The Six Month March

[Dragon64 142]

I was looking over reviews of my doctor, and it is interesting to note that the reviewers love the doctor, but give his practice low marks due to the rude front office staff. Once I am done getting these required visits done, I will be searching for a new family doctor.

[ScoutCR 126]

I have been following your story and can relate completely with the 6 months and they do go fast. On top of the time going by quickly all the tests required, Pysch analysis, Nutritionist counseling, and weigh ins it is enough to make you crazy. Now I do not want to alarm you but has anyone (your family DR or Surgeon) mentioned about losing too much weight in the 6 months before your surgery? This happened to me and it took 2 months for the insurance to approve my surgery with the help of a letter from my kidney DR saying the surgery was medically necessary. Just be careful as my Surgeon's assistant said 1-2 lbs can mean the difference between being approved or denied at the end of the 6 months. I mean that was a stressful time for me to think I did all that I had to do, and then I may be denied for being too good of a patient. Thank the lord It all worked out.

[Frustr8 7,886]

And this time. Dragon64, maybe you'll find a good PCP with a nice,office staff. I'm sure there are plenty in Alabama, and even in your town.😛

[Dragon64 142]

On 7/6/2018 at 2:38 PM, Kevin M said:

I have been following your story and can relate completely with the 6 months and they do go fast. On top of the time going by quickly all the tests required, Pysch analysis, Nutritionist counseling, and weigh ins it is enough to make you crazy. Now I do not want to alarm you but has anyone (your family DR or Surgeon) mentioned about losing too much weight in the 6 months before your surgery? This happened to me and it took 2 months for the insurance to approve my surgery with the help of a letter from my kidney DR saying the surgery was medically necessary. Just be careful as my Surgeon's assistant said 1-2 lbs can mean the difference between being approved or denied at the end of the 6 months. I mean that was a stressful time for me to think I did all that I had to do, and then I may be denied for being too good of a patient. Thank the lord It all worked out.

I was never warned about losing too much weight, I was told not to gain anymore weight... As it stands, I am 39 pounds from any chance of getting my surgery cancelled. I want to lose as much as I can to lower my set point, iwth the goal of getting me closer to my goal weight, which ultimately 185 to 195. Truth be told, I would rather lose the weight on my own, and never need surgery. But too many past diet failures have led me to where I am at now, the six month march to surgery, and a new healthier me.

6 hours ago, Frustr8 said:

And this time. Dragon64, maybe you'll find a good PCP with a nice,office staff. I'm sure there are plenty in Alabama, and even in your town.😛

Alabama definitely does not have a shortage of doctors, I'm sure there is a physician just waiting for us to call. Until this current doctor, I had ran through a couple, including a woman doctor. Nothing against woman, she just had a problem giving me the "yearly male check-up" if you catch my drift... thank goodness to, as she had some serious finger nails. Ok TMI, sorry, but these things are important. I need to find a new doctor with who has nothing but my good health in mind. First thing firs, I need to get through the next 3 visits (including today), then I can put this doctors office behind me... without burning any bridges, just in case.

[Orchids&Dragons 9,047]

1 hour ago, Dragon64 said:

Alabama definitely does not have a shortage of doctors, I'm sure there is a physician just waiting for us to call. Until this current doctor, I had ran through a couple, including a woman doctor. Nothing against woman, she just had a problem giving me the "yearly male check-up" if you catch my drift... thank goodness to, as she had some serious finger nails. Ok TMI, sorry, but these things are important. I need to find a new doctor with who has nothing but my good health in mind. First thing firs, I need to get through the next 3 visits (including today), then I can put this doctors office behind me... without burning any bridges, just in case.

Seriously, I'm shocked at how many people who have to touch other people for a living have long fingernails!

[Dragon64 142]

July 9, 2018 Family Doctor Visit (5 of 7)

Stats:

Weight: 289.0

BMI: 40.3

The visit went well as could be expected (no bridges burned); I only managed 3 pounds lost, a far cry from the 14 pounds lost before my last visit. But then I still have well over a 100 pounds to go to reach my goal weight. My blood pressure is remaining at a good pace at 124/67, and I am feeling better and better everyday.

Since my last visit, I had a birthday, and my mother surprised me with a copy of P90. This is an exercise program put out by Beach Body, one of many programs that they put out every year. Although I am struggling a bit due to my size, I am attempting to exercise per the program outline on the videos. Those downward dogs can be a bear...

Diet remains the same, in that I am not really dieting. I buy from the edges of the grocery store, and I cut my portions. I will admit though, that after 3 weeks of giving it all that I have got, I can not get used to black coffee. I have added Creamer and that pink packet stuff back into my diet. Shame me, I do, but that is like "liquid Jesus" to me at 4:45AM every morning.

