Kate M.

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I have my 3 month appointments with the nurse and nutritionist over the next couple of weeks (despite being 4 months out). 

Here are some updates on my progress thus far:

Weight lost since day of surgery (May 1, 2015): 59lbs

Weight lost since starting Optifast: 80lbs

Inches lost from waist: 9

Inches lost from hips: 9

Inches lost from bust: 8

Inches lost overall from body since surgery: 61

Clothing size: from 24/3x to a 18/1x

1st Referral Apr 15, 2012| 1st Orientation Oct 10, 2012| Quit Smoking Nov 4, 2014 | 2nd Referral May 4, 2014| 2nd Orientation Aug 20, 2014| SW Aug 22, 2014| NP Sep 3, 2014| Psych Sep 9, 2014| SS Sep 10| Nut Class Sep 16, 2014| PFT Oct 7, 2014| Dietician Oct 10, 2014| Oct 13, 2014 Additional Pulmonary Testing| Sleep Clinic Dr Follow Up Oct 21, 2014| Surgeon Appointment #1 Dec 5, 2014 | Surgeon Appointment #2 Feb 6, 2015 | Scope: Mar 25, 2015 | Surgeon Appointment #3 Apr 8, 2015 |

My surgery was May 1st, the pre-op diet until now has been a real blur. I have been mostly updating on Youtube lately. I am one-week post op and down 10 lbs since surgery (with another 21 lost during Optifast). Just getting used to sipping, sipping water and getting protein shakes and vitamins in. So far, so good.

One week ago I went in for my final surgeon's visit, where I got a date, signed up for some research studies, was told to start Opti immediately (my date is May 1st), and was given my Pre-op visit date (April 27). Needless to say, it's been a whirwind.

I've already lost 10 pounds on Opti. Obviously some of that was water retention but I feel like I am doing well. Just 2 more weeks until surgery. I managed a full month leave from my work and I am very pleased about that, as it means my stockpiled vacation days can go towards my honeymoon!

I have pangs of hunger but overall I am doing well. I have gotten pretty creative with the shakes and am making sure to get all my fluids in.

Just two weeks. Crazy!

I went in yesterday for my scope. I figured I would post about it in case anyone in the future is wondering what the process is like.

You can't eat or drink starting the night before, which was no tough deal, especially considering I was one of the first appointments of the day. You change from the waist up and they give you a locker to put your things in, then they have you wait in the waiting room. 15 minutes in a woman came, went over some questions and information, and sent me back to waiting area. I think the wait time was about 30 mins from arrival total but to be honest I did get a little snooze in at the waiting area (my new puppy is keeping me up all kinds of late hours!).

They had me lay down on a bed while the doctor explained the procedure and checked if I had questions. They were waiting on something so we had a little chit chat, joked around, etc. I said I was looking forward to the rest due to puppy related lack of sleep. The nurse inserted an IV nearly painlessly, and then they sprayed some gross numbing stuff down my throat (Dr. quote: "It tastes like poison...but it's not!" ). Not too different from the numbing stuff they use in dental work, bitter and nasty but nothing too horrible. Once they injected the sedation drug into the IV I was pretty much out. I have a few vague, strange memories of coughing a bit (probably right after they inserted) and then them pointing out that I could watch on the screen, looking over and thinking my insides looked like a lava lamp.

Then I was passed out until a nice lady came and gave me a warm blanket in recovery. Bliss! They woke me up probably 30 minutes later, I wanted to keep sleeping but they said I had to go .

Before I left they gave me some instructions - wait 45 mins, try drinking a little water, if it went down smoothly I would be cleared to eat and drink normally. They told me some danger signs to look out for in which case I was to go to ER - blood in stool, etc. They phoned my partner and she came to pick me up, saying she had to come upstairs to fetch me. They let me in to get my stuff out of the locker and I was free to go. There were no seats in the waiting room and I was feeling just dandy so I walked downstairs and waited for her there so she wouldn't have to park. She was not impressed and told me next time I gotta follow the rules. Fair enough.

