Re: The Dark Side of WLS/Kat

[Guest guest]

Kat

What it is is that she has traded one eating disorder for another.

There was a woman who attended my real time group who scared the

bejesus out of every newbie who attended. She became

anorexic/bulemic, suicidal, ignored her doctors warnings, went to

therapy and lied, lied to her husband and family, became hooked on

diet pills AND laxatives...and she finally left the group because she

felt " she was bringing people down. " Several of us cried when we

found out because we felt that she was lost to us...she lives 2 hours

away from the closest person and group and now she's isolating herself.

Even though this woman SOUNDS like she's getting help--she's not is

she? I'm sure we're not getting the whole story at all.

Too damn sad.

> Sounds like my post op experience except I was up the doctors butts

everytime anything happened. They got sick of me! She needs to be

reversed. If she can not maintain adequate hydration, her kidneys are

going to fail next. Who cares how great the weight loss is, if she is

dead in the end? I know about no appetite and feeling like crap..I did

it too. But you make yourself eat to stay alive..appetite or not. She

is not a fighter I can tell. She likes this because she is dropping

weight..at least that is how I read it. I wonder if she knows what

happens if her potassium level drops too much! uh..gondie! Anyone else

would be in ER as soon as the doctor first suggested it. Either that

or she is very ignorant about how dangerous this is for her. If she is

> not very careful, she will be our next obituary to weight loss

> surgery. Very sad. I wish her the best but Im frustrated by her

> complacent attitude towards the entire issue.

>

> Kat

[Guest guest]

Alisa,

The saddest part is, she probably doesn't even know she is doing it.

I have had this lady on my mind a lot recently. Because the pattern

I could have so easily slipped into myself once in my life. When I

was younger I fought anorexia/bulemia. For me tho, once I identified

it, I got help. I got treatment via counceling. I did continue to

binge eat from time to time which helped land me at the 300#s but at

least I knew I wouldn't drop dead from starvation.

I recently had a patient that lived on prune juice. She had obvious

outward signs of mental disorder (tardive dyskinesia from

antidepressants). I only made one visit to her house as I was not

her primary care nurse, but that one visit I was despertate to get

through her head that she was playing with fire. She ate..just very

little..took a bite of a banana while I was there and a bite of

pudding..her boyfriend came home and took the bottle of prune juice

away. She was fixated on her bowels. Complained that she didn't have

regular bowel movements. I told her she had to EAT to have them. She

had convinced everyone around her she was eating when really she

weighed 82#s at 5'7. She did not acknowledge she had a problem so I

got very abrupt with her in an attempt to snap her into some kind of

reality. I was desperate to do anything I could to at least get her

thinking about it. But she was not in recieving mode. I told her she

would die at any time if she did not eat. That the body requires

electrolytes to survive and that she had to eat more than she was to

live. I explained that her body would not give her a sign before she

went that impending death was knocking. She would just go into

cardiac arrest when her potassium level dropped enough that she

couldn't feed the muscle tissue enough to keep working. I got back

to the office and told my boss, called her doctor. There was nothing

I could do. I had done what I could and time would be the only

determining factor to whether she lived or died.

The next day, when I got to work my boss called me into her office

and said to me " Wow Kat you called that one right. Remember so and

so you saw yesturday?..my reply yes...Well she died this morning " I

am still sick to my stomach over it. Seeing the signs is one thing,

helping someone get help is another if they dont want it. I have

seen others say things like.. its ok I have a stricture because it

keeps me from eating and Im losing more weight...uhh that freaks me

out. There are so many of us that are scared of food now. We want so

much to have this surgery work for us. And we go to the greatest

lengths to do it..surgery. But we all need to be reminded and learn

to trust that food is really our friend when we use it properly. It

is a tool. And with help we can be healthy and thin. It is very

scary. Many of us put a lot on ourselves to prove to everyone around

us that surgery was the right decision for us. We also see that the

only way to prove that is to get all the weight off. Its insane. We

are all winners and those of us with food disorders, whether we lose

all the weight or not, are better for trying to solve our health

issues the healthy way.

