Here’s the thing, several people have asked that I keep them updated on my weight loss surgery. So, I thought that it would be smart to start a blog about it. This first entire is going to be a lot longer than others will be because I am going to cover a lot. After this first one, things will mostly only be updates.
Beginnings
My weight has been an issue since I was 18. I had several thyroid issues that may have played a part in it. But I tried and tried to loose the weight, and then just gave up. After the doctors got my thyroid issues solved, I was so burnt out I didn’t care.
I spent the next several years just gaining weight. I ended up with diabetes and hypertension due to my weight. A couple of times I went on radical diets including a salad only diet and 1,000 calories a day diet. Both of which worked, but eventually I would get tired of being hungry. So I would quit the diet and the weight would all come back plus some.
Before we moved to Greenville, SC I went to my doctor and he did a test on my urine. He told me that I was pouring protein into my urine. (For those of you that don’t know…that’s not a good thing.) He advised that as soon as we moved and got settled that I needed to find a kidney doctor. Also know as a nephrologist.
I went to see my new kidney doctor, and after a gazillion tests he told me that my kidney is only functioning at 60%. Considering that I only have one kidney that is really not cool. He advised me that we can’t correct the damage that is done, but we need to prevent any more damage. In order to do that, I had to get my diabetes and hypertension under control.
It was at this point at my life that I began starting thinking about having gastric surgery a.k.a. weight loss surgery. My kidney doctor thought that it was a good idea, as did my regular physician. Once I the doctor’s were on board, Tom jumped on board as well.
Surgeon
Picking a surgeon was pretty easy for me. I contacted my insurance (United Healthcare) company and found out that at this point they only covered one group of doctors. These doctors were located in Columbia, SC which is about 90 miles South of us.
I contacted the doctors’ group that they covered, and was advised that to start the process I needed to come to a seminar. I scheduled the seminar and went down to learn about the surgery. I learned about the three surgeries that they offered the gastric bypass, the gastric sleeve, and the lap band. After hearing all about the surgeries, I decided that I wanted the lap band surgery.
After the seminar, I made an appointment for a consultation with one of the surgeons. The person that made the appointment was the one that decided that I would be having Dr. Givens for my surgeon.
Upon meeting Dr. Givens I was very happy that he was picked to by my surgeon. He has a great personality, and wonderful bedside manner. During our consultation, Dr. Givens asked me if I had a sweet tooth. I said, “HELL YES.” He laughed and advised me that the lap band would not be the best option for me. He spoke to me more about the gastric sleeve. He said he believed that this would be the most effective surgery for me. I agreed.
The next step was to have a psychologist evaluate me. In most states this is a required step. I went to a psychologist recommend by my insurance company. Again, I really liked this doctor.
At our appointment, we sat and spoke for about 30 minutes about everything from my childhood, to weight loss, to my marriage. I learned a lot from him in this one sort meeting. After the meeting he had me take two personality tests. You know the type, they ask you the same question various times to see if your answer changes.
It took about a week to get the results from him. He sent them to me to review before sending them on to the surgeon. He approved of my surgery saying that I understand the risks and that I had a good support system to help me.
After that it was just a waiting game. The surgeon’s office sent all of my paperwork to the insurance company to approve. This was the longest wait. Finally it came through and I was approved. Yipppeee!!!
Operation
2-4 weeks prior to the operation I had to go on a special pre-op diet. The diet consisted of a protein shake for breakfast and one for lunch, and then a sensible diet. The reasons for this diet it because the surgery is done on the stomach which lies below the liver. The liver has to be moved out of the way for the surgery. Most overweight people have an enlarged liver and in some cases the liver is so large it is brittle. So, they have people go on the diet to shrink the liver.
The diet wasn’t horrible, and during the 4 weeks that I was on the diet I lost 11 pounds. Not only that, but my sweet husband did not want me to suffer alone, so he went on the diet with me.
Because the hospital is 1 ½ hours from our home we were going to need assistance with Benjamin. My Dad was kind enough to come down and take care of Benjamin for us. Saturday we drove a little North of Knoxville, TN to pick him up. My Mom had driven him down from Southern Indiana.
My surgery was on Monday August 23rd. We had to be at the hospital at 7:30 am. My surgery took about an hour. After the surgery I was taken back to recovery, and the doctor went out to tell Tom about the surgery. I was in recovery for about 5 minutes when I woke up. (I’ve always had an easy time walking up from surgeries.) After an hour in recovery, I was taken to my room.
When I got to my room, Tom was already there waiting for me with a rose and a stuffed animal. Awww. About 2 hours after the surgery, I got up and went for a walk. I learned a long time ago that the earlier you can get up and walk around after the surgery, the easier the recovery will be. Tom and I walked half way around the floor. It was not comfortable because of the catheter, but I did it. The rest of the day I spent in bed, occasionally getting up to walk around the halls, cat napping, and watching tv.
I would have to say that the worst part about day one was that I could have nothing to eat or drink. I had an I.V. in, but I was still thirsty. I was able to get mouth swabs that help a little.
