Hitting Rock Bottom...

[carrielee 87]

I think I’ve hit my rock bottom with my weight and the life I’m living...at 31, I’m slowly killing my self with food and that’s shaken me.

My recent ER visits with cardiac / stroke concerns have really shaken me. They’ve been wake up calls, honestly. Just last night I was back in the ER with a diagnosis of a pulmonary embolism so now I’m on blood thinners on top of my already lengthy medication regime for all of my illnesses.

I can barely walk without getting totally winded, constantly in pain, labs getting worse and worse...it’s time for change.

[liveaboard15 1,293]

Welcome to the group. Yea we all reach that point. I reached that point last year too. I am 34 years old. If i may ask. what is your weight and height? You can add that information on your sidebar in your profile under surgery section.

[carrielee 87]

I am 5 feet tall and currently 278 pounds and consistently gaining, which I’m not proud of and definitely concerned about.

[carrielee 87]

10 minutes ago, liveaboard15 said:

Welcome to the group. Yea we all reach that point. I reached that point last year too. I am 34 years old. If i may ask. what is your weight and height? You can add that information on your sidebar in your profile under surgery section.

How do I edit the surgery section?

[liveaboard15 1,293]

21 minutes ago, carrielee said:

How do I edit the surgery section?

Right here in the picture.

[vikingbeast 987]

But you've recognized it, and you're here because you're thinking about doing something about it.

I will tell you, I wish I'd done it fifteen years ago. I look back at pictures from a year (and 110 lbs) ago and it's like I have a different life now, one that's not ruled by food. I don't plan the next meal as soon as I put the fork down from the one in front of me. I don't plan vacations around restaurant scenes. It's... liberating.

You can do it. It is a hard journey, but after the first week post-op, it gets easier. A lot easier.

[carrielee 87]

2 minutes ago, vikingbeast said:

But you've recognized it, and you're here because you're thinking about doing something about it.

I will tell you, I wish I'd done it fifteen years ago. I look back at pictures from a year (and 110 lbs) ago and it's like I have a different life now, one that's not ruled by food. I don't plan the next meal as soon as I put the fork down from the one in front of me. I don't plan vacations around restaurant scenes. It's... liberating.

You can do it. It is a hard journey, but after the first week post-op, it gets easier. A lot easier.

That is true.

I look at my friends that are healthy weights and what they’re able to do with their lives and it makes me sad, but motivated. My blood pressure yesterday was at stroke level again, and I’m on multiple hypertensives. I ended up back in the ER with heart attack type symptoms and ended up diagnosed with multiple PEs. At the ER, my BP was 178/108 and my heart rate was 137. I’m literally killing my self with this life.

[vikingbeast 987]

8 minutes ago, carrielee said:

That is true.

I look at my friends that are healthy weights and what they’re able to do with their lives and it makes me sad, but motivated. My blood pressure yesterday was at stroke level again, and I’m on multiple hypertensives. I ended up back in the ER with heart attack type symptoms and ended up diagnosed with multiple PEs. At the ER, my BP was 178/108 and my heart rate was 137. I’m literally killing my self with this life.

That was my wake-up call, too, and almost exactly the same BP reading when I went to the ER. I was on two anti-hypertension drugs (losartan with the Water pill, and amlodipine). I took the last dose of losartan the day after surgery (my GP wanted me to take it mostly to get the surgery Fluid moving). Within three weeks I was on a half dose of amlodipine, and three months after surgery I was off BP drugs altogether.

I ended up in the ER last week (cellulitis) and when they took my blood pressure, it was 111/67, seven months post-op.

My resting heart rate is 48. My A1c went from 5.9 to 5.1 almost overnight. I haven't used an inhaler since surgery.

Do it for yourself.

[carrielee 87]

8 minutes ago, vikingbeast said:

That was my wake-up call, too, and almost exactly the same BP reading when I went to the ER. I was on two anti-hypertension drugs (losartan with the Water pill, and amlodipine). I took the last dose of losartan the day after surgery (my GP wanted me to take it mostly to get the surgery Fluid moving). Within three weeks I was on a half dose of amlodipine, and three months after surgery I was off BP drugs altogether.

