MommaD88

I am a wife and mother of two boys. I am a leukemia patient in remission since 2004 but still underwent two years of chemotherapy with no relapse occurrence. I love camping, cooking, reading and racing. My husband and I spend most of our time with our children. We rarely eat out as we live in rural area outside of our local towns. I do most of the cooking in our home. I have been heavy all my life. After my 2nd son, my weight gain has been significant and have worked with doctors/diet programs to try to control it without success. Since then my health has been declining and in the last year, more rapidly. I have severe asthma despite treatment with severe attacks and the coughing never ends. After my 2nd year of these issues and being on the multiple medications and asthma medications. My pulmonary doctor referred me to ENT/vocal specialist and surgeons as my voice has now deteriorated and getting harder to speak. This is causing huge issues for me at work and now been placed on disability. After multiple tests and vocal therapy, tests show that I have severe GERD, severe esophageal reflux with a hiatal hernia, morbid obesity, obstructive sleep apnea and severe asthma/attacks. Upper respiratory infections set up easy and have been admitted to hospitals multiple times. Everything now has spread up to my vocal cords causing muscle tension dysphonia and inflammation. I vomit almost daily and unable to do any activity without issues with breathing, severe coughing thus induces more vomiting causing the muscles around my vocal cords to tighten even more to the point of choking. I am now getting to the point that food and liquid is making me nauseous if I intake too much or the wrong things. My medications are no longer working, and my asthma medications is weakening the sphincter valve that meets my stomach and esophagus. I have been referred for Gastric Bypass surgery to start correcting my issues. My primary specialists are in Madison, WI. For insurance reasons, I am seeing surgeons in Chicago, IL. I was apprehensive about moving to another medical center but so far have been treated very well. The hospital intake coordinator and case manager were successful in submitting for insurance approval of my surgery for medical necessity. I can only pray now for a successful surgery and trust my doctors and God to keep me safe through my journey. My support system is my family. My husband has also been through Gastric Bypass but when the surgery was newer. He has gained back some of his weight since then. We both believe that as he is my support person, we will both be on track to a healthier lifestyle again. My surgery is scheduled on May 22, 2014. I will not have to do the 3 month diet prior although I will have to do the modified protein/calorie diet 10 days before my surgery. I have also begin dabbling in the Protein shakes. I have purchased Designer Protein whey mixes in chocolate, strawberry and vanilla Almond mixed with Almond Milk. So far not too bad. Most of the Vitamins that I have purchased are in liquid form as I am told this will be easier for me to take although the dry Vitamin A and D I will have to crush. Biggest struggles will be with my not drinking my Diet Mt. Dew. I can't tell you how much I will miss it. I rarely drink and have given up smoking a long time ago. My soda was really my only vice and now have to give that up too. Since I do most of the cooking and have a family. Learning to make meals that my children will eat will be a struggle. I have two kids that are polar opposites and complain about everything. Even if it a meal I consider comfort food, they still complain. I guess for me growing up, this little chubby girl loved her Momma's southern roots! LOL I would love to keep this site/forum as a way to help me through this journey. It will allow me to give feedback/get advice and support. I pray you all have a safe and healthy journey as well.

Pretty I too have had some issues since my surgery and even got pancreatitis which landed me back in hospital for 5 days. Fluids by IV for a day and then back to liquids then try soft foods again. I think that in a way I felt I started to experience dumping syndrome with certain foods. Of course my local hospital where I did not have the surgery was not prepared as far as diet is concerned for a patient like me. Food was very limited in choices. I thought I was tolerating dairy but quickly found I was wrong. The pain with eating and drinking was so excruciating. I have not had a normal BM since the surgery. Since then which has been about 5 weeks now it's getting slowly easier but agreed I am not where I should be with goals. I'm still only getting about 3/4 of a bottle of water down but if you include my frozen SF Popsicles it gets pretty close to 16-17 oz a day. I am only eating between 2-4 meals a day depending on how I'm feeling. Just have to keep reminding myself that everyone. Just keep things slow and in time it will get better. I am better then I was 2 weeks ago. Keep that log going on how much you eat and how you feel when you eat and drink something. It helps remind you when you talk to doctors.

