July 23, 2008 (6 years)
July 23, 2002: Open RNY and my journey since.
Highest (Day of Surgery) 268
Lowest 119
Current 130
Goal 105
Reflections:
Hind sight is always 20/20. Looking back over the years there are so many things I would have done differently had I known what the end results would be.
I think probably the most important thing I would have done differently given the chance to do it all over would be to take the time from work and travel down state to a bariatric doctor. I think one of the biggest problems is the fact that I went to a regular surgeon who did not specialize in the RNY. Not that I didn't lose weight, but I sometimes wonder if I had the procedure done through a place where that's all they do, if I would have had the problems that I have and currently am having.
Around 2 years out I had gained a couple of pounds back 14 to be exact, and got a little scared and started to watch what I was eatting, and the weight came back off. I've lost a few more since then and gained a couple back. I maintained 124 - 129 for about 2 years, and recently I have gained to 130 - 131.
I came to find TT April of last year when after suffering for a year and a half with explosive diarrhea, dumping on everything I ate, really bad gas and stomach pains. I had gone to a digestive specialists who did an endoscopy and told me that my pouch had stretched and the opening coming out was releasing food into my intestines too quickly thus causing all the dumping, diarrhea and gas. He told me there was nothing they could do that I just exchanged one set of problems (Being over weight, high blood pressure, high cholesterol etc.) for another. So I took my results and found a surgeon that was willing to take a look at me. Again hind sight, I wish I had gone to a bariatric doctor, but I didn't. This surgeon ordered an upper GI and confirmed what the digestive specialist said but also found that a portion of my intestines were dialated and one of the arms from RNY was too large and refluxing back into my pouch. He also stated that by reworking the arm, and removing about a foot of intestine that it should cure my problems. He also told me that there was nothing he could do about the opening out of my pouch being too large as scar tissue can not be reworked. It is too dangerous. So in my search for information, I found TT, and what a great group of people and friends I have now.
Now it's a little over a year since my revision and some of the symptoms have returned. I'm starting to have slight dumping when I eat again, and really foul gas. August 15th, 2008 will be a revision via Sclerotherapy. I am very anxious to get this procedure done and over with, although, I do realize I may have to have it 2-3 times total to reduce the size of the opening. Hopefully, through reduction, food will be more digested and not dump into the intestines so quickly. Hopefully I will feel full for an extended period and through that not feel the need and want to eat so much thus also either causing weight loss or at least to maintain.
Other things I've noticed and I wonder if it is just my body or if it happens to others who are this far out or further. Over the last couple of years, I've been having lots or problems with my teeth. I've had three wisdom teeth pulled, one crown and two broken molars that luckly were able to be filled. The other thing I've really noticed and again not sure if it's a side affect of the surgery or just due to aging, but my eyesight is getting worse. I didn't even start to wear glasses on an everyday basis until oh, maybe eight years ago. No I can barely read my computer screen at work, I can't focus on invoices, I can't hardly thread a needle and paragraphs if spaced too closely are hard to read. A little worrisome, but I'm hoping that it will level off and is just due to getting older.
Other reflections:
Why is it I was so unhappy with myself image at 268 pounds? I didn't like the way I looked, I couldn't find clothes to fit. I had a hard time setting in chairs, cars, airplanes etc. People were rude to me regarding my size. I still wore a swimsuit and went swimming. Why is it now that I still have such a negative body image? Now I'm really embarassed to wear a swim suit because of the lose skin on my thighs. I have a real hard time wearing shorts for the same reason. I've lost my boobs, which was kind of hard as I have been well endowed since my mid teens. Now all I have are two ballons that someone let all the air out of. I still look in mirrors and flip the batwings under my arms, or swish the extra skin on my thighs or calves. I hate my neck and I feel the wrinkes on my face are really starting to show now. I feel like I look like an old woman.
