mybariatricsurgery

Wow, went to my endocrinologist today for my first post-op visit, am down from 138kg in November 2010 to 115kg today, 31 August 2011. That is 22kg's! Other excellent news was that I can now stop the last of my four chronic medications I was on, which means that for the first time in 6 years I am completely off all chronic medications!!!! YAY!!! I hope my postings are helping someone, don't know if I must carry on with blogging on this website, please give me some feedback.

My before and after photos. 26.5kg down, 7.5kg from op exactly one month ago this Saturday (20 August 2011, op done 20 July 2011). No regret. Worst part having to crush tablets for the rest of my life! Small price to pay for looking and feeling good.:biggrin: See album called Before and After.

Two days to go. Liquid diet was a breeze, not bad at all, after all that stressing about it. 10% Weight loss achieved. Am not even slightly nervous, think it is good I have so much else going on, like schools starting tomorrow. Can't wait for it all to be over.

Day 2 of liquid diet, not nearly as bad as I expected, I totally can do this! So tired of the people who seem to think I am going to "recover" from the idea of having this op just because I have lost a little bit of weight (a requirement of the op is to lose 10% of your body weight before-hand). Two years of research, 6 months of invasive tests and procedures and 4 months of waiting for medical aid approval - really, does it sound like I'm going to give up?

One more thing that is really annoying me is that I refuse to hide the fact that I am having this surgery, and I am so tired of the people who seem to think that just because I have lost a bit of weight (a requirement to have this surgery is to lose 10% of your body weight before surgery) I am going to "recover" from the idea of having this op. Two years of researching the op, several invasive tests and procedures later to fulfill medical aid requirements and a further four months of waiting for medical aid approval - does this sound like someone who is going to give up?

Well, day 2 of the liquid diet stage (now 9 days pre-op) and I must admit, I was dreading this stage because I thought it would absolutely kill me to do liquids only. However, the good news is that I am perfectly satisfied, there is nothing difficult about it at all, the protein shakes are really satisfying. Yes, nothing is plain sailing but if you can follow a diet like Atkins, you can do the liquid stage for 10 days. Of course, it is only the second day, but I never thought I would survive the first, so am feeling pretty good about it.

17 Days and counting. 11.3 Kg down. YIPPEE!!! Liquid diet starts on Sunday (must do for 10 to 14 days before op, so obviously only doing it for 10 days). On the one hand, will welcome the liquidized fruit and veggies I may have on the liquid diet - especially the fat-free yoghurt - 'cause on Atkins it is mostly meat and eggs and salad, but on the other hand, have no idea how I am going to cope with TEN whole days of liquids only.

Having a break 2nite, doing a fondue with friends. Will get back on the diet mill 2morrow. Time is getting shorter very quickly now, 20 July is around the corner. Must say I thoroughly enjoyed my eggs on bread this morning, and cappuccino with sugar (bread and sugar big no-no's on Atkins diet). Will surely pay the price on the scale again. Have at least maintained previous weight loss (YIPPEE!!!)

8.4 kg lost, just another 8.6 to go. Yippee! Have to lose a certain percentage of my body weight before the op, had a break for the weekend, back on the strict regime from tomorrow.

What a weekend - my disc slipped (it happened previously about 8 years ago, so at least I knew what was happening) out of position on Sat and was completely immobile until Monday morning. Much pain, injection and medication to get to today. It took all of my willpower not to buckle off my Atkins diet yesterday when I was in "sorry for myself" mode, but I think the injury just made me more determined to get the weight off as fast as possible. I am so done with being fat. I am thankful that this happened to me now, when I was fit enough to recover a lot quicker than I would have previously (thanks to a year with a biokinetisist and going to gym thereafter). I am also thankful to my wonderful hubby who fetched and carried after me and my daughter, cleaned up, did washing, etcetera. You are the best!

I would just like to say that by blogging about my surgery, I am not trying to promote weight loss surgery in any way. It is a very personal decision and I would never try to encourage anyone to have surgery. I have always believed that surgery for anything is an absolute last resort, which is the point I have reached with my weight. It was more a medical decision for me, as I have to weigh up (excuse the pun) whether or not I want to be alive to see my grandchildren one day. There are many medical conditions one has to have in the first place to even be considered for this surgery. However, I do hope to be a voice to encouragement for others who have made the decision to go forth with this surgery, as I know the long road it took for me to get to this point in my life (two years of research and considering and six months of tests and waiting for medical aid approval).

Am TOTALLY thrilled with myself, as I have lost 4 kilograms since 18 April. This may not sound like a big achievement to other people, but it is 8 tubs of margarine in fat off my body, it is 8.8 pounds (sounds impressive) and I can feel the difference!

Getting so frustrated trying to figure out how to create Posts that do not display as Visitor Messages! Any suggestions?

Well, Monday blues, back on Atkins diet as have to still get another 12 kg off before operation on 20 July. It has been a long road to get to this point. I have been looking into and considering bariatric surgery for the past two years and only made up my mind to go for it in October 2010. Now, almost seven months later, have my approval from the medical aid (no small task, let me tell you) and the countdown has begun. My nerves are shattered, I wonder at least 20 times a day if I am doing the right thing - I know that logically, I have no choice, it is a cure for diabetes and have hypertension and other obesity-related problems that are not going to go away if I do not have the operation because, essentially, my basic personality is not going to change, so have to change my physical situation to lose weight. I also had to seriously look at whether I want to be alive in 20 to 40 years time, hopefully see my grandchildren one day, have good quality of life as I get older, etcetera.