On day two the catheter came out, and they approved me to drink. They warned me prior to the surgery that I would be given 2 ounces of water and that I should drink it slowly over an hour. The cup of water came, and I never thought I would be so happy. I took the first drink and PAIN. It really hurt. Not only that, but that one tiny sip made me burp. I tried several times over the next couple of hours, but the water only hurt.
When my nurse came to check on me, I told her about my issue with the pain. She thought it might be because it was ice water. So, she advised me to call down and have the kitchen deliver me either some broth or jello. I ordered both. Finally, I was able to drink with no pain. YAY! The rest of the day was spent watching tv, walking the floor, and drinking broth or eating jello.
On day 3 my doctor came by to make his rounds, he stopped in and said that I looked great so I could go home. It took about 30 minutes for all of the paperwork, and then I got to go home. Yay. The trip was a little painful, but not too bad.
For the rest of week I was on a clear liquid diet. Anything I ate or drank gave me a ton of gas. It’s weird to be in the middle of drinking and to start belching.
For the weekend my family came down and stayed with me. We did some shopping and I refused to sit in a wheelchair, so I ended up doing a lot of walking. I was really worried on Saturday that I had overdone it. When I got home I was running a small grade fever, and was a little sore. But when I woke up on Sunday I was feeling good again.
Week 2
Monday August 30th started week 2 post-op. This means that I got to switch from a clear liquid diet to a full liquid diet. Instead of just broth and jello, I am allowed cream soups and pudding. Monday morning for breakfast I had ¼ cup of grits. I was very happy with that. For lunch I had ¼ cup cream of chicken soup. That was not as much fun. It really kind of hurt. And then dinner was ¼ cup sugar-free chocolate pudding. Yummy. The gas had gotten a lot better. I can drink now without have to burp every time I open my mouth.
Tuesday August 31st was my first post-op appointment with my doctor. First, I got my staples removed. YAY!!!! Then the doctor came in and told me how impressed he was with me. He said that he was impressed with how well I was recovering and how much weight I lost.
I’ve tried cream of chicken soup again, and it hurt again. I am not really sure what to think of that. Nothing else bothers me, so it may be something that I just avoid for a while.
Wrap-up
To wrap up, this is what has happened so far in regards to my surgery. It’s been a journey. I will update this blog on occasion when something happens. Feel free to leave any questions and comments. Ya know I love me some feedback. Also, I am going to try to add a link to the surgery that I had and some pre-op pictures. www.yourbariatricsurgeryguide.com/gastric-sleeve/
Weights
Beginnings
My weight has been an issue since I was 18. I had several thyroid issues that may have played a part in it. But I tried and tried to loose the weight, and then just gave up. After the doctors got my thyroid issues solved, I was so burnt out I didn’t care.
I spent the next several years just gaining weight. I ended up with diabetes and hypertension due to my weight. A couple of times I went on radical diets including a salad only diet and 1,000 calories a day diet. Both of which worked, but eventually I would get tired of being hungry. So I would quit the diet and the weight would all come back plus some.
Before we moved to Greenville, SC I went to my doctor and he did a test on my urine. He told me that I was pouring protein into my urine. (For those of you that don’t know…that’s not a good thing.) He advised that as soon as we moved and got settled that I needed to find a kidney doctor. Also know as a nephrologist.
I went to see my new kidney doctor, and after a gazillion tests he told me that my kidney is only functioning at 60%. Considering that I only have one kidney that is really not cool. He advised me that we can’t correct the damage that is done, but we need to prevent any more damage. In order to do that, I had to get my diabetes and hypertension under control.
It was at this point at my life that I began starting thinking about having gastric surgery a.k.a. weight loss surgery. My kidney doctor thought that it was a good idea, as did my regular physician. Once I the doctor’s were on board, Tom jumped on board as well.
Surgeon
Picking a surgeon was pretty easy for me. I contacted my insurance (United Healthcare) company and found out that at this point they only covered one group of doctors. These doctors were located in Columbia, SC which is about 90 miles South of us.
I contacted the doctors’ group that they covered, and was advised that to start the process I needed to come to a seminar. I scheduled the seminar and went down to learn about the surgery. I learned about the three surgeries that they offered the gastric bypass, the gastric sleeve, and the lap band. After hearing all about the surgeries, I decided that I wanted the lap band surgery.
After the seminar, I made an appointment for a consultation with one of the surgeons. The person that made the appointment was the one that decided that I would be having Dr. Givens for my surgeon.
Upon meeting Dr. Givens I was very happy that he was picked to by my surgeon. He has a great personality, and wonderful bedside manner. During our consultation, Dr. Givens asked me if I had a sweet tooth. I said, “HELL YES.” He laughed and advised me that the lap band would not be the best option for me. He spoke to me more about the gastric sleeve. He said he believed that this would be the most effective surgery for me. I agreed.
The next step was to have a psychologist evaluate me. In most states this is a required step. I went to a psychologist recommend by my insurance company. Again, I really liked this doctor.