Im eating my way to a better life. Food for me is an addiction. One

that I became so afraid of that once I drank a bottle of epicac

because I could not control the binge I was on. That day is 16 yrs

behind me, but still rings in my mind. It was the day I realized I

had a real problem. Food addictions are the hardest..unlike

cigarettes which you can just stay away from, we have to eat. But we

can have a normal life with food. I have done it. Others are doing

it. The first sign is to acknowledge that food overpowers us and

that we use it as a tool to soothe whatever that missing piece is

for us. Once we do that, we can work everyday on how to improve our

choices and identify why we make them. I refuse to let anymore

inanimate objects dictate to me my future. I have quit everything

but my coffee habit and I have changed that to make it work for me.

I get a lot of protein in with my coffee as I use milk as the base.

It is my least offensive addiction and Im choosing to keep it! *sip*

lol

I know that many overweight people do not have food addictions or

issues. But I think more do that would like to admit to it. I just

hate to see this woman not get treatment. She is already a winner, I

wish she would stop punishing herself indirectly, and get the

treatment she needs albeit; hydration or whatever. Our bodies reward

us when we feed it right...great nails, great skin, healthy hair and

complexions, our fat layers are different when we are healthy than

when we are depriving our bodies. I wish I could help more people.

Maybe someday I will find myself working in the field of bariactrics

or in nutrition. I AM looking for a new job now with my move! I walk

through the hospital I work for, and I hear the whispers

everyday " that woman lost 150#s! " Yes I did..and Im damn proud of

it!!

~Kat~

[Guest guest]

Alisa,

The saddest part is, she probably doesn't even know she is doing it.

I have had this lady on my mind a lot recently. Because the pattern

I could have so easily slipped into myself once in my life. When I

was younger I fought anorexia/bulemia. For me tho, once I identified

it, I got help. I got treatment via counceling. I did continue to

binge eat from time to time which helped land me at the 300#s but at

least I knew I wouldn't drop dead from starvation.

I recently had a patient that lived on prune juice. She had obvious

outward signs of mental disorder (tardive dyskinesia from

antidepressants). I only made one visit to her house as I was not

her primary care nurse, but that one visit I was despertate to get

through her head that she was playing with fire. She ate..just very

little..took a bite of a banana while I was there and a bite of

pudding..her boyfriend came home and took the bottle of prune juice

away. She was fixated on her bowels. Complained that she didn't have

regular bowel movements. I told her she had to EAT to have them. She

had convinced everyone around her she was eating when really she

weighed 82#s at 5'7. She did not acknowledge she had a problem so I

got very abrupt with her in an attempt to snap her into some kind of

reality. I was desperate to do anything I could to at least get her

thinking about it. But she was not in recieving mode. I told her she

would die at any time if she did not eat. That the body requires

electrolytes to survive and that she had to eat more than she was to

live. I explained that her body would not give her a sign before she

went that impending death was knocking. She would just go into

cardiac arrest when her potassium level dropped enough that she

couldn't feed the muscle tissue enough to keep working. I got back

to the office and told my boss, called her doctor. There was nothing

I could do. I had done what I could and time would be the only

determining factor to whether she lived or died.

The next day, when I got to work my boss called me into her office

and said to me " Wow Kat you called that one right. Remember so and

so you saw yesturday?..my reply yes...Well she died this morning " I

am still sick to my stomach over it. Seeing the signs is one thing,

helping someone get help is another if they dont want it. I have

seen others say things like.. its ok I have a stricture because it

keeps me from eating and Im losing more weight...uhh that freaks me

out. There are so many of us that are scared of food now. We want so

much to have this surgery work for us. And we go to the greatest

lengths to do it..surgery. But we all need to be reminded and learn

to trust that food is really our friend when we use it properly. It

is a tool. And with help we can be healthy and thin. It is very

scary. Many of us put a lot on ourselves to prove to everyone around

us that surgery was the right decision for us. We also see that the

only way to prove that is to get all the weight off. Its insane. We

are all winners and those of us with food disorders, whether we lose

all the weight or not, are better for trying to solve our health

issues the healthy way.

