I’m actually most impressed that your friend has the motivation to go work out while intaking that few calories. I’m eating about 1500 a day, which is a huge cutback from god only knows what before-- and sometimes it’s a struggle to get myself to do much, because I’m still in that feeling tired phase. I’m sure as I adjust more, though, it’ll come a little easier.
But yeah, that bodes well for your friend. If he’s got the get up and go now- at the time when it’s physically the hardest- he’ll probably do very well. Good for him!
I just got an update from my step mom. She had bariatric surgery back in Oct 09. She went through a rather nasty recovery period that included her esophagus basically shutting down and couldn’t eat or drink anything on her own for about a month. Shortly after recovering from that she developed several stroke-like symptoms including slurred speech and severe weakness.
In my last post about this we hadn’t yet found a diagnosis. She recently went to yet another neurologist that has confirmed a thiamine deficiency to be the cause. Seems to be Wernicke’s Disease, a horrible debilitating illness that is normally seen in severe alcoholics. It’s becoming more and more wide-spread though in bariatric patients that have experience periods of post-op malnourishment. The doc seems to think that SM’s condition is largely permanent and irreversible.
[/slight hijack]
The point of my longish story is to warn everyone out there considering this type of surgery to be diligent in your post-operative care. If only SM had insisted on getting better care when she was having trouble she might not be in the position she is today. This is permanent - irreversible, and life altering for all involved. Imagine going from a 40-something year old woman who loves life to a 40-syo trapped in the body of an 80 year old stroke patient. She would much *much *rather be heavier and functioning than the shell of a person she is today.
Every person I know who has had bariatric surgery is suffering from health problems related to malnutrition/various deficiencies. Usually, it is controllable (with constant doctor’s visits, vitamin injections, blood transfusions, etc).
However none of them seem to eat a nutrient-rich diet. Most eat lots of bread and lots of other starches/sugars - which have almost no nutrients, and what made them fat in the first place.
Well. I’m back from the hospital. Still feel a bit like I got hit by a truck, but all in all things went a lot better then I expected. I feel a lot better then expected, too. No nausea, hardly any hunger, pain quite manageable, and I walked the halls a day after and into the park two days later. Two other people went into surgery with me, we talked a bit in the halls of the hospital, and one lady has about my bmi and the other, a guy, also wasn’t extremely large either.
A couple more days of fluids, then onto my home made purees! I still have all the baby gear for when I made my baby pureed food. rhubarbarin, that is very sad. Indeed, I have to take four supplements a day: two multivitamins, one calcuim, one zinc. But I know plenty of people who take that number just out of “normal” health considerations.
I often think the US way of life leaves too little time for the preparation of food. We in Holland look to the French and shake our heads at how traditional French housewives cook two home made meals a day for their families, and the families workj schedule allows them to come home for those meals. But even in Holland, work schedules permit people to be home by 5.30 and prepare a home-cooked meal. With fresh veggies.
Take-out and prepackaged frozen meals are the exception here, not the rule. And that is because work and commute take up a smaller part of the average’s Dutch persons day.
Well, I’m rambling a bit, but all I wanted to say is that I don’t think I will end up like the persons you mentioned.
I’m going back to bed now, have 10 more days to recuperate. Thanks all for your thoughts and support. I won’t be posting in this thread anymore, but if people want to know more, they can pm me. If I get enough pm’s I might start another thread.
I’m glad it went well Maastricht, and I hope you heal fast and that this is the beginning of the change you’re looking for. I’d be interested in knowing how you’re doing later on, when things settle - I hope you do start another thread.
The short version is that so far, I’m absolutely thrilled with the surgery. I healed fast, already lost 14 pounds (6 kg) in those three weeks. I have more energy and feel better then before, while I had braced myself for these past weeks to be difficult.
My “hunger voice” has gone from a loud demand to a timid polite voice. Eating less is much easier then I thought before hand.
Also I LOVE that website. The before/after pictures are really inspiring. I would have the surgery in a minute if I had insurance. Even with my needle phobia! I’d *find *a way to get over it.
Maastricht, you’re a lot better person than I. Not because you went through with it, but that you aren’t upset that people can’t have the moral decency to stick with the thread topic: reasons TO do this.
Congrats on all of it, and I hope you do as well as the friends I’ve had that have done well. Unlike the rest of the people here, I have never encountered anyone who was worse off due to having this. My only reasons for not trying this are money and my emetophobia. (I currently don’t throw up ever, and I don’t want to change that.)
So, those of us who felt morally obligated to point out how this was possibly a terrible idea lack moral decency huh? My better judgment has bypassed what I’d like to say to that…
I’m happy things are working out for you Maastricht.
AClockWorkMelon, you should know better than to use such obviously inflammatory language, even if if it isn’t your intent to inflame. If it is a joke I’m still not seeing how anything that’s gone on before it in the thread could possibly have created a context in which this is acceptable.
UPDATE 2010-08-21: Moderator note withdrawn. For explanation see here.
I responded to you privately but since you’ve brought it out I’ll share. Obviously it was a joke; the part I thought objectionable was the subject matter of his hypothetical thread.
