Guest guest Posted June 15, 2001 Report Share Posted June 15, 2001 Hi Dawna! >First, how was the experience for you in the beginning. Miserable! Thank heaven for the supportive hospital staff and folks in my surgeon's office. I had an open BPD/DS with gallbladder removal and a few other little tune-ups while they were in the vicinity. Over 8 hours in surgery. As long as the epidural remained in place it was fine, but 4 days post-op they removed it and I failed to keep up with the pain meds. Since I had been told that the effects of the epidural would wear off after about 6 hours, I got cocky and refused the boosters to my IV. BIG mistake. It took the better part of 14 hours for the epidural to wear off and by then I just didn't have enough pain meds on board. I spent 24 pretty hellish hours till I built up enough in my system again. 7 days post-op, I got to eat. Thankfully I knew I wasn't going to have to eat like that forever. I might have done myself an injury. I could swallow only a teaspoon of solids at a time. Anything that might swell after eating, like rice or pasta just wasn't going to happen. Man, did that hurt! >Did you lose quickly or slowly? I lost very very fast. 35 pounds in the first two weeks. 70 pounds in the first 3 months. 135 pounds at 1 year. > When did the weight loss slow down? The weight loss slowed in relation to how much I walked. When I made my daily walks a priority, the weight kept coming off. >When did it stop? The weight loss stopped when I lost all the fat. I am really quite thin. I wear size 10 dresses and size 12 pants, mostly because of all the excess skin I still have. Someday I will be able to afford the tummy tuck. Then I will probably be able to fit in my daughter's size 6 jeans. >Does your weight fluctuate now? Yes, I have a hard time keeping it UP. Bizarre does not even come close to how odd that still feels. I struggle to stay above 150 lbs. Below that my face and shoulders just look ghastly. >How has your eating changed? I have about 80% of the capacity I had before surgery. The main difference is that I have to carry food and candy with me at all times, lest I get too hungry. > Does it continue to change? Seems to have stabilized over the last 2 years. >How are your labs? Lousy. I am very amnemic right now, a nosebleed away from a transfusion, as my doc says. On my way next month to see my surgeon for my semi-annual check-up and an iron injection. I also have trouble absorbing enough Vitamin A, so lots of carrots, winter squash, and "dry" Vit A supplements. >How do you feel? Greeeaaat, as Tony the Tiger would say. In spite of the flatulence, the smelly bathroom visits, the occasional vomiting when I have been imprudent in eating too much too fast, it was and is still the best thing I have ever done. >Any surprises along the road? Lots! There are things about being fat that were very safe and protective. No one had made a pass at me in 20 years. Then all of a sudden, strange men would ask for my phone number or worse. Very intrusive and very very difficult to handle. I had been lousy at handling attentions from men as a teen and hadn't had to practice those skills in the intervening 20 years. I had been in therapy for years and had some insight on the reasons I stayed fat in spite of the pain and social stigmas it brought. A realization came as I passed the threshold from plus sizes into "normal" size clothes. I had never been able to lose weight below that point. I was so frightened by a couple of experiences in stores with overly friendly males that if I could've, I would've stopped losing. Similar events had sabotaged diets in the past. The other major surprise was the real state of my face. It is one thing for wrinkles to appear one at a time over the course of 25 years. It is quite another to each morning wake up and see 20 new ones. Amazing how much fat plumbs out those little devils.>Any advice? DO IT! In spite of the above paragraph, I would do it again. The scariest parts were worrying about what if... Once a challenge came and I actually conquered it, I was fine. I even learned to deter unwanted advances, by using a technique my lovely 25 year old daughter uses. My dear husband of 26 years has also been a true blessing. Deborah BPD/DS 09/24/97 BMI 54 307 lbs current BMI 26 154 lbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 16, 2001 Report Share Posted June 16, 2001 Dear Deborah, Your story is real inspiring to me! I am a pre-op and wait with great anticipation for the day that I go in for my DS! I am glad to know you are doing well and enjoy your results! a Pre-op BMI36 Spain-bound 4 years post-op Hi Dawna! >First, how was the experience for you in the beginning. Miserable! Thank heaven for the supportive hospital staff and folks in my surgeon's office. I had an open BPD/DS with gallbladder removal and a few other little tune-ups while they were in the vicinity. Over 8 hours in surgery. As long as the epidural remained in place it was fine, but 4 days post-op they removed it and I failed to keep up with the pain meds. Since I had been told that the effects of the epidural would wear off after about 6 hours, I got cocky and refused the boosters to my IV. BIG mistake. It took the better part of 14 hours for the epidural to wear off and by then I just didn't have enough pain meds on board. I spent 24 pretty hellish hours till I built up enough in my system again. 