Slight change in plans

I had appointments with my dietician and psychologist today as part of the process.  While there I found out that my surgery has been moved forward 3 weeks! Ahhh =)
Exciting stuff! Means my pre op diet starts tomorrow,  blood work this week and will be on Optifast for only 11 days instead of my planned 3-4 weeks.

Very happy about it just quickly going through everything still to do.

Won't be long now!!
=)

What is it?

What is a sleeve gastrectomy?
A sleeve gastrectomy is a type of weight loss surgery where part of the stomach is surgically removed leaving a tube shaped stomach with a smaller holding capacity making the person feel full after consuming much less food.

The following explanation has been taken directly from the sleeve page on the OClinic website as it is describing the information from my doctor and for my experience:

The Sleeve Gastrectomy (also referred to as the Gastric Sleeve, Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, Partial Gastrectomy, or Tube Gastrectomy) is a relatively new procedure for weight loss.  It involves the permanent removal of 85-90% of the stomach, performed under a General Anaesthetic using advanced laparoscopic keyhole surgery.

Although the physical size of the stomach is reduced, the normal direction of the food stream through the stomach and the rest of the intestinal tract is not altered. This means that all nutrients including vitamins, minerals and protein will continue to be absorbed normally. It simply reduces the holding capacity from about 1.5 litres of food and liquid to approximately 200mL. This allows a person to feel comfortably satisfied and full with a meal size approximately equivalent to a cup of food.

Typically, Sleeve Gastrectomy patients will have between 4-6 small meals per day, which is actually the ideal way to eat. Dietitians recommend small frequent meals as a way of avoiding big swings in Insulin levels and achieving a more even intake of calories as part of a healthier eating pattern.

Despite being smaller, the stomach sleeve still functions normally- food and nutrients continue to enter and leave in the same way, acid continues to be made to assist in digestion, and essential vitamins and minerals such as B12, calcium, folate and iron can be absorbed normally.

To find out more, please visit the OClinic website for procedure information, risks, suggested aftercare, videos of previous operations and other resources.

Varied information
In my research I found that different surgeons describe the procedure in different ways. Social media and related forums have a lot of people sharing, questioning and comparing every little thing with each other.  The information is great, however can be confusing or conflicting if your experience is a little different.

Some of the differences I have noticed:

• Amount of stomach removed (75%, 80%, 85% or even 90%). 
• I have seen photos and heard stories of people with a varied number of incisions on the belly (3, 4, 5).
• I have watched numerous videos of the actual operation as many doctors upload their work on YouTube and have seen different surgical techniques, tools and stapling methods.  
• People are given varied requirements in relation to pre op diet from surgeons, nutritionists and dieticians - almost everyone I have spoken to has needed to be on Optifast diet pre op but the time they are on it is varied (4 weeks, 2 weeks, 1 week, 2 days, 1 day).  
• Costs of surgery, anaesthesiologists, etc

There are many more but you can see how there are variations in instructions, procedures and requirements.

If you are considering having this surgery or any other surgery, please choose your surgeon and before and after care professionals carefully. You will hear of horror stories and people with complications. People choosing the cheapest professional or choosing to ignore pre op diets and after surgery instructions. I know some complications are unexpected and sometimes unavoidable. Either way, you need to trust your surgeon and the people you are paying to take care of you.  Please follow their instructions!  They give them for a reason.

I hope this information is helpful.  As always, any questions - please ask.

=)

Announcing 40 Kilos in 40 Weeks campaign

Just one week left until my pre op diet begins!! Very exciting stuff!!

I was organising and preparing myself for this journey when suddenly realised that I have an opportunity to do more.  To help others while I am helping myself.  To make this journey less about me and more about supporting a greater cause.

As such I have decided to dedicate the first 40 weeks of my weight loss journey to raising money, sharing information and increasing awareness for depression and anxiety.

My goal is to lose 40 Kilos in 40 Weeks - proudly supporting beyondblue.  I am seeking sponsors to support me on my journey and support this wonderful organisation.

For further information or resources from beyondblue please visit their website.

Please contact me if you have any questions or would like to help!

=)

The Why

There is one question that I have been continually asked by my family and friends... WHY??? Why take the drastic measure of weight loss surgery? Why choose such an extreme way to lose weight? Why this irreversible procedure? Why why why are you doing this?

So I'll tell you my many reasons why I have chosen this approach to weight loss. In no particular order...

1. Failed attempts - I have tried, struggled and failed on my own attempts at weight loss since high school - weight watchers, lite n easy, tony ferguson,  years of gym memberships, swimming passes, boot camps, organised sports, cutting out carbs, psychologists, and much more. All attempts worked for a little while then some self sabotaging, negative thoughts take over and I return to binge eating. I need help!

2. My daughter - I have a beautiful baby girl, almost 2 already, who deserves not only a mum who WANTS the best for her child but to have a mother who is alive, able and willing to witness, guide, protect, laugh with, sing with, learn from, rely on, participate in and really be there for her growth into adulthood. I want to be here for everything.

3. Future children - I desperately want more kids. At the moment it is somewhat difficult to get pregnant and will be incredibly risky and difficult to be so. I need to lose weight before I have more children.

4. The permanancy of the surgery, being physically unable to eat the way I do now, is what I need. A constant reminder to eat well and in correct portions.