Im eating my way to a better life. Food for me is an addiction. One

that I became so afraid of that once I drank a bottle of epicac

because I could not control the binge I was on. That day is 16 yrs

behind me, but still rings in my mind. It was the day I realized I

had a real problem. Food addictions are the hardest..unlike

cigarettes which you can just stay away from, we have to eat. But we

can have a normal life with food. I have done it. Others are doing

it. The first sign is to acknowledge that food overpowers us and

that we use it as a tool to soothe whatever that missing piece is

for us. Once we do that, we can work everyday on how to improve our

choices and identify why we make them. I refuse to let anymore

inanimate objects dictate to me my future. I have quit everything

but my coffee habit and I have changed that to make it work for me.

I get a lot of protein in with my coffee as I use milk as the base.

It is my least offensive addiction and Im choosing to keep it! *sip*

lol

I know that many overweight people do not have food addictions or

issues. But I think more do that would like to admit to it. I just

hate to see this woman not get treatment. She is already a winner, I

wish she would stop punishing herself indirectly, and get the

treatment she needs albeit; hydration or whatever. Our bodies reward

us when we feed it right...great nails, great skin, healthy hair and

complexions, our fat layers are different when we are healthy than

when we are depriving our bodies. I wish I could help more people.

Maybe someday I will find myself working in the field of bariactrics

or in nutrition. I AM looking for a new job now with my move! I walk

through the hospital I work for, and I hear the whispers

everyday " that woman lost 150#s! " Yes I did..and Im damn proud of

it!!

~Kat~

[Guest guest]

The story about the girl you told is so sad!! My heart breaks for

her family. Thanks for sharing Kat. It serves as a wake up call to

the fact we can go the other way (not eating) and we need to be

careful.

Hugs!

> Alisa,

> The saddest part is, she probably doesn't even know she is doing

it.

> I have had this lady on my mind a lot recently. Because the

pattern

> I could have so easily slipped into myself once in my life. When I

> was younger I fought anorexia/bulemia. For me tho, once I

identified

> it, I got help. I got treatment via counceling. I did continue to

> binge eat from time to time which helped land me at the 300#s but

at

> least I knew I wouldn't drop dead from starvation.

>

> I recently had a patient that lived on prune juice. She had

obvious

> outward signs of mental disorder (tardive dyskinesia from

> antidepressants). I only made one visit to her house as I was not

> her primary care nurse, but that one visit I was despertate to get

> through her head that she was playing with fire. She ate..just

very

> little..took a bite of a banana while I was there and a bite of

> pudding..her boyfriend came home and took the bottle of prune

juice

> away. She was fixated on her bowels. Complained that she didn't

have

> regular bowel movements. I told her she had to EAT to have them.

She

> had convinced everyone around her she was eating when really she

> weighed 82#s at 5'7. She did not acknowledge she had a problem so

I

> got very abrupt with her in an attempt to snap her into some kind

of

> reality. I was desperate to do anything I could to at least get

her

> thinking about it. But she was not in recieving mode. I told her

she

> would die at any time if she did not eat. That the body requires

> electrolytes to survive and that she had to eat more than she was

to

> live. I explained that her body would not give her a sign before

she

> went that impending death was knocking. She would just go into

> cardiac arrest when her potassium level dropped enough that she

> couldn't feed the muscle tissue enough to keep working. I got back

> to the office and told my boss, called her doctor. There was

nothing

> I could do. I had done what I could and time would be the only

> determining factor to whether she lived or died.

>

> The next day, when I got to work my boss called me into her office

> and said to me " Wow Kat you called that one right. Remember so and

> so you saw yesturday?..my reply yes...Well she died this morning "

I

> am still sick to my stomach over it. Seeing the signs is one

thing,

> helping someone get help is another if they dont want it. I have

> seen others say things like.. its ok I have a stricture because it

> keeps me from eating and Im losing more weight...uhh that freaks

me

> out. There are so many of us that are scared of food now. We want

so

> much to have this surgery work for us. And we go to the greatest

> lengths to do it..surgery. But we all need to be reminded and

learn

> to trust that food is really our friend when we use it properly.

It

> is a tool. And with help we can be healthy and thin. It is very

> scary. Many of us put a lot on ourselves to prove to everyone

around

> us that surgery was the right decision for us. We also see that

the

> only way to prove that is to get all the weight off. Its insane.

We

> are all winners and those of us with food disorders, whether we

lose

> all the weight or not, are better for trying to solve our health

> issues the healthy way.

>

> Im eating my way to a better life. Food for me is an addiction.