7 days post-op, I got to eat. Thankfully I knew I wasn't going to have to eat like that forever. I might have done myself an injury. I could swallow only a teaspoon of solids at a time. Anything that might swell after eating, like rice or pasta just wasn't going to happen. Man, did that hurt! >Did you lose quickly or slowly? I lost very very fast. 35 pounds in the first two weeks. 70 pounds in the first 3 months. 135 pounds at 1 year. > When did the weight loss slow down? The weight loss slowed in relation to how much I walked. When I made my daily walks a priority, the weight kept coming off. >When did it stop? The weight loss stopped when I lost all the fat. I am really quite thin. I wear size 10 dresses and size 12 pants, mostly because of all the excess skin I still have. Someday I will be able to afford the tummy tuck. Then I will probably be able to fit in my daughter's size 6 jeans. >Does your weight fluctuate now? Yes, I have a hard time keeping it UP. Bizarre does not even come close to how odd that still feels. I struggle to stay above 150 lbs. Below that my face and shoulders just look ghastly. >How has your eating changed? I have about 80% of the capacity I had before surgery. The main difference is that I have to carry food and candy with me at all times, lest I get too hungry. > Does it continue to change? Seems to have stabilized over the last 2 years. >How are your labs? Lousy. I am very amnemic right now, a nosebleed away from a transfusion, as my doc says. On my way next month to see my surgeon for my semi-annual check-up and an iron injection. I also have trouble absorbing enough Vitamin A, so lots of carrots, winter squash, and "dry" Vit A supplements. >How do you feel? Greeeaaat, as Tony the Tiger would say. In spite of the flatulence, the smelly bathroom visits, the occasional vomiting when I have been imprudent in eating too much too fast, it was and is still the best thing I have ever done. >Any surprises along the road? Lots! There are things about being fat that were very safe and protective. No one had made a pass at me in 20 years. Then all of a sudden, strange men would ask for my phone number or worse. Very intrusive and very very difficult to handle. I had been lousy at handling attentions from men as a teen and hadn't had to practice those skills in the intervening 20 years. I had been in therapy for years and had some insight on the reasons I stayed fat in spite of the pain and social stigmas it brought. A realization came as I passed the threshold from plus sizes into "normal" size clothes. I had never been able to lose weight below that point. I was so frightened by a couple of experiences in stores with overly friendly males that if I could've, I would've stopped losing. Similar events had sabotaged diets in the past. The other major surprise was the real state of my face. It is one thing for wrinkles to appear one at a time over the course of 25 years. It is quite another to each morning wake up and see 20 new ones. Amazing how much fat plumbs out those little devils.>Any advice? DO IT! In spite of the above paragraph, I would do it again. The scariest parts were worrying about what if... Once a challenge came and I actually conquered it, I was fine. I even learned to deter unwanted advances, by using a technique my lovely 25 year old daughter uses. My dear husband of 26 years has also been a true blessing. Deborah BPD/DS 09/24/97 BMI 54 307 lbs current BMI 26 154 lbs ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 16, 2001 Report Share Posted June 16, 2001 thank you so much for sharing your experience. it really helps me to hear real stories from real people. cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 19, 2001 Report Share Posted June 19, 2001 Thank you so much, Deborah, for sharing your post-op experiences! I am pre-op and am very scared about surgery and any potential problems. Are there any other post-ops willing to share their experiences with us scaredy cats?? Please!!! Thanks,Carol > >Reply-To: duodenalswitch >To: " Yahoo Group " duodenalswitch > >Subject: Re: 4 years post-op >Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 00:09:56 -0700 > >Dear Deborah, >Your story is real inspiring to me! I am a pre-op and wait with great >anticipation for the day that I go in for my DS! I am glad to know you are >doing well and enjoy your results! > >a >Pre-op >BMI36 >Spain-bound > > 4 years post-op > >Hi Dawna! > > >First, how was the experience for you in the beginning. > Miserable! Thank heaven for the supportive hospital staff and folks in >my surgeon's office. I had an open BPD/DS with gallbladder removal and a >few other little tune-ups while they were in the vicinity. Over 8 hours in >surgery. As long as the epidural remained in place it was fine, but 4 >days post-op they removed it and I failed to keep up with the pain meds. >Since I had been told that the effects of the epidural would wear off after >about 6 hours, I got cocky and refused the boosters to my IV. BIG mistake. > It took the better part of 14 hours for the epidural to wear off and by >then I just didn't have enough pain meds on board. I spent 24 pretty >hellish hours till I built up enough in my system again. > 7 days post-op, I got to eat. Thankfully I knew I wasn't going to >have to eat like that forever. I might have done myself an injury. I >could swallow only a teaspoon of solids at a time. Anything that might >swell after eating, like rice or pasta just wasn't going to happen. Man, >did that hurt! > >Did you lose quickly or slowly? > I lost very very fast. 35 pounds in the first two weeks. 70 pounds >in the first 3 months. 135 pounds at 1 year. > > When did the weight loss slow down? > The weight loss slowed in relation to how much I walked. When I made >my daily walks a priority, the weight kept coming off. > >When did it stop? > The weight loss stopped when I lost all the fat. I am really quite >thin. I wear size 10 dresses and size 12 pants, mostly because of all the >excess skin I still have. Someday I will be able to afford the tummy tuck. > Then I will probably be able to fit in my daughter's size 6 jeans. > >Does your weight fluctuate now? > Yes, I have a hard time keeping it UP. Bizarre does not even come >close to how odd that still feels. I struggle to stay above 150 lbs. >Below that my face and shoulders just look ghastly. > >How has your eating changed? > I have about 80% of the capacity I had before surgery. The main >difference is that I have to carry food and candy with me at all times, >lest I get too hungry. > > Does it continue to change? > Seems to have stabilized over the last 2 years. > >How are your labs? > Lousy. I am very amnemic right now, a nosebleed away from a >transfusion, as my doc says. On my way next month to see my surgeon for my >semi-annual check-up and an iron injection. I also have trouble absorbing >enough Vitamin A, so lots of carrots, winter squash, and " dry " Vit A >supplements. > >How do you feel? > Greeeaaat, as Tony the Tiger would say. In spite of the flatulence, >the smelly bathroom visits, the occasional vomiting when I have been >imprudent in eating too much too fast, it was and is still the best thing I >have ever done. > >Any surprises along the road? > Lots! There are things about being fat that were very safe and >protective. No one had made a pass at me in 20 years. Then all of a >sudden, strange men would ask for my phone number or worse. Very intrusive >and very very difficult to handle. I had been lousy at handling attentions >from men as a teen and hadn't had to practice those skills in the >intervening 20 years. I had been in therapy for years and had some insight >on the reasons I stayed fat in spite of the pain and social stigmas it >brought. A realization came as I passed the threshold from plus sizes into > " normal " size clothes. I had never been able to lose weight below that >point. I was so frightened by a couple of experiences in stores with >overly friendly males that if I could've, I would've stopped losing. >Similar events had sabotaged diets in the past. > The other major surprise was the real state of my face. It is one >thing for wrinkles to appear one at a time over the course of 25 years. It >is quite another to each morning wake up and see 20 new ones. Amazing how >much fat plumbs out those little devils. > >Any advice? > DO IT! In spite of the above paragraph, I would do it again. The >scariest parts were worrying about what if... Once a challenge came and I >actually conquered it, I was fine. I even learned to deter unwanted >advances, by using a technique my lovely 25 year old daughter uses. My >dear husband of 26 years has also been a true blessing. > >Deborah >BPD/DS >09/24/97 >BMI 54 >307 lbs >current BMI 26 >154 lbs > > >---------------------------------------------------------------------- > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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