huskergalWsD
MY WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY
Jan 20, 2007
Hi, My Name Is WENDY I Am 49 yrs old,6'0 Weigh 307. The 307 is not my highest , one pic in my OH profile I was 327 I Have 2 Grown Children. I Am Choosing LAP RNY vs DS.Reason Is::: People That Have DS Say They Can Eat Things Like Bacon/Pizza/Fried Chicken/Butter/ Hamburgers/French Fries/ And All Them Other Saturated Fatty Foods And Still Lose Weight.My Concern With That Is ,I Have Had Open Heart Surgery double bypass And 7 Stents... Can't believe I am still here writting this profile, I nearly lost my life after open heart surgery. Had Respitory Failure and was put on life support machine , I experienced Post Partum Stress ..Morphine is not my friend..I had Clogged Arteries From Eating All Those Saturated Fatty Foods ( learned the hard way ) Not Me,!!Not Going To Take That Chance Again. It's A Hereditary Thing.I Also Have Diabetes So It Will Help Get Better Control.I Have Every Single Co-Morbidity On The List And Then Some Heart Disease(yes) Type 2 Diabetes (yes) Gerd (yes) Osteoarthritis (yes) Sleep Apnea (yes) BMI 40.7 Barely Made This One. Swelling Of The Feet To My Knees.The Older I Get The More That Seem To Appear.Actually Had Most All These Pre Tests Done Before I Sought Wls. I Think The Heart Disease Was The First Give Away For My Insurance First Time Submit Approval-SMILE- Was A Happy Day (Nov.27th 06) It Is Now Jan 07
FUNNY STORY HERE!!,.People Tell Me That I Don't Look Like I Need To Lose weight,Anyway Saw The Nutritionist,Ya Know, The One Required For Wls, She Took One Look At Me First Thing She Said Was I Don't Look Like I Need To Lose Weight. Funny Comment Coming From (THEEE) Nutritionist,I Just Laughed.I Was Normal Size Child Until I Started Having Children (I Was 19 First One)I Got Out Of Control I Am A Size 22/24,6'0 And Weigh 300 To This Day Highest weight was 327....That's The Funny Story. I Have Changed My Eating Habits about 80% After My Open Heart Surgery 10/04,about 90% Less Fast Food Eating. Actually Enjoying Cooking Healthier recipes at Home (make it my way) Not Burger King Way,,lol.Use To Eat Alot At KFC,Thought They Deep Fried Their Chicken In Veg Oil.,It's Cooked In Lard. My arteries were 90 & 95% clogged, one Thing I Learned Thru My Open Heart Surgery Experience Is That You Can Be Thin And Still Get Clogged Arteries (It Is The Saturated Fat Food That We Consume) Look At Ex President Clinton And David Letterman And Regis Philbin (the list goes on) They Are Thin But Got Clogged Arteries They Had Open Heart Surgery . Just Can't Get The Portion Thing Under Control.Trust Me That Is The Key Needed To Stay At A Healthy BMI.Yea,I Tried Those Diets That Said ''Eat All You Want Exercise Less,And Lose Weight.,,Anyone Know About That 6 week Diet Plan? Even Tried The Susan Powter Thing,,Same Rules.,,NOT Any Moreeeeee, Researched this Wls For About 2 Years .I'm Doin Things My Way This Time In My Life.I Want To Be Around Longer After All I Just Became a New First Time Grandma. Just Need This Kick Start Tool. I Have Confidence In Me And My Surgeon.
I'm Going To Put Into , Apply Myself Fully With A New Lifestyle After I Get My Tool. Many Good Tips To Staying Healthy, When You Have High Blood Pressure And Are Put On Blood Pressure Meds They Work Just 30 % And End Up On 3 Different Meds To Get Your Blood Pressure Under Control,When Actually End Up Damaging Your Liver From The Perscription Medications,Not To Mention All The Other Bad Side Effects From Them.. This Is My Goal To Get Off All These Meds With My Weight loss.Been On Them For Over 10 Yrs.I'm Looking Into Homeopathic Lifestyle.. I'd Like To Add Something Here Not Related To Wls,To Help Women That Are Having Problems With Their Menstral Cycle,I Had This Problem Myself Is Why I'd Like To Help Other's Avoid Having To Have A Hysterectomy, You Could Say I'm Learning To Fix My Body With All The Future Ailments The Natural Way,I Have Had Too Many Surgeries,feeling Like The Bionic Woman,lol. Anyway,,If You Are Experiencing Heavy Bleeding When Menstrating (Blood Clots Included) My OBGYN Doctor Said To Correct The Problem Start Taking High Dose Of Iron.If I Have Helped Anyone On This Subject Please Leave Me A Message I'd Like To Hear About It.If You Are Doing Some Research For Your Wls, I Recommend Going To The Website www.medlineplus.gov; videos Of All Types Of Surgeries,Alot Of Good Medical Info There Too.Got That Info From The Hospital Library Where I Had My Open Heart Surgery.BTW,,Nurse Told Me Today 1/20/07 That I May Be Having Wls In Mid March 07,No Date Set Yet And I Am OK With That;;;I Am A Pretty Patient Person,awww Who'da Thought I'd Be Having Surgery At Same Time As Starting Menopause.Ohhh Did I Mention I Am Starting Menopause?!!!!LOL After All I AM 49Yrs Young.
