Today marks the 1 month anniversary of my surgery, so I figure it's time to have an update. So far I've lost 20 lbs . The week after surgery I couldn't eat or drink and had to be hospitalized. The week after I gained two pounds and the week after that I lost it again. This week, because of the snow, I don't know where my weight is at. Maybe I've lost, maybe I haven't. I'll get to go to the gym tomorrow...so I'll know then.
The LAP band thing has been quite the physical and emotional journey. Eating hurts. (So how I gained I have no idea...cause trust me, I avoid food!) I've talked to my doctor about the pain and he said he's done all the tests and I have no problems other than extreme (like uber extreme) swelling. He's keeping a close eye on me and is concerned, but the 1cc of liquid that he had in the band as a primer is gone and I'm wearing the largest band they make so there isn't much he can do to make me more comfortable. There hasn't been any discussion about removing the band yet because I am getting food down. It's just painful.
I can eat some foods without pain...cottage cheese is one. I eat a lot of that. I have it at least once a day. A typical day's food intake for me is: Breakfast--Coffee, 1/2 a cup of juice, 1/2 a cup of cottage cheese. Lunch--a V8 and 1/2 cup of meat. Dinner--varies from night to night. This evening I had white lasagna with brocolli. I have 2 protien drinks a day. Isopure. (EXPENSIVE stuff, but the only protien drink I can stomach.) The tastes of some foods have changed for me. I cannot stand tomato soup anymore. Strange but true. My sense of smell has intensified. I smell everything so clearly and from far away. I have diarrhea often, belch almost constantly and get the hiccups frequently. The worst istrying new foods. Some stuff goes down. Some stuff comes back up. Tuna, Avacados and Salmon are three foods I (at least right now) cannot eat...doesn't matter how thoroughly chopped it is or how long I chew...it gets stuck. If food gets stuck the pain is horrible. HORRIBLE. I'll walk around and drink--but if the water doesn't help it, it just aggravates the pain all the more. I begin to slime and then eventually vomit. By the time I'm done I'm exhausted. I've vomitted those three food and my medicines. That's the other thing I hate...the pills. I have to have 2 protien drinks (again EXPENSIVE and extremely hard to get in this hick town. I have to drive an hour to get them--thus adding to the expense.) That's not a huge deal other than the expense and inconvienence. What is annoying is the 2-3 calcium pills, the multivitamin, the super vitamin B, and the vitamin D I have to take. I hate them...especially the calcium. (Imagine taking 2-3 servings of grape flavoured chalk a day.) I'm learning to deal with the extra drugs and the discomfort of taking my regularly scheduled drugs.
Now the good stuff. The blood sugar is a lot better. Not perfect...but better. Already only 20 lbs lighter. My blood pressure is awesome!
Now why does my title say liver?? Betcha were wondering that huh? Well when I had the surgery the doctor noticed an above average amount of "lumpiness" to my liver. Concerned he took a biopsy and sent the sample away for testing. He suspected the prolonged obesity had caused some cirrohsis. (Not uncommon for someone who has been obese most of their life like me.) On the 15th he got the results back and I have hepatitis and the onset of cirrohsis. Cause unknown. I've since been tested a few times. We know it's not liver autoimmune 1 or 2 and the lab (after doing the wrong tests) are redoing my viral panel to check for Hep A,B,C &D. I fall into none of the risk catagories for Viral Hep though so I have an appointment on the 11th of February with a Gastroenterologist to help figure out what may be causing my hep symptoms so we can treat it. I don't know what all he'll be checking me for...Lupus and Wilson's are 2 canidates...but I know there will be other tests as well. So...I've been to the doctor a lot here recently. I'm tired of people taking my blood. (I seem to get poked or pricked at least twice a week.) And I'm tired of vomitting and I'm tired of what used to be a pleasant experience (eating) being a painful one. It is getting better...but thusfar I can honestly say--I hate this band. HATE IT. I'm being told once the swelling gets better and once I see more results I love it...but that day isn't here yet. So right now I live with it. I deal. I focus on those things I love. My hubby, my daughter, my friends, my doggy, my film class, my games, they all keep me going. I laugh more than I cry...but I do cry. And I hope. I hope for the day when this is behind me and the pain goes away and drugs are gone. I hope. And as long as I hope it's still good.
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