Another note worthy reflection:
I was forewarned that many people who have GBS end up divorced. At 19 months post op. I told my ex that I wanted a divorce. I filed in December. It was messy and took almost a full year to the day to be finalized. I was in the hospital with kidney stones the actual day it was finalized. I have since read on here that if your marriage is strong it should be fine, but if not you could have problems. Proof positive. We were having difficulties prior to RNY, and it did not survive. It was hard. We were togeather almost 4 years prior to getting married, and were married 7 years at the time I filed. When the divorce was final the following year it was just a few days before our 8 year wedding anniversary, so we were togeather for 11 years, 12 if you count the year for the divorce, but I don't as we were not living togeather.
Things I was under a misunderstanding of:
I thought if I lost the weight, that my arthritis would go away, it has not. I still have pain in my right knee, right hip, lower back and mid back. My planter's faciaitus (sp) isn't as bad though.
On the up side I haven't taken blood pressure med's nor cholesterol or arthrutis med's since surgery. So not all's bad.
So after all of this it brings me back to the Sclerotherapy. Now it's just a waiting game. Waiting for August 15th.
On the anniversary of my surgery, I have a little routine I always follow.
This Year: 2008
Weight: 132
Neck: 11 7/8
Waist: 28
Chest: 37
Under Chest: 29 1/4
Hips: 37 3/4
Left Thigh: 22 1/2
Right Thigh: 22 1/2
Left Calf: 13 7/8
Right Calf: 13 7/8
Above Chest: 31 1/4
Under Chest: 29 1/4
Last Year:2007
123 Lbs.
Neck: 11.25
Chest: 36
Waist: 26.75
Hips: 37.75
L. Thigh: 21
R. Thigh: 21
L. Calf: 12.75
R. Calf: 12.75
Above Chest: 32
Under Chest: 28.25
It's kind of wierd how my weight shifts from one area to another. Guess I really need to get back to walking again and get the weight off my legs and waist.
Well to end this very long blog..... All in all, I would have to say that I am very glad I did the RNY. I can't really imagine where my life would be right now had I not had this done, perhaps on my way to an early grave, but now I have hope that I will not follow in my mother and father's footsteps and will live a longer and healthier life!
Highest (Day of Surgery) 268
Lowest 119
Current 130
Goal 105
Reflections:
Hind sight is always 20/20. Looking back over the years there are so many things I would have done differently had I known what the end results would be.
I think probably the most important thing I would have done differently given the chance to do it all over would be to take the time from work and travel down state to a bariatric doctor. I think one of the biggest problems is the fact that I went to a regular surgeon who did not specialize in the RNY. Not that I didn't lose weight, but I sometimes wonder if I had the procedure done through a place where that's all they do, if I would have had the problems that I have and currently am having.
Around 2 years out I had gained a couple of pounds back 14 to be exact, and got a little scared and started to watch what I was eatting, and the weight came back off. I've lost a few more since then and gained a couple back. I maintained 124 - 129 for about 2 years, and recently I have gained to 130 - 131.
I came to find TT April of last year when after suffering for a year and a half with explosive diarrhea, dumping on everything I ate, really bad gas and stomach pains. I had gone to a digestive specialists who did an endoscopy and told me that my pouch had stretched and the opening coming out was releasing food into my intestines too quickly thus causing all the dumping, diarrhea and gas. He told me there was nothing they could do that I just exchanged one set of problems (Being over weight, high blood pressure, high cholesterol etc.) for another. So I took my results and found a surgeon that was willing to take a look at me. Again hind sight, I wish I had gone to a bariatric doctor, but I didn't. This surgeon ordered an upper GI and confirmed what the digestive specialist said but also found that a portion of my intestines were dialated and one of the arms from RNY was too large and refluxing back into my pouch. He also stated that by reworking the arm, and removing about a foot of intestine that it should cure my problems. He also told me that there was nothing he could do about the opening out of my pouch being too large as scar tissue can not be reworked. It is too dangerous. So in my search for information, I found TT, and what a great group of people and friends I have now.
