Wednesday, January 30, 2013

New Developements

Hey all!  Sorry I've been gone for a while but I haven't been feeling well for the past few weeks and the other day I found out why: I am hypoglycemic.  This, on top of my insulin resistance, has resulted in fainting spells, trips to the ER in an ambulance, loss of money since I can't work after having an episode and just down right crumminess all around.  
    It started well over a year ago but I was always told there was nothing wrong with me.  My blood sugars were always in  the acceptable range and I was negative for diabetes and on meds for my insulin resistance.  I had quite a few bouts of it starting last February that lasted into May or June but then things stopped and I figured hey all right, I'm all better.  Nope, not even close.  
    A few weeks ago, while I was guarding on deck, I passed out.  I was unconscious for nearly a full minute (or so I'm told) and was transported to the hospital. They did all their poking and prodding and ran all their tests and guess what?  There was absolutely nothing wrong with me.  I was in perfect health except that I fainted... but you know that's just a tiny detail. ;)
   So after a few weeks of this I finally got into see a specialist and he says it's "hypoglycemia" but gave it a much different and more complicated name.  He said it was basically the same thing but they'd renamed it because not everyone who had the symptoms had low blood sugar readings.  In fact a lot of people were suffering all the symptoms of it but had perfect blood sugar.  I am one of those lucky people.  I'm also one of those "great" patients where it's easy to track what foods trigger my episodes because I have such strong symptoms.
   I can't say how relieve I was that someone had finally given me a definitive answer.  I was starting to think I was somehow making this happen by stressing or thinking about it too much or something.  And now that I have an answer I also have new meds (oh joy, something else to remember ;) ) and a new diet plan.  Because my band is not tight yet, I'm able to follow this diet pretty much to a tee.  I'm to eat 6 times a day; 3 meals and 3 snacks.  I can't go over 30 carbs per meal and no more than 15 carbs per snack.  Along with my new meds, I am also taking cinnamon tablets since they've been shown to help regulate blood sugar or something like that. (I'm on so many meds these days it's hard to keep it all straight).
   Unfortunately for me, however, this diet is not a straight shot "you do this, you'll get better" kind of thing.  Every person's body reacts differently to foods and it's trial and error for me to find those foods that, even though they're within my allotted carbs, trigger an episode.  Since beginning this two days ago I've been constantly fatigued but had no dizziness  no blurry vision and no fainting; at least until this afternoon.  I woke up after my nap and my vision was blurry, I was nauseous and I felt like I was going to fall over.  I then laid down and went into convulsions (kind of).  They're more like when you start to shiver and you can't control it but bigger and my hold body literally convulses but I'm completely conscious through the entire 30 second or less process.  
   Don't worry though I ate lunch and then finally, after my snack a few hours later was feeling better.  I'm still tired, but that might be something I have to deal with for a while.  How about any of you?  Did/do any of you have to deal with something like this before or after your banding?  Did it eventually get better?

Stay safe, Stay happy, Stay hopeful
Super (Medicated) Woman signing off

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Sour Grapes

    I can't explain it, but all day today I've just been down right crabby.  (I have a more explicit word in mind but thought crabby was more reader friendly).  I've had no motivation to make any food, even to eat, and I just have this mindset like "what's the freakin' point.  Who gives a rat's petunia anyways?"  I have no idea where this mood came from but I hope it doesn't last long.  I had hoped that I would be all positives and rainbows and unicorns about this process, especially when it's working so well, but I guess that was a pipe dream.  I'm not sure if I'm disappointing about that or not because I'm feeling pretty negative about everything right now.
    I was fine last week.  In fact, I was great last week so I don't understand this grumpy pants mood.  My Mom, God love her, is just getting on my last nerve and I know all she's trying to do is help but when she says things like "you know it's 12:30 right?" while I'm in the shower getting ready for a 1:00 class I just want to scream "does it look like I have access to a watch right now?! NO I do not know it's 12:30 but I do know I have to be to class soon.  Why the freak do you think I'm in the freaking shower?!"  And then when she knows everything I did up until I left for school (which did not include eating because I did not give myself enough time to put something together, which is totally my fault and on me and I'm not mad at my mom because I didn't have food) and then I come back home right after class and she asks if I've eaten today I just want to scream and pull my hair out and be like "really?! you're asking me this question? Did you see me eat before I left?! NO! Therefore, no I have not eaten today!"  Of course she defends her question by saying something like "well I don't know where you went after class; if you went out and got something."  Like she doesn't trust me to stay on the right path without her hovering over me ALL the time!  NO mom I did NOT eat out after class.  I have a 1-2:15 class and a 2:30-5:20 class.  I have no time to get food and I was home by 5:40; not enough time to stop by a fast food joint, eat the food, and hide the evidence - especially since it takes me forever to eat anything these days!
    Gah!  Some days I just can't stand it! I did fine on my own without her hovering over me like gnat.  I know when my classes are and when I have to work.  I know the consequences of not getting up in time to make food and I know how to remedy that situation as soon as possible in a healthy way.  Why can she not just trust me for crying out loud?!  And why does it bother me so much to the point where I almost feel the need to get violent with something?!

stay safe, stay happy, stay hopeful
borderline homicidal signing off

Monday, January 21, 2013

Results!


