9 Days Post Op

Well today i went to the doctors to have my stitches taken out.  I was not looking forward to it as i could see some of the stitches were stuck in mini scabs!!

Ok so here is a god awful picture of my tummy 3 days post op, and taken on the day i flew back to the UK.  You can see some slight bruising, but honestly it never got worse than this.

Here are my scars today. 

The first scar had a little leakage from it but the nurse said it wasnt an infection, so she just added iodine.  Kind of looks like a cheap chinese style tattoo!








The other pic is of the typical scars ive got - im hoping these will heal up well!  Im so glad the stitches are out - they didnt hurt.  A couple of them had to be 'tugged' but it really wasnt painful.






I have 4 more heparin shots left *ugh*.  Cant wait until those feckers are over and done with!!

So after the heparin is finished, it will just be me and my sleeve x

Ketosis

After speaking to Michael yesterday, he asked if i had been feeling light headed or a bit 'odd'.  He had asked me this because this is about the time when your body goes into ketosis.

Now, i had never heard of ketosis until it was mentioned to me last night.  So after doing some research, this is what i have found out:

Ketosis describes the act of your body using up fat reserves for energy - simples right?

Carbohydrates are usually broken down into glucose, which is then converted into energy and transported to muscles and organs etc.

When there is a lack of glucose (ie post weight loss surgery), your body starts to break down stored fat in order to convert it into energy.  This is known as fat metabolism.

Fat metabolism, causes a build up of ketones in the blood, which results in ketosis.

Ketones are actually poisonous, and if left to build up, can increase the acidity in your blood, which can affect your kidneys and liver. 

Symptons

• Tiredness or fatigue
• Headache
• Feeling thirsty all the time
• Bad breath
• Metallic taste in the mouth
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Nausea or stomach ache
• Sleep problems
• Cold hands and feet

So in the next few weeks my body will be in a state of ketosis, which means that weight should come off nice and steady. My weigh in days are saturdays so will weight and see how this week goes.  Only lost 4 lbs last week whilst away!!  And i didnt eat for 3 of those days (i have been reminded that with lots of fluids being given to me during my stay, its not unsual for people to not loose a lot or even put a pound or 2 on).  Roll on saturday! x

Day 4 - Post Op

I was up at 5.45am this morning.  I would like to thank the nurses and their strict nazi regime.  (They woke us at 5.30am every morning while we were there for a shower - it hurt so bad).  So it would appear this unusual behaviour has now followed me home.

I took my ozzywotsits (aka omeprazole to reduce stomach inflamation or irritation).  I need to do this for a few months post surgery i believe.

I didnt sleep well last night.  After weight loss surgery, it is pretty impossible to rest/sleep unless you are on your back otherwise your tummy gets achey, and thats no good.  So i slept like an 80 year old ninja turtle, awakening with lower back pain, but my pride and joy, the sleeve, intact and looked after.

So, what did i eat today????  Well stand back and let your eyes boggle....I had today:

2 half cups of mint madness highlights hot chocolate
lots of water inbetween 'meals'
1 banana slimfast
2/3 of a nestle munch bunch (strawberry AND vanilla)
half a cup of chicken soup (all bits strained out)

And...voila.  Thats it, not anything more..............................................

Crazy as it sounds, it took a lot of hard work to make sure i was drinking as much water/fluid as possible.  I didnt feel hungry, but my mouth had an odd taste, because i havent chewed food for 6 days (i am constantly brushing my teeth at the moment).

At the end of my day, i now have to self administer (this means inject my bloody self!) with heparin to stop blood clots.  Now this is something i thought id never be able to do, but when we first tried at the hospital, the other two girls just did it, and well the competative side in me kicked in and therefore, i had to inject myself!  So far its been ok...i dont really feel the needle going in, or the liquid going in, but about 10 seconds later, it feels like ive been stung like a bee!  I got brave, so heres a pic!

Who Should Do My Surgery?

Weight loss surgery is highly in demand and steadily increasing, which is making this kind of surgery a real money maker.

There are lots of companies and surgeons now providing obesity surgery such as:

Streamline Surgical

Spire

Weightloss Surgery Group

The Hospital Group

Healthierweight

Cosmetic Bliss

Surgicare

Prices vary so really do shop around and also google any providers you are interested in going with.  The best kinds of reviews however, are by people who are active on forums.  Nothing like real time and up to date information!  Research your surgeon too!!  One surgeon could be working for up to 3 different providers who's cost will vary!

Back in September, i came across a company called Cosmetic Bliss.  I had read many favourable posts and feedback from people who had used this provider.  I tried hard to find any negative feedback or reviews, but amazingly i couldnt find any!  I came to the conclusion either those paitients who had bad experiences had died because of them, so therefore unable to provide reviews on forums, or that people were genuinley satisifed!

Now i knew i was definately going to have the surgery, i went through a period where i was scared, i mean heart palpatating fear.  Ive never had an operation before and it was a breathtakingly frightening concept.

Research and fat forums have become my obsession -  i wanted (and still do!) as much information as possible.  I was reading articles, reviews, researching and visiting forums on a daily basis.

It took from September to January to finally decide that Cosmetic Bliss were the company for me.  I had been speaking to, and still am speaking to, a girl who had undergone her surgery with them in October 2010.  She could only say positive things and i jut got to the point where i was like, its now or never!  So i sent my deposit off...there was no turning back

How I Arrived Here

Firstly i apologise for the ginourmous first post!  And well done if you manage to stick with it!

I think the last time my weight was appropriate for my height was when i was about 12.  Since then my weight has steadily been on the increase, unlike my salary.

I think my biggest problem is that i really love the taste of food.  Im my family, food is the epicentre of the universe - we laugh, cry, mourn, debate, argue and talk whilst eating.  As ive grown older, food has remained a focus of the typical social gathering.  I eat for every occasion, im really not fussy.  Happy?  Then i shall eat!  Sad?  Then i shall eat something particualrly calorific.  Depressed?  I will eat more crap.  Bored?  I'll pick and eat stuff.  See where i am going with this?

Throughout my teens, i tried to spend as little time as possible at home.  So most of my dinners were of the take away variety, which suited me just fine.  By the time i got into my 20's i was very overweight.  I knew it, and i felt ashamed that it seemed only me that had put on so much weight, whilst the rest of my friends had remained stick insects.  Herein started the eat/diet/purge/guilt cycle.  I'd eat, feel bad and diet for a few weeks, then cave in, then feel bad for being so weak, then id eat again etc 

Its also dawned on me recently, that i have used my fat suit as a test for the men of the world.  I wanted someone to see beyond the fat, and love the woman inside.  Well men out there...you failed!  Which unfortunately leaves me stuck with this fat suit.