2/26/07 Got A Surgery Date,3/19/07 11:30am,,Been A Long 2 yrs Waiting.Going In For My Pre Op Office Visit On 3/6/07
3/10/07 Made My 2nd Consult Office Pre Op Visit with Dr. White It Went Very Well With The Dietician,Then I Got A Whole 3 Min With Dr.White Telling Me I Am Going To Be Getting What Is Called a 'GREENFIELD FILTER" Because I Am High Risk For Blood Clots,They Save Lives, He Didnt Tell Me This On The 1st. Office Visit..Wonder If I Am A First Time Trial For This Or Just Forgot To Tell Me About It On The 1st Visit.
SURGERY COMPLETED 
3/22/07Surgery Went Very Well On Mon,3/19/07 Back to Back First the Greenfield Filter 30 Minutes Just Before My Wls. I am Home now, 3 Days In The Hosp, Doctor Wanted To Keep Me 1 More Day Because Of My Previous Heart Surgery.But I Said I Feel Great On Day 3. So I Must Have Sounded Convincing,He Let Me Go Home.. I Am Off My Diabetes Medicine, And 2 Of The 3 Blood Pressure Meds I Was On.All Before I Left The Hosp.My Skin Feels Smooth... I Had A Few Memorable Events While In The Hosp.It Was Bumped Up From 11:30am To 9:30am,,First Off There Was A Rain Storm When I Was In The Hosp.,All The Electricity Went Out .Just Like In Scary Movies.LOL When I Was Taken To My Room After Surgery,Trying To Wake Me, A Male Nurse Asked Me If I Was In Any Pain, I Said NO, Then I Said Shouldn't I Be Getting Ready For Surgery,? He Was Stunned, And Told Me That I Just Had Surgery.LOL. I Have 6 Small Scars (one is the drain scar) Since My BMI Was Just 40.7.. If Your BMI Is Higher You Will Need More Incisions For More Cameras To Do The Work Is What I Was Told.Somehow I Lost Time,,Surgery Went So Well And So Fast, I Was Told About 2 Hours.That He Knew What Happened To Me,He Said O M G They Sedated You Too Much,,What Could I Do But Laugh.(Later Of Course When I Was Able To Comprehend What Happened .) One More ,As I Was Being Sedated And Prepped For Surgery In The OR The Nurse Brings A Cell Phone To Me And Tells Me My Boyfriend Is On The Phone,, He Was Late Getting To The Hosp. For My Surgery.I Don't Remember Most Of What I Said On The Phone...My Point Is 'What In The World Was That Nurse Thinking?' I Don't Know Many Hosps. That Bring A Cell Phone Into The OR And Hold A Cell Phone To Patients Ears, Let Them Talk Just Moments Before Surgery...I Was Half Way Sedated At This Time,To Talk To People So Close Going Into Surgery!! I Will Never Forget Those Things. My Whole Experience With The Surgeon;; And The Hosp. And Wls I Give Them All 5 Stars.***** In That Order....It Was 2Good 2Be 4Gotten..More Later On My Progress And Weight Loss.
4/19/07,I Am Doing Great Other Than My Lower Back Pain Still Dealing With The Pain. I Am 30 Pounds Down.Still No Complications From Wls (knock On Wood).
4/25/07 Going Thru The Average Trial And Error With Food At This Time...More Later
8/14/07 I Have Lost 60 Lbs.Still No Complications From Wls, Actually My Hair Is Thinning. No Biggy,I Am Learning How To Keep It In Tact. ( wait until it dries after washing to brush it) Use Conditioner Every Time You Wash It ( makes for less pulling) Still Can't Tolerate Chicken Which I Keep Testing To See If I Can Eat. Feeling Better In Life, I Have Up And Down Emotional Days;To Be Expected As I Had It After My Open Heart Surgery Too. Doctor Said Its Normal. I Started Attending A Local Support Group, Glad I Did,I Am Learning So Much. I Started Reading The Book ''Weight Loss Surgery For Dummies" Highly Recommend It To Pre - Ops
9/19/07 Today Is My 6 Month PO WLS Update. I Have Lost 70 Lbs.Amazing Things Are Happening.Loosing Very Slowly. Now The WLS Honeymoon Is Over... On A Positive Note My Main Goal From This Wls Was To Get Off All My Medications And I Accompliched That. However I Am Finding That On Occasion I Still Need To Take My Hydraulazine (blood pressure Med.) I Am Ok With That, Been Acting Up Here And There.Stress Related....Having Some Difficulty Keeping Up With My Potassium,. And Also Having A Hard Time Staying Hydrated.That Is Not Fun. I Am Currently Mouring The Death Of My 51 Yr Old Brother Who Died On Sept.1st.07 From Obesity And Being A Heavy Smoker. I Don't Trust Fast Food PLaces,Other Than "Subway" I Thank God For Giving Me This Second Chance To Get Healthier And Being Little Stronger To Reconize How Dangerous Being Obese Is,51 Was Way Too Young To Pass On. I Actually Reconized It Right After My Open Heart Surgery Back In 04;And Changed My Eating Habits, But Couldn't Get That Portion Thing Under Control .I Did A Sleep Study Update At The Hosp. Last Night And My Tests Came Back Clear From Sleep Apnea. The Nurse Said I Didn't Even Snore,LoL, I Know I snored some Pre OP LoL;
3/19/08 This Is My 1 Year Post Op Update..Saw My Surgeon Today, Nice Visit.. I Was Excited To See Him , Forgot To Inquire About Keeping My Greenfield Filter In Or Have It Removed At This Point..Nothing Was Said From Him,,I Have Lost 92 Lbs And Very Happy.. I Can Move More Now , Walk 3 Miles Without Getting Short Winded...I Have Reached Many Of My Goals, I Wanted To Lose 100 Lbs At This Point (almost there!),.