More about the doctors visit; the doctor himself did all of the duties of his nurse: he weighed me, took my blood pressure, and checked my temperature... it seems that his nurse, found a better place to work. I don't know if she left based on how the office manager treated me, but she is gone. Coincidentally, a co-worker stopped me in the hall at work today to tell me that I was looking fit & trim (yes, totally made my day). I told him about my journey to lose weight, and explained my recent experience with my doctors office... he proceeded to tell me that his wife used to work there and quit on account of the office management... go figure. We exchanged pleasantries, and parted ways, I could fill in the blanks. Small world.

[Orchids&Dragons 9,047]

Congrats on another 3 pounds the "hard" way! Everybody hits slower and faster loss periods and it will continue after your surgery. Just all part of the game.

Lots of us use vanilla Protein Shakes (I use Premier Protein) as a coffee creamer. You can sweeten your coffee and feel virtuous at the same time!

[Dragon64 142]

Back to my coffee dilemma; adding Sweet'n Low back into my diet was not a smart move, and would be considered a small step backwards in the march. My sweet cravings begun to return, and I was getting a little edgy as my wife would put it. I stopped all sweeteners again, and boom! Nearly 3 pounds gone this week alone. I am currently at my lowest weight in nearly 9 years now. Luckily, with the slip backwards with sweeteners I only maintained the weight, I did not gain any back.

The march goes on!

[Frustr8 7,886]

And I'm still over here on the sidelines urging you forward, a cup,of less-sweet coffee in hand. You are going to make it and do it really good!☕😛

[newmebithebypass 713]

Hey so I’ve been following you and wanted to check in and say hi I’ve gotten my surgery date already it’s set in the remaining days of the hot August sun best wishes. Btw @frust8 we’re close to wash other like 8 days I’ll be your Ginny pig ok

[anita428 4]

Dragon64...I know exactly how you feel. I have the same problem. I find myself questioning if I am doing the right thing. Am I going to be able to do this? It is very frustrating I have to keep telling myself I can ( I hope).

[Dragon64 142]

And I question the decision daily; Just this past Friday (7/20/2018) my mother came over to watch a movie with the family. She brought MceeDees for everyone except me, I had a home made grilled chicken chef salad. Any way, my mother, who is a 10-year veteran of gastric by-pass, managed to finish only half of a small burger, and maybe 1/3 of the medium fry. 20-minutes into the movie, she starts to drop off to sleep... she has a bit of narcolepsy. Suddenly she wakes up, apologizes for falling asleep, and then begins to take a sip of water... she caps the bottle, just before her eyes go wide, and all of the color drains from her face... a very eerie sight to see. She starts fanning herself and chanting "Do not pass out, do not pass out..." I managed to get her a 5-gallon bucket just in time for her bring back up the Water she just drank. No food thankfully, just the water. Apparently, she has these episodes a couple times a week... sometimes she still passes out, even after expelling the "what-ever-she-ate-or-drank" She was quite embarrassed, but we all handled it well without panicking.

Saturday my wife had a heart to heart with me, pleading her case again that she does not want me having the surgery, if I have the possibility of going through the same stuff myself... I told her, that until I get used to the "new me" I will probably have my own episodes.

[Dragon64 142]

This week has been busy; first off, I had a scare Sunday afternoon, while experiencing a sharp cramp pain in my right calf muscle. Further signs led me to believe I was experiencing Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) or blood clots in the legs. As described early on in this thread, I was diagnosed with multiple pulmonary emboli (blood clots in the lungs), caused by DVT's. So I spent yesterday in the ER, only to find out that what I was experiencing was a deep muscle pull... a heating pad last night alleviated that discomfort.

Also yesterday (Monday), I had a much sought after NSV, in that I am now wearing a size 46 pant. At the start of the march I was stuffing myself into a size 52, now I am comfortably wearing a size 46. To that, I have dropped 48lbs from 325 to 277.

The date escapes me at the moment, but visit #6 is later this week, so more when I know more.

Edited August 7, 2018 by Dragon64

[Orchids&Dragons 9,047]

Congrats on 48 pounds the "hard" way! That takes real dedication. And size 52 to 46, Terrific!

Glad your trip to the ER turned out to be relatively minor. So scary!

[Strivingforbetter 247]

On 7/24/2018 at 12:36 PM, Dragon64 said:

" I managed to get her a 5-gallon bucket just in time for her bring back up the Water she just drank. No food thankfully, just the Water. Apparently, she has these episodes a couple times a week... sometimes she still passes out, even after expelling the "what-ever-she-ate-or-drank" She was quite embarrassed, but we all handled it well without panicking.

Saturday my wife had a heart to heart with me, pleading her case again that she does not want me having the surgery, if I have the possibility of going through the same stuff myself.

I have never thrown up and I'm a year post-op. I've heard bypass patients sometimes throw up, but I don't think I've heard of this being common among other WLS patients. I do get diarrhea if I eat too many sweets, but that's it. I can't imagine passing out. I can see why your wife was concerned, but I don't think passing or throwing up are the norm.