Lurker finally speaks!

[Guest guest]

Hello all, I have been lurking religiously for about a month now

and off and on before that. I think it is finally time to introduce

myself. My surgery was in 9/99 so I am just over 3 1/2 years out.

I really wish I had found this site much earlier, but am grateful to

have found it now. I have Vitalady to thank for that as she

referred to this site on the AMOS site so I gave it a try. Anyway,

my surgeon was Dr. Mark Vierra at Stanford in Palo Alto CA. He was

a " typical " surgeon w/no bedside mannor but the only one my

insurance would approve. He did these surgeries on the side as his

practice was mostly cancer patients. He was considered one of the

best at abdominal surgeons at that time. He was absolutely no help

with aftercare so I turned to the AMOS site for support. I moved

from Palo Alto and never even went back for my 1 year check-up. He

called me a " shrimp " as most of his WLS patients were much bigger.

I was 250 and 5'6 " and was insulted everytime he said that because I

was a lot bigger than he was. My weight loss was okay but due to

severe osteo arthritis in my hip was not able to exercise at all.

So I was happy when I lost approx 85 lbs. This enabled me to have a

hip replacement one year ago which has also changed my life. I am

just now able to exercise more normally though I found out after

getting off all the meds for arthritis that I have it in my other

hip also. So I am confined to an exercise bike at the moment.

After my hip surgery, I had to stay down (no activity) for about 3

months and then was able to get out of the house first w/ a walker

and then a cane and then nothing. Unfortunately, I have gained

about 20+ lbs. and had been so frustrated because although I hardly

ate much food, I was gaining. There have been numerous stresses in

my life the worst of which was my husband having to work in another

state since October and having him home only a weekend a month. I

have 2 daughters ages 10 & 12.

Since finding this site I have learned that the food I was eating

were carbs and sugar. I have always taken 60gr. protein daily and a

pretty good regime of vitamins, but the carbs are the problem. I

have used sugar for stress for years now. I can tolerate w/ almost

no dumping. I wanted so desperatley to join you all in the 3 day

all protein experiment, but couldn't make myself. I did order

samples from Vitalady and have found a couple I will now order. The

last 2 days I have been suffering a terrible cold and realized I

have not eaten any carbs so now I am going to jump in and up my

protein and try not to eat many carbs. It won't be easy, but I have

a leg up with this cold.

I wish to thank you all for all the time you give to this site and

all the excellent information you give us. I hope to contribute in

the future.

Diane