11/22/08 97 -100 lbs loss. I am 51.. I'm Working Hard Now .. I Had The Most Wonderful Thing Happen In My Life Recently. I Just Rekindeled Friendships With 2 Women I Went To High School With After 30 Yrs Of No Contact, Thanks To Classmates.Com...Can You Say Amen? A-M-E-N...
7/17/09 I am maintaining my weight loss , I haven't been walking or playing volleyball for 3 months from the pain in my lower back. I will be swimming this week, still havent reached goal...I have mixed feelings about that, I keep reading different diet books ,The F Factor Diet is what I stay with P O
4/29/10 I am little past my 3 yr anniversary...Went thru alot of bumps since my last check in here in my profile.., I am a heart patient , I was confused between dumping and my blood pressure.".Every time" I ate food My heart raced just like dumping when you eat too many carbs.., discovered it was my blood pressure too high. I was out of control in my life for over 6 months. I am better now , Looks like I will be on blood pressure meds again for the rest of my life...I had the goal after my weight loss to get off them... I went HorseBack Riding Last night ..Had a wonderful time, well worth it if i have to stay on blood pressure meds.....I am living is what counts and matters....Going to get back and play Volleyball again also......I've lost another 30 lbs since Jan. 2010 ..the F Factor diet plan seems to be working for me. will write more later...
7/1/11 ...I am 4 yrs P. O. Life in my 50's. Just turned 54..life seems to be getting a little harder as I am getting forgetful these days, trying to remember to take my vitamins is a challenge. One missed dose and I have burning backaches..gotta take that calicum on time. I am doing fine maintaining, weight lost at this point is 110 lbs.I am amazing myself every day.. I seen many people regaining all there weight back, thought i'd be one of them, 
so i stopped them friendships , i was stronger than that! 
..Have to be, after all I have 9 lives. 
..7 stents & Open Heart..and still strong. that said, theres the con about myself. you heard the pro's now the con's..Though i have had wls, I would never recommend it to anyone.
7/11/12.....It's summer . Update.....Just tured 55, 2 weeks ago..Still maintaing my weight loss, still amazing myself. After some deep meditation, I believe what keeps me going/maintaining is remembering my heart attack in 2003 and all the surgeries i have been through.
1/20/2012..Yikes!! Heart Attack # 2 on 12/22/2012 ..100 % blocked artery. Stent number 8 was placed ..forgot to mention above had heart attack #1 just before my open heart surgery 2004. I wonder how this happend as i eat 90-95% healthy and have maintained my 110 lb weight loss after wls. Heart Attacks Suck..they hurt.
ok time has passed with some education and physical therapy. It seems Diabetics are more at risk for heart attacks if they choose to continue to eat foods containing lots of sugar. I am guilty of this even though I have maintained my weight loss i still ate lots of sugary foods. I always exercise so I thought i was good on keeping my diabetes under control , as the saying goes , that you can keep your diabetes under control with diet and exercise. That I found was not happening with me..I'll lay this out for those here that dont want a heart attack like i had..High levels of blood sugar injure the artery walls of small blood vessels. They thicken and leak. The vessels eventually clog blocking blood flow to vital organs... ok wake up call...
11/15/13.....Here to post some tips that have kept me on track.. I am very proud of myself for maintaining all of my weight loss..
1~~No Eating after 8:30pm
2~~Chew gum when I'm feeling hungry ( even after just eating a meal )
3~~Brush Teeth After Eating each meal
4~~Weigh myself twice daily ++morning and night
5~~Walking 40 minutes daily
6~~35 grams of fat per day ( I don't count calories )
7~~ Wear form and snug fitting clothes at all times.
I don't expect anyone to understand why I say I would not recommend Wls ..Even though I had it myself. What I have learned and experienced in my new journey I think I could have lived a better life still as an obese person.