Well I'll keep my fingers crossed this is only a dairy thing. So far so good. I tried unsweetened Almond milk yesterday and no issues. So we will see. Hopefully my kids will eat the yogurt I bought as I'm too scared to try it. Good news for the day, I'm down 53 lbs! Woo!

hello everyone, well just getting things updated since being home from hospital again. So I was being stupid and thought I could have something just because it said sugar free/fat free but had dairy in it. I had another attack with my pancreas but I am also feeling like I experiencing late dumping syndrome. However, these attacks should be coming about 2-3 hours after (according to WebMD). My attacks are coming at least almost 7 hours afterwards. I am not sure what to make of it. Anyone else have experiences with late dumping syndrome? What are the symptoms?

hello everyone, well just getting things updated since being home from hospital again. So I was being stupid and thought I could have something just because it said sugar free/fat free but had dairy in it. I had another attack with my pancreas but I am also feeling like I experiencing late dumping syndrome. However, these attacks should be coming about 2-3 hours after (according to WebMD). My attacks are coming at least almost 7 hours afterwards. I am not sure what to make of it. Anyone else have experiences with late dumping syndrome? What are the symptoms?

Hello everyone I'm home and doing better. Still have some residual pain but getting better. Had to go back to liquids and work my way to soft. I feel better each day but still slower than where I should be. Good news is I'm under 300 lbs now, woo hoo!

I'm finally under 300 lbs! Woo hoo,

Thanks everyone, I'm doing better and back home. Got the pain under control and had to go back to clear liquids and work my way back to soft food. Drinking and eating ar going better now. Thank goodness. I still have some residual pain but each day gets a little better. Just have to learn to take things extra slow. Good news I'm finally under

Recovering now from home and doing much better. Have to slowly work food and drink back in. Unfortunately this sets me back in recovery but just have to realize I'm going to have to go a little slower than normal patients with this. My body has been sick for so long that I didn't think I would get this bad again after surgery. A little set back but hopefully it's behind me. Will be going to see the surgeons next month. Keeping focus on the goal ahead!

Had a bad set back, had allergic reaction, now have pancreatitis, urinary track infection and dehydration. I'm in hospital again and probably be here for a few days. I'll keep you all updated

Had a bad set back, had allergic reaction, now have pancreatitis, urinary track infection and dehydration. I'm in hospital again and probably be here for a few days. I'll keep you all updated

Had a bad set back, had allergic reaction, now have pancreatitis, urinary track infection and dehydration. I'm in hospital again and probably be here for a few days. I'll keep you all updated!

Hello everyone, just sending an update! I saw the surgeon and team yesterday. Incisions are looking good. The glue is slowly coming off. I can finally drive but no swimming for four more weeks. Still having the cramping feeling when I drink. Last week I had a such a problem with pureed that I was barely getting any liquid or food down. So they agreed to let me start soft foods early. Best thing because my stomach agreed with it. The issue was still with liquids even Water, cold and room temperature. I've tried other liquids with the same issue. Not drinking from any straws or anything. So now they want me to go ahead with drinking and eating at the same time. Normally they recommend to wait 30 minutes before and after meals to drink. The surgeon states things inside of me were very irritated and may take longer to heal. The biggest surprise to him was pancreas being so scared. Hence why the surgery took over 5 hours. He thinks the liquids are emptying out of my stomach faster and may be causing the "cramping". Tried this yesterday and felt full longer but was able to get more to eat and drink doing it this way than I was. I've been a little more active lately. This only makes me thirstier. Doctor states just keep the liquids going while walking too that way I don't have to play catch up to the thirst. Good news now, I'm down to 36 lbs since the start and since surgery I've lost 18 lbs. It's a start and I'll take it.

They sell isopure zero carb which the bottles have 40g protein and come in variety of fruity flavors. I mix mine with tea/ sf lemonade

Congrats on the upcoming new arrival!

I had that issue with gas and bad cramping every time I ate or drank liquids/fill liquids. My doctor changed my diet and I feel better with that and taking gas x. However I still have issues with drinking but just take small sips at room temp every 5-10 minutes. They stopped stool medicines because things were to loose too frequently. Hopefully this eases up. They also can tell dehydration by the color of urine. If it's colorful to dark you are getting dehydrated but from clear to pale yellow you may be ok. Now I've been up walking more and find I'm thirstier. So I'm just drinking straight water to keep things hydrated. I too have to take frequent breaks. I'm very tired after all that exercise.

