Tuesday, March 10, 2009

More Energy and Out of Town

Spent the weekend building a deck in my back yard and just found that I have tons of energy. Picked up lots of heavy lumber and concrete, no back pain.

I am due to go to California next week and am anxious about the travel. I just do not know what to expect. I am working at our corporate offices, so it should not be too bad. We will see.

Still irritated by the way I was treated last week in Dr. Clements. The gastric bypass seems to be working and as the days pass I am increasingly glad that I did it. but, it does not seem real.

Got sick last night from eating dinner, not sure why.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Traffic to this Website

Well, I put a counter on my blog and found that no one is reading it.

Hmmm...

My intention in writing to this is to provide good information to others thinking of having gastric bypass. But, no one is reading and so it is making less sense to keep writing.

Friday, March 6, 2009

The Latest on the Visit Today

I kept looking at the numbers today and they just did not make sense. Everything that I was reading seemed to indicate that I was tracking normally. So, I called the office and got the battle axe on the phone Joann. I basically told her that I had issues with her raking me over the coals today and sending me into a panic over this gastric bypass weight loss rate. After everything that I have been through, the last thing that I want to hear is that it is not working.

Anyways, she fesses up and tells me that there has been a mistake and that she was going to call me. Well, it is the end of the day. Monday would have rolled around and she would have forgot. then, I would have started altering my eating habits and even further restricting my eating. This could have had a very strong adverse outcome for me.

Go back and look over my blog and see how many errors that I have talked about this office making. This is just not acceptable. Especially after she slammed me for 15 minutes in that office today.

A good example of what is wrong with our healthcare system today. By the way, all of these calculations were done on paper and not by a computer.

Disappointed with my Visit

I went to see Dr Clements at Kirklin Clinic - UAB on my gastric bypass today and got a Physician Assistant(Joann) instead. Frankly, she really irritated the crap out of me.



She started in with the exercise and I told her that I have been unable to exercise because of the gout. She stated emphatically, that I should be exerercising an hour a day for 7 days a week. (Is she on drugs?) Then, she started in on the water and not drinking enough. I told her that I had a hard time with keeping enough food and enough water down, then she wanted to know if I had gone to support group. Because, this was "covered" on the support group and I would know. That I should be drinking 64oz of water a day, etc, etc. Then, she wants a complete inventory of what I eat on a given day. I gave her that and was informed that I am eating too many carbs and I need to "completely" change my habits.



My initial weight was 268lbs and I know weigh 233lbs. I have lost 13.1% of my total weight and about 35% of my excess weight. She said that most patients have lost 25% at 8 weeks. I don't see how that is possible. I have seen studies that identify 38% of excess weight at one year. that is on track with the graph below and also on track with the "Swedish" study on this topic.



I am tracking exactly with the blue line and I was so totally put off by her inquisition that I was at a loss to ask questions.


As I am leaving, I see Dr Clements and he speaks. Why didn't I see him today and not this nazi PA? I drive over a 100 miles to see Dr Clements and my insurance will reimburse as if I saw him.

More importantly, I think that she was wrong. I think that she was thinking of the excess weight % and not total weight %. The nurse that ushered me in the room and weighed me has mis-calculated these figures before. I think that this was another example of that.

The numbers don't add up. Plus, if I make changes to my diet now and I am tracking normal, then I will go even further into starvation mode. I don't see them for another 3 months.

Honestly, I have been consistently disappointed by the guys since I started this. They have screwed up so many times. After everything that I have dealt with, the last thing that I want is some overpaid nurse raking me over the coals on what I am eating everyday.

I doubt that I will go back. This office, Kirklin Clinic, and UAB have all been consistent disappointments in the process. I wished that I had gone to St. Vincent's or to Baptist in Alabaster.

I would love to hear some feedback on this posting. Has anyone had similar encounters?

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Appointment on Friday and the Latest

I have my rescheduled appointment with Dr. Clements at Kirklin Clinic on Friday. I am curious about my blood work and how that will turn out. I am also curious about the weight loss. People are really starting to notice that I am losing weight. I have a lot more energy and worked last night until late. I have not had this much energy in a long time.

I continue to struggle with meals and trying to get them down. I am an extremely fast eater and am having to readjust because of the gastric bypass. I throw up at least every other day but that is an improvement. I can eat almost anything now without a problem. Some things I have to just eat slower. Some days I can eat a lot and other days I can't. It just varies. I continue to take the multi but have stopped taking the calcium.

I have found a real treasure and that is Soy Milk. It requires an adjustment in taste but frees me up for one of life's true pleasures, the late night bowl of cereal. Of course, the term bowl is about a 1/4 cup and I used to eat a couple of cups. So, the snack is much smaller but is a treat and makes me feel like I am half way normal. The Soy has calcium and I buy orange juice with added calcium. So, it works for me.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

False Alarm and Missed Appointment

I posted some time ago that I was worried that my gastric bypass would not work. I was wrong, I have dropped some more weight since that posting.

Nothing has really changed, just day to day work and adjusting to this new lifestyle.

For anyone that has not made the final decision, this is hard work. Don't let anyone tell you that this is an easy way to lost weight because it is not. Like today, I made a huge dinner for the family. I had not eaten all day and was starving. Anyways, I had just a few bites and that was it. My brain was telling me that I was hungry but my stomach was not able to hold more food.

I am having a problem keeping hydrated. If I eat, then I can't drink. Because of that, my gout is acting up.

I am sleeping a lot better and the sleep apnea is much less of a problem. I am feeling better that I have felt in a very long time.

I was supposed to have had my 8 week followup with Dr. Clements at Kirklin Clinic on Friday but missed it and have rescheduled for next Friday.