I ended up in the ER last week (cellulitis) and when they took my blood pressure, it was 111/67, seven months post-op.

My resting heart rate is 48. My A1c went from 5.9 to 5.1 almost overnight. I haven't used an inhaler since surgery.

Do it for yourself.

That all sounds so promising.

my resting heart rate is usually in the 115s-120s and average BP even with my meds is typically 140s/90s.

my blood sugar runs in the 150s-180s all the time despite Metformin.

my mom died at 48 of a heart attack. She was morbidly obese, had all the health problems I have. I DO NOT want to end up like her. This is time for change

[Jaelzion 1,128]

On 4/17/2022 at 12:29 PM, carrielee said:

I am 5 feet tall and currently 278 pounds and consistently gaining, which I’m not proud of and definitely concerned about.

I started at 5 feet tall/250 lb, so very close to your stats. It was pain that drove me finally have the surgery. I had a broken down knee that doctors wouldn't replace unless I lost weight. So I had the surgery in 2019, lost 130 pounds and had my knee replacement in 2020! It's a long process, with lots of ups and downs, but my quality of life is SO MUCH BETTER now. I wish I had done it sooner! Don't get discouraged by all the hoops you have to jump through, just take things one step at a time. Best wishes!

[learn2cook 595]

You can do it, the surgery does make a big difference. It takes patience and perseverance to jump through the hoops but it looks like a lot of medical problems will actually help prove your case with insurance. Do it for you.

[SleeveToBypass2023 2,678]

My surgery is on the 3rd of May, and I'm 5'6" and 390 lbs. I have a higher bmi than you (63) and I completely feel your pain. I have 2 kids and 1 granddaughter, I have PCOS and MS, and I have comorbidities (diabetes and hypertension). I wasn't always big like this. I was thin until I had my son, and my PCOS reared it's ugly head and it's been a battle ever since. I gave up for a long time because nothing I did made any lasting difference. I know I made it so much worse, but I really didn't care anymore. Then I started having more health issues, my asthma got a lot worse, I started having more joint and back pain, and I knew I was taking years off my life by wallowing in my misery and terrible lifestyle. I had to face some really hard truths about myself. Yes, I have health issues that are out of my control and that have significantly hampered my attempts at a healthier lifestyle. But I gave up, gave in, and wallowed in it. I had to own my part in it and then decide if I have what it takes to do things different this time. Once I made my choice, there was no going back for me, and here I am. I'm so ready, so excited, and I WILL succeed because anything less isn't an option. You'll get there. This is a long and sometimes frustrating process, but it's so so worth it. Knowing you're taking your life back is so empowering and FREEING!!! food doesn't own me anymore. It's not my friend or enemy. It's just there. I made it more, and I took that power back and see it for what it is...something I need to fuel my body so I can live the life I want. I'm wishing you all the luck in the world. I know you can do this. YOU GOT THIS!!!!

[TheWeightisOvr 74]

Stay encouraged Carrielee. I’m feeling for you hun. But know we’ve all been and some still are where you are. If you just take a tiny step each day, each hour, if you start with making a healthy decision about one meal, that makes a huge difference. Don’t sit and fester with your thoughts they will drive you crazy trust me speaking from experience. You just have to take one step. See if you have anyone to confide in to share your experience with and the ups and downs. I know with all you got going on it seems impossible but it’s not trust me it’s not impossible at all, it’s very possible if it is going to take some mental toughness and planning. we’re here to support you!

[Tufflaw 465]

On 4/17/2022 at 10:08 PM, carrielee said:

my resting heart rate is usually in the 115s-120s and average BP even with my meds is typically 140s/90s.

Pre-surgery my resting heart rate was close to 100 and BP was about the same as you. I went for my followup to the doctor this morning (my surgery was in November) and my resting heart rate was 66, BP was 106/69. I'm down about 80 lbs and still losing - so don't give up hope! Get the surgery and follow the program, you can do it!