16 week update and other info--long

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

I use to post to this list a lot--pre-op. Now that I am post-op, I

decided to post only monthly updates (sorry skipped last month). I

did unsub from the list, but lately I have " lurked " so I think will

add some of my thoughts on some threads. Oh, I did that at the web

site--so please excuse my awful spelling--without spell check I am

hopeless.

This Friday, made it 16 weeks since surgery. Dr. Ren was my surgeon

and she and her staff are excellent. I have lost over 50 pounds and my

BMI is now 28. The results of my bloodwork was that everything was

normal. Dr. Ren took into my account that I am not normally a big

protein eater--so she made my alimentary limb 50 cm longer. I try to

eat 6-8 ounces a protein a day, but I probably am closer to 6 ounces a

day (before surgery I probably ate 4 ounces a protein every other

day). I am happy to say that the blood results showed that my protein

level is now higher than it was pre-op. I think Dr. Ren made the

right choice because 6-8 ounces is tolerable for me--more would have

been annoying.

In the last three weeks, I started to get my old energy back. Until

then I did not feel " well. " I did feel okay enough to work, but I

just did not feel alright. I did have problems with mild-moderate

nausau. And I think I have some gas problems that I did not

acknowledge--since it stayed inside my stomach--I was not expelling

it, I thought it was a " raw " healing stomach problem and did not think

it was gas. Geo--Dr. Ren's nurse, said it sounds like gas and I think

he is right. Anyway, during the last two weeks my stomach feels a lot

better and my energy is a lot better.

I had not have any complications (knock wood), but I was surprised that

it took so long to feel like my old self. So all of you post-ops who

are still not feeling " great " don't worry--it will happen. I would

feel a little worried when people would say " 10 weeks and I feel

better than I ever did pre-op. " I was thinking--I don't. But I think

now I am starating to--so it will happen.

Food:

First off, so far, I do not worry to much about how much a food is

being absorbed. I figure I am eating under 1000 calories--I know that

even if all those calories got absorbed I would lose weight--the

malabsorption is just a bonus. Of course, I do pay attention to the

malabsorption interms of getting enough protein. That being said.

Somebody wrote that we absorb 100% carbohydrates. That is not true (

I once thought that too.) We aborb 100% simple sugars. Not all of the

calories from carbohydrates get converted into simple sugars. I have

found no difference with my weight loss when I eat carbs or not. I do

emphasis protein first, but I never stinted on my carbs. Of course, I

eat less carbs than pre-op because I need room for protein, but I have

cerial, rice, bread, etc. I also have had sweet rolls,croussants,

brioche,waffles, donuts, poundcake, icecream sandwiches, icecream,

without any noticable effect on my weight loss. Actually, when ever I

have the richer breads--croussants, sweet roll, I have found I would

lose weight (could be coincident). No I do not have these foods every

day . And yes, it takes me two days to eat one sweet roll, two days

to eat a slice of pound cake and I eat 1/2 an icecream sandwich at a

time. Basically, my only food concern is to get enough protein--after

that, if the food won't make me to full and agrees with my stomach--I

eat it. I do try not to have to much simple sugar and sweets, but I

do have them. So far I have not had a plateau and my weight loss has

been steady. If I start to have problems I would quit the sweets.

I just wanted people who are not protein " lovers " to know that the

protein needed is not that bad. 6-8 ounces is reasonable. You might

ask your Dr. to elongate you alimentary limb so you absorb more

protein (but that also means you will absorb more calories.) Finally

remembe YMMV (your miliage may vary.) Different people's body absorb

protein differently, you might need more. The same can be said with

carbs and fat.

Well I am 15 pounds to my personal goal. I now weigh what I usually

weigh after I lose weight (I would always try to lose more and then

after 4 or so months I would start to gain weight). So if I stay here

and never gain anymore weight--the surgery would be worth it. If I

lose 15 more pounds and get to my goal, the surgery will be that much

better and if I get to the weight Dr. Ren said I should get to (in the

140's) I will faint from shock. As an adult, I never weighed in the

140's. I need to lose less than 30 pounds to get to that goal. And I

have over a year to do. So I am a pretty happy camper.

I wish all you pre-ops the best, post-ops keep on healing and getting

better. This surgery is quite an undertaking. Your bodily functions

are changed and are different. Until you do it, it is hard to explain

how weird it is not to know how your basic functions will work. But,

at least for me, it was worth it. To know that I really will not

gain this weight--I have to admit I still don't feel that is

true---though I know it is. Hopefully, time will convince me.

Dbbr (Deborah)

NYU, Dr. Ren, Jan12

LAP DS BMI 38, Now 28

Bluecross Healthchoice

50+ pounds gone