Now it's a little over a year since my revision and some of the symptoms have returned. I'm starting to have slight dumping when I eat again, and really foul gas. August 15th, 2008 will be a revision via Sclerotherapy. I am very anxious to get this procedure done and over with, although, I do realize I may have to have it 2-3 times total to reduce the size of the opening. Hopefully, through reduction, food will be more digested and not dump into the intestines so quickly. Hopefully I will feel full for an extended period and through that not feel the need and want to eat so much thus also either causing weight loss or at least to maintain.
Other things I've noticed and I wonder if it is just my body or if it happens to others who are this far out or further. Over the last couple of years, I've been having lots or problems with my teeth. I've had three wisdom teeth pulled, one crown and two broken molars that luckly were able to be filled. The other thing I've really noticed and again not sure if it's a side affect of the surgery or just due to aging, but my eyesight is getting worse. I didn't even start to wear glasses on an everyday basis until oh, maybe eight years ago. No I can barely read my computer screen at work, I can't focus on invoices, I can't hardly thread a needle and paragraphs if spaced too closely are hard to read. A little worrisome, but I'm hoping that it will level off and is just due to getting older.
Other reflections:
Why is it I was so unhappy with myself image at 268 pounds? I didn't like the way I looked, I couldn't find clothes to fit. I had a hard time setting in chairs, cars, airplanes etc. People were rude to me regarding my size. I still wore a swimsuit and went swimming. Why is it now that I still have such a negative body image? Now I'm really embarassed to wear a swim suit because of the lose skin on my thighs. I have a real hard time wearing shorts for the same reason. I've lost my boobs, which was kind of hard as I have been well endowed since my mid teens. Now all I have are two ballons that someone let all the air out of. I still look in mirrors and flip the batwings under my arms, or swish the extra skin on my thighs or calves. I hate my neck and I feel the wrinkes on my face are really starting to show now. I feel like I look like an old woman.
Another note worthy reflection:
I was forewarned that many people who have GBS end up divorced. At 19 months post op. I told my ex that I wanted a divorce. I filed in December. It was messy and took almost a full year to the day to be finalized. I was in the hospital with kidney stones the actual day it was finalized. I have since read on here that if your marriage is strong it should be fine, but if not you could have problems. Proof positive. We were having difficulties prior to RNY, and it did not survive. It was hard. We were togeather almost 4 years prior to getting married, and were married 7 years at the time I filed. When the divorce was final the following year it was just a few days before our 8 year wedding anniversary, so we were togeather for 11 years, 12 if you count the year for the divorce, but I don't as we were not living togeather.
Things I was under a misunderstanding of:
I thought if I lost the weight, that my arthritis would go away, it has not. I still have pain in my right knee, right hip, lower back and mid back. My planter's faciaitus (sp) isn't as bad though.
On the up side I haven't taken blood pressure med's nor cholesterol or arthrutis med's since surgery. So not all's bad.
So after all of this it brings me back to the Sclerotherapy. Now it's just a waiting game. Waiting for August 15th.
On the anniversary of my surgery, I have a little routine I always follow.
This Year: 2008
Weight: 132
Neck: 11 7/8
Waist: 28
Chest: 37
Under Chest: 29 1/4
Hips: 37 3/4
Left Thigh: 22 1/2
Right Thigh: 22 1/2
Left Calf: 13 7/8
Right Calf: 13 7/8
Above Chest: 31 1/4
Under Chest: 29 1/4
Last Year:2007
123 Lbs.
Neck: 11.25
Chest: 36
Waist: 26.75
Hips: 37.75
L. Thigh: 21
R. Thigh: 21
L. Calf: 12.75
R. Calf: 12.75
Above Chest: 32
Under Chest: 28.25
It's kind of wierd how my weight shifts from one area to another. Guess I really need to get back to walking again and get the weight off my legs and waist.
Well to end this very long blog..... All in all, I would have to say that I am very glad I did the RNY. I can't really imagine where my life would be right now had I not had this done, perhaps on my way to an early grave, but now I have hope that I will not follow in my mother and father's footsteps and will live a longer and healthier life!
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