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One Year VSG Anniversary

Sorry this is a day late, but I did get the VLOG posted yesterday over at youtube! Please subscribe! I think I’m going to do some cooking vlogging over there…

May 16 2016, right after surgery:

VSG Surgery 5/16/16


So, one year has passed since I made the best decision I’ve ever made – aside from marrying my best friend. :) And this is what I look like now:
5/16/17 One year!


I’ve not met my goal of 80# gone, but 65# ain’t too shabby. I am goal oriented, so I’m not giddy with the 65#, but I’m glad I’ve lost it. I’m hoping that the new exercise routine will help me get past this mid-180s plateau.

I’m still wearing a L top and 14 jeans, but the jeans are a little loose. I think my waist has gone done another inch or two. Even if I don’t lose weight, I know the weight lifting will change the way I look, so whatever. I guess we’ll see!! Muscle weighs more than fat, so the numbers may not move much.

I’m still taking the same supplements, still taking Nexium. I tried to get off Nexium again and failed, so I guess I’ll keep taking 20mg in the morning and 10 mg at night. I can’t even go down to just once daily. Ugh. I just hope they’ll come up with a better class of drugs than the -azole PPIs (esomeprazole, omeprazole). I kind of like my kidneys and want to keep them for a few more decades. Sigh.

VSG is the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. The weight loss is great, but it did so much MORE for me than just that. The experience of having surgery got me over some of my worst phobias – particularly needles. I still don’t LIKE getting stuck, but I don’t pass out any more, which is a fucking MIRACLE. This has also helped with my dental phobia, too. And of course, getting tattoos, which I can do without any fuss now. The awesome nurses in Mexico were SO GOOD at their jobs. Even the multiple sticks for an IV line were not too bad. MIRACLE, I tell you.

VSG also “cured” me of ALL my inflammation issues. I quote cured because I don’t think it was VSG at all, I think it was changing my gut flora that did the trick. When you have any gut surgery, you disrupt the flora by the antibiotics and the fact that you don’t eat for a week. I think this is a very important part of why VSG ended my inflammation. There is SO much research regarding gut flora right now. I’m sure that it will be linked to all sorts of chronic conditions – especially the ones involving inflammation.

VSG also empowered me overall. I finally did something for myself and it paid off. This has given me a new feeling of being in control that I had not had for a very long time.

So when you hear me preach the gospel of VSG, what you’re really hearing me preach is the gospel of empowerment.

If you are tired of being sick, fat and tired, then DO SOMETHING about it. I sat around whining for about TEN years. FUCK THAT. I’ll never do that again! I let myself get fat and unhealthy because of my fear of medical procedures. I really can’t say it enough: FIND A WAY TO DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO MAKE YOURSELF FEEL BETTER. If it’s the gym, a shrink, a doctor, or a medical procedure, make it happen. Don’t waste 10 years like I did!

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Short Post: Reflux Follow Up

The apple cider vinegar caps are a NO GO. Just made the acid worse. I’ve read that this will happen because the acid reducers are basically screwing up your stomach’s sensors. Makes sense. Anyway: NO on the ACV. I’d say that the peppermint and caraway oil supplements would probably give the same results. I may try them at some point, but not right now.

I got a 24 hr stomach bug Mon-Tue last week, so I didn’t take any supplements those days. The acid seemed to start to back off. Could’ve been because I was on liquids only for the time I was peeing out mah butt. But in any case, I went back to my standard supplements on Wed without issue. The acid is still somewhat less than it was. Good sign!!

What I take daily now:
1 multi cap (has 100mcg Vit B12, which is over 1600% DV, but I will add an additional B complex soon)
1 turmeric cap
1 vit D tablet
1 selenium cap
1 Kyodophilus cap
2 calcium chews

Some days, the caps are fine, other days they give me indigestion. Just like everything I eat/drink. Sigh.

I’m down to 2 Zantac a day, usually don’t start feeling reflux until the afternoon. But it varies. I always try to take one near bedtime to prevent overnight issues. BUT that, of course may or may not work. Nothing is a given, nothing is reliable.

TMI ALERT!! The last two nights I’ve been plagued with painful gas cramps that wake me up. I’ve not had a BM since Thursday. This, too, is “normal” now. I don’t have regular BMs and they could be water, regular or hard as rocks. NOT PLEASANT. But it makes sense since I cannot eat more than 1/2 cup at a time anyway. ::shrug::

So be ready for reflux and erratic BMs after VSG. I am not unusual in my symptoms. You’ve been warned! I still think it’s worth it, btw, despite all my bitching. I’ve lost another 6#, which brings me to 21# since surgery, 31# overall.