Well finally I am updating my story since my surgery. Apologize for the delay. So started my pre-op diet and had issues with it. Not the portion size because I was already sick and not eating well before that so was not an issue. I could have a protein shake for Breakfast, fruit for snack, frozen meal replacement for lunch and dinner and SF Jello or pudding for snack and then my 2nd shake for after dinner snack. I could not stand to eat those lean cuisines or smart ones, etc I think the meals themselves were drenched in sauce or gravy and I didn't like it. I choose to make my own meals that fresh and probably less carb and sodium. Well must have worked because in my ten day diet before my surgery I dropped 14 lbs at weigh in for my surgery on May 22nd. Pretty proud of myself for that. Had surgery and things were very smooth and they got me in early. Thank goodness because my surgery still took over 5 hours long and then in recovery for another 2 hours. My poor husband was freaking out because they only updated him after 2 hours. Surgeon came out after 5 and told him that I had a lot of scare tissue around my pancreas. Must have been from when I had pancreatitis a few years back. Which I didn't know I could get from that...interesting. Got up and started walking in hospital. My night nurses were not the greatest I'll say that. My day nurses were a lot better. Food was going ok and tolerating it fine. Had to stay an extra day because my O2 levels kept dropping but that evened itself out and CT scan showed no blood clots and they released me. Get home and had horrible bloating mostly due to gas. Although I was passing and having bowel movements things were just still hurting like it was trapped and couldn't get rid of it. Funny that every time I ate or drank the cramping was worse and had to take pain and nausea meds because it was so bad. I really couldn't get up and walk for long time because I hurt so bad. Finally after my one week post op I called back to nurse practitioner. She took me off all the stool softening meds and advanced my diet to soft foods. She said some people can't tolerate the pureed full food diet. So far things are going well and tolerating food without pain. Still have small issues with it when drinking but I'll just drink Water and wait on everything else. So fast forward to today, feeling better. Got out two days now and visited with family and friends whom I haven't seen since before Thanksgiving of the previous year. Yes I've been since a long time. My voice struggled at times but showing improvements. It was hard at the cookout though. I so wanted what they had but knew I could not tolerate it. I had my piece of fish and smashed up baked potato. After about 5 bites I was done. I couldn't eat no more but ate something small later that night too at home. As of today I am 10 days post op and weighed myself and since surgery I've lost another 10 lbs. I go back for my 2 week post op on June 4th. Can't wait to see my results then. Hope you all are enjoying your summer! Take care and hope your journey is going well. Let me know if you have any questions.

Well I finally had that chat with nurse practitioner about that cramping and gas pain every time I eat and drink. She advanced my diet to soft foods early and took me off the colace/stool softeners. Took two gas-x and feel tons better. Finally back to sleeping in my bed. Good news I weighed myself and I've lost ten lbs in a week since surgery, 28 lbs total now lost. Pretty proud and it's showing. Now my other health issues are getting better too. Hopefully we keep this up. Have a good day!

Are you dehydrated?

Hello everyone, had surgery on May 22nd and still having issues but working through them. Surgery went well although due to scaring on my pancreas it took over 5 hours. Did not make it to my room until after 7:30 PM. Was in hospital for 3 days as my O2 levels kept dropping. Took CT scan of belly and chest for blood clots but came back fine. Aggravated that they wouldn't take the catheter out till I almost left. I guess things could have been worse. Got home and resting better here. Struggling with this gas pain. Getting food and drink down is going OK but about 5 minutes afterwards, the gas pain returns with vengeance. My intake and Protein is not where it should be. Really was frustrating me and didn't feel like eating or drinking at all. My husband was starting to become concerned about dehydration. Called Nurse and they told me to get some gas-x and walk. Finally got some gas-x and feeling a bit better but still taking slow on drinking/eating. The soreness was not horrendous after surgery, I'm 8 days post op now and not feeling too bad...despite the gas problem.

Sorry to the men! TMI I know. I know what you mean about getting the time of the month. Because my O2 levels kept dropping they didn't want to take the foley cath out. So they expected me to walk with the cath and deal with mother nature all at the same time....embarrassing. Oh well all is good now.

Hope is good with doctor. You are doing so great. Keep it up! ????

So tried to get up a little more last night. I felt bad and wanted to help out my husband by starting dinner. lol well I started it but could not finish it. My stomach was so sore standing up. Hubby walked in door just I put chicken in oven and started boiling potatoes. I said it was all his, I did the hard part. He could manage mashed potatoes right? lol I guess after being married 11 years someone forgot how to make them. So I had to give cooking lessons from my recliner. Well must have been good because when I was finally around to eat a small bit...none left. Oh well I tried cream of rice with puréed chicken breasts in broth. I never thought so little meat could be so filling. I ended up settling for a sf Popsicle. With the bloating/gas pain feeling I have to remember to take it even slower with my food.

Good luck Candesjarlais!

Had my surgery May 22nd like a lot of you having the fullness and pain. My surgery took over 5 hours and stayed in hospital for 4 days. Struggling with getting my liquids in and not even hungry but managing a 1/4 cup of applesauce or jello. Far cry from where I want to be. I know my 10 day diet before surgery I dropped 14 lbs. so hopefully my eating/drinking will pick up soon. Have to get more protein in today.