One

> that I became so afraid of that once I drank a bottle of epicac

> because I could not control the binge I was on. That day is 16 yrs

> behind me, but still rings in my mind. It was the day I realized I

> had a real problem. Food addictions are the hardest..unlike

> cigarettes which you can just stay away from, we have to eat. But

we

> can have a normal life with food. I have done it. Others are doing

> it. The first sign is to acknowledge that food overpowers us and

> that we use it as a tool to soothe whatever that missing piece is

> for us. Once we do that, we can work everyday on how to improve

our

> choices and identify why we make them. I refuse to let anymore

> inanimate objects dictate to me my future. I have quit everything

> but my coffee habit and I have changed that to make it work for

me.

> I get a lot of protein in with my coffee as I use milk as the

base.

> It is my least offensive addiction and Im choosing to keep it!

*sip*

> lol

>

> I know that many overweight people do not have food addictions or

> issues. But I think more do that would like to admit to it. I just

> hate to see this woman not get treatment. She is already a winner,

I

> wish she would stop punishing herself indirectly, and get the

> treatment she needs albeit; hydration or whatever. Our bodies

reward

> us when we feed it right...great nails, great skin, healthy hair

and

> complexions, our fat layers are different when we are healthy than

> when we are depriving our bodies. I wish I could help more people.

> Maybe someday I will find myself working in the field of

bariactrics

> or in nutrition. I AM looking for a new job now with my move! I

walk

> through the hospital I work for, and I hear the whispers

> everyday " that woman lost 150#s! " Yes I did..and Im damn proud of

> it!!

>

> ~Kat~

[Guest guest]

Kat

I wish you well on your job search! And hope that you find the kind of job you

want. There is a nurse at my surgeon's office who works only with the bariatric

patients. She visits them in the hosp, sees them in the office each time they

come in, and leads support groups 2x a month. That sounds like the perfect job

for you. Check out the surgeons in your area and tell them this is a position

they need if they dont have it already!! We need more like you and this nurse.

Re: The Dark Side of WLS/Kat

Alisa,

The saddest part is, she probably doesn't even know she is doing it.

I have had this lady on my mind a lot recently. Because the pattern

I could have so easily slipped into myself once in my life. When I

was younger I fought anorexia/bulemia. For me tho, once I identified

it, I got help. I got treatment via counceling. I did continue to

binge eat from time to time which helped land me at the 300#s but at

least I knew I wouldn't drop dead from starvation.

I recently had a patient that lived on prune juice. She had obvious

outward signs of mental disorder (tardive dyskinesia from

antidepressants). I only made one visit to her house as I was not

her primary care nurse, but that one visit I was despertate to get

through her head that she was playing with fire. She ate..just very

little..took a bite of a banana while I was there and a bite of

pudding..her boyfriend came home and took the bottle of prune juice

away. She was fixated on her bowels. Complained that she didn't have

regular bowel movements. I told her she had to EAT to have them. She

had convinced everyone around her she was eating when really she

weighed 82#s at 5'7. She did not acknowledge she had a problem so I

got very abrupt with her in an attempt to snap her into some kind of

reality. I was desperate to do anything I could to at least get her

thinking about it. But she was not in recieving mode. I told her she

would die at any time if she did not eat. That the body requires

electrolytes to survive and that she had to eat more than she was to

live. I explained that her body would not give her a sign before she

went that impending death was knocking. She would just go into

cardiac arrest when her potassium level dropped enough that she

couldn't feed the muscle tissue enough to keep working. I got back

to the office and told my boss, called her doctor. There was nothing

I could do. I had done what I could and time would be the only

determining factor to whether she lived or died.

The next day, when I got to work my boss called me into her office

and said to me " Wow Kat you called that one right. Remember so and

so you saw yesturday?..my reply yes...Well she died this morning " I

am still sick to my stomach over it. Seeing the signs is one thing,

helping someone get help is another if they dont want it. I have

seen others say things like.. its ok I have a stricture because it

keeps me from eating and Im losing more weight...uhh that freaks me

out. There are so many of us that are scared of food now. We want so

much to have this surgery work for us. And we go to the greatest

lengths to do it..surgery. But we all need to be reminded and learn

to trust that food is really our friend when we use it properly. It

is a tool. And with help we can be healthy and thin. It is very

scary. Many of us put a lot on ourselves to prove to everyone around

us that surgery was the right decision for us. We also see that the

only way to prove that is to get all the weight off. Its insane. We

are all winners and those of us with food disorders, whether we lose

all the weight or not, are better for trying to solve our health

issues the healthy way.

