Hey y'all!! - ThinnerTimes

so_gorjess · 01-27-2007, 11:01 PM

Hi! *waves*

Well, I don't really know what to say, except, it's nice to be back. I browsed the forums yesterday(my first day back since november) and saw a lot of new faces(avatars) so most of you must be going "eh? Who the hell is this chick?" but I do hope that at least one person remembers me even though I don't think I made that much of an impact on here anyway(should've tried harder).

I know that back in November I just stopped posting suddenly and didn't even log back into the forum until yesterday. It's just been a tough ride for me and for a while there I was so fed up with the whole Gastric Bypass / WLS situation that I just didn't want to see, hear or talk about it anymore. I've been hospitalized about seven times so far since my surgery. That's seven times in four months. Each time staying the least three days in the hospital. I had to have my gallbladder out during my "second hospitalization" and that was less than two months after my gastric bypass. Needless to say I wasn't too happy about needing another surgery so close to the first one BUT I knew it could've happened(and of course it did, c'mon, it's me!) so I'm not bitching. I was so incredibly ill during the whole gallbladder episode; I couldn't eat, couldn't keep anything down, not even water, I was nauseous 24/7...I lived on sucking on ice cubes for days until my dad said I looked like a walking death-time-bomb and took me back to Cleveland Clinic.

Ever since then I've been back to Cleveland(when my dad drives me) and to other hospitals closer to me(when the Rescue people pick me up) on several ocassions. Dehydration and potassium deficiency seem to be my biggest issues. At one point my potassium was 2.1(I believe) and I felt like I was going to die. My heart felt like it was trying hard to beat, my muscles ached sooo bad I could barely get out of bed or wash my hair(whatever I have left since it's basically fallen off) and I was vomiting all over the place. All the doctors were making such a fuss about my potassium being that low(I guess that's too low, I wouldn't really know) that I could barely stand it. Then my surgeon decides that I need to have potassium through IV asap. At first I was like "eh, whatever...I get the IV done and go home"....HA! I was sooooo miserable for three whole days(which is how long it took them to fix my potassium problem, which is still not fixed caused I got hospitalized three times after that for the same damn thing). Having potassium run through my veins is probably the worse feeling I will ever experience...EVER! I rather have a pitbull CHEW ON MY ARM! It burned soooo bad, I screamed and I cried and all the doctor told me was that I needed it(so basically that was a "suck it up, you big baby!"). They would turn the drip on and off every half hour so not to "torture" me.

So basically that's all that's been going on with me. Sorry if I rambled for too long but it felt good to get that off my chest! Oh yeah, I'm proud to say that I hit ONEderland back in december(I remember posting about how I wanted to be under 200 pounds before the new year.) I know for a fact that as long as I can help it...I will NEVER see a 2 as the first of the three digits in that scale!

Well, I'm done eating my delicious broccoli(I'm serious, broccoli rocks lol) and babbling like an idiot so I'm off to bed. I hope I'm welcomed again as I'm happy to be back and I will try to be as active as a member with no computer(I'm using my T-Mobile Sidekick to post) can possibly be.

Bypassingme619 · 01-27-2007, 11:31 PM

Jess don't be silly. You are always welcome. Sweety I am sorry you have been down such a tough rode. I am glad you been pulling through it all like a champ. You have truley earned your Onderland badge. Big congrats. Don't feel bad about not having a computer. My sidekick is all I use to use to post here. Gotta love em. My prayers are with you Jess. I am hoping your potassium is in order soon so you can be back on track and feeling like the old you. Besides the problems you are dealing with have you noticed any difference in your energy or activities?

so_gorjess · 01-28-2007, 12:15 AM

Ahh I thought I was the only one who used a "smartphone" to browse and post to this site. That's freaking awesome!

You know, now that you ask, my energy levels have been going downhill ever since the gastric bypass. The gallbladder and the potassium didn't help either. I just always feel like crap. I'm also like way too weak. I broke down in tears recently when I could not open a bag of cheese bits. It even said easy open on the bag and everything and it totally wiped me out. My dad offered to open it for me but I refuse to lose my ability to be independent in such a ridiculous way so I fought with that bag until it finally opened.

Even though I'm that weak and tired I had my dad buy me a stationary bike and one of those bowflex(all in one gym thingies) so I can exercise in my room. I get at least 30 minutes on the bike daily(unless I feel like I'm going to pass out then I stop and do the rest at night) and I try to walk as much as possible.

