mousecat88

To be honest, the impression I got was that they weren't going to reach out to him because they typically only do so if another physician contacts them with their concerns. But, she assured me if they did it would be a benign "just checking in" call and they wouldn't bring up anything I said. That way, he wouldn't feel as if "anyone knew his secret" or he was pressured to say anything. I feel like I did the right thing. I also didn't give them my name - just that I was a patient that had surgery a few days before he did. I work in a building that has a large public recovery resource center right downstairs and my coworker is very familiar with all of the resources they offer for addictions. The family just doesn't care. It's just sad. I'm not pushing it any further or involving myself in any other way.

I called. I spoke to the Program Manager at the office and told her what I had been told and what I had seen, and that I had seen pictures of him from being in the hospital from the hemorrhaging last week and he looked horrific. I saw the before photos (of him at 450lbs) and seeing how gaunt he is now would haunt me the rest of my life if he does die and I didn't at least do something. She is going to check with his surgeon to see if they are even allowed to call and do a random check-in. She said it would just be something casual and they would act like it was a regular follow-up call like an appointment confirmation/9 months check-up call. Not actually bring up anything I said, but leave it to him if he wants to say anything.... so he doesn't feel cornered or know anyone "ratted him out". just as if they called everyone at this midway point to see how they were doing. I told them I felt very conflicted about even calling, but they said they deeply appreciate patients like me and my concern for him and they will move forward in the best way they feel they can... if at all. They may not do anything, which is fine... I just couldn't sit by and say I did nothing.

I am definitely a water chugger. It hurt pretty bad to chug water at first. For a while actually. I asked my dietitian if it would do any harm or stretch the pouch and she was like "No... but why would you do it if it hurts?" LOL BECAUSE I AM THIRSTY! Anyways, I seem to be able to chug a fair amount now pain-free. I take large mouthfuls typically instead of chugging, when I think to do so. When you're all sweaty/hot it's annoying to take microsips.

The thing is, I don't know him personally. My coworker's niece and her brother both had the surgery (the niece in February of this year and the brother when I had mine). I told her to pass along the info for this group a few times and that they could also add me on Facebook if they wanted, but neither had. I give her my "I don't like this" BariatricPal food (LOL) and protein mixes to pass along to them all the time.

There's so many what-ifs. It is really hard to sit back and just watch this kind of thing happen... when it is totally preventable. I'm always a sucker for taking in "projects" and trying to "fix" them. His family is just like whateverrrrrrr it seems and it's kinda' infuriating. I don't know. He is SUPPOSED to have a 12 month appointment the same time as me so I guess they will see him then, if he goes. If he makes it another 2 months.

I am just going to feel terrible when he dies. Because he is. Truly. He doesn't eat. He is drinking with an actively bleeding ulcer. At least if he could start getting in some nutrition that would be something. This is just terrible.... =[

I lost about 40% of my hair. Started at 3 weeks post-op and stopped at about 7 months post-op. It'll stop and come back. It looked super thin and stringy but it's the least annoying of all the possible complications/side effects, trust. lol. I have full bangs so they looked ridiculous with only a few strands for a while. LOL

I ate a bag of protein pretzels wayyyy too fast and have foamies at work - spitting into a paper towel currently. ;( I also really like kitties. Send healing pics of your cuties? Please?

LOVIN ALL THE TOE BEANZ

Noooo just spit into a paper towel for a bit. Blah.

Sigh

My surgeon said 65% excess weight would be lost if you do nothing. No exercise. So, I exercise my ass off. I work out 5 times per week. I push myself out of my comfort zone routinely. I hired a trainer, I do spin classes, I do yoga, I go hiking, I am constantly looking for ways to sweat. I added in several athletic performance supplements to my diet. I also follow an extremely strict diet; much more strict than is "necessary" for bariatric patients. However, I also get sick VERY easily so it's a mixture of me purposely being strict and me just getting really ill from basic foods. I do not eat complex carbs at all. I do not eat sugars (except naturally occurring). I do not really eat any fruit. I buy everything reduced fat, low sugar. I eat well under 40g of carbs a day and always hit at least 90g of protein. I typically stick to BariatricPal Lite Entrees for lunch during the work week. I eat the same thing almost every day of the work weeks. Yogurt, jerky stick, BP meal, light snack, cottage cheese or turkey patty. I take a ton of vitamins - about 15 different ones. I convince myself that if eat the wrong foods it will cause dumping so I never even put it in my mouth to try it. And it probably will cause dumping for me because virtually everything makes me ill. I consider this a positive, however. I look at food as a chore necessary to live now. I was never given a goal weight. I arbitrarily picked mine. I compared myself big time to others in the beginning; it was really depressing. Once you FEEL good... you're there.

How soon could you shave your pits/use deodorant after an arm lift? How soon could you resume arm exercises?

All sounds normal to me. At 9.5 months out I am just now not feeling much restriction. Enjoy it while it lasts!

(Prior to surgery) I had a VERY large lipoma on the back of my neck "the buffalo hump". I had it surgically removed. It was massive! You can get them removed if you want. For some people, it's a genetic thing and they will come back but fortunately I just had that one. It was removed in 2013.

Unf. I don't even want those foods... looking at them makes me feel gross. lol. So much batter and grease! The furthest "astray" I have gone is getting lightly battered tofu. LOL.

Six weeeeekkks! Oof. I'm not worried about what the scar will look like... but I will be so ready to get back to exercising!

I did not have one or need one.

I have my consult on Friday!! Going to move forward with tummy tuck and arm lift and "side boob". Also having him scope out my inner thighs to see what can be done there.

So, my "goal weight" I personally set to 140 because that's how much I weighed about 9 years ago and what I thought would be good-looking. I am in the 150s now and just hovering between the same 3lbs. I could be in a stall or possibly just this is my equilibrium. Either way, I am two sizes smaller than I was when I was 140, probably due to lean muscle rather than fat. So, I've decided to stop weighing myself entirely. I feel like I was/am obsessed with getting to "a number" and not actually looking at how I look and feel (or taking into consideration muscle mass versus body fat). Have any of you just stopped weighing? Is that dangerous? Should I still keep tabs on "the number"? I am still considered overweight on the BMI - but I am definitely "smaller" than I was at 140, which is a "healthy weight". My surgeon's office has no opinion, because they thought I'd only get to the 160s or 170s. I'm also having skin removal in 3 months, which may shave off a few pounds anyways.

throughout this process ive taken MOM once a week and the next day is when i've seen the weight go down and it's stayed down. this time, no bueno. all is woe. burn the scales!

That just means I've been the same weight for like 3 weeks and that's even worrrrsssee WHHHHAAAAA lmao

I took a MOM on Sunday and poo'd my brains out and that's when I went down the 2lbs but now I am up the 2lbs and EVERYTHING IS TERRIBLE AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I weighed myself this morning and I am up 2lbs! NOOOOO I gotta put the scale away. lol. It seriously bums me out and ruins my day!