JThompson72

Also, I do take prescription iron pills now. I don’t have any issues with constipation and I’ve been on them since June. I take folate and ferrous something.

I had 7 IV infusions for anemia. They weren’t bad. Worst part was getting the IV in cause I have bad veins. They took about half an hour, give it take. The arm getting the infusion would get really cold, which was weird. And I swear I weighed heavier afterward. I understand it depends on the type of iron. The one I got rarely caused issues. The one they used to use - everyone had a reaction.

Congratulations on your success!

Update -- took myself off Contrave on day 9 due to side effects of shaking, nervousness, racing pulse, raised blood pressure and sleeplessness. On the positive side, last Saturday's horrible dumping episode has me totally off sweets so far and the memory of that episode cuts any cravings for sweets pretty short.

So I've really been struggling with wanting more and more food (even if I've just eaten) and my ability to deny myself is just not there right now. I talked to my PA at my surgeons office and she prescribed Contrave, to help with feeling more satisfied with what I eat and less cravings. It was way too expensive so we went with a compound pharmacy. Still expensive but I'm willing to pay it for a couple of months if it will help. I started it last week, at one capsule daily. Beginning tomorrow, I will take two daily, The week after, I will take two in the morning and one at night then the next week go to two in the morning and two at night. Thats a lot of pills! I just bought a pill organizer from Amazon. I've tried weight loss pills and shots in the past, pre-sleeve, and had very little success with them. Generally, its not my appetite that is the problem - I have never had to be hungry to eat. So, when my PA asked how I felt about taking something to help with cravings and feeling more satisfied with what I eat, there was a moment when I nearly said no, no more weight loss pills. But I didn't take the extreme step of surgery only to still be a slave to food. So I said yes and that is why I'm willing to pay for these pills if there is a chance they will work. I should mention that I allowed sugary sweets back into my life a few months back and I'm now back to being a complete sugar fiend. The sugar may be responsible for the shaking and the nervousness as I've continued to eat them (but just this one time I say nearly every day). Each day I'm not going to eat it and each day I do it again even knowing what it does to me and ignoring signs from my body. Last night, however, my body put its foot down and said no more in the form of the worst dumping episode I've experienced. If I hadn't recognized it from milder previous episodes, I might have gone to the ER thinking I was dying. I used to wish I would dump like gastric bypass so I wouldn't eat sweets. What was I thinking??? All the sugar is in the trash now and I'm writing about last night in an effort to make sure I remember it and don't pick up the sugar again. Contrave is Naltrexone and Bupropion (sp). Buproprion is Wellbutrin, which I took years ago to help me quit smoking so I knew I'd tolerate it pretty well. And I am. No negative side effects so far other than maybe nervousness or jitteriness. I notice my hands shake but not all the time. And my jaw clenches but I am a pretty nervous/worried/anxious person even without meds. And this may be due to the sugar or a combination of meds and sugar. The first couple of days were a little weird in that I was kind of unsteady feeling for the first few hours but not enough to keep me from doing stuff. That has gone away other than the shaking. Also for the first couple of days, I had very little appetite and felt pretty wishy washy about eating and what I ate. I also got full quicker. As in, can't take another bite full. My appetite is now back to normal along with the cravings. Something that may be totally unrelated is my stomach has started to feel a little burny right before I get hungry (stomach growling). That is new. I am wondering if maybe thats my stomachs new way of feeling empty. I take 40 mg of omeprazole daily. Possibly I am eating less without realizing it because I'm eating so badly. I am down 1 pound from last Sunday, despite the sugary sweets and not totally sticking to my planned low carb diet. Today I start taking two capsules daily so I'll take the 2nd one tonight. I'm curious to see how it effects me. I am hopeful that as I add more, it will curb my appetite again but mostly I'd like it to dull the food obsession and cravings. They are bad now but I've been fighting them since surgery - they never left me. I literally dreamed of hamburgers during my clear liquid stage. Sometimes, I think they are worse after surgery than before. Or maybe I just feel them more now cause I can't indulge them the way I used to. Sorry this is so long. I wanted to write out how I'm doing with the Contrave for myself and maybe for anyone who is interested in it.

I’m not looking to date so much as find new friends. My parents recently moved out of state and now a really good friend is in the process of moving out of state, as well. They are my personal support group and, while i have other friends and acquaintances (not many), I’m not near as comfortable sharing/discussing my surgery and struggles. They either have no way of understanding or think it’s willpower and taking the easy way out. I live about an hour from Louisville, KY. Nearly two years out from Sleeve surgery. Stalled/stuck/struggling — any other word for not being fully successful but not done striving for it.

