OMG i haven't used this in years!
Today I was thinking about how I check facebook constantly but i'm very limited in what I can post there since (edited) when my nutritional levels are down my memory seems to be worse also - so having a place to keep track of things is good. so, i'm writing here solely for me - however HELLO to anyone still reading LJ. And of course my entries will be long and boring (not!)
My health: not bad! I'm 3 years out from surgery and don't have zillions of eating issues. I'm not exactly sure of the exact number of pounds I lost - i couldn't give a shit actually - but when asked I say 160 pounds. Honestly though - it could be 16 or 1600 pounds - what matters is how better my health is. I can walk! no need for wheelchairs. I still have arthritis, but don't get flareups like i did. I've put off exercising for 3 years now - so it's time i started that. I do walk a lot and i'm way more active than ever. I do have lots of nutritional related issues - none of which are all that bad - and i do try to keep on top of them. All are known risks associated with the gastric bypass procedure. I do need to make a regular GYN appointment. I've put that one off for almost 17 years now! I do see my oncologist/breast specialist fairly regularly. I'm supposed to be screened every 6 months. I've managed to do it every 12 - 14 months. I've graduated to where mammography and sonogram aren't good enough and I have to have a breast MRI. Honestly - I'd rather have a mammography every single day than a breast MRI once a year - or every 6 months. Neither of them "hurts" - but the MRI requires that I not move for 20 minute segments while laying on my back - which seems to know it should start to spasm. The pain is HORRIBLE. It has to do with whatever disc problems I have and is really the only time I remember I have back issues. According to the silly genetic counseling I have a 98% chance of breast cancer developing in either Buella or Bertha or both. Of course it could happen after I die of something else. But what they're saying is that those cancer cells are already there - just not active. (like me not exercising!) Studies have shown that certain removals of body parts could possibly lessen the risk. Having a hysterectomy lessens the chances of some hormonal based cancers, but increases the chance of others. A mastectomy eliminates the chance of tumors forming in the breasts, but really doesn't change the fact that cancer cells could be hanging out anywhere else - and really has no effect on my risk level. Aunt Goldie had triple negative - while both her sisters (my mom and aunt) had hormonal based cancer. The science hasnt progressed to the point where they can predict what cancer I will get - just that it's pretty likely that I will get some type. But no matter how we slice it -- life is terminal anyway. I tend to look at things on a more 50/50 level. Either I will develop it - or I will not. I will do what I can to monitor it - but i certainly won't be losing sleep over it. I did the weight loss surgery as a result of my increased chance of developing cancer because it will make any surgery i may need that much easier. But, I generally don't like the idea of surgery. However, I did consider a hysterectomy as an option (which I have not yet explored) because of some issues with those organs. My periods have gotten horrendous. Major pain - cramps, worse than normal tummy issues, heavy bleeding which isn't helping my anemia. I'm actually going to make a GYN appointment (as mentioned) because it's been causing me to miss work. I am forbidden to use NSAIDs because they can wear away at the seams of my pouch (what used to be my stomach) and since I used so many pain relievers in the past, I have to be careful. I can only use tylenol - which even in huge amounts, doesn't help. So vicoprophen or tylenol 3 are needed - and I need to see a doctor for that. When it gets really bad though i cheat and use forbidden meds because they help and i honestly would prefer functioning when i have to. And its not that often - I used to take prescription (celebrex) daily along with at least 6 advils a day. Now - nothing. That's also why my periods have gotten so painful since the surgery - not taking all those meds I feel the cramps like I used to before I started on anti-inflammatories. So yeah, thats why I would consider the hysterectomy. Not like I need those parts anyway. Well, except for the hormones - but I could take pills :)
Back to my nutrition.. so having my stomach made from football sized to a very small egg size - holding very little food - AND having it detached from my intestines and re-attached all the way at the end of the lower intestine causes intentional mal-absorption. The idea is that most of what I eat just slides right on back out. And it does! If I overeat - it comes right back up and out. If I don't chew well, or eat too fast - return to sender! I've been lucky in that I can eat virtually anything now - as long as its not too fast, too much and chewed well. Generally I'll know within minutes if I screwed up - and I have a few hours to decide if i want to try to keep it down (painful) or give it up (quick and easy).
When my levels are normal, I feel great. Lots of energy. Then my iron drops - as well as other levels. Then suddenly I'll start to feel strange symptoms sometimes combined, sometimes only 1: My blood pressure starts to get weird. Rising and dropping. I get extremely tired. Short of breath. Pulse rate starts to go wonky. I'll feel dizzy, cloudy, foggy.. just weird. At first its on and off - then it gets more regular. So far, I've been able to know when it's happening so that I don't put myself in a bad situation (like driving while my pressure is weird or not being able to eventually catch my breath). It's happened at work where I'm afraid I'll be laying on the floor in a moment because i'm about to pass out - but I'll just sort of stop and wait it out. Thats when I know it's time to see the hemotologist. Right now, my levels are on the low side - but not yet critical. I'm trying out a new regimin of bariatric supplements that are made for bariatric patients specifically. I have to spread them out over the course of the day - every few hours - for maximum benefit. I'll have my levels re-checked in a few weeks to see if this maintains my levels - or miraculously raises them. That's doubtful.. but maintaining them is just fine.
I can't believe that people have this surgery for reasons other than health. I know that I needed to lose weight because of my declining health and other risks and that I wasn't going to lose weight unless I did something drastic. In order to protect my health I chose to have other issues. But to do it because you think you will LOOK better or have a better relationship because you've caused your body to be broken? Now I have hangy droopy skin - and I can't even say how many times i've been asked if i'd get plastic surgery done to "fix" it. That is part of MY fix! My body is still working just fine even if i'm saggy and droopy! Anyway, this has made me hungry.
