Little frustrations.

So this week has been sort of annoying.  I have had an acne break out on my face, I haven't had that issue in many years.  I've also been very tired, nodding off while I'm working at my computer.  I called the doctor and she had me start Zinc and Vitamin E for the skin issues, she also told me to use Aloe gel on my face at night.  These three things worked with in 24 hours for the skin issues.  I was told to increase my protein shakes so I'm getting 90 grams of protein in plus whatever food I'm eating.  I'm hitting a period of rapid weight loss as I've lost 3lbs since Monday and need more protein to maintain my strength.  This morning I was a little weak and felt very depleted.  However after I had my morning shake I felt better.  I really notice that the mornings are tough if I don't get in that protein shake with in 2 hours of waking up.  Going for so many hours at night without having anything to eat really takes a lot out of you.  During the day I need to have something at least every three hours and that is pushing it.  I keep nuts at my desk to munch on along with my water.

I had to order a special pill holder/keeper so I can keep track of everything I need to take.  At least a lot of it is vitamins and not prescription meds.

New clothes are needed

Well a week ago Sunday I tried on a several pairs of pants that I've been waiting to wear.  They were all to tight to button.  So this week I have two pairs of them and they are both way to big.  I may only lost 3lbs but have lost 3 inches as well.  It's great but a little harsh on my wardrobe.  I guess I'll be shopping this weekend for some work pants.  I haven't lost that many inches in my upper body mostly in my legs and waist.

An exciting moment..

So today during a meeting at work I leaned back in my chair and crossed my leg at the knee level.  It took a few minutes to sink in but I was so amazed.  I have not been able to sit with my legs crossed in years.  I was so taken back that I forgot I was in a meeting.
I know that I've dropped 60+ pounds but I don't think it really hit until today.  Yesterday I realized that the pants I had on were way to big.  I of course did not notice until half way thru the work day.  I added them to the donate pile when I got home.  Even though I have not lost any weight for two weeks I have dropped several inches just in the last week.  On Monday I wore a pair of hospital scrubs to work and I washed them Wednesday and wore them again today.  They were very loose and I had trouble keeping them tied tight enough to stay up.  I didn't have that issue on Monday when I wore them.

I understand that I will always have a body image issue.  You can not weigh over 300lbs for most of your life and not have one.  But little things like being able to cross you legs and walking up a flight of stairs really make you realize how much in life you have missed.  I see my co-workers who have had this surgery and you can tell they are loosing weight.  However when I look at myself I feel like I haven't lost as much.  But in reality I have. 

My first big social event after surgery.

On Thursday I attended a 3 day scrapbooking convention here in Las Vegas.  This was my first big outing away from home since I had surgery.  I had it all planned out.  I packed enough protein shakes, juice plus, b12 and calcium for the three days.  Not only was I going to be attending classes but would also be working our Close to my Heart booth for 4 hours each day.
Living in Las Vegas I know how important water is and certainly learned that the first week back to work after my surgery.  So I made plans to keep up with my water drinking.  When I work and at home I keep 4 32 ounce bottles filled with water in the refrigerator and I make sure to drink at the min 2 of those a day.  I usually get in 2 and half.  I will do three if I've been traveling out in the heat or have spent a lot of time outside.
Well my careful planning did not turn out the way I would have liked.  I was so excited on Thursday that I only really drank 1 32 ounce bottle of water and did not really have that much after that.  On Friday I only got in about 40 ounces.  I realized Friday night that I did not get enough water in.  I was having headaches and was very tired even though I had a 2 hour nap that day.  On Saturday my headache continued and was really constipated.  My lips were dry and chapped and I was really craving water.  I had 40 ounces of water that morning while I worked in the CTMH booth but is was not enough.  Once I got home around 5pm I proceeded to drink 64 ounces of water and my headache went away.  I still felt weak, tired and vomited my dinner after I ate. I ended up sleeping for 14 hours but did get up 3 times during the night to get more water.
Sunday was much better as I drank 4 32 ounce bottles of water and really focused myself on getting enough water in me to re hydrate and get myself back on track.

After the incident I had the first week back to work I have been very careful about water and getting enough.  But it is so easy when you do social events that are out side your normal routine to get off track.  You are really more susceptible to dehydration after any bariatric surgery.  Next time I will be more focused on the water and make sure to take at least two of my water bottles with me to keep track.  While this time the dehydration was not as bad as before it definitely was not fun and it was a learning experience.

I did have lots of fun, bought some really great stuff and picked up a few new customers for my Close to my Heart scrapbooking business.