At first when I got home I felt fine, a little woozy but also kind of out of it in a pleasantly fuzzy way. By the time we got to the 45 minute mark and I had some water I felt pretty hungry. I waited about 2 hours total from when I left the hospital to go pick up some food - basic Japanese. On the walk home (~5 min walk) I felt a bit like I might pass out, my fiancee had to take my arm like an old lady to steady me, worse I was carrying our puppy so she was getting prepared to catch me if I "went down". Since I've got well over 100lbs on her that would have been a disaster! On top of that she was carrying lunch. We got home ok though and I think my blood sugar was just low. I had some chicken, rice, a couple tiny (quarter size) maki rolls and veggies. I felt way better afterwards, but tired. By mid-afternoon I went to bed and passed out hard until the evening. Felt great but ended up having a hard time getting back to sleep that night, which worked out fine for the puppy's schedule (up every 2 hours). 

I experienced a little throat soreness yesterday and some this morning, but nothing a warm beverage couldn't help. Overall it wasn't too bad of an experience and if anything on the plus side, I got to stay home and catch up on my sleep.

Last summer through the fall I feel like I had my head in the game, in it to win it as they say, ready to rock it. After so many delays and coming to 3 years since my first referral I simply don't give one flying fuck any more. My scope is in a week and then in three weeks the surgeon, AGAIN, for the third time. I tried to get it sooner but this appt could have been even longer away if they hadn't taken pity on me, so I am meant to be counting my blessings. THEN once I get the scope if I have any ulcers or h pylori it's more time waiting while I take medicine, then another god knows how long wait to get a follow up scope.

I am not eating right, I am not going to the gym. I am feeling very depressed and defeated and sick of all the waiting. So many things are on hold until this stupid surgery happens. They could have sent me out for the scope MONTHS ago and didn't because god forbid we use our time efficiently. I have stopped caring about this process because I feel like until it ACTUALLY happens, I am not accountable. It just feels like the hard work I did meant nothing because I am already back up to my high weight after a short period of not gunning hard at the gym and severely limiting my intake. 

I know this is incorrect. I know I need to get my head back in the game. I know I am being a whiny baby. But I also am just tired and I want my life back. Three years of this nonsense and literally nothing to show for it. UGH. I know that everyone has to wait and there's no controlling it or changing it. But I am tired and it feels like it's never going to happen.

So I went to my 2nd surgeon's appointment only to be told that I now have to get a scope. The fact that they could have done this over the 2 months I was waiting for someone to tell me my allergy test results seemed to escape anyone there. I am frustrated but I am not mad or even surprised that I have to have a scope - the nurse appointment back in the early fall they told me as much. So I have over a month to wait for the scope, then another two weeks after that to go BACK to the surgeon (for the 3rd time) to go over my results. If they find any issues (ulcer, H Pylori, etc), they will have to give me medication and then I will have to rinse and repeat - Take the meds, have ANOTHER scope, then another surgeon appointment to sign off on surgery. In that case, we're looking at surgery happening well into the summer. Ugh. The worst part is when I first came in they told me my likely surgery date was going to be late April but now there's pretty much no way that's going to happen. They shouldn't have said anything.

My April 8 appointment happens about a week from my 3 year anniversary of my first referral. This process can definitely swallow up a ton of your time and energy, and there's no getting around it. I'm just doing my best to be a patient-patient and not a bratty miserable one, lol. 

If you're playing along at home, We are coming up on 3 years from my original referral.

I am now assigned my 3rd surgeon. Hopefully this one is it! 

I got the metal allergy testing done that the last surgeon asked me to do. Turns out I have a severe nickel allergy that masked itself as an allergy to titanium dioxide (which often contains nickel in it). I went and got the requisition for the test the same day as I met the last surgeon. It took the hospital another month and a half plus three phone calls to tell me the results. They had the results for a full month but nobody knew to call me, I guess? So I am yet again cleared, that is the good news.

The bad news is that between being a little depressed and it being the holidays, I did manage to put on a few lbs as I was very sluggish and not watching my diet the last month. I am back up to over 300 again. BLURGH. 

