terry1118

They did my EKG when I went for my labwork and chest x-ray last week.

I really don't know what's up. I know it's standard for my doctor to require a stress test on people over fifty. All I know is I have two three hour appointments. I got my appointments by voicemail, followed by written instructions in the mail. I will ask more questions at the first of the appointments. Thank you for the info. I also feel a little better about being D deficient. It sounds like it's not comepletely unheard of. Two years ago I was diagnosed witht he same deficiency and needed 50,000 whatever they are each day for a week and I thought that was the end of it. I never go in the sun because I am sun-sensitive (I get a rash wherever I get sun exposure). That could be a contributing factor.

Thank you! I was very worried that it was the whole time, or even most of it. I have no idea what to expect. I feel a little better about it if it's small amounts of time.

Yes, the instructions that came in the mail said drink lots of water and no food the day of testing. I gave up coffee two weeks ago at my dieticians suggestion... would look forward to one last one. They MAKE your heart race? That sounds uncomfortable. Why do they do the test twice? I have the first this Tues and the second next Tues.

Can you have diet soda? If so, the Optifast powdered vanilla shake mix can be awesomely delicious mixed with soda. If you mix it with diet orange it tastes just like a creamsicle. If you mix it with diet root beer it tastes like a rootbeer float. I liked to add a little crushed ice to it too to keep it very cold. Good luck and hang in there, it's only for a short moment in time.

You're welcome. I only hope my own words will be a comfort to me when/if it happens. Hang in there!

Southeastern RI

Losing my hair is my fear too. I googled it and the explaination I found was that ANY stress to the body can trigger hair loss... like surgery, weight loss, illness, emotional stress, etc. You've had two of those causes. Hair loss occurs several months after the stress/cause occurs. It'll fall out for a short time and a person can lose prehaps as much as 50% of thier hair (worst case). Once it starts there is nothing you can do to stop it because the stress that triggered it occured months ago. The important thing to remember is that IT WILL GROW BACK. It is only temporary. I talked to my dietician and she confirmed what I read. With proper diet (protein and vitamins) you can minimize hair loss. Some people will lose hair no matter what and some will dodge the bullit. Creative hairstyling can help it to be less obvious. IT IS ONLY TEMPORARY. You'll get through it and it too will be worth it! Hang in there!

thanks for the tip!

I have some questions that I wanted to ask someone who has been through surgery but I know no one personally who has done it... 1) Has anyone had any hair loss? I read one article that says EVERYONE experiences this, usually several months after surgery, but my dietician says if you get all your Protein it's not an issue. 2) If you work outside your home, what do you take to work for your meals and is it difficult to eat as needed in a public service environment? I work in a bank and am sometimes so very busy I don't even drink my coffee (which I have given up already at nutritionists request). 3) How bad is the pain? I had rotator cuff surgery and that was pretty bad for at least a week and moderately bad for weeks afterward (with a looooong recovery time). Does the pain pass quickly? 4) If we can't take nsaids, what do you take for pain? (headaches, joint pain, etc) I have arthritis in my back and I'm told that losing the weight will improve that. But in the time between the surgery and any substantial weight loss, I know my back will be hurting (this is also a question I'll be asking my surgeon at my next appt with him). 5) In the summer, is it difficult to stay hydrated during outdoor activities (walking, traveling, cutting grass, yard work, biking, etc)? Any warm-weather hydration tips? Cutting grass is my big thing, I love it! It was the only time my kids gave me some peace when they were growing up and it's great exercise. :-) But my yard is pretty big and it takes about two hours to cut the grass. 6) How soon has everyone returned to work? As a bank teller my job is not strenuous. My surgeon says normally about two weeks for a non-strenuous job and four weeks for a strenuous one. At my first visit with him he said some people even go back after only one week. I'm planning for two but hoping for one. What have some of you done? Thank you in advance for any replies to my questions.

Thank you for all your very helpful and informative replies. I am looking into a Nexus7 to help me track appointments and progress, and to remind me to take vitamins and eat. Your replies have eased my mind about some of my concerns. I was brainstorming about how to prevent dehydration when I do my yardwork this summer and thought maybe one of those camelpacks that cyclists use may work. I think they strap to your back like a backpack and have a tube that you sip from. I'm going to google them now.

Thank you babs. Some sort of eletronic reminder is a great idea. I'm going to have to get some sort of device to help remind me of things I guess. I have a basic phone that is only a phone, and I'm not ready to go to a smart phone just yet. I'll research other options. What do you take to work to eat (or drink, during the liqiud stage)?