8 weeks since surgery

 It's now been two months since I had my surgery.  It's been a journey so far.  I've had re learn how to eat and drink.  It does feel strange to never have hunger pains and to feel full after only a few bites.  I'm still amazed at how little I eat.  While food tastes good I really only have a few bites and am done.  I have discovered that I much prefer to have a protein shake or nectar protein drink.  I feel better with those than when I eat something.  I think it's because of the high protein content. 
I've had a few bites of cheesecake and a little chocolate but not much.  I like the sugar free products better.  I really enjoy weight watchers snack size fudge bars and ice cream cones.  Those are the perfect size.  I also like weight watchers candies if I need a bite of chocolate.  although wanting a piece of chocolate and ice cream is more my taste buds and my head.  My stomach could care less what it gets. I really do never feel hungry.  I can tell when I've gone to long as my stomach will start to cramp because it's empty.
Today I had a chicken wing and yes it was deep fried. Don't ask me why I had it.  It tasted good but boy did it sit like a rock in my stomach for about an hour.  It was my first fried food and I will be steering clear of that for a while.

I've been very careful about getting enough water in.  Since I live in the desert and we have started having daily temps of 110 I really push to 2.5 liters in a day.  I carry around a 750ml water bottle that I sip all day.  I was working outside on Tuesday in the heat and I noticed quickly that I needed to keep drinking to stay hydrated.  You don't realize how hard it is to get enough water in when you can only drink so much at a time.
Anyway as of Monday June 10, 2013 I had lost a total of 54 lbs.  I feel thinner and my clothes are baggy.  You can really see it in my face. 

ARGHHHHH weight loss plateau.

I've hit my first plateau and did not loose any weight this week.  I have lost a few inches which makes it a little better.
 
What Causes Plateaus?

Several factors in the post-surgical patient may come into play and lead to plateaus. Brief periods during which little or no weight loss occurs may coincide with a woman's menstrual cycle and the amount of bloating or water weight gain she experiences.

Another common culprit for bariatric surgery patients is the GI tract. Severe constipation can lead to a weight loss plateau.

Finally, when the body loses weight following bariatric surgery, it loses weight from everywhere--lean muscle mass as well as stores of fatty tissue. As the body recovers from the surgery, and the patient starts to move around and exercise, they rebuild lean muscle mass.

Since muscle weighs more than fat, your scales may show that your weight loss has stopped, but you'll still be losing inches and looking thinner to the people who know you. And it won't be long before your body adjusts itself to your new weight and is ready to start losing again.

These plateaus are why surgeons often caution patients not to weigh too frequently--a couple of times a month is plenty--and not to be too upset if the numbers they see are higher than they'd like.

When a Plateau Spells a Problem

As your body heals from surgery, and your food choices increase, it can be very tempting to slide back into some of the old eating habits that caused weight gain in the first place.

You, of course, are the only one who knows if you're "cheating." If you are, schedule a cleaning of your refrigerator and pantry and rid the house of foods that lead you astray. Then make a conscious effort to return to the eating habits that your surgeon suggests,

 these suggestions included

    Eating 3 small, low-fat, high-protein meals per day
    Avoiding sweets and carbs
    Making time to savor every meal
    Not skipping meals
    Moving my body, whether that means walking, exercising, or cleaning the house

The Bottom Line

If you hit one or more plateaus a few months out from weight loss surgery, don't worry that your weight has stabilized permanently--it hasn't. Statistically, you will probably alternate between cycles of rapid and slow weight loss for the first 18 months or so after surgery. By that time, you will have lost about 75% of your excess weight, and your body will start to stabilize for the long term. Even then, however, if you want to shed a few more pounds, you can still do so by shaving off a few calories and adding a few minutes to your exercise program.

May 24, 2013 My first week back to work

Well, I managed to survive the week.  Although it was questionable on Tuesday.  I learned about dehydration and how quickly that can happen now.  On Monday I was busy on my first day back and did not keep track of how much water I had.  In the afternoon I had to travel to another hospital across town and it was over 100 degrees outside.  By the time I got home that night I was weak and my legs felt like rubber.  I figured it was just fatigue.  However I felt even worse in the morning but forced myself to go to work.  I had to come around noon and I barely made it I was so weak.  I figured out later in the day that I had not had enough water in the last two days.  I felt a lot better after 3 liters of water which took me several hours to get in.
Needless to say I am back to keeping track of how much water I get in a day.  I had been doing this at home but didn't do it at work.
I should have realized how easy it would be to become dehydrated especially since I live in the desert.  It just never dawned on me until it was almost to late.

