Re: My Switch Story - 6 months =)

[Guest guest]

Kris..

CONGRATULATIONS.. all of that is SO wonderful.

I do wonder about one thing.. why the pill for cold sores.. is the WLS

related, or just something you've always dealt with. Also, it was

interesting to see that about the anti-depressent.. I take Zoloft.. I was

hoping it wouldn't be affected.

Again.. CONGRATS.. you are doing wonderfully.

Hoping to join all of you on the " other side " someday soon!

Diane

[Guest guest]

Kris,

You are amazing!! when did you start with your nautilus training?

Keep up the Great work you have been doing.

Vera- Lansdale,Pa

Bmi-61

Dr. Herron / Dr. Pomp assisting @ Mt. Sinai, New York

Open BPD/DS done 01/26/01

PCP scale 4 weeks out -30lbs gone forever as of 2/21/01

________________________________________________________________

GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!

Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!

Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit:

http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.

[Guest guest]

That is so inspiring! Thank you so much for posting this.

P

> Six Months

> Milestones this month - passed the 100 pound loss mark, one more

pound and I will be lower than I have weighed in almost 20 years and

feeling SO much more healthy, wearing smaller sizes than I have in

almost 20 years> iwillbefit@y...

[Guest guest]

Hi Kris,

Thanks for the update of your progress. This is the type of

information I am searching for as I wait for my surgery

date. I hope to get my date next week. Gwen

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Dear Kris,

How wonderful you are doing. I am going to complete 3 months at the end

of

Feb. and I have lost 53 pounds. I am at a plateau right now but I am so

happy to be

feeling so good and I am so happy to hear of your tremendous success. I know

that I will get there someday and I am patient even though sometimes I wish I

would wake up and it would all be gone. You sound wonderful . I am

wondering what a day of eating is like for you. What is a normal eating day.

Are you exercising? Well I look forward to hearing from you and keep up the

great work.

Ellen

Dr. Herron(love and thanks to him-He is super)

Dec.1 2000 down 53pounds

[Guest guest]

<>

My husband had a terrible time with cold sores - just unbelievable,

non-stop problems (completely unrelated to weight or WLS). Lysine

keeps the outbreaks under control. As long as he takes it, no cold

sores. If he runs out, within a few days they recur.

Kate

[Guest guest]

YOU are amazing!!! I am so thrilled for you and feel genuine pride for you!!

love,

Loriann

My Switch Story - 6 months =)

Six Months Milestones this month – passed the 100 pound loss mark, one more pound and I will be lower than I have weighed in almost 20 years and feeling SO much more healthy, wearing smaller sizes than I have in almost 20 years. Will be passing along my 16’s and 14’s at the clothing exchange in March and am wearing 14s, 12s, L and M. The size isn’t as important as is the feeling of health and “normalcy”. It feels so good to be able to “fit” into society and just be one of the crowd, instead of sticking out like a sore thumb (which is how I always felt pre-op if I went anywhere in public). It feels so very fantastic to actually be living life again, instead of simply existing. I feel so blessed and fortunate every single day – for getting my life back.

The hemorrhoids are under control and the thing that did the trick was Proctofoam (a prescription). It worked wonders.

I now have a hernia, though I tried VERY hard to prevent getting one. I will have to have it repaired sometime within the next year and may or may not have a tummy tuck with it, depending on the amount of excess skin at the time. It is not painful and is about the size of a baseball turning to a softball, along the right side of the incision just above the belly button. Nurse said not to worry about it unless it becomes real painful or it distends and I can’t push it back in. Dr. Maguire said it will get bigger regardless of what I do. I cannot lift more than 50 pounds, can’t do the ab machines (but can do regular ab crunches) and will wear a “rib belt” while doing my nautilus and ab crunches.

