My GRANDFATHER is proud of me... and I can't remember any time in my life that he's ever actually told me that he's proud of me. My Mom is actually working on her pre-operative stuff for her insurance to cover her procedure. Today is 08/19/2012... I weighed in 260.4lbs. I'll take a 30lb weight loss for my first month... sure I was stalled for 10 days... And it's over. Hooray! My goal weight is probably 145. In my mind I'd like to be under 150lbs. I'm 5'3'' so I don't think that's too small... My surgeon says 150-160lbs. My newest goals are more simple... at least on paper... 48-64oz fluids daily... 80g Protein daily... Walk my Zoee girl daily... In September I'd like to get a cruiser bike and have a little variety...

I wanted to say thank you to every who has "liked" my story or left a comment. I never realized how important the comments are until today. I realized that I read over them every now and then to kindof refresh my motivation. It's been a FaceBook heavy day today and I really really realized how much the support means to me... especially on days when I'm fighting myself, I'm down, or just not motivated to exercise. In my constant search of the web to learn everything I'll ever want to know on every topic, I found an exciting sleeved foodie blog. I was so very excited to have found until I realized I had read the entire thing in about 5 minutes. This person was sleeved and in 1 year went from a size 30 to a size 22/24. I was so shocked I re-read it a few times... I checked the dates... I looked at the photos. I was very confused. She's happy with her loss, says she'd do it again in a heartbeat. And in the 1 year follow up post mentioned something about never getting around to incorporating exercise into her daily routine but "maybe one day"... I realize I have no room to criticize anyone... I know this could very well be me one of these days... all of that being said... I have to say... this has been the biggest kick in my rear to find my motivation to exercise. I'm self pay. I'll be paying my parents back for the rest of their lives for the $12,900 that this surgery cost me/us. This is a major surgery and I cannot take it lightly... and I refuse to fail because I'm too lazy to exercise. Over the last two weeks I have been walking the dogs to the lake and back (about 1.7 miles... but more importantly, about 45 minutes per trip). My little Corgi dog Zoee has been the most motivating workout partner I've ever had. Those big brown eyes guilt trip me into taking her for a walk any time I'm thinking about weaseling out of it. I'm always glad we went by the time we get to the corner of the street. Today I bought a bicycle (Huffy Cruiser) to keep variety in my options... Or really, just to keep me moving. I took it for a maiden voyage around the block (about 2 city blocks). I survived and made it home safely. Scared the boyfriend half to death because I am a very clumsy girl... he said he gave me 10 minutes to make it back home before he was going to drive around the block to find where I wiped out. LOL! Just buying the bike was an experience in and of itself... I actually had the guy ahead of me at the check out flirt with me. Such an opposite of a teen experience I had (being ridiculed by a truck full of guys for taking the dog for a walk). All in all, I am very happy with the experience. I keep finding myself making future plans that involve seeming dangerous items... I want a set of quad skates so I can get the puppies running. Once I can make the walk in about 20-25 minutes I want to start the C25K program. I want a Kayak so I can work my upper body and enjoy the lake. These are insane exercise thoughts... I feel possessed! LOL! I hope they stick around. So while I'm really sorry that sleeved foodie blogger didn't have the results that I want for myself... I am grateful for her blog... it's really been the boot in my tooshy that I needed to really realize Sleevie is not going to do the work for me... But Sleevie is my friend who will handle the food part... This will leave me open to find the physical activities that I enjoy. =)

I just bought a bike today. How awesome to find this thread. I bought a cute girls Huffy Cranbrook Cruiser. I'm not ready for anything more serious. I'm just looking for more activities to get me out of the house and moving. My next toys will be quad skates and then a kayak so I can get out on the lake. I did take the Huffy on her maiden voyage this evening. I made it around the block (two city blocks?) and home safely. It was fun. I was quickly reminded of a few muscles I'd forgotten about. I can't wait for my next ride tomorrow and if I get decent stamina by the weekend I'll load her up and hit up one of the local trails. I'm so excited.

