Hello Again!

It seems that I've fallen off the face of the Earth!  No, not so. Let's see if I can catch up to today...

I went through 16 weeks of a very low calorie diet in 2010 (as you can see from my previous posts) and lost a total of 50 lbs.  However, my transition back into "real" food didn't go smoothly.  30 lbs found me again.  They always do. I was desperate to eat as normally and healthy as I could and still maintain my weight loss and hopefully lose more, so in January of 2011 I joined Medical Weight Loss Center.  There, they had a very specific diet for me based on serving sizes and types of foods.  What I liked about it was I was able to eat normal "real" food and lose weight.  However, what I didn't like about it was they were very pushy.  They wanted me to buy a lot of their (expensive) supplements and promised more weight loss if I ate more of them.  I did lose some of my regained weight, but ended up quitting the program in May of 2011.

I started exercising weekly at the YMCA and joined WW again for the 3rd time.  It seemed that I was trying so hard but those pounds just didn't want to come off.  I think my metabolism is so screwed up at this point  that my body wants to hang on to every last pound.  So in April of 2012, I started seriously thinking about weight loss surgery.  I went back to Grand Health Partners and attended a surgical weight loss seminar put on by Dr. Foote.  He went over a lot of information including the different procedures they do:  gastric banding, RNY, vertical sleeve, and the "sledgehammer" of all weight loss surgeries - the duodenal switch.

I knew I didn't want the band or the RNY and thought the sleeve might be the best option for me.  But after much research, I decided the DS was the right choice.  I started visiting websites like Obesity Help, DSfacts.com and Weight Loss Surgery Pro Boards and I saw a lot of people that started with another surgery gaining weight back and getting revised to the DS.  The DS offers restriction (with a smaller stomach) with the added benefit of malabsorption (with the re-routing of the intestines).  I knew that I only wanted one surgery and the DS offered the best chance at losing my excess weight (70-80% long term weight loss).  This option also allows 90% of patients the ability to eat whatever they want.  The main thing is to eat a protein based diet and take lifelong vitamin supplements.  That is a lifestyle I can live with.  Complication rates were not any different from the RNY or the sleeve procedure.  I could go on and on, but on July 3, 2012 I took the plunge and had the surgery.

Blue Cross Blue Shield approved me without a hitch because I'd gone through so many "doctor supervised diets" prior to the surgery.  They required at least 6 months of this.  I had to eat a very low calorie diet (again only Grand Health Partner product) for 2 weeks prior to surgery so it would shrink my liver and stomach making the surgery easier to perform and because of the type and quantity of food I was eating, it was a "low residue" diet - meaning I didn't need a bowel prep.  I had the surgery done laparoscopic so I only have 6 small incisions.  I stayed 2 nights in the hospital and am now at home recovering.  I am on a liquid only diet for 2 weeks with my goal being 64 oz of diet/decaf liquids and 4 liquid protein supplements.  Its hard to get it all in!  Because my sleeve of a stomach is still swollen I can only sip my liquids.  But I'm feeling better each day and the pain is less as time goes on.  Also on my goal sheet is walking.  So far I've only walked around the house and gone upstairs daily.  But the weather in Michigan has been in the 100's so walking outside really wasn't an option for me.  Today I will attempt to get out of the house for a bit.  I'm on day 8 post surgery.  I'm planning on going back to work on the 23rd, but maybe sooner if I feel up to it.  I've exhausted every last vacation and sick day for this recovery!

Phew!  I think that's enough for now. Sorry for the lengthy read!