Originally Posted by KiwiGal

I'm glad that things are starting to work out for you. What a lot you have had to contend with.
Best wishes for a good recovery.

Thank you so much!! it's been a long journey since the surgery in July...hopefully I will be ok for a few months...

Originally Posted by Ann2

Sandra, I'm glad you're finally getting some sensible, information-based advice / treatment. Sorry you're having such a hassle with all this!

I haven't had any plastics, and I don't think I ever will!

Thanks for your support my dear Ann!

I'm always dragging my feet for any kind of surgery....here since my tumor removal could be made at the same time with "reconstruction" my insurance would cover and it made more sens to have someone qualified to do the job.

Meaning, to remove my tumors on my arm, it would have required like ten incisions. Since I did qualify for a lift, it was no brainer to think the result would be better and with only one incision, longer but at least it could be hidden...

One of my worth experience, I had one tumor removed on my back 13 years ago, a general surgeon did the job because it was urgent, it was growing and pressing on a nerve...the scar was bad...so bad people thought it was a wound from a gun shot...now it's faded but I was think that way with a qualified surgeon who did great with my other removals, it would be fine....hum....nope!!

I have to go back in March for correction of the "dog ears" but this time it will be a local anesthesia and I'm hoping I will be done with the arm story!!

Ditto what I just posted on your other thread. I'm glad you're getting good information and good advice and treatment.

Ann

Sandra, I'm glad you're finally getting some sensible, information-based advice / treatment. Sorry you're having such a hassle with all this!

I haven't had any plastics, and I don't think I ever will!

I'm glad that things are starting to work out for you. What a lot you have had to contend with.
Best wishes for a good recovery.

Originally Posted by DutchSleeve

I am so sorry to read about the complications you have.
But doctors that pay no attention to what you say can drive you so mad!
Not fun to be in the hospital, but at least you are getting the care you need right now.
I wish you alle the best and I am sending you love and hugs.
Get well soon!

Thank you for your support!
I think things are moving the right way...fingers crossed!

I am so sorry to read about the complications you have.
But doctors that pay no attention to what you say can drive you so mad!
Not fun to be in the hospital, but at least you are getting the care you need right now.
I wish you alle the best and I am sending you love and hugs.
Get well soon!

Originally Posted by Stacey03

Good luck with everything Sandra, sounds like you've had quite a journey. Im sure it will all be worth it in the end :-)

Thanks Stacey!! for sure I was expecting an easier recovery...but we can't know in advance how the body will react!
What actually is making me worry right now is the tachycardia. Since my surgery was over 4 hours, it's apparently a side effect quiet common after a long surgery, but after three weeks it's not gone yet and I might need to see a specialist and have exams to see what's going on!! what a mess...

Good luck with everything Sandra, sounds like you've had quite a journey. Im sure it will all be worth it in the end :-)

Originally Posted by Christie13

That is wonderful Sandra. So happy for you. Hope you recover quickly and the results are everything that you hoped they would be.

Dear Christie, thank you for your message and support!
I'm off work for at least 4 weeks, and right now standing is painful. But I'm taking all my recommended supplements to get the swelling down, wear my beautiful compression garments, hopefully in one month I will be more mobile and I will have a better idea of the final result. Right now I can see an improvement but it's too early to really know...the surgeon told me the final result should show at 6 months for my legs, earlier for my arms.

Originally Posted by Shirl

Dearest Sandra, holding you in my heart and thoughts for a speedy and happy recovery! How exciting and thrilling! can't wait to hear more about it! xoxo

Thank you my darling Shirl! as always it took me months to decide and "jump" but at the end I think I made the right decision. First not to go with the famous professor in Paris but go back to a surgeon I've known for 25 years...I was lucky he decided to go back to work this year, he was going to retire and had a six months hiatus!

There's always those 5 minutes on the operating table right before closing my eyes when I think "what the hell did I just do", but at least I woke up without vomiting which is really amazing.

I will let you know how it goes!! XOXO

Originally Posted by Katrina

So happy for you!

Thank you Katrina!

That is wonderful Sandra. So happy for you. Hope you recover quickly and the results are everything that you hoped they would be.

Dearest Sandra, holding you in my heart and thoughts for a speedy and happy recovery! How exciting and thrilling! can't wait to hear more about it! xoxo

So happy for you!

Originally Posted by Sandra3

Thank you Christie!
My husband is really stressed out about an other surgery but it has to be done.

I'm hoping I will be ok dealing with low carbs again, so far just a few days and my water retention is going down, I can see it just with my rings.
I'm wondering if I should start tracking again...I don't like the idea but...it might help. We'll see how it goes!
Take care!