Vitamins and supplements – I take all of them at one sitting in the morning. I take Mega 3 caps (3), Twinlab Allergy A & D (3), Calcium Citrate (5) and have added the following: Ultra Acidophilus (2 – 350 mg. – this really helps firm up the bm’s), Flax Seed Oil (1000 mg – surgeon approved experiment for skin softening – seems to work well), Devrom (2-3 – does help eliminate odor – would probably be even more effective if I took them throughout the day), Zinc (100 mg – for hair loss – seems to work very well – have been taking a few weeks and hair loss came to a stop after first week of taking it – could have been coincidence, but will keep taking it for awhile just in case). Also take 500 mg. of Lysine to ward off cold sores (did this pre-op, too). So, I take 19 different vitamins and supplements in the morning – but it is actually a few less than I used to take pre-op. I have taken vitamins/supps for many years.

Surgery-related prescriptions – 30 mg. of Prevacid a day for GERD and was told this could be something I would have to take for a year or possibly, indefinitely. I definitely can tell if I miss a day of this. I also take anti-depressants and birth control pills and have done fine with the absorption of these since immediately post-op.

Bloodwork – My protein level was 6.3 (and normal is 6.4-8.2) on my last bloodwork, so they took it again last week. Dr. Maguire indicated that up to 25% of patients do not absorb enough protein, making the weight loss more rapid, but also depleting the body’s protein count. So, if the bloodwork comes back with lower protein and albumin levels, I will have to take the enzyme Creon, which will help with protein absorption. Hoping those labs come back okay. Sometimes Creon helps after a short period of usage to get the protein levels back up. Sometimes it needs to be taken on a long-term basis or indefinitely. And, worst case scenario would be lengthening the common tract. Keeping my fingers crossed for good lab results. NOTE: Update on the bloodwork today. It came back good except for a little elevated alkaline phosphate (surgeon was not worried) – protein level is within normal range at 6.7 yaaaaaaaaaay!

To-date Pounds gone

Weight

102

To-date Inches gone

Neck

1.5

Bust

11.5

Under Bust

10

Left Bicep

4.5

Left Forearm

1.5

Left Wrist

0.5

Left Thigh

4.75

Left Knee

1.25

Left Calf

2.25

Left Ankle

0.5

Right Bicep

4

Right Forearm

2

Right Wrist

1

Right Thigh

5.75

Right Knee

1.5

Right Calf

2.5

Right Ankle

0.25

Waist

17.25

Stomach

20.25

Hips

12.25

Life is truly wonderful! I want that so badly for everyone!

105 inches

Love,

Kris G Cincinnati, Ohio5'7", 40 years old8/22 - 283 - BMI 44.302/22 - 181 - BMI 28.3ciao to 102 lbs. & 105 inches in 6 monthsOpen BPD/DS 08/22/00Dr. Maguire, Kettering OHHumanaFreedom Plus Planiwillbefit@...

[Guest guest]

Hi Kay:

Well, I for one was glad when I found out I had a hernia as my insurance, TriCare (military) paid for my hernia repair, tummy tuck and breast reduction.

Huggles

Tiger

[Guest guest]

I hear of more and more hernia,s what causes hernia,s

and is there any thing you can do to prevent it.

thanks Kay

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Kris, you are a true inspiration!!!!!! I have a question, you said

that you tried not to get a hernia but now you have one. What do you

mean? How should I be trying not to get a hernia?

Alyssa

preop 273 12/28

post op 229 2/24

> YOU are amazing!!! I am so thrilled for you and feel genuine pride

for

> you!!

> love,

> Loriann

> My Switch Story - 6 months =)

>

>

> Six Months

> Milestones this month – passed the 100 pound loss mark, one more

pound and

> I will be lower than I have weighed in almost 20 years and feeling

SO much

> more healthy, wearing smaller sizes than I have in almost 20

years. Will be

> passing along my 16's and 14's at the clothing exchange in March

and am

> wearing 14s, 12s, L and M. The size isn't as important as is the

feeling of

> health and " normalcy " . It feels so good to be able to " fit " into

society

> and just be one of the crowd, instead of sticking out like a sore

thumb

> (which is how I always felt pre-op if I went anywhere in public).

It feels

> so very fantastic to actually be living life again, instead of

simply

> existing. I feel so blessed and fortunate every single day – for

getting my

> life back.

>

> The hemorrhoids are under control and the thing that did the

trick was

> Proctofoam (a prescription). It worked wonders.

