Thursday

If someone would ask me "I'm thinking about having the gastric bypass, what do you think?" I would tell them right off "If you haven't COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED every venue of weight loss including cutting calories to no more than 1100 a day and portion sizes no bigger than 1cup TOTAL per meal, 6x a day, and going to the gym and doing at least 30 minutes on the eliptical machine and 1hr weights, 4x a week, Then NO- DO NOT DO THE SURGERY!!!!"

Gastic Bypass is seen as the 'easy way out'. but I will tell you it isn't not by a long shot!

In todays blog I can tell you that I have now lost 64 pounds and 4 dress sizes- which is fantastic!  But I will also tell you that because I no longer have a duadendum (part of the upper intestine just under the stomach) I no longer absorb Iron sufficiently, I am borderline Anemic. This in turn has caused me to loose alot of hair (my hair was thin to begin with, now its VERY thin), I am legargic, I have a constant mild headaches and having trouble with my short term memory (cognitive problems), and dizziness. These are some of the symptoms of low iron that I have.   The lack of iron can lead to weakening your immune system, will cause your heart to work more thus causing it to enlarge or cause heart failure, Tachycardia is a common complication that occurs in severely anemic people. Anemia is also associated with a condition called 'restless leg syndrome'.  All this because I now have problems absorbing nutrients because of the surgery.

I dont remember if I said this earlier in my blog but I'll say it again, evenso. Gastic Bypass means just that, they cut off all but a thumb size 'pouch' of your stomach and all of your duadendum and push it aside (literally) and then reattached the intestine to the thumb size 'pouch', that is now your stomach.   They take the duadendum out purposely, so that you dont absorb as much as you use to and therefore you cant eat certain food without being sick. This aids in the weightloss.  But this also aids in you having severe health issues if you arent careful. Now not everyone goes through this, and I certaintaly didnt think I would go through all this, but I AM going through it! So, unless you've tried EVERYTHING to loose weight and this is your last resort, DONT gamble with your health, this is NOT an easy way out!

Right now my weightloss is haulted because I have very little energy to go to the gym and work out (yes, you still need to work out in order to continue to loose weight), Im hopeing that once my iron levels go up again I will have my energy back and will be able to work out again. My goal is January 1st. I just pray my body cooperates with me.

By the way- all this has accured since August 13th. I had the surgery, a DVT in my left arm from the IV after surgery, had to be on a very high dose of blood thinners for 3 months, got a divorce Oct 18th, was kicked out of my apartment of 10yrs after the divorce and had to be out my Nov 30th. I am now in a new apartment looking at going back to school after have the fall semester to recover from all this, Im working a PT job whose hours arent steady and looking at getting another job that is more steady so I can pay my rent and bills.  This is the first time that I've every been completely on my own with full responsibility on my shoulders. So I am a bit scared and freeked out but with God's grace I believe I can do it.

Thats all for now.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year too!!

Tomorrow is the 'Zombie Apocalypse'  (who comes up with these things?) Tomorrow is the beginning of the end if you listen to the crazies. LOL