At our appointment, we sat and spoke for about 30 minutes about everything from my childhood, to weight loss, to my marriage. I learned a lot from him in this one sort meeting. After the meeting he had me take two personality tests. You know the type, they ask you the same question various times to see if your answer changes.
It took about a week to get the results from him. He sent them to me to review before sending them on to the surgeon. He approved of my surgery saying that I understand the risks and that I had a good support system to help me.
After that it was just a waiting game. The surgeon’s office sent all of my paperwork to the insurance company to approve. This was the longest wait. Finally it came through and I was approved. Yipppeee!!!
Operation
2-4 weeks prior to the operation I had to go on a special pre-op diet. The diet consisted of a protein shake for breakfast and one for lunch, and then a sensible diet. The reasons for this diet it because the surgery is done on the stomach which lies below the liver. The liver has to be moved out of the way for the surgery. Most overweight people have an enlarged liver and in some cases the liver is so large it is brittle. So, they have people go on the diet to shrink the liver.
The diet wasn’t horrible, and during the 4 weeks that I was on the diet I lost 11 pounds. Not only that, but my sweet husband did not want me to suffer alone, so he went on the diet with me.
Because the hospital is 1 ½ hours from our home we were going to need assistance with Benjamin. My Dad was kind enough to come down and take care of Benjamin for us. Saturday we drove a little North of Knoxville, TN to pick him up. My Mom had driven him down from Southern Indiana.
My surgery was on Monday August 23rd. We had to be at the hospital at 7:30 am. My surgery took about an hour. After the surgery I was taken back to recovery, and the doctor went out to tell Tom about the surgery. I was in recovery for about 5 minutes when I woke up. (I’ve always had an easy time walking up from surgeries.) After an hour in recovery, I was taken to my room.
When I got to my room, Tom was already there waiting for me with a rose and a stuffed animal. Awww. About 2 hours after the surgery, I got up and went for a walk. I learned a long time ago that the earlier you can get up and walk around after the surgery, the easier the recovery will be. Tom and I walked half way around the floor. It was not comfortable because of the catheter, but I did it. The rest of the day I spent in bed, occasionally getting up to walk around the halls, cat napping, and watching tv.
I would have to say that the worst part about day one was that I could have nothing to eat or drink. I had an I.V. in, but I was still thirsty. I was able to get mouth swabs that help a little.
On day two the catheter came out, and they approved me to drink. They warned me prior to the surgery that I would be given 2 ounces of water and that I should drink it slowly over an hour. The cup of water came, and I never thought I would be so happy. I took the first drink and PAIN. It really hurt. Not only that, but that one tiny sip made me burp. I tried several times over the next couple of hours, but the water only hurt.
When my nurse came to check on me, I told her about my issue with the pain. She thought it might be because it was ice water. So, she advised me to call down and have the kitchen deliver me either some broth or jello. I ordered both. Finally, I was able to drink with no pain. YAY! The rest of the day was spent watching tv, walking the floor, and drinking broth or eating jello.
On day 3 my doctor came by to make his rounds, he stopped in and said that I looked great so I could go home. It took about 30 minutes for all of the paperwork, and then I got to go home. Yay. The trip was a little painful, but not too bad.
For the rest of week I was on a clear liquid diet. Anything I ate or drank gave me a ton of gas. It’s weird to be in the middle of drinking and to start belching.
For the weekend my family came down and stayed with me. We did some shopping and I refused to sit in a wheelchair, so I ended up doing a lot of walking. I was really worried on Saturday that I had overdone it. When I got home I was running a small grade fever, and was a little sore. But when I woke up on Sunday I was feeling good again.
Week 2
Monday August 30th started week 2 post-op. This means that I got to switch from a clear liquid diet to a full liquid diet. Instead of just broth and jello, I am allowed cream soups and pudding. Monday morning for breakfast I had ¼ cup of grits. I was very happy with that. For lunch I had ¼ cup cream of chicken soup. That was not as much fun. It really kind of hurt. And then dinner was ¼ cup sugar-free chocolate pudding. Yummy. The gas had gotten a lot better. I can drink now without have to burp every time I open my mouth.
Tuesday August 31st was my first post-op appointment with my doctor. First, I got my staples removed. YAY!!!! Then the doctor came in and told me how impressed he was with me. He said that he was impressed with how well I was recovering and how much weight I lost.
I’ve tried cream of chicken soup again, and it hurt again. I am not really sure what to think of that. Nothing else bothers me, so it may be something that I just avoid for a while.
Wrap-up
To wrap up, this is what has happened so far in regards to my surgery. It’s been a journey. I will update this blog on occasion when something happens. Feel free to leave any questions and comments. Ya know I love me some feedback. Also, I am going to try to add a link to the surgery that I had and some pre-op pictures. www.yourbariatricsurgeryguide.com/gastric-sleeve/
Weights
When I started this process I weighed 309.
The day of surgery I weighed 297.
Today I weigh 284.
TTYL