I'm a cat lady currently disguised as a dog lady. From the time I was a little girl, I have had cats. I miss cats so much but I now have a dog with a pretty serious prey drive. Can't do that to a cat. Sent from my SM-J700T1 using BariatricPal mobile app

Went to the WLS seminary on Saturday. It was scheduled for one hour but was closer to two hours. It started with a sleeve patient a year or so out who had lost all of his weight. He told us about his journey and it was quite inspiring. He started by saying nothing works until you get your mind right. Which I thought was an awesome way to start out. After all, the surgery is not on your head it is on your stomach. He was followed by the surgeon, who was interesting and answered lots of questions. He started with a video with information on obesity that is fairly new to me (and here I thought I'd heard all the theories), basically stating that obesity is caused by hormones, especially ghrelin. The bariatric coordinator spoke last and I didn't get a very good impression of her. Probably because she acted kind of annoyed when I asked a question. So, the seminar was good. It was a very good day overall. My friend came with me and we had a very nice day discussing surgery and everything else while shopping. Overall, the seminar didn't really scream a decision at me. The surgeon does all types of WLS so he mainly presented facts about each. I have, however, begun to think that maybe WLS isn't my answer. I've struggled with why this would be different than the last one and how not to fail again. I had decided to see a shrink, a nutritionist, maybe get some drugs and, most recently, go back to OA to help me with my food issues on top of WLS. On Saturday, my plan was definitely go back to OA and see a shrink and nutritionist (I really don't like drugs) on top of WLS. Now, though, I'm thinking OA, a nutritionist and maybe no WLS. I did go ahead and submit my packet, though. The bariatric coordinator said they'd contact me in maybe two weeks to set up a day for marathon testing. Among other fun stuff, she mentioned an EGD. While I don't like the idea of having something shoved down my throat, after 8 years with a band, its probably a good idea to have it done. So, no rush for me on WLS. I'll go through with the certifications but for now, I'm back in OA and already feel a little of the calmness and a lot of the hope returning.

He did your appointment go? Sent from my MT2L03 using the BariatricPal App

I'm curious - why no pre op diet? Sent from my MT2L03 using the BariatricPal App

Yes. Got the band in 2008. Took three fills before I had any restriction and that was mainly just food getting stuck. I don't know that I was too young but I do think I didn't have enough understanding of myself and my relationship with food. I'm considering a revision to another wls and it makes me excited to think I'll be rid of this band if I do get another surgery. Sent from my MT2L03 using the BariatricPal App

