For the last month I have been taking Duromine, an appetite suppressant, as prior to that I was always feeling hungry. It has enabled me to overcome that. I was 141.2kgs (310.64 lb) at the start of the month and today I am 136.8kgs(300.96 lb). It is a start.
My brothers has friends who have had Laparoscopic Gastric Sleeve surgery done with excellent health results. I don't have major problems like heart trouble or diabetes but my blood levels are slowly worsening. My joints (knees, hips and back) are letting me know, with pain, that they are unhappy. My asthma is not as well-controlled. At night, as I try to sleep, it feels like my breasts were trying to smother me. I have to sleep on my side so I will not wake myself up with my snores. To turn over I have to wake up so my nights are not as restful as they could be. If I have a fall, and I do so more easily because my breast size 24G means my top half overbalances my bottom half, I break a bone due to my weight going through a small point.
My brother, Geoff, offered to cover the cost of having the operation done privately after I had been turned down by the public health system. They have an age limit around 50 years old and if you have heart or diabetes problems they are more likely to do it. He contacted Dr S Ulmer who had done his friend's operation and I saw her on the 4th June. She agreed to do the operation. The cost is $NZ18,900. I received an operation date of the 15th July at a local private hospital.
Yesterday I received the pre-op pack. Today I went for blood tests: taken to do the usual blood checks and also to see what my vitamin levels are today. These levels are an important part of making sure I am as well as possible and stay that way after the operation. I went to the Chemist to pick up the Optifast Diet sachets that will be my food for the next 4 weeks. I am also allowed 2 Cups of low carb vegetables, 1 teaspoon of oil and 2 Litres of fluid per day. Using Optifast VLCD allows the liver to shrink a bit and take some of the intra-abdominal fat away making it easier to work laparoscopically. I am lucky as they are on sale today for $69.99 per pack of 21 sachets; a saving of $10/box. I have had my lunch one -vanilla- and continue to drink my water. I have an old 1 litre Pump bottle that I am sipping from regularly as it is right in front of the eyes.
I need to complete the rest of the pre-op paperwork and send it back. After my blood results have come back I will have a consultation with a nutritionist. This will help me understand what I have to do post-op with the initial diet -puree then soft then back to ordinary foods- and also how I will have to eat for the rest of my life plus what vitamin supplements I shall have to take. Apparently there is a post-op visit to cover any emotional problems I might have too.
I have a Pinterest a/c that has pictures and a link to a Youtube video of how it is done on it.pinterest.com/lighthausgirl/ will get you there.
These photos were taken on1st January 2013 when once again I resolved to lose weight and keep it off. I have been saying this for more years than I want to admit to and have gone from 82 kgs to 145 kgs then back to today's 136.8 kgs. On my next post I will wear a set of clothes that I will photograph myself in weekly to show the difference this is all making.
Kia ora Mate.
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