I go in to meet the surgeon (attempt 2) on Feb 6. First one was on Dec 5, 2014. There I will sign off on surgery and get a date. I've already been back to the gym twice this week and hope to squeeze it in 3-4 times per week moving forward. I've been back on track with healthy eating as well, for the most part. My holiday to Mexico in the end of Feb will be my "last hurrah" but I don't plan on going overboard just a few treats here and there.

WISH ME LUCK PALS!

Reposted from the Ontario board:

Just got the call I am meeting with the surgeon on Dec 5th! I have been in limbo since I finished the my last of my appointments (nearly a month ago) so I'm really excited to get an appointment. I don't mind that it's over a month away because I think the *not knowing* and waiting, wondering is really the worst part.

The best part is tomorrow is my 1 year anniversary of quitting smoking (which was inspired by this whole process). Getting this appointment is the best gift I could ask for.

For everyone who is going through the process, just be patient, it will happen eventually.

Thanks a billion to all the vets and your great advice so far. I feel like it's really happening now. :)

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This news couldn't have come at a better time. I have been struggling a bit the past few weeks. I have been dealing with some very difficult stuff (family tragedy and some other tough matters) the past month or so. I didn't go to the gym at all this weekend and felt like a total clod. I ended up eating some sweets in frustration last night after my third attempt to get on the bus and go to the gym was thwarted by the TTC short turning buses I needed to catch to make it to my fitness class on time. Blugh!

The rest of the time I've been doing great, eating right and going to the gym, doing circuit training and everything. But this weekend just hit me like a sack of potatoes. I realized that exercise has been a great coping mechanism but that when my good habit (working out) gets disrupted I still can be tempted into turning back to my old, bad habits (eating treats). Especially when there's easy goodies in arms reach. Let this be a lesson learned. I am not falling into that trap today. Yes, I have been dealing with a very hard, tragic situation but that doesn't give me the excuse to do any more harm to myself in the form of overeating or mainlining white sugar, any more than I would go out and smoke a cigarette from having a bad day. This is for me, a chance to start over, and if that means building my new eating and exercise habits up brick by brick, so be it.

On Dec 5 I will be getting my date and buying Optifast, which means I could be having surgery before or very soon after the new year. I am really excited and happy to know that I am that much closer. I am ready to make these changes for life and I will take this surgery as a sign that I am given a chance to revise my bad habits, replace them with new, healthier habits and throw the old ones out the door. Good riddance!

My last (pre-surgeon) appointment was just about 3 weeks ago, at that point I was told they would review my file as a group a few days later. I haven't heard a peep since, nor gotten any mail. Sooooo I'm just in limbo.

What else is happening...Going through some personal stuff and just trying to take care, take it easy, not stress-eat, and work out at least a couple times a week. Still seeing my counselor. Have had a diet pop here and there but mostly have stayed off the stuff (have had maybe 3 in as many months). My 1 year anniversary of quitting smoking is next week, which I am very proud of. Haven't had any alcohol in months, over the summer I had maybe 5-6 drinks total, spread out with weeks in between each. 

With emotionally upsetting news lately (family friends passing and other such bad news) plus the usual dip in energy due to the seasons change, it would be very easy to tip off the wagon for a day, an hour. But I am holding fast. Have had some small treats here and there (sugar free candy, the occasional slice or two of pizza) but overall my diet is very much changed. I try to do a little damage control if I am craving something high sugar or high fat and have a healthier version of that thing. Examples: instead of potato chips with creamy dip, I'll have popcorn or apple chips with almond butter or crackers with cheese or hummus. Instead of ice cream one night I bought some peanut butter chocolate cereal and had a bowl. Sugar free pudding is a good one, I like the cheescake SF pudding powder mixed into greek yogurt, or the pistachio SF jello pudding. Lots of Mio and other water flavors to stay off the pop. Better choices. Any time I think that I'm slipping or ate too much of something, I will remind myself hey! you haven't had any big bad foods in months: no ice cream, no candy, no fries, no doritos, no chips of any kind, no fast food, etc. That's huge. And when I am able to have the surgery I will be even better equipped with a tool to help me lose weight faster. 

So I just gotta wait.