Im eating my way to a better life. Food for me is an addiction. One

that I became so afraid of that once I drank a bottle of epicac

because I could not control the binge I was on. That day is 16 yrs

behind me, but still rings in my mind. It was the day I realized I

had a real problem. Food addictions are the hardest..unlike

cigarettes which you can just stay away from, we have to eat. But we

can have a normal life with food. I have done it. Others are doing

it. The first sign is to acknowledge that food overpowers us and

that we use it as a tool to soothe whatever that missing piece is

for us. Once we do that, we can work everyday on how to improve our

choices and identify why we make them. I refuse to let anymore

inanimate objects dictate to me my future. I have quit everything

but my coffee habit and I have changed that to make it work for me.

I get a lot of protein in with my coffee as I use milk as the base.

It is my least offensive addiction and Im choosing to keep it! *sip*

lol

I know that many overweight people do not have food addictions or

issues. But I think more do that would like to admit to it. I just

hate to see this woman not get treatment. She is already a winner, I

wish she would stop punishing herself indirectly, and get the

treatment she needs albeit; hydration or whatever. Our bodies reward

us when we feed it right...great nails, great skin, healthy hair and

complexions, our fat layers are different when we are healthy than

when we are depriving our bodies. I wish I could help more people.

Maybe someday I will find myself working in the field of bariactrics

or in nutrition. I AM looking for a new job now with my move! I walk

through the hospital I work for, and I hear the whispers

everyday " that woman lost 150#s! " Yes I did..and Im damn proud of

it!!

~Kat~

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[Guest guest]

Thanks so much ! I actually did look. The nearest bariatric

surgeon is too far away..and there isn't one listed in Rhode Island.

Glad I dont live in that state! I will keep looking. It will be easier

to look when I get there. I did talk to my fiance' about heading that

direction in nursing and he was very supportive. Im so damn lucky. I

could want to dig trenches for a living and he would support me lol

altho Im sure he would just like to see me bent over in my blue jeans

digging more than care what work Im doing! HA!

~Kat~

[Guest guest]

****Im sure he would just like to see me bent over in my blue jeans

digging more than care what work Im doing! HA!****

ROFLOL WHOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

> Thanks so much ! I actually did look. The nearest bariatric

> surgeon is too far away..and there isn't one listed in Rhode Island.

> Glad I dont live in that state! I will keep looking. It will be

easier

> to look when I get there. I did talk to my fiance' about heading

that

> direction in nursing and he was very supportive. Im so damn lucky. I

> could want to dig trenches for a living and he would support me lol

> altho Im sure he would just like to see me bent over in my blue

jeans

> digging more than care what work Im doing! HA!

>

> ~Kat~

[Guest guest]

****Im sure he would just like to see me bent over in my blue jeans

digging more than care what work Im doing! HA!****

ROFLOL WHOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

> Thanks so much ! I actually did look. The nearest bariatric

> surgeon is too far away..and there isn't one listed in Rhode Island.

> Glad I dont live in that state! I will keep looking. It will be

easier

> to look when I get there. I did talk to my fiance' about heading

that

> direction in nursing and he was very supportive. Im so damn lucky. I

> could want to dig trenches for a living and he would support me lol

> altho Im sure he would just like to see me bent over in my blue

jeans

> digging more than care what work Im doing! HA!

>

> ~Kat~

[Guest guest]

****Im sure he would just like to see me bent over in my blue jeans

digging more than care what work Im doing! HA!****

ROFLOL WHOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

> Thanks so much ! I actually did look. The nearest bariatric

> surgeon is too far away..and there isn't one listed in Rhode Island.

> Glad I dont live in that state! I will keep looking. It will be

easier

> to look when I get there. I did talk to my fiance' about heading

that

> direction in nursing and he was very supportive. Im so damn lucky. I

> could want to dig trenches for a living and he would support me lol

> altho Im sure he would just like to see me bent over in my blue

jeans

> digging more than care what work Im doing! HA!

>

> ~Kat~