jade2015

Ya I have been feeling the same about continuing to see Dr. Kirk. Because basically it's not Dr. Kirk, it is one of the nurse practicioners. I would be happier seeing him. But I understand he can't see everyone I have a 3 month follow up in September and that will probably be the last trip. I drive 1.5hrs to the appointments. So financially It will be my last, besides the surgeon. I started out at 503lbs in November 2014 and now at 445lbs. I never thought I would gain as much as I did. I found out in December 2012 that I had been misdiagnosed for atleast the last 8 years prior to my current Dr. Finley finding I had a thyroid problem. Up until 2009 I had stayed right around 330lbs. Then I was in a car wreck and further damaged my thyroid gland from neck trauma. I gain the rest in a year and half. So it was pretty scary that nothing I did allowed me to lose weight. My levels we horrible. So I am now on the T4 and T3 hormone. I am thankful that we are finally getting results. The only diet that had ever worked slightly was the medication phentermine. That I took my senior year in high school, 2003/04. Got down to 220lbs. But that caused some health issues too. Thankfully mainly anxiety but some stomach issues as well. I am just really happy to be on the right path and to have my medical issues undercontrol. I have even had to cut my blood pressure dose in half already.

That's exactly what I told the new nurse practicioner who brought it up. I did, I had the surgery. My big plan was when I get down to a comfortable weight I want to go on a cruise or small vacation. My mom still won't drop it. I say. Mom you know I am on a fixed budget so how am I going to treat myself. She says just pray for it. But I am happy with thing and don't need a treat yet. Maybe a trip to the salon. A cut and color might do it.

Here's a better question for everyone. I had my follow-up with Dr. Kirk's office and the nurse practicioner asked if I had done anything for myself since surgery. It's not something I had even considered. Now my mom is asking me every day if I have figured out what I want. I thought maybe in a year or 2 I would do something after losing the weight. But they both said that actually deciding to go through with surgery is a darn good reason too. I am still lost as to what to do that I can afford. I am on a strict budget now. Some day I want a weekend getaway to a cabin in the mountains. So has anyone else done something for themselves. I am curious to hear about it.

I can eat some yogurt I just have to really space put the dairy products. Ya I am finding out there are tons of other suggestions for bariatric patients. I will figure it out.

So I thought I could figure out the food thing but I feel really lost and the dietician just says to look at the list. I'm lactose intolerant and most of these foods I should be eating are dairy. Cottage cheese is one of my favorite things but I am finding I am more sensitive to dairy than ever. I don't do fish, except tuna and catfish if cooked right. So that leaves me with beans and oatmeal. I have been told there are other foods we can eat. But what exactly. I would have been happier with meal plans. Takes the guessing and stress out of it all.

Gotchya

No way! I called my local walmart and they told me it was not on the $4 prescription list! More reason I avoid that place. No one knows what they are doing anymore.

Oh that's how they did me with the Vitamin D. They said mine was the lowest they ever saw. But I just got an alert from walgreens. No phone call. I called them because it was a $60 prescription not covered by my insurance. So I understand the concern.

Ya I would double check and ask them the number. Anything over 4 is considered high and can cause problems. Ideally 2.5 is what Dr. Kirk shoots for. It could be temporary but it really doesn't hurt anything. It helps boost your metabolism and helps with the weightloss. I'm guessing it was levothyroxine and liothyronine. That's what I am on. 125micrograms levothyroxine 50 or 75 of liothyronine. It really helps!

Oh no @"martene81", I hope you get the pain undercontrol. I know the gas from surgery was horrible. I walked as much as I could that first day and it finally let up. Good luck with recovery! @"cota1262" I want to go to the meeting in Owasso but I can barely afford my doctor visit trips. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism December 2012. I had actually been misdiagnosed my whole life. My new doctor went back through my records over the last 10 years and every time I saw a new doctor the test they said was fine, was actually high. My current doctor explained it like this: your thyroid should be tested every 3 months to confirm it is high. The thyroid fluctuates just like sugar levels. So one month it could be high but the next it could be low. So you could have had hypothyroidism this whole time or its a fluke. What were your levels. Mine was up to 12. It took almost 9 months to get it below 4. I am now on the regular T4 hormone and then Dr. Kirk added the T3 hormone. I would take the medicine because it's a natural hormone and honestly doest affect me in a negative way at all! That actually says alot because I tend to have reactions to everything! Even that glue they used on me for my incisions wouldn't stay! I am thankful the doctors found the thyroid problem. I can think clearer and my hands and feet don't stay cold all the time like they used to. Don't take it as a bad thing because anyone with a level over 4 can take the medicine to keep it in check.