My first steak meal

I should have taken a picture.  It was one slice of a Fillet of Beef (would have been equal to 2 bites for anyone else) and a tablespoon of mashed potato's.  While it tasted great I was miserable afterward
 and for the rest of the night.  My stomach felt like I had pulled a muscle.  I was sore, still this morning but things have gotten better.  I will be sticking with ground beef and tender chicken for a few more weeks.
My biggest challenge is not gulping water.  I want to take a big drink and I know I can't.  It just doesn't seem the same when you have to sip it like you would wine.
And if I have to see one pizza commercial I may cry... I really am missing pizza.....  It will be a few months before I can have a few bites, 

20 days after surgery

Well I have had my 1st post op appointment last week.  Everything has gone well.  I have advanced to a regular high protein diet.  I'm amazed at how little I'm able to actually eat.  For dinner tonight I made half of a hamburger patty and was only able to eat a quarter of it.  What surprises me is that I never seem to get hungry and have to remind myself I need to eat.  I much prefer a protein shake to solid food although it takes me two hours to drink and 11 oz shake.  At the most I have been able to get in maybe 50 grams of protein a day and almost 1 liter of water.
I knew my eating life would change I just was not truly prepared for how drastic it is.  I eat less then 600 calories a day.  I still am weak toward the end of the day and don't have a lot of energy.  The doctor told me this would improve as my body adjusts to the low calories and activity levels.  I'm really glad I still have a week and half before I go back to work.  I think working will be a challenge for my endurance.

I was reflecting back to the things I wish I had known before surgery so I would have been more prepared.
1-That water was going to hurt so much even when warmed.  Popsicles went down much better.
2-Taking pills with apple sauce instead of water.
3-Not to worry about anything but fluid for the first few days.  They told me to have thinned protein shakes everyday but my stomach did not like those.
4-Gas-X to help the gas bubbles you get in your stomach.  Those kept getting stuck and the gas-x helped dissolve them.
5-That the gas pains from the CO2 they used to fill your abdomen with during surgery would last 5-7 days after surgery.  I was told it would only last a few days.  However it really last longer and walking is the best thing and taking Tylenol even though you don't have abdominal pain helps also.

1 Week after Surgery

Well it was a week ago today......  Everything has been going well and as expected.  I think the worst part has been the gas pain.  Otherwise I've been pain free since day 3 after surgery.  I've been out to the store several times since Sunday and each trip gets better.  Although they still wear me out.  I've taken the dogs for a walk around my apartment complex several times and boy does that wear you out completely. 
I'm eating mostly Greek yogurt, Popsicles and protein pudding.  I have no cravings for food nor am I hungry.  I can only tolerate about a half cup of food at a time and it takes me about 1 hour to eat it.  If you eat it faster you get more stomach gas and that is very unpleasant.  The biggest challenge is getting enough water in to keep yourself hydrated. You need to sip the water you can't just take a big drink so it takes longer and you must be careful not to drink more than 1 cup an hour or your stomach will get upset.

Day 3 after Surgery...

It's been 3 days since my surgery.  Everyday gets a little better.  I have had to break down and start crushing my pain pills. They really hurt when I swallowed them whole.  This is because of the swelling and irritation of the esophagus.  During the surgery they also do a scope down the esophagus and there is a lot of manipulation and this irritates everything.  Anyway the crushed pills go down much easier.
I was very happy yesterday I was able to keep down a tablespoon of Greek yogurt.  The first non popsicle item I have had.  This morning I was able to get 15 grams of protein with my crushed pills.
The wonder slim products are great as you can make a 1/2 cup pudding or a 1 cup of liquid shake.  I made the pudding and was able to get it all in.  I make sure to take small bites and eat it over an hour.  There will no longer be the fast meal.  You have to eat slowly so as not to upset your stomach.  I had to buy baby spoons and forks to eat with so that I get little bits.  Those work really well.

It's all done..

Surgery went well.  I have the hardest part behind me.  My new baby stomach is very angry as it did not like being cut up.  I've been keeping down clear liquids only.  This will go on for a few more days.   Thursday after surgery and Friday morning saw a lot pain related to the gas they use to blow up your abdomen with.  By Friday after noon all of that seemed to be gone.  The pain is not to bad.  I get sharp little pains when ever I put something in my stomach water or whatever.
I have also learned not to drink from a straw as that increases the amount gas bubbles you get.
I'm going to be trying chicken broth at some point today and hopefully that will be okay.