My name is Terry. I am 53 yrs old. I have been overweight since the birth of my twins, 26 yrs ago. I gained even more weight with my second pregnancy. I tried WW and lost 50 lbs, but gained it back, and then some. I tried Atkins and lost seventy 75 lbs, and gained it all back. I spent thousands on Optifast, lost 80 lbs, and gained it all back. I was so sure that I would keep off the weight after Optifast that I donated all my old clothes. I bought a whole new beautiful wardrobe and I felt so good! But the pounds have come back over the last 3yrs. I have had to pack up my pretty wardrobe and buy new fat clothes for my job in a bank. I have knee pain, lower back pain, and suffer through each and every day. My husband has been working out for years with my son and looks amazing for a man his age. I am embarrassed to be seen with him, not because of how he looks but because of how I look. I imagine people wonder why this handsome physically fit man who looks ten years younger than his actual age is with that short fat older looking woman. I am ashamed and miserable. I am also very afraid of what my future holds. Will I be fat, in pain, and miserable till I die? Or will I even HAVE a future? I came to the decision that I want to enjoy the years I have left, not just exist and suffer through them. I want to be healthy, feel good, and look as good as I can. I want to do all the things I put off to raise my family. I want to enjoy these empty nest years with my husband. I started researching weightloss surgery options. My manager had the lapband and lost 140lbs. I started talking to him and reading all I could about all the options available. I watched youtube stories endlessly. I started deliberately searching for BAD experiences but couldn't find many. What I did find was people who had unpleasant experiences due to bad choices and poor decisions. Most of these people clearly stated that they caused thier own discomfort (wrong foods, too much food, not drinking enough, or skipping vitamins). Even people who had surgical complications did not regret their decision to have the surgery. Mostly I found people who had over all a positive life changing experience. I made an appointment with my doctor to talk to him about it. He approved and thought I'd be a good candidate. I had an appointment with my thyroid doctor also so I discussed my decision with him. He approved and encouraged me. He also gave me a lot of information about the doctor I would be seeing. They arranged for me to attend a seminar about WLS. I needed to tell my husband now. He was not to happy about it but recognized that I really wanted this. One night he told me that he was concerned about the seriousness of the surgery and possible complications. He said he'd rather have a fat wife than a dead one. I told him I'd rather be a dead wife than live my life as a fat one. And without the WLS I would probably die much sooner than he would anyway. I attended the seminar and started the process that hopefully will lead to the surgery, providing I am healthy enough. I have chosen the Roux en Y gastric bypass. I had my first appointment with the surgeon last week, I have an appointment scheduled with a dietician, I'm waiting on my appointment with the psych people, and my lab work info will be coming in the mail, perhaps today. I am excited (about begining my new life) and I'm aprehensive (that something will prevent me from having the surgery). I go to the stores and look at skinny clothes and dream. I'm starting to buy small dishes to eat off of, Water bottles to ensure I stay hydrated, and cute little plastic containers to measure out food to take to work. I've bought a food scale, and a mini food processor. I splurged on a really cute size 12 business suit that I hope to be wearing by this time next year. I have hopes and dreams for my future, not dread. What is causing me the most anxiety about this whole process is timing. We are converting to a whole new operating system at work and it is a HUGE deal, with lots of specialized training that begins in May, understaffing issues during training, pre-launch trials, and finally going live in August. There are MANY blackout dates where staff cannot be out of work. I am hoping to accomplish having my surgery without creating a serious issue at work. I am very thankful that my boss, having undergone it himself, is very understanding and supportive. There are key date blocks that can't be approved by him, but need to go through our main office. If things take too long I might have to put off the surgery till September, which I DO NOT want to do. Wish me luck!

I'm hoping I'll get an April date but I don't know yet. I fast-tracked ALL my appts for the next three weeks, then I can get my supposrt group meetings in, then surgery. My doctor said it could be as soon as end of April or early May. My insurance is not an issue (according to my doc), but I am really hoping to get it all done before the training starts in late May, early June for our August system conversion. Has anyone had a stress test yet? I have to have one because I'm over fifty. TWO THREE HOUR appoinments? What in the world do they do? That's the only thing I'm dreading...

How painfull is that first week? I am not wussy about pain I am just wondering how much time I will miss from work. I know every experience is different, too. My surgeon said two weeks out for a non-physical job and four weeks for a physical one, but some people go back to work after only one week, That is the scenario I'm hoping for. I had rotator cuff surgery four years ago and was so bored that I begged for clearance to go back after one week. I got it, with restrictions. :-) There is nothing worse than being home with nothing to do. I wish you well and am envious. You are on your way! Do you have any advice or insight that would help me, when the time comes?

Thank you! I was looking at the Magic Bullit the other day...I think thats the one for me!

I wanted to do something permanent. It seemed that RNY had the best long-term results and I really desperately want long term. I am tired of being overweight and feeling terrible. I just want to feel good again, especially after having a taste of it when I lost all that weight with Optifast. For a breif moment in time I was comfortable and very happy with myself. I want that back.

Thank you ElleG, for the well wishes. My labwork slip came in the mail today and I'll have it all done on Monday. My coordinator called me today with an appointment at the end of the month for sugical clearance. (?) I have to have a stress test because I'm over 50, they're still trying to get my primary care to order it. Are you disatisfied with the lapband results? I decided not to do it because I found the idea of a port a little disturbing. My manager has the lapband. He gets reflux all the time and something he calls "slime hiccups". He looks really good, though, and is quite a fancy dresser now. He is happy with how he looks now and he LOVES shopping for clothes.