Gastric Bypass Truth

Did you know that there is a higher suicide rate about 2-3 years after weight loss surgery? I saw a news story on it recently and really liked what it had to say.

Unfortunately, too many people think that bariatric surgery is going to solve all their problems. If I were only skinny, we think, my entire life would be different. [Read more →]

I feel almost as if I’ve just had my gastric bypass.

Last night I had shrimp and broccoli from my local Chinese restaurant. I ate slowly – mostly just the shrimp. And it wasn’t near as much as I have been able to eat recently.

But my pouch has definitely regained some of it’s post-op tightness. Because just like used to happen, those last couple bites too many came right back up.

So tonight as I ate the grilled chicken out of my salad at the local Mexican restaurant (who has time to cook any more??) I paid better attention and stopped as soon as I got the tight tummy feeling. And again, it was MUCH sooner than it’s been being.

WOW. The 5 Day Pouch Test has worked wonders! And the best news of all? [Read more →]

The 5 Day Pouch Test is working. But it still isn’t easy or fun.

Yesterday was day 3. Soft protein like scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, canned tuna or salmon. Pretty much the only thing on that list that I like was the eggs.

I had a quiche at my favorite coffee shop (didn’t eat the crust), then some cottage cheese in the afternoon (ick), snacked on SF pudding cups in between (you can never have too much chocolate) and had a ham, mushroom and cheese omlette for dinner.

It feels like I am definitely regaining control. And the good news is that the scale is still cooperating: 152 this morning. The bad news, however, is that I still feel like crap. [Read more →]

Well, on Day 3 of my 5 Day Pouch Test,  it’s getting easier.

Yesterday was still tough. No solid food. By the end of the day I was tired and had a headache. I had drama practice in the evening and I could tell my brain wasn’t really in it.

Today I’m up to scrambled eggs and cottage cheeses and stuff. So I decided to get out of Dodge. My favorite coffee shop has quiches that are really good. I guess that counts as scrambled eggs if I don’t eat the crust right? I hope so cuz that’s what I did.

I hung out there for several hours, sort of working. My brain still isn’t all there I don’t think. I’m back home now and I feel kind of light headed still, tired and woozy. I did have some cottage cheese and a pudding cup when I got here.

I can definitely tell a difference tho in my hunger level and what I can eat. It took very little cottage cheese till I felt somewhat full – of course I don’t really like cottage cheese either. I waited a few before the pudding cup. For dinner I’m going to make an omlette… ham and cheese and mushrooms.

So far the Pouch Test seems to be having the desired effect – I’m not craving carbs and like I said don’t feel as hungry. I remember getting to the place after gastric bypass surgery where hunger just wasnt’ an emergency any more like it had been before. [Read more →]

Wow yesterday was tough.

It was Day 1 of my 5 Day Pouch Test. I was crabby and hungry. I ate a LOT of sugar free pudding and cream of chicken soup. I had 2 protein shakes. I think I definitely got my protein quota in for the day. I drank Fuze’s.. not exactly the water that’s called for. I did drink a couple bottles of that too. Fuze is low carb tho.

But I think I’m having carb withdrawals. My head hurts, I’m dizzy. My stomach is seriously upset… I guess part of that is cleansing my system. [Read more →]

It hasn’t been that long ago I posted all proud of myself for maintaining my weight loss, staying at 145 pounds 3 years after my gastric bypass surgery.

Well — be careful what you brag about, right? Of course I didnt’ mean it as a brag, my hope is always that whatever I say here will help someone else on this crazy path.

Nonetheless, after that post life intervened. Lot of work, lot of busyness. And not so great eating habits. I reached “emergency weight” for the first time, and things worked as they should. I went into gear and got back to 145 over the course of a week or so. But life hasn’t slowed down.

I hit 150 again maybe 2-3 weeks ago now. I meant to declare the emergency. But I’ve been really busy and focused on other stuff. So I put it on my to-do list. I bounced between 150 and 152 till today.

Today my scale said 155. NOW it’s an emergency. I ain’t playing any more. [Read more →]

Well now this is a cool story.

First off, I can’t imagine anyone is surprised that morbidly obese women are more likely to be sexually dysfunctional. OR that losing weight would help, OR that such drastic weight loss would bring on “psychological changes.” DUH.

Still, we know how these science types get excited when they can prove the obvious. So here’s the story: [Read more →]

Well, I’m closing in on the third anniversary of my gastric bypass surgery. And I have to say I am very proud of myself. As of this morning, I weighed 145 pounds. Which is what I weighed six months ago. Which is what I want to continue to weigh until I can have the plastic surgery I want (cutting off the excess skin should be a good 5-10 pound loss I’m thinking).

I was told originally that between the second and third anniversary is when most people tend to gain a bit of weight back. And that thought petrified me. I  have been through entirely too much (including almost dying) to let that happen to me.

So how have I managed to keep the weight off? [Read more →]

OK, this will be a complete departure from the norm for this blog. It will be a bit controversial. But hey, isn’t the point of having a blog being able to say what you think?

I came accross this article today in the Boston Globe about the health care debate: Official Says Mass-type Care Could ‘Wipe Out’ Economy

Basically, it’s going to cost a mint to cover everyone. Taxes will have to go up. Massachusetts has only been able to make it work because they’ve gotten lots of federal subsidies. Who is going to subsidize the federal government?

Me and you, that’s who. And I can’t afford it.

But of course this is a gastric bypass blog, and so this post must have something to do with weight loss surgery. And it does. Check out this paragraph from the story: [Read more →]

Well, I did it. At least I think so.

I think I found a reason to have my insurance cover some plastic surgery for me. A real reason. Something I actually really need fixed whether it would look better or not.

In a nutshell, I had the gastric bypass. I lost 150 pounds. So pretty much everything on my body is.. well… lets just say lower than it used to be. Gives new meaning to the term “sportin’ a sag.” [Read more →]