So how is everyone doing? So I have joined a few different bariatric forums and noticed alot tend to die in and out. So I thought I'd pose some thought I have been having. I have also started a blog that I'm not sure what I'm doing with it but am wondering if anyone else has blogs on here. This is mainly because the closest support group for me was my home town. But the closed the group. I got to go to my required group then literally 3 months later they closed the Cushing group, lol. I guess only 1 or 2 people were going. The time I went there were only 2 other. One lady was arou d a year after surgery and another girl going to her mandatory group as well. I am going to try to make the next owasso group. But no way can I go every month when my group was only 5 blocks away. I feel like I missed my opportunity lol.

I won't be able to. Still recovering from surgery. Hopefully next month! Over did it by going shopping at walmart for stuff to make my mom dinner today, then opened up one of my Incisions cooking dinner, lol. No worries it was healed enough to only open up a little bit. So fixed with a bandaid and liquid skin. Lesson for all who have yet to have surgery. Even a week out if you feel good you can still over do it!

Thanks, not big on egg drop. Probably eat some strained cream of chicken and tomato soup.

So tomorrow I get to start Phase 2 - full liquids. So watered-down yogurts and cream soups. I can be kinda picky. Renee said I could make a potato soup with chicken broth. So starting there. Maybe some tomatoes soup too. Just excited to change it up a bit. Going to try and get back on a schedule tomorrow. Just been enjoying g the rest.

Well I am home from surgery. It went great. I slept almost 12 hours since I got home yesterday. The worst part about the whole thing is the gas they fill your stomach cavity with. No vomiting and I was up walking 5 hours or so after surgery. My nurses Susan and Karna were amazing. Dr. Katsis said my surgery went amazing. My liver was perfect and had shrunk perfectly. I am happy with how things went and excited to see what the next year brings.

Yep. Basically our body is burning up so much fat that even if we put in 1000 out body will not exactly absorb that much. Don't over eat and cause any pain.

I emailed Rene and this was her response: It’s interesting that some people are fixated on calories, without realizing at the early part of the post-surgery phase is when your body uses it’s fats stores for energy, and there’s no way to calculate how many calories that provides. There are really no good energy/calorie calculations for people in the obese category regarding weight. I’d love for Bailey to spend LOTS of money for something called “Bod Pod” which a lot of Division I athletics and professional sports teams have. All you have to do is sit in this for a short period of time and a basal metabolism is calculated. Right now, it’s about finding out what you need based on your own experience. It’s great you are in there offer support and encouragement. I’ve been hearing the My Fitness Pal will eventually block you from entering information if the person always has calories under 1200/day. The My Fitness Pal is really for people with normal nutrition.

.. I tried rotating these and renaming them but it changed it all on upload. Hope it works and helps.

.. Oh, Dr. Katsis is my surgeon. I am having the sleeve done. I am going to try and attach 4 pictures that I took of my Nutrition Guidelines: Pre & Post - Surgery Nutrition Education for Patients Approved for Roux en Y Gastric Bypass Surgery or Sleeve Gastrectomy, the Dietician Rene gave me. It is pages 10-13 plus a handout she gave me at my last appointment. If these don't attach let me know and I can try private messaging or emailing them. I think page 13 might help you the most. I did not see mention of calories anywhere. Maybe email or call Rene tomorrow. Possibly stop by her office after seeing Dr. Kirk even. I'm sure she wouldn't mind you asking a quick question. Good Luck! I'm headed to preop tomorrow at 2 PM . Rene Norman 918-376-8410 rene.norman@baileymedicalcenter.com

.I would email Renee and ask her, I assume that's what Dr. Kirk will say. Ya I went over a bunch of things with Renee and am going to see if I can help her reformat the information. I have always been great at understand thing but it is very confusing. I have basically been reformatting it for myself so I didn't get confused. Renee said that they gave her a few days about 6 years ago to get that ready and just has been so busy hasn't had the time to update it.

My bad, I just realized this was from 2 weeks ago! Hope you were able to figure out your question.

I think we get so trained on calories as we grew up that after surgery we assume that we need to count calories. The main thing I was told is focus on my protein and water. Staying hydrated is key as well as making sure to taking your vitamins. I am scheduled for surgery on Tuesday and just met with Renee last week. They should have given you a guide for after surgery. I know I told the dietician. That the guide was very confusing and I had a bunch of ideas on how to simplify her. After skimming threw this thread I think I will email her Monday. How far out from surgery are you? I asked Renee a ton of questions for after surgery to clearify. They biggest thing she kept reiterating was don't over do just because you think you need the calories. That's how we can't hurt ourselves.