Rhia Drouillard
I had Roux-en-Y in Sept. of 2002 I believe. I had complications due to Advair and lost 4 pints of blood and my doctor stood over me and said, "If you don't take charge of your recovery, you're gonna die." (Not something I can comprehend while on Morphine. (To this day I refuse to take Morphine.)
I walked a lot of miles before and after surgery. I went from 300 down to 160 and then went back up to around 200-220 and stayed there for a few years. In September of 2009, I was raped which brought around events/illnesses which got me way off track with my diet. For once in my life I wasn't hungry all the time. I began walking again and got my weight down to 160. But in November of 2009 I began a series of hospitalizations for Dumping Syndrome. I believe my stomach shrunk down during the period between September and November and that I accidentally over ate not realizing my stomach no longer held that much food.
The pain from dumping was intense and always lasted 9-13 hours. I sweat profusely when I dump so my potassium dropped to a dangerous level and I could have suffered a heart attack. During Dumping Syndrome, the water literally runs out of my body, you can see it pool up in my pours and run down my body. Then I begin convulsive shivering. Then I vomit, sweat, shiver all over again for many hours.
My weight has dropped to 140 (probably 130 if I could have skin removal). Given everything I've gone through, would I do it again? IN A HEARTBEAT!
I would have been dead long ago had I not had the surgery. I was so exhausted from packing around all that weight that I had a hard time crossing the street let alone walking. Today I walked along the beach for 5 hours. (If you are pre-op I'm sure you can't even imagine walking for that many hours. Possibly you're thinking that even if you're post-op. lol) But yesterday I walked along the beach for 7 hours. I'm NOT saying I have to do this to keep my weight off. Not at all. I am telling you this only so you learn to think outside the proverbial box and see the big picture. It is amazing what this old girl can do now that she couldn't have dreamed of 8 years ago. I get checked out by the guys more now than I did in my 20's. :-) I am down from a 22-24 and wearing a 4-6 now. I fit into a size 14 boys pants. I rarely have sciatic pain anymore. No more horrendous heartburn.
Hang in there, the wait is well worth every blood test, every poke and prod... It's even worth that dang tube they stuck down my throat into my stomach which I had to keep there overnight. lol
Unfortunately I don't have any current photos but I will try and get some put up. Would love to hear from other old-timers who may remember me.... and new people with questions too. :-)
