My Progress So Far...

So it's been almost 7 weeks since my gastric bypass.  Lots of really exciting things have happened already as a result of my surgery (aside from the issues related to my cyst), and it seems appropriate to celebrate these accomplishments.  


The initial list of medical problems that I suffered from that lead me to the Weight Management Institute was frightening.  But look!  Some improvements are already evident, and this is only the beginning.

• High blood pressure:
• I still suffer from high blood pressure, but "my numbers" seem to be improving!
• Chronic pain from osteoarthritis in my knees, ankles and low back: 
• ✔Dramatic Improvement in all areas have been noted!
• Non-insulin dependent diabetes:
•  ✔My blood sugar is consistently excellent, and I am no longer on medication for my diabetes!
• Chronic heartburn from GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease):
• ✔My heartburn and GERD are cured!  No more heartburn pain or need for medication since the surgery!   
• Severe sleep apnea requiring the use of a C-PAP machine at night:
• I continue to need the CPAP at this time, however as I continue to lose weight my doctor's suggest that this will likely change.
• Impaired mobility -  I was having difficulty getting around without a cane:
• I am much more comfortable walking, and already I can get around most of the time without a cane except for longer distances.
• Periodic venous stasis wounds on my legs requiring daily wound treatment and aggressive compression treatment ranging from compression hose to the use of a lymphedema pump.  
• ✔No wounds since the surgery.  Minimal episodes of swelling in my lower legs, though I do wear a less unpleasant form of compression most of the time. 

All in all this is pretty exciting news.  Today when I saw my dietician for my routine visit,  we did a body composition test showing that while I am losing both muscle and fat (which is to be expected), even with minimal exercise I'm losing a solid amount of fat.  My ultimate goal is to lose 3 pounds of fat for every 1 pound of muscle.  Today I am at 1.75 pounds of fat for every 1 pound of muscle.  This gives me a goal to work toward.


Other positive information from the session with the dietician: I can eat most things now as long as I am cautious about the food textures (apple skins, stringy veggies, dry or overcooked meats, etc.).  Of course I am eating really small amounts of food, still.  I am supplementing my diet with the same protein powder I used for the months before my surgery when I was on the "partial liquid diet".


I have lost 50.7 pounds since I started the "partial liquid diet" on 6/4/10.  I broke the 300# mark on 9/27/10.  Follow along for continued progress, and please join me in celebrating these exciting improvements in my weight loss efforts.  I admittedly have a long way to go -- but it all seems possible to me now when I consider the progress I've made so far.  


For those of you in my "fan club" who have been supporting my efforts - thank you so much!

Off With the Old

Welcome to my blog:  Off With the Old! My Gastric Bypass and the Lessons I've Learned From the Process

I started this blog at the urging of some of the members of my team, at the Legacy Health Weight Management Institute in Portland, Oregon.  I am a patient at the Weight Management Institute (WMI) Since November 2009.  Since then I have been virtually surrounded by a team of professionals assisting me in planning for success in finally achieving my weight loss goals.  I want to say that my support team doesn't just include the Physical Therapist (PT), psychologist, nurse practitioner, registered dietitian (RD), and Surgeon (MD).  I also consider my family, my Primary Care provider (PCP),  and my personal psychologist to be just as important in my quest for lifelong weight loss. 

My Story

I have been overweight for as long as I can remember.  As a child, I was "the fat one" and I struggled despite my parents desperate and sometimes dysfunctional efforts to "make me thin".  I say this with love, because despite the worry my weight caused my family, with the comments, the bribery, the begging and pleading - I know that this was because they love me.  Nevertheless, it was difficult and often painful dealing with the pressures around my weight, whether it was a few pounds or many in question.

Last Fall I decided that enough was enough. It seemed then as if it happening all at once, but in retrospect it clearly happened over a matter of months to a couple of years. I was suffering from a multitude of medical problems that made work virtually impossible, and nearly all of my complications were related to my weight.  I was suffering from:

• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Chronic pain from osteoarthritis in my knees, ankles and low back  
• Non-insulin dependent diabetes
• Chronic heartburn from GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease)  
• Severe sleep apnea requiring that I use a machine called a C-PAP at night when I slept.  This requires getting used to a face mask of sorts hat blows air into your airway to keep it open while you sleep
• Impaired mobility -  I was having difficulty getting around, and now had to use a straight or single point cane.  

I agree that this is a lot of medical trouble, but that was not the worst of it.  I also suffered from:   

• Periodic venous stasis wounds on my legs from leaking veins that were causing a need for sometimes painful daily wound treatment and aggressive compression treatment ranging from the "oh so fashionable" compression hose to mechanical pumping using a lymphedema pump.  This pump machine is recommended for use for several hours a day to control lower extremity edema (swelling).  
• And the compression hose?  They are as uncomfortable as they are ugly.  

Suddenly it seemed that I was a mess and was heading toward disability very quickly.  And that's why when I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, on top of all of the rest of it I knew I didn't stand a chance.  Triggered by my many medical problems, my fibromyalgia flared out of control.  I was missing a third of my scheduled work time, and I was facing issues at work due to my absenteeism.  My job was on the line for the first time in my life.  I knew then that I needed to go out on a medical leave.  Fortunately, my PCP, Dr. D agreed.


More soon...