5. Beat it before it beats me - I want to overcome obesity and break the bad habits before I get any further health problems which will come if I do nothing. I want to fix my current problems and decrease the risks of coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure,  cancer,  sleep apnea, abnormal blood fats, gallstones, reproductive problems and more.

6. Quality of life - being able to vacuum and hang out washing without sweating, do my hair before my arms get tired, stop for a few minutes without zonking out, get around easier and going shopping without feeling like I've run a marathon.

7. For me - I want to feel good again! I want to buy clothes because I love them not because they happen to fit. I want to ride a bike again because I can. I want to be able to sit on the floor and play with my daughter without spending the next half hour waiting for the feeling to come back in my legs. I want to drive a car and fit on the seat without my arm overflowing in the centre console and my belly/legs touching the wheel. I want to stand/walk without ankle, knee, hip or back pain. I want to sit on my bed without hearing the springs. I want to put myself first and do whatever it takes to get me back.

I have a huge list of small things also that I'll be ticking off as they happen.

I want to change my life while I still have the chance. This is not the cop out, easy option, lazy way to lose weight. It is going to be incredibly hard and terribly strict. Which is what I want and need. My choice to take control of my mind, body and future. And it is my choice.

I hope those who judge or worry about this decision begin to understand my reasons why.

Preparing for pre op

In preparation for my lifelong journey, and getting mentally ready, I am doing a few things at home.

Saying goodbye to all the foods, drinks and habits that were once a comfort and friend.  Breaking up because the relationship I have with these things is bad for me. At first I thought it would be so hard to cut the ties. Slowly but surely I am choosing what's best for me.

The one that will be the hardest is my Diet Coke addiction.  I am getting my head around it but I am sure this is the thing I will miss most.   Besides, as it was put to me a few months ago, I have had more than enough Diet Coke for a lifetime, so no need to have more. True...

I am also putting up charts and inspiration, motivation and goals all over the walls of my house.  I want to be surrounded by reminders and things that make me smile.

Preparing the kitchen cupboards! Getting rid of all the junk!  It's amazing how much stuff creeps into the house! Well they're all being chucked!

I have picked a 'skinny' outfit. A non scale goal of what I want to fit into. I am making small goals rewards for myself... every milestone will have a non food related present to myself!

Getting everything organised so I can raise money through my weight loss by having people sponsor me.  I'll have more details on that soon.

There's lots to do in being ready. I want to be completely prepared, held accountable for and supported before pre op. Two weeks to go before I start.  I have heard it's really hard and tastes gross so preparing for that too.

So totally excited! Not at all worried, just gonna do it!

=) happy days

In the beginning...

Hello and welcome!
My first post is a little off date as I want to briefly share the process so far to this point.

October/November 2013:
I was going to the gym 3-4 times a week for zumba, body pump, pilates and cardio. As much as I wanted the exercise to be enough to shed my many extra kilos I knew it wouldn't be enough.  I privately began revisiting my research for weight loss surgery, something I often did.

Something about this time was different. I was the biggest I had ever been, completely exhausted and totally depressed. Knowing my weight was stopping us from having another baby, and from many other wifely and motherly everyday tasks that became harder and harder to perform.

I decided that if I really wanted to change my life, I was going to have to change my life!

So the extensive research continued and I was soon determined that the sleeve gastrectomy was the procedure I needed to help me achieve my goals. Anyone who knows me knows when I'm determined about something there's no stopping me!

Along with my research on everything about the sleeve and the results people achieved, I joined Facebook groups for weight loss surgeries, read blogs and watched video diaries on YouTube and began asking questions. Most of my questions were answered well, but there wasn't much information relating to Australian surgeons, clinics, hospitals, insurance or products.  So I continued my search for a reputable surgeon and program on my own.

I found OClinic through the long searches and phone calls and am extremely happy with my choice for Dr Craig Taylor to be my surgeon.

There was a bit of a process to get to now.... first appointment (which I waited 6 weeks for) was in early December.  I met with a clinic doctor to review my details. I am 154cm tall and at that appointment weighed 132kg. This put my BMI at 56. Healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9. Which put my overall excess weight to 72-87 kg.  Wow!

We discussed realistic goals and as a rule the clinic sets 60% excess weight loss as a success.  If I lost 45 kg (which would put me at 87kg) then success!  If I chose to lose more than that, even better. I made my overall goal to get to 70kg which I will revisit when I am close.

I was excited but overwhelmed. What a lot of weight!   One step at a time.
I had blood work done, a cardiologist check my heart, GP appointments, applied to have some of my super released early to pay for the surgery, calls to my health insurance to ensure all was covered, the long anxious wait for approval from Centrelink, claim to my super fund for the money to be released, calls to OClinic to try and get a surgery date booked (which only happens after total fee is paid).  It took almost 8 weeks from first appointment to do all medical tests and being able to pay and I GOT MY DATE!  Was a happy happy moment.  Now that date is 7 weeks away!  So excited so much to prepare!

I have appointments coming up with surgeon, psychologist and dietician and can not wait!

So that's a pretty quick overview of process up to now, 9 February 2014.  Any questions regarding the process more specifically just ask. I will be more thorough in future posts.

Thanks for your interest,  support or concern. Thanks for joining me on my journey!

=)