I TOLD YOU I WAS IMPATIENT. So, I am losing, just not as fast as I’d like. Typical. Sigh. :P

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More About Eating After VSG and Vitamins

**Vitamin list for the healing stage of VSG at bottom!

So, after doing some more reading and youtubing, I now have proof that my “quick” move to regular foods is NOT unusual. I found a couple that both had the sleeve at the same time and their Dr cut them loose at 5 wks to eat “regular” foods. They did 2 weeks liquid, one week pureed, one week soft then onto regular food. JUST LIKE I DID. It’s all about what the Dr hands you on the little care sheet. The timelines are just suggestions, everyone is different. While I’m fine with the 5 wk timeline, someone else might be struggling and end up on the 8 wk timeline. You won’t know until you are doing it. I followed my body’s lead and when I wanted to try different foods, I did. Listen to your body!!

I’ve also been doing research on the no drinking while eating “rule” and that also depends on the person. The logic behind it is that the pouch fills up fast and you don’t want to have a liquid hogging space – which is sensible and has been my experience. Another theory is that too much fluid will “wash out” the foods too soon and you’ll not get the nutrition. That one I think is suspect, but perhaps?

What I DO NOT like is when the medical people – be it Dr, dietician, nurse or other caregiver – have hissy fits if you don’t follow *their* rules and threaten you with statements like “OH, if you drink water with meals, you’ll have trouble down the line!” Which is a total LIE (NOT told to me, but to the couple on youtube). Drinking with a meal will NOT harm the pouch, but it may not feel great to you, either. Once that puppy is healed, IT IS HEALED. It’s not going to pop open or anything! ALSO, drinking carbonated drinks will NOT stretch out the pouch. That is a myth. I drink carbonated water all the time before and now. I also drink beer, sake and wine without issue. I didn’t do these things during healing, but I do now and it’s fine – but not with meals.

So, again, when dealing with bariatric surgery (VSG in particular), do your research, but don’t be afraid to experiment and see what works best for YOU. The 5 wk timeline has worked fine for me (I’m almost at wk 6). Drinking with meals does NOT work for me (yet), but I don’t usually drink a lot while eating anyway. Drinking carbonated water is fine for me. As I always say: your mileage may vary.

For me, doing this procedure was precisely to NOT have to be on a diet ever again. I don’t intend to live my life counting calories, protein, carbs or anything else. I think 40 years of dieting is ENOUGH. I am very mindful of what I eat right now because I’m still adjusting and creating new habits, but I don’t intend to be keeping food logs at 6 months. I intend to live my life and still lose the weight, which is what I’m confident will happen. Here’s to NO DIETS.

To quote a guy on a forum: “I may be a renegade, but to me a normal person has some water with dinner…and my goal was to look, feel, and act like a normal person for the first time in my adult life. I am obviously not advocating that anyone follow in my footsteps; I just wanted to give a different perspective.” Yep, I feel ya, buddy, I feel ya. :)

**Addendum: I seem to have removed the list of vitamins I took at the beginning of my VSG journey! Here is the list that I took when I was healing:
Adult Gummies multivitamins (Kirkland from Costco): 4/day (double dose because gummies are low quality)
Pioneer Calcium/Magnesium, dark chocolate, 4 quarter sized tablets per serving
Quickdots Vit D3 and K2 chewables 1 tiny melt per serving
Quickdots Vit B12 (and folic acid) chewables, 1 small melt per svg

Once I was eating normally and taking capsules w/out issues, I added in some of the other things I take and you can see that list here.

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Doing Better…

Not shiny and happy, but better. That big dip has been thankfully short lived.

Part of it is some good luck at getting an iPhone 5c for $76 and then finding a tokidoki case. Another part is Nick is feeling better, which naturally makes me feel better.

Some of it can be attributed to resolving to simply take care of myself and saying BUGGER OFF to the various medical people who have let me down. Between my research skills, knowing my body and some input from Amy, I think I can handle the dehisced incision myself.

To cover the backstory:

My dermatologist did not get the messages I was leaving her all last week due to idiots in the two offices she works in, so she never called me back until Friday night after 9pm. ?? When she did, she basically told me that she had no idea what to do about the incision and I should call the Wound Care Clinic for an appointment. Nice! Thanks medical person I’ve seen FOR YEARS. >:( So, Monday morning, I called this clinic and the nurse informed me that if I don’t have insurance, I’d have to pay $700 just to walk through the door. I laughed at her and said, what? She reiterated the $700 fee. I asked why it was so much and of course she had no idea but said, “well, you have to pay the hospital and the doctors”. Um. Yeah. I told her that was pure-T bullshit and hung up. Then I called another clinic – with the SAME motherfucking doctor – and their initial fee was $225. Much better, but still.