Welcome New Nurses! I love seeing my nursing brethren getting sleeved, healthy, and sexy. I can relate to the family changes. My divorce finalized in May. I was sleeved in June. I'm currently living with a boyfriend and I'm not sure we are going to survive it. Life is good. I had a new issue tonight at work. I was in a rare foul mood (very rare... I'm the resident ray of sunshine) and my senior nurse thought it was related to my sleeve. I had to assure her that's it's just a bad day for me and my tolerance for nonsense is less than zero. Thankfully my night is over and tomorrow will be a better day (my motto in life). As for my bad day... I'm so incredibly homesick. I want my parents and they are 250 miles away. All I've thought about is if I get picked up for loan forgiveness, I'll finish my commitment and then I'm moving back home. I love Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing but I love my parents more. I'd rather work Med Surg and be able to see them on a regular basis. I may change my mind tomorrow... But that's how I feel today. Just a welcome and a vent. I hope y'all have a great day!

Welcome new nurses!!! I can say this evening has proven to me how much this procedure was for the best. Long story short... Full moon, my patients were off the hook... I didn't have time to eat or pee... And I survived the night like a champ. I owe the extra energy on my walk this morning. I feel amazing. Usually at this point I'm stressed and emotionally dead to the world. It's a win. An NSV!!! Go me. Go Sleevie. We did it! Let's do it again tomorrow.

I chew gum a few times a day. I was warned it can cause gas (and sometimes it does in me). For me, I need it because I've started clenching my jaw since I'm not always shoveling food in my mouth.

I broke out too. I figured it was just stress. Lol

I've always felt invisible being fat. I've been terrified of being noticed (one of many reasons I let myself get so fat). I'm just starting my journey and people are noticing me. I have a hard time taking the compliments... I go with my "oh yeah! Thanks!" as a response to compliments. And my work crush has taken an interest in me. I don't know what to do! Lol! Pre-op my biggest fear was failing my sleeve. Losing the weight and putting it back on. I read a blog recently where a woman got sleeved and a year later she went from size 30-22. I know I shouldn't judge but I don't want that to be me. It's really lit a fire under my tooshy to take exercise seriously. So that's my story. I'm becoming visible and realizing that I will have to become BFFs with exercise.

One month today. 30lbs gone. Life is good.

You ladies inspire me. I look forward to my own NSVs.

Highest (11/2011) 350lbs (I lost 50lbs during a bad depression 11/2011-12/2011) Pre-op weight (07/19/12): 290lbs Today: 264lbs 26lbs gone forever. =)

Just for what it's worth... I take Cymbalta. It's great for depression coupled with anxiety. It's also being marketed for fibromyalgia. I've never been diagnosed with that but I have noticed I have more minor aches and pains on the days I miss a dose of my Cymbalta.

It depends on the medication. Remind your OB that you're a bariatric patient and that you are concerned about weight gain. Wellbutrin is a popular one for its minimal impact on weight gain... However, it may not be effective for PMDD. Talk with your OB. If you don't like the side effects of the medication ask for something different. You do have a voice in your mental health care.

Diet Soda is controversial around here. I don't see how it's any different than Crystal Light or the other drink packets. Be safe. Make sure it's flat before you drink it.

So I'm on soft foods this week. Thursday I transition to solids. I've been really nervous about it. And tadaaaaaaaa! I lost my taste for Protein shakes. I picked up Slim Fast low carb high Protein Shakes. The chocolate one is good but so rich it makes me sick. I've also finally tried Muscle Milk and it's pretty good (so far). I just made protein pudding. I hope it's good. On the food front... I've been eating deli sliced meat with hummus or ranch. I found turkey patties and found out each one is a beautiful 31 grams of protein. I'm thinking 1-2 daily and I'm almost set on the protein front. I guess I'm just venting or being neurotic. Anyone else in similar shoes?

I'm 3-4 weeks. I start normal food on Thursday. I've been following a whole foods approach (with a focus on protein) as much as possible. I've always wanted to and since surgery I've lost most interest in food so it's been easier. I started soft food last Thursday. I've had ultra thin turkey slices with hummus (and ranch when I ran out of hummus). I hope that helps. You'll find what works for you.

Hey Tinker and Moon! Welcome! Tinker - I was sleeved on 7/19. It's going well too. I'm still battling fatigue but I'm amazed with with how good I feel. Moon - congrats on getting your date. Let me know how your experience is in Mexico. I'm very curious. One of the nurses I work with is planning on going to Mexico for gastric bypass next year.