>

> I now have a hernia, though I tried VERY hard to prevent getting

one. I

> will have to have it repaired sometime within the next year and may

or may

> not have a tummy tuck with it, depending on the amount of excess

skin at the

> time. It is not painful and is about the size of a baseball

turning to a

> softball, along the right side of the incision just above the belly

button.

> Nurse said not to worry about it unless it becomes real painful or

it

> distends and I can't push it back in. Dr. Maguire said it will get

bigger

> regardless of what I do. I cannot lift more than 50 pounds, can't

do the ab

> machines (but can do regular ab crunches) and will wear a " rib

belt " while

> doing my nautilus and ab crunches.

>

> Vitamins and supplements – I take all of them at one sitting in

the

> morning. I take Mega 3 caps (3), Twinlab Allergy A & D (3),

Calcium Citrate

> (5) and have added the following: Ultra Acidophilus (2 – 350 mg. –

this

> really helps firm up the bm's), Flax Seed Oil (1000 mg – surgeon

approved

> experiment for skin softening – seems to work well), Devrom (2-3 –

does help

> eliminate odor – would probably be even more effective if I took

them

> throughout the day), Zinc (100 mg – for hair loss – seems to work

very

> well – have been taking a few weeks and hair loss came to a stop

after first

> week of taking it – could have been coincidence, but will keep

taking it for

> awhile just in case). Also take 500 mg. of Lysine to ward off cold

sores

> (did this pre-op, too). So, I take 19 different vitamins and

supplements in

> the morning – but it is actually a few less than I used to take pre-

op. I

> have taken vitamins/supps for many years.

>

> Surgery-related prescriptions – 30 mg. of Prevacid a day for GERD

and was

> told this could be something I would have to take for a year or

possibly,

> indefinitely. I definitely can tell if I miss a day of this. I

also take

> anti-depressants and birth control pills and have done fine with the

> absorption of these since immediately post-op.

>

> Bloodwork – My protein level was 6.3 (and normal is 6.4-8.2) on

my last

> bloodwork, so they took it again last week. Dr. Maguire indicated

that up

> to 25% of patients do not absorb enough protein, making the weight

loss more

> rapid, but also depleting the body's protein count. So, if the

bloodwork

> comes back with lower protein and albumin levels, I will have to

take the

> enzyme Creon, which will help with protein absorption. Hoping

those labs

> come back okay. Sometimes Creon helps after a short period of

usage to get

> the protein levels back up. Sometimes it needs to be taken on a

long-term

> basis or indefinitely. And, worst case scenario would be

lengthening the

> common tract. Keeping my fingers crossed for good lab results.

NOTE:

> Update on the bloodwork today. It came back good except for a

little

> elevated alkaline phosphate (surgeon was not worried) – protein

level is

> within normal range at 6.7 yaaaaaaaaaay!

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> To-date Pounds gone

>

>

>

>

> Weight

> 102

>

>

>

>

> To-date

> Inches gone

>

> Neck

> 1.5

>

> Bust

> 11.5

>

> Under Bust

> 10

>

> Left Bicep

> 4.5

>

> Left Forearm

> 1.5

>

> Left Wrist

> 0.5

>

> Left Thigh

> 4.75

>

> Left Knee

> 1.25

>

> Left Calf

> 2.25

>

> Left Ankle

> 0.5

>

> Right Bicep

> 4

>

> Right Forearm

> 2

>

> Right Wrist

> 1

>

> Right Thigh

> 5.75

>

> Right Knee

> 1.5

>

> Right Calf

> 2.5

>

> Right Ankle

> 0.25

>

> Waist

> 17.25

>

> Stomach

> 20.25

>

> Hips

> 12.25

>

>

>

>

> Life is truly wonderful! I want that so badly for

everyone!

>

>

> 105 inches

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Love,

> Kris G

> Cincinnati, Ohio

> 5'7 " , 40 years old

> 8/22 - 283 - BMI 44.3

> 02/22 - 181 - BMI 28.3

> ciao to 102 lbs. & 105 inches in 6 months

> Open BPD/DS 08/22/00

> Dr. Maguire, Kettering OH

> HumanaFreedom Plus Plan

> iwillbefit@y...

>

>

>