I am sure he is stressed because he loves you and it is natural to worry. But this is all for the best. I am not a big tracker but do it occasionally so I can see how I am eating calorie/macro wise. I know it helps a lot of people, though, so it isn't a bad idea. Let us know how the surgery goes.

Originally Posted by Christie13

Wow Sandra!! Glad you found your surgeon again. Trust and confidence in your surgeon is so important. Mostly to keep your mind at ease. Wishing you a wonderful, uneventful surgery and a speedy recovery!! Happy dance for you!

Thank you Christie!
My husband is really stressed out about an other surgery but it has to be done.

I'm hoping I will be ok dealing with low carbs again, so far just a few days and my water retention is going down, I can see it just with my rings.
I'm wondering if I should start tracking again...I don't like the idea but...it might help. We'll see how it goes!
Take care!

Originally Posted by Ann2

Sandra, I send you my best wishes for the very best results your old/new doctor (he sounds lovely) and you can achieve.

I'm glad you have a surgeon in whom you have great confidence. That's important, I think.

Nice to see / hear you back here again.

Thank you Ann!!
I must say I'm relieved to have found him!

My work load is getting lighter during Summer, I'm able to come back more often!

I will keep you posted when I have more news. I'm kind of scared of the surgery but it has to be done, and during Summer it will be easier to heal without flu viruses around..
Take care!!

Wow Sandra!! Glad you found your surgeon again. Trust and confidence in your surgeon is so important. Mostly to keep your mind at ease. Wishing you a wonderful, uneventful surgery and a speedy recovery!! Happy dance for you!

Sandra, thanks for sharing so candidly. I too have a tricky (as in my 7 ologists can't figure it out) weird things with my health.

But you've made a great step with the increased protein and reduced carbs. I'm only 10 months out, but just know you are never on your own!

Sandra, I send you my best wishes for the very best results your old/new doctor (he sounds lovely) and you can achieve.

I'm glad you have a surgeon in whom you have great confidence. That's important, I think.

Nice to see / hear you back here again.

Hello Ann!

Thank you for your caring message!

In May I was also taking antihistaminic medication, forgot about it but my doctor was telling me that could also explain the second gain. My body is just so weird, all my doctors are always scratching their heads with my tests results and my very tricky metabolism..

I'm also thinking that since I have so much water retention lately, I might be getting close from menopause?? who knows...but for sure something is going on...

I met my "old plastic surgeon" who did some reconstruction on me 25 years ago. I 'm thinking about finally going with him for my surgeries, he will retire next year so I need to make up my mind soon.
I'm going low carb very soon to try to "rebalance" my metabolism and get ready for surgery.

I will let you know how it goes!
Take careXX

Originally Posted by Ann2

Sandra, hullo. Nice to see you back.

Here's what I can offer that may or may not apply to your situation. Ever since I went through menopause 20+ years ago, the quality and quantity of my sleep declined. And sleep deprivation makes everything in my life harder, including weight maintenance.

Not often, but sometimes I resort to sleep aids of various kinds, e.g., Tylenol PM (benadryl), melatonin, even (rarely) Ambien.

I've also been working since being sleeved to improve my sleep hygiene. You know the drill -- dark room, cool room, go to bed at the same time, get up at the same time, relaxation exercises, exercise during the day (not at night), etc. Honestly, the better my sleep hygiene, the better I sleep.

So maybe if you could sleep longer and better that might help you turn the corner on your 10-pound regain by reducing the stress in your life. ???

I'm also going to say that, based solely on my own experiences after four years post-op, I don't think there's anything magical that our bodies do at 2 years or 3 or 4 years after being sleeved that "makes us gain weight." Put more bluntly, I don't think "bounceback" is an inevitable metabolic phenomenon. I think it's a result of what and how much we continue to eat eat, how and how much we continue to exercise, how well we continue to care for ourselves, and how well we continue to focus on living the healthier lifestyle we were once so excited about when we were losing weight and newly slimmer. Those are my two cents' worth.

I hope you can get on top of this and lose soon the 10 pounds you've regained. You're such a smart, strong person (I remember you well from the many months you spent here) and certainly have the mental resources to solve this challenge. Best to you!

Sandra, hullo. Nice to see you back.

Here's what I can offer that may or may not apply to your situation. Ever since I went through menopause 20+ years ago, the quality and quantity of my sleep declined. And sleep deprivation makes everything in my life harder, including weight maintenance.

Not often, but sometimes I resort to sleep aids of various kinds, e.g., Tylenol PM (benadryl), melatonin, even (rarely) Ambien.