So my seminar is this Saturday and I went ahead and filled out my patient profile packet yesterday. It was pretty long and asked me why I thought I was unsuccessful in the past and why I think I'll be successful this time. Not really hard questions but they got me thinking. Why was I unsuccessful in the past? My friends and I (all professional dieters) have a saying about weight loss -- when I'm on I'm on and when I'm not I'm not. Maybe we aren't all that creative but we're basically saying that when I'm motivated, I can pass anything up and am a model of control. But when that motivation fades or I'm not "feeling it", I pass nothing up. In fact, I grab extra for later and just in case. I've been like this since I first started dieting in my teens. I lose interest/motivation, get tired of not having what I want, decide "I've got this" when I really never do have it. The sad thing is I can rarely get that motivation back for that particular diet once I've fallen off. I think my body treats diets like a virus and develops antibodies against it. Underneath all that, of course, is my food addiction. Yep, I'm an addict. And like all good addicts, I can quit for a while but I always go back for my fix. A few years back I started going to Overeaters Anonymous (OA). I am currently 44 years old. Prior to my 40's, I would have said I was not a food addict. I didn't really eat all that much, I just have a slow metabolism and bad genes. Then I went to my first meeting and realized these were my people. They weren't all heavy like me (some were quite slim) but they were just like me and I was just like them. That was such an emotional shock. My whole life I thought I was alone and then I discovered I wasn't. I did really well in OA but then I quit going and quit following my eating plan. I have yet to successfully get back to that eating plan. It was such a great eating plan, too. I created it myself. I lost maybe 30 plus lbs but in OA, losing weight is secondary to controlling the overeating so I didn't sweat the weight loss, I was working on not overeating. I learned a lot in OA --- that I wasn't alone, that I didn't need to eat until I was full - just until I wasn't hungry anymore, that food addiction is a progressive disease, and that even when we are most in control of our eating, our addiction is in the corner lifting weights and getting stronger. I also learned that just about all OA'rs fall off the wagon. Repeatedly. I tend to forget the good things I learned but I never forget that nearly all of them fall off the wagon. So disheartening. It makes me mad that I have to have an addiction that I can't just kick for once and for all. Nope, I have to have a food addiction. The one addiction most people don't care about and don't really consider much of an addiction. In fact, most people joke about it. Don't get me wrong, though, OA is a wonderful program. I wish I had never quit going. It was such a stupid and childish reason. I don't live in a large city but I live very close to one. I went to my first few OA meetings in that city but couldn't continue making that drive so often so I started going to a local meeting on Saturdays. This meeting consisted of 3 people. Four people once I started going but I think we only had all 4 show up just once. It wasn't a very good meeting and one of the members would stare at me the whole time. It made me so nervous and anxious. I should have said something but I didn't want to embarrass anyone. Usually I would just stare at the reading so I didn't have to see this person staring but one meeting, I had plans immediately after and texted my friend to say when I'd be there. The member who continuously stared at me interrupted the reading to ask that I not use my phone during the meeting because it was distracting. Of course, I was embarrassed at first but then I got really angry. This persons habit of staring distracted me terribly and yet I said nothing and here he had the nerve to say I distracted him with my phone. Of course, I never said anything. I just didn't go back. Showed him! Not very mature, I know. My history worries me that I won't be able to do this no matter what surgery I choose. So often I give in to my food addiction in all its sneaky and not so sneaky ways. I hate to admit it but sometimes I don't even fight, I just give in. Yes, I plan to start seeing a therapist to help with my food issues but that is not an overnight fix. I'm playing with the idea of going back to OA (not the same local meeting, though!). Maybe they have a better online presence than before. I'm afraid that whichever surgery I choose will not curb my hunger. I can't stand to be hungry. It makes me feel sick and consumes my mind. I think if I were to ask my friends and family if they thought I could do this, most would answer no. Oh, they would support my efforts but they've all seen me start and stop so many diets and lifestyle changes. After all, I already have a lap band and that didn't work. Granted, only one person aside from myself really understands what happened with the lap band. She got hers right after me and had so many problems it was removed a few years ago. She's going to the seminar with me for support and because she's the most level headed person I know. I trust her to not get overwhelmed or confused with stats or data (I'm easily confused). Okay, one of my other friends might not be so supportive but I don't expect support from her. She generally takes every opportunity to remind me that she lost (and regained and lost and regained) her weight the old fashioned way - hard work and exercise! That's okay, I've lost and regained more than her over the last 30 years using the same methods. I'm just more tired of it than her. One of the other questions was why I thought I would be successful this time with the drastic diet and lifestyle changes. I answered that I would be seeing a therapist and spending a lot of time with the nutritionist. Which is true. I kind of feel like I know myself and WLS better this time. When I got the band, my reason was that I didn't want to be40 and still be fat. A good reason. I did a lot of reading on the lap band and felt that I would be successful because the band would get rid of my hunger and that would allow me to focus on working on my food issues. I knew I would have to work out still and watch what I ate but I would get full faster and not be hungry. Win! Of course, for various reasons it didn't work out like that and here I am, heavier than ever, trying to decide if yet another WLS is right for me and whether or not I'll just fail the same as I did with the lap band. Can I be stronger than my food addiction? Not just for a few months but really successful?

In the end I just put that I will be seeing a psychologist to help with my food issues and self sabotaging and that I plan to work closely with the nutritionist to make sure I fully understand the post surgery diet. All of which are true. Yes, I was overthinking but I keep reading that WLS is not for people struggling with food issues. I don't fully understand that but I don't want the surgeons office to hold my food issues against me. Filling out the paperwork did get me thinking, though, and planning for after surgery.

So my WLS seminar is this Saturday and I'm filling out my patient profile packet today (cause I'm a lousy employee). Whew, does it ask some hard questions. Like why have I been unsuccessful in the past and why I think I'll be successful now. I ALWAYS believe I will be successful, no matter what new weight loss plan I'm embarking on. Even the stupid ones. Am I always successful? Heck no. I am struggling with why I think I'll be successful this time, though. I'm actually quite worried I won't be. After all, I've failed each and every other time. I want to give a good, thoughtful and truthful answer, though. Part of me doesn't want to reveal my food issues in case they hold that craziness against me but part of my plan for success is to address those issues. And truthfully, its taken me all these years to realize I have food issues and just how strong their hold over me is. Hmmm ... this feels like a test!

How exciting for you! Good luck! Please let me know how the sleeve differs from the band once you get all healed.