 So as of one month since my surgery I am down 20 lbs! Woo hoo! I know my before pictures aren't that great and I'm super sorry about my progress photos.  I had to print them in order to scan them back into my computer to collage them together and I'm low on ink.  I promise I was not wearing a bright yellow shirt with pink was jeans! lol I'm actually wearing the same shirt as in the first before photo. :D

Anyways it's been quite an interesting month full of new experiences and realizations.  Here are a few off the top of my head. :D

1. I've discovered that I really can cook!  Not sure yet if I love to cook, but I CAN do it!
2. Along with that, I've also discovered that I won't die if I don't eat fast food every day. (Not that I thought I would before but you couldn't tell that by the way I shoveled Wendy's, McDonald's, and Jack in the Box into my mouth on a daily basis.)
3. I've realized that 8 oz of food is way more food than I thought it was.  Don't get me wrong, it's not an all you can eat buffet but I was imagining tiny plates that barely had any food on them.  Goes to show how well I can "eye ball" my portions. :D
4. I now have only one bra and one pair of pants that really "fit" and I use that term loosely.  Haha, get it, loosely?! I love unintentional puns! :D
5. While living in the yellow zone, it is important for me to eat between meals (a.k.a when my tummy starts to tell me it's hungry only 3 hours after eating) other wise I will pass out and that's just no fun.
6. I love to swim and dance and have fun with my cardio!
7. I hate treadmills, ellipticals, and especially stair steppers!
8. You can lose weight in your feet! How, prey tell, do I know this?  Even my shoes are getting too big!
9. I've shed quite a few insecurities and personality flaws along with the pounds. i.e. I automatically make my bed in the morning now and do more work around the house without being asked.  I will also go out to a party dressed to the nines confident in myself and my appearance and free myself to have a good time.
10. This is by far the best decision I have ever made thus far in my life and I'm so proud of myself!

Stay safe, stay happy, stay hopeful
20 lbs down signing off!


Before; Sometime in the 6 month observation period.;
259 lbs
Morning of surgery; 251.2
1 month after surgery; 231.2 lbs.
 20 lbs down!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Whoa! Did anyone get that license plate number?!

Holy cheese on a cracker!  I can't believe how long it's been since I last posted!  All I have to say for myself is that I got so busy with work and preparing for school that the weeks just sort of sped by.  So I know you're all dying to know how my life is ( I mean who wouldn't right? ;) ).  It'll be a month since my surgery this Saturday and I at my last weigh-in (last week) I was down to 235!  What?!  Holy boulders batman, that's just crazy!  I weigh in again tomorrow and I get my first adjustment next week; should have been this week, but the nurse who does the fills had the audacity to have a baby today! Jeez I know right?! Some people are just so inconsiderate! ;) (JK)

Anyways I started my exercise once the doc released me to and it's been pretty good.  I'm only allowed to do cardio right now, so I do a lot of swimming.  I love swimming!  I was the captain of my high school swim team and even back then I was no stick figure.  When I can't go swimming I will walk on the treadmill but I hate it and I don't even burn half the calories that I do when I'm swimming.  So moral of the story; swimming = most awesome, amazing, and funnest thing on the planet! and treadmill = ugh! do I have to?!

Food wise I'm glad to be on solid foods and I am actually sticking to good food choices for the majority of the time.  Once in a while I'll slip but it's not like an everyday once in a while more like a once a week once in a while.  Which may not seem like a once in a while thing, but for me right now that's pretty darn good and pretty darn once in a while! :D  The only complaint I have about eating right now is how slow I have to go, not because I want to shovel it all down my gullet in 10 seconds flat (at least not most the time ;) ) but because my food gets cold and cold eggs are just icky.  Okay I lied I have one more complaint.  Since I haven't had and adjustment yet, I only stay full for like 2-3 hours on 8 oz of foo and I'm not even supposed to be up to 8 oz of food yet so I'm kinda hungry most of the time but it's not the kind of hunger that's so bad you pass out (which I also did the other for that exact reason, but that's another story for another day).

I also started school this week and so far so good but I've only been to one class, so not really enough sample material to go on just yet. I'm excited to be that girl at the end of the semester where her classmates go "hey, does that girl look different to you? Yeah I think she does; she looks GOOD!" lol

Speaking of looking good, I've had many people tell me they can already see a difference and I even go the much appreciated "you're looking skinny today" comment. :D  My suits and guarding shorts and shirts are looser, my pants and shirts are loose, I dropped two underwear sizes, and my bra likes to try to fall off during the day! :D it's wonderful!

I still can't see my toes when I look down without having to bend over, but trust me you will all know when that day comes!  However I can get up the stairs without getting as winded and It's much easier to swim these days as well.  I can go longer before I start to feel like I'm dying. :D

I'll post again in a few days with my one month progress!  Can't wait to get some comparative pictures up! :D

Stay safe, stay happy, stay hopeful
Sexy and I know it signing off!