I've also been working since being sleeved to improve my sleep hygiene. You know the drill -- dark room, cool room, go to bed at the same time, get up at the same time, relaxation exercises, exercise during the day (not at night), etc. Honestly, the better my sleep hygiene, the better I sleep.

So maybe if you could sleep longer and better that might help you turn the corner on your 10-pound regain by reducing the stress in your life. ???

I'm also going to say that, based solely on my own experiences after four years post-op, I don't think there's anything magical that our bodies do at 2 years or 3 or 4 years after being sleeved that "makes us gain weight." Put more bluntly, I don't think "bounceback" is an inevitable metabolic phenomenon. I think it's a result of what and how much we continue to eat eat, how and how much we continue to exercise, how well we continue to care for ourselves, and how well we continue to focus on living the healthier lifestyle we were once so excited about when we were losing weight and newly slimmer. Those are my two cents' worth.

I hope you can get on top of this and lose soon the 10 pounds you've regained. You're such a smart, strong person (I remember you well from the many months you spent here) and certainly have the mental resources to solve this challenge. Best to you!

Originally Posted by Stacey03

Oh that was a bit of a blow. Things can knock us sideways in life but it sounds like you have a plan to get back in the saddle. You can do it. Forget the past and just look forward. The past has gone :-)

Hi Stacey,
Thanks for your message.
I always knew obesity was here for life but my frustration here is that I can't even be upset at my diet which has been always consistent since surgery (even before but that's an other story). Fighting again against "outside factors" is just a real pain in the neck....but I'm positive I will find my way back on the horse!

Thank you for your message!
I stopped the medication in February but because the dosage was so high I think it's taking a long time to get out of my system.
I'm suspecting hormonal issue now...but will get blood tests soon. And I'm trying to slowly lower my carb intake (but no crazy low carb) just to see if it's also helping, and do more walking as well to balance my metabolism...I wish I had more time to exercise....

And you are right, I didn't really get a real vacation since last July, the move, new position, "new country" (I'm back home but after 15 years overseas feels kind of like a foreign country)..a lot of stress and no me time. I do try to take a few minutes each day to focus and relax..but it's not doing the trick! Hopefully I should be able to take real time off in July...can't wait!

Hi Shannon,
Thank's for your message of support!
Antibiotics and cortisone had always that side effect on me (it is my trigger for obesity) but so far I was able to loose the pounds in a few weeks (had the same issue in 2016 post sleeve, did gain a lot in a few days but it was gone after less than two months). When I was much heavier in 2010 I could gain 30 pounds with the medication, and it would take 3 months of strict diet to see it go away. Here I think because I reached the "two years spot" where so many gain back 5 to 10% may be I'm experimenting some "bouncing back". But I'm seeing a plastic surgeon next month and I'm guessing he will not like that gain...anyway...I'm thankful to the medication for saving my life...I have to figure out what my metabolism is doing right now...hopefully it's not some hormonal issue linked to that heavy dosage I took in January..

Oh that was a bit of a blow. Things can knock us sideways in life but it sounds like you have a plan to get back in the saddle. You can do it. Forget the past and just look forward. The past has gone :-)

I'm sorry to hear of your health problems.
I hope that you get better soon and that your prednison can be stopped.

Yeah, life happens...
But you can do this!
You know what you can do and what you have to do.
You'll be fine!

Just one thing: I have learned that "me time" never, ever is brought to me, you have to take that yourself...
So take your "me time", you deserve it.

(I remenber taking my "me time" in the bathroom sitting on the toilet seat with a book. That was years ago, when I had to take care of my two mentally challenged children. That was my only way of taking that time. )

Hi Sandra!

So sorry to hear of the issues and/or concerns you have been faced with as of late. Having to push through issues like the ones you have outlined above certainly do not make the overall struggle to maintain a "normal" weight any easier. But I have faith in the fact that you can pull through all of this and come out on the other side shining much like the superstar you truly are.

Hang in there. I know life makes living difficult, but it is how we handle those times that reflects the resiliency our characters possess.

I too, am in a struggle, but I am determined to push through it all. I refuse to bow to anything less than myself - and in the moment that that actually happens, it will be the moment I reach my goal weight (I am currently 237 lbs. and my goal weight is 185 lbs.)

Have a great rest of your week!

Way to go Sandra!! I totally knew that being back in France and having so much more access to the foods you need would get your scale moving in the right direction. That is such awesome news!! Wishing you a fantastic holiday filled with love, happiness, and health. Big hugs!! XOXOXOX