The time BEFORE the last time I was hospitalized(lol) they sent me home after four days when they finally upped my potassium to 3.9 and they also gave me a prescription for liquid potassium that I have to take daily for the next thirty days. Funny thing is, I had labs done(and fainted too but that's a totally different story) like a week ago and my potassium was 3.7 so even with me drinking potassium daily it still went down .2 points instead of going up more like the doctor wanted it too. I must have a potassium leak somewhere, my urologist wants me to see a nephrologist(sp?) because my kidneys have been acting up as well. My left one was significantly swollen on my last two ct scans and I've been having kidney stones like it's a joke.

At exactly four months out(today), I was hoping I'd be feeling a lot better by now

Blueyz · 01-28-2007, 12:55 AM

I am happy to see you back and sorry to hear that you are going through so much. I know it might seem bad now, but it has to get better for you. Potassium via IV hurts..ouch. I remember having to get Magnesium, too. I just couldn't keep my levels right in the beginning. Things did get better and I hope the same goes for you. I was so low in B-1 Thiamine in the early stages...I was faint and weak. I hope they are checking your other levels, too. I am sure they probably are. Hang in there...it will get better.

so_gorjess · 01-28-2007, 01:17 AM

Hey thanks! Yea, they check everything. I had some problems with that "B" stuff too a while back and I got a shot at the hospital(fun). According to the doc my body is just going haywire on me and freaking out a bit(but four months out? I thought I'd be inching toward the safe zone by now...). My hair has been falling out in handfuls(I have a receding(sp?) hairline for God's sake) which of course I knew would happen and the doc says it's also part of the hissy fit my body's throwing. I'm also brusing like crazy.

I know that once my body calms down I should feel better and my hair should grow back(for the love of God, I really hope it does...) but I'm just wondering how long it will take for my body to finally adjust and I hope nothing happens(that I can't handle, I've been handling everything so far) between now and then.

Blueyz · 01-28-2007, 01:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by so_gorjess

Hey thanks! Yea, they check everything. I had some problems with that "B" stuff too a while back and I got a shot at the hospital(fun). According to the doc my body is just going haywire on me and freaking out a bit(but four months out? I thought I'd be inching toward the safe zone by now...). My hair has been falling out in handfuls(I have a receding(sp?) hairline for God's sake) which of course I knew would happen and the doc says it's also part of the hissy fit my body's throwing. I'm also brusing like crazy.

I know that once my body calms down I should feel better and my hair should grow back(for the love of God, I really hope it does...) but I'm just wondering how long it will take for my body to finally adjust and I hope nothing happens(that I can't handle, I've been handling everything so far) between now and then.

Your hair will come back...heck mine was coming back...and then started falling out again. I had so many surgeries in the last few years, so it is normal. At least we know that the hair eventually comes back and it will...it sure is scary though when the clumps come out.

so_gorjess · 01-28-2007, 06:15 AM

I totally freaked out with the first clump of hair coming out. I knew it was going to happen and I totally don't have a problem wearing wigs when the time comes to do so, the only time it bothers me is when I walk by my mother since for some reason beyond my realm of understanding she seems to think it's funny that I'm going bald and she feels the need to point it out and comment on it everyday. Needless to say, saying that she's been 1% supportive through my whole ordeal would be giving her TOO MUCH credit...

Dyann · 01-28-2007, 06:32 AM

Jess

I am sorry you have had such a tough time of it. Especially given your family circumstances. I hope you will reach a point where it is a distant picture in the rear view mirror and you will be able to say you are glad you had this done. On the bright side your weight loss is incredible. We welcome you back with open arms. And yes we remember you!!!

WantToRun · 01-28-2007, 09:56 AM

Welcome Back Jess!! Sounds like youve been down a rough road. I had to have a potassium IV too a couple months ago... i dont remember it hurting but that could have been becuase i was so high on the pain meds for the kidney stones i was having. Im very glad for that now! I hope everything gets better for you hon. I know it seems like itll last foreer and we're all impatient to "get on with it" but in a year youll look back and say "Man! That sucked.... but look at me NOW!"

In the meantime we are all here for you and i personally am THRILLED youre back!! WB! Oh! and Congrats on Onederland!

JenBear7 · 01-28-2007, 11:22 AM

Sounds like you have had quite the time of it! Hopefully, you will be right on track pretty soon though! And you have lost a lot of weight since surgery.. so hopefully Part of you feels at least a little better! Good Luck.. (I'm one of those new faces.. lol.. but its good to have you back!)