Due to these fees and bullshit, I’m very hesitant to pay for a “wound specialist” to look at a NON-infected wound, tell me I’m doing fine and sending me on my way. Which is what I feel will happen.

SO. I take care of myself, as usual.

The coordinator in Mexico called me yesterday to see how I was doing. Which is great, I appreciate it, but it devolved into her subtly implying that my slow weight loss is due to my not following the whacked out meal plan set forth by their useless dietician. Grrrrr. I’ve put the diet rant into its own post (below).

Again, it’s that deeply rooted belief that the reason Americans are fat is solely due to eating fast food and too much sugar. I resent it and it REALLY pisses me off. I was pretty pissed when I finally got off the phone. Just goes to show: NEVER believe any person whose job it is to keep you happy. NEVER. They will lie to do their job (keep you happy while you are in their care) and you will eventually see their true feelings shine through the bullshit. It’s a sad but true fact. (Anyone in Mexico reading this: I am not mad at any person, I’m mad at the overall belief that being fat and/or weight loss is strictly a factor of diet. IT IS NOT. There are REAMS of facts to back this up. NOR is this a slam at the ladies who coordinate things. They are VERY good at their jobs and very caring. I am just a very perceptive person and see through bullshit more than the average person.)

But oddly, getting pissed off about that attitude has helped pull me out of the doldrums, so hey, thanks for that, I guess.

I also had some good info from a scientist friend who did some digging and confirmed that actually, I’m on target for this procedure. She found anecdotal evidence that 15-30# was typical for the first month and 5-20# was average for the following months after VSG. The people in Mexico were just blowing hot air up my skirt with the claims of 40# in the first month – again, NEVER believe people who are paid to keep you happy. They’ll say anything. It’s not malicious, it’s their job.

In typical ME fashion, information soothes me and gets me off my ass. I feel capable of taking care of this wound and managing my weight in this new normal. I’m still not happy that I’ve lost most of my enjoyments of life (good food, good wine, cooking), but I know they’ll come back in a few months. I will continue to bitch, but overall, I’m holding on to the hope that my life WILL get back to normal and I’ll get back the few things that make me happy.

In the meantime, I’ve got a truly great partner to help me get through it and to support me when I need it. Nick has been AMAZING during all this and I have not said enough how much I could NOT have gotten through this without him. He is my rock. I love you, baby! XOXOXO

I’ll have a video for you guys by the end of the week. :)

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End of Intake Logs

I’m done with the intake logs. You get the idea! It’s the same every day: try to get my fluids, try to get my protein. This weekend, I’m transitioning to pureed foods, which includes proteins. I will let you know how that goes and whether any foods give me a reaction.

I’m sleeping pretty well and feel generally OK. I’m having trouble with energy; it’s up, it’s down, I’m tired, I’m not. I assume this is part and parcel of the body trying to decide WTF to do about all this. I get sweats sometimes, too, and I think this is hormonal. My brain feels bored and fuzzy, but again, the sharp drop in calories probably has a lot do with that.

I’ve not lost any weight, but Amy told me that her loss didn’t start until week three, so I assume I’ll be on track with her. We have very similar bodies. Scratch that! I just weighed and I’ve dropped to 230! So, about 8# down since last week! Yay!

My Dermabonded incisions are itchy! GAH! Between the chafed skin from tape and the healing, I’m using a lot of hydrocortisone cream!

I’m taking my supplements every day: gummie vits, sub lingual B12 and I’m adding in calcium today. I may add in the vegan iron this weekend, too. I’ve never needed to take iron, but with basically no food, I’m taking it for now. My six month blood tests will tell the tale of how my supplements are working.

I’ll be making a video this weekend. I’m trying to get on a weekly schedule with them.

In other news, my TSA complaint is in the works. The investigations department has it and video is being reviewed.  I also sent my Senators TSA complaints and one of them had their minion CALL ME to tell me that they got the email. How quaint. Fucking politicians. Completely out of touch with the world. $100 says he gets his emails printed every morning and handed to him. Sigh.

Hilton gave me an apology, a full refund and 25,000 HHonors points which is a free night or two.

If you stand up for yourself, you’ll usually get satisfaction.