jennstar
It's my five year anniversary
Aug 23, 2012
I really can't believe the ups and downs with my weight post bariatric surgery. I thought it would all be fixed. I never thought I would have to diet again, just like pre-surgery - counting calories constantly... etc. My last post had me considering the DS, but the idea of another surgery and one so drastic scared me too much. I was depressed for a while. The simple fact is this- I gained weight for the following reasons:I began drinking alcohol heavily
My father was dying of cancer and my life spiraled into a period of depression, drinking, eating, and partying.
After my father passed, I severely fractured my ankled which required extensive surgery. Being handicap all by myself deepened my depression to where I just wanted to die.
Trying to correct my weight and my depression, I started adjusting my anti-depressant medications, going off of Paxil and onto Welbutrin.
The Welbutrin was too much of a stimulant and I began feeling crazy and angry all of the time.
My work treated me horribly. They were cruel to me during my father's sickness and my own injury. I started having panic attacks. It was horrible. So I gained 20 pounds.
I saw a new Psychiatrist that suggested adding a small dosage of Lexapro to the Wellbutrin to even me out.
I started feeling better once my meds were adjusted, but this lingering constant sick feeling remained. I still had no energy. The same lack of energy I had complained to my surgeon about. I started losing my hair even more. It was very obviously thinning. I felt feverish and sometimes had hot flashes. I was getting desperate.
I decided to see an Endocrinologist to push a serious inquisition into my thyroid and hormones. I now had a PPO so I could do whatever I wanted. This is where I met the doctor that actually gave a shit for once. He ran a complete blood panel. We discovered that my D level was at 13. This is such a drastic low that there is no way my surgeon did not see this on the blood tests he ran on me. My thyroid (which still stuns me) is in the normal range. My B levels were low, but not as bad as the D. He also noticed my c-reactive protein was high. This is a sign of a lot of inflammation. He prescribed me 5000 iu's of D3 a day and monthly B12 shots. I want to tell you, the drastic change in my life after this. I started feeling awake. It was like my head began to come out of a fog.
Gradually as time went on and I continued treatment, I started getting some energy back as well. Eventually, through experimentation trying to cure my eczema, I discovered I am allergic to gluten. As I cut out the gluten, my weight drastically dropped. All that inflammation! I went from 184 to 177 from that alone. After about 9 months, the weight started to creep up again and I got scared. I talked to Dr. Bodwin (the Endocrinologist) about this so he suggested I see a dietitian to make sure I was getting the proper balance of nutrition since cutting out the gluten. I made an appointment and when I met her, she was very kind and we talked about what I could do. I told her I did not want to count calories. I never wanted to count calories ever again! So we focused on burning 2000 calories a week in exercise. I worked my ass off. I went to the gym and hiked. When I saw her again, I GAINED 2 LBS! Possibly soreness, possibly muscle, but at 184, I should lose SOMETHING. On my second follow up with her, having lost nothing, I broke down into tears. I finally caved into the idea of calorie counting. Her reasoning was that it was possible the balance of nutrition and exercise was off and what we needed to do was find my "sweet spot." She suggested I go for 1200 calories / day and try using an online calculator.
I chose my fitness pal. So much has improved since I last calorie counted five years ago. It is so easy now and with my android phone, I do it on the go like it's nothing. So what did I discover? I was averaging about 1800 calories a day. That would make sense as to why my weight went back up. I always kept to the rule of thumb that to maintain your weight, multiply it by 10 and that should be your target calorie intake. If you want to lose weight, you start knocking off a couple hundred calories. Since that day, four months ago, I have lost 13 pounds eating between 1200-1500 calories a day. My goal is 1200, but I don't punish myself for going over as long as I don't start going back up to 1800/day. When I exercise I can eat more, but it hasn't been absolutely necessary to make me lose weight. It just gives me more leeway to enjoy food. I also log every day, even when I know I've eaten too much, just to hold myself accountable. That way I have an accurate chart. If I gain, I know why, but thus far, I haven't.
I feel like, after five years, I'm still in the category of a "successful RNY" because I've maintained the percentage of weight loss that was intended. The RNY is a tool. At first it's like magic because you can't fight feeling sick eating too much. Food is disgusting. Your hunger is gone. Over time, the body goes through it's healing process of reawakening nerves and manufacturing ghrelin. I don't get hungry like I did pre-surgery, but I do get hungry now. I want to warn you though, I will have these vitamin deficiencies the rest of my life. I will "dump" the rest of my life. In exchange for the RNY I have been given severe lactose intolerance, dumping syndrome, vitamin D, B, K, Calcium, and Iron deficiencies, and scars I have to explain to the men I am intimate with.
My desire for a cure to my plight overrode my reason and I ignored the signs of a poor surgical group. They are a fat farm. They push out two things: RNY and the lap-band. If you are leaning towards the RNY because you know you'll lose weight faster, please listen to me when I say, in the end, if you have a gastric sleeve, you will end up with the same results, but the sleeve will leave you healthier. You won't have the vitamin deficiencies that I do because of an integral part of my intestine being bypassed. They may be great surgeons, but they are poor doctors. A good doctor will follow up with routine blood tests and actually look at them. They won't tell you you can take flinstones vitamins and be ok. At one year post up, you should not be getting your first series of blood tests. You should have them at 1 month, 3, 6, 9, etc so that you never drop below normal. My endo, Dr. Bodwin, still checks me every 3 months and now he tells me I'm great on paper and, "you're doing good kid." My blood tests are fantastic now. My D is at 42 which I believe is considered normal, but natural doctors might say 80 is best. I continue to take my vitamins every morning. The B12 shots are more effective than a pill or a sub-lingual and have really helped with my energy.
Can you imagine if I had listened to my surgeon and proceeded with getting a lap-band on top of my bypass? I think I was dying. I felt like I was dying. In fact, a fall resulted in the complete shattering of my ankle because of it. Low vitamin D has now been linked to cardiovascular failure, cancer, and a weakened immune system. Even now, after a year of treatment, I am still anemic. Just be careful and take care of yourself. Your future health is important. Losing weight is important, but if it kills you, it's pointless cause you're frick'n dead.
1. Know your weight-loss options. There's more out there then they tell you.
2. Know your doctor. Through your consultation or orientation pay close attention to the follow up aspect of his/her program.
3. Know your body. Pay attention to your body. It tells you everything you need. Seek natural medicine: proper diet (just start cooking and stop eating out, that's it!), vitamins, chiropractic care, meditation, therapy, massage, etc. Get yourself centered. I no longer get sick. I can't remember the last time I had a cold or the flu. Through chiropractic care I've healed so much in my life.
I could sit her and start crying about how scary the future can be for me due to my RNY, but it's pointless. I've got to accept the decision I made, what I thought was best at the time. I have to be more careful than most of the population when it comes to my health, but I do it. And who knows, maybe in ten years a reversal will be less scary and I can go from an RNY to a sleeve (I don't want the full size of my stomach back) and start absorbing my vitamins again. Until then, I'll continue to take a handful of pills every morning, probably wreaking havoc on my liver.
I am glad I have a tool as opposed to having nothing. I certainly don't know how I would have lost the weight otherwise. My body is not one that changes easily - it fights me all the way. What I do believe; however, is that the sleeve would have been better for me because it has been PROVEN that patients that have dumping syndrome versus patients that don't do NOT lose more weight. And so what's the point? Your body heals and reabsorbs the calories, it just loses the ability to absorb vital nutrients. How is that ever a good thing?
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About Me
CA
Location
32.3
BMI
Surgery
08/20/2007
Surgery Date
Surgeon
Jul 28, 2007
Member Since