My health: not bad! I'm 3 years out from surgery and don't have zillions of eating issues. I'm not exactly sure of the exact number of pounds I lost - i couldn't give a shit actually - but when asked I say 160 pounds. Honestly though - it could be 16 or 1600 pounds - what matters is how better my health is. I can walk! no need for wheelchairs. I still have arthritis, but don't get flareups like i did. I've put off exercising for 3 years now - so it's time i started that. I do walk a lot and i'm way more active than ever. I do have lots of nutritional related issues - none of which are all that bad - and i do try to keep on top of them. All are known risks associated with the gastric bypass procedure. I do need to make a regular GYN appointment. I've put that one off for almost 17 years now! I do see my oncologist/breast specialist fairly regularly. I'm supposed to be screened every 6 months. I've managed to do it every 12 - 14 months. I've graduated to where mammography and sonogram aren't good enough and I have to have a breast MRI. Honestly - I'd rather have a mammography every single day than a breast MRI once a year - or every 6 months. Neither of them "hurts" - but the MRI requires that I not move for 20 minute segments while laying on my back - which seems to know it should start to spasm. The pain is HORRIBLE. It has to do with whatever disc problems I have and is really the only time I remember I have back issues. According to the silly genetic counseling I have a 98% chance of breast cancer developing in either Buella or Bertha or both. Of course it could happen after I die of something else. But what they're saying is that those cancer cells are already there - just not active. (like me not exercising!) Studies have shown that certain removals of body parts could possibly lessen the risk. Having a hysterectomy lessens the chances of some hormonal based cancers, but increases the chance of others. A mastectomy eliminates the chance of tumors forming in the breasts, but really doesn't change the fact that cancer cells could be hanging out anywhere else - and really has no effect on my risk level. Aunt Goldie had triple negative - while both her sisters (my mom and aunt) had hormonal based cancer. The science hasnt progressed to the point where they can predict what cancer I will get - just that it's pretty likely that I will get some type. But no matter how we slice it -- life is terminal anyway. I tend to look at things on a more 50/50 level. Either I will develop it - or I will not. I will do what I can to monitor it - but i certainly won't be losing sleep over it. I did the weight loss surgery as a result of my increased chance of developing cancer because it will make any surgery i may need that much easier. But, I generally don't like the idea of surgery. However, I did consider a hysterectomy as an option (which I have not yet explored) because of some issues with those organs. My periods have gotten horrendous. Major pain - cramps, worse than normal tummy issues, heavy bleeding which isn't helping my anemia. I'm actually going to make a GYN appointment (as mentioned) because it's been causing me to miss work. I am forbidden to use NSAIDs because they can wear away at the seams of my pouch (what used to be my stomach) and since I used so many pain relievers in the past, I have to be careful. I can only use tylenol - which even in huge amounts, doesn't help. So vicoprophen or tylenol 3 are needed - and I need to see a doctor for that. When it gets really bad though i cheat and use forbidden meds because they help and i honestly would prefer functioning when i have to. And its not that often - I used to take prescription (celebrex) daily along with at least 6 advils a day. Now - nothing. That's also why my periods have gotten so painful since the surgery - not taking all those meds I feel the cramps like I used to before I started on anti-inflammatories. So yeah, thats why I would consider the hysterectomy. Not like I need those parts anyway. Well, except for the hormones - but I could take pills :)
Back to my nutrition.. so having my stomach made from football sized to a very small egg size - holding very little food - AND having it detached from my intestines and re-attached all the way at the end of the lower intestine causes intentional mal-absorption. The idea is that most of what I eat just slides right on back out. And it does! If I overeat - it comes right back up and out. If I don't chew well, or eat too fast - return to sender! I've been lucky in that I can eat virtually anything now - as long as its not too fast, too much and chewed well. Generally I'll know within minutes if I screwed up - and I have a few hours to decide if i want to try to keep it down (painful) or give it up (quick and easy).
When my levels are normal, I feel great. Lots of energy. Then my iron drops - as well as other levels. Then suddenly I'll start to feel strange symptoms sometimes combined, sometimes only 1: My blood pressure starts to get weird. Rising and dropping. I get extremely tired. Short of breath. Pulse rate starts to go wonky. I'll feel dizzy, cloudy, foggy.. just weird. At first its on and off - then it gets more regular. So far, I've been able to know when it's happening so that I don't put myself in a bad situation (like driving while my pressure is weird or not being able to eventually catch my breath). It's happened at work where I'm afraid I'll be laying on the floor in a moment because i'm about to pass out - but I'll just sort of stop and wait it out. Thats when I know it's time to see the hemotologist. Right now, my levels are on the low side - but not yet critical. I'm trying out a new regimin of bariatric supplements that are made for bariatric patients specifically. I have to spread them out over the course of the day - every few hours - for maximum benefit. I'll have my levels re-checked in a few weeks to see if this maintains my levels - or miraculously raises them. That's doubtful.. but maintaining them is just fine.
I can't believe that people have this surgery for reasons other than health. I know that I needed to lose weight because of my declining health and other risks and that I wasn't going to lose weight unless I did something drastic. In order to protect my health I chose to have other issues. But to do it because you think you will LOOK better or have a better relationship because you've caused your body to be broken? Now I have hangy droopy skin - and I can't even say how many times i've been asked if i'd get plastic surgery done to "fix" it. That is part of MY fix! My body is still working just fine even if i'm saggy and droopy! Anyway, this has made me hungry.