History & Physical

I had my "Two Hour History and Physical" (also known as "First Medical Appointment") today at the Bariatric Surgery Center.  Last week I got a call from the center asking if I had 15 minutes to do the "Intake Questionnaire".  I did, so I spent 15 minutes answering a hundred questions about me, my health, and the health of every person in my family.  They also wanted to know every diet I have been on the last 5 years, how long I was on the diet and how much weight I lost.

Um.  Hi.  I'm a fat girl and have been on or rebounding from one diet or another for every minute of the last 5 years. I wasn't surprised I was having to supply this information because at the initial weight loss seminar I was given a form that had to be filled out and brought to my History and Physical.  The first thing was a chart for me to fill out answering that very question (along with about a hundred other ones).

I answered the nice lady's questions about diet history as best as I could.  I also filled out the form and brought it with me to the appointment, even though the form and the phone call both covered the EXACT same questions. But I got to answer all the questions all over again when I got called back for my appointment.  I met the nice lady that had called me on the phone in person and we went into a little room.  She asked me a few more questions.  "Are you nervous?" I was.  "Is there anyone in your life that makes you feel unsafe?" There wasn't.  She took my blood pressure (130/90).  She weighed me 269.2 (which is EXACTLY what I weighed in at last week at my Group Nutrition appointment).  And gave me my BMI (49.3).  Then she got to the good stuff.

I have been wondering what "they" consider my "excess weight" to be.  It's kind of an important question. because they tell you that you can expect to "lose 80% of your excess weight".  On BMI charts I am considered "Healthy Weight" if I weight between 104-131 (I am 5'2").  So, I didn't know if they considered my "excess weight" to be anything over 104 or 131.  She didn't know either..but the computer told us that my excess weight is 158.8 pounds.  Which means they think I should weigh 110.4 pounds.  So if I lose 80% of my excess weight (127 pounds is 80%) I will be down to 142.2 lbs.  Wow. But that's best case scenario. After that bit of exciting news, I was told to go back to the waiting room until the PA could see me.

The PA called me back (she was super thin and pretty) and asked me (*surprise*) the SAME questions I had been asked on the phone and on the written questionnaire (which, by the way, they never even asked for).  Then she checked my heart beat, had my lay on the table while she pressed on my belly.  Then she was done with the exam.  She printed out a check list of "All the Medical Procedures" I need to get done.

Since I already had an ultrasound of my gallbladder last week that came back perfect, and I don't have sleep apnea, all I need to get done is my psych eval and have my PCP complete a form.  She also ordered some blood work.  They came right in and drew my blood. It was nice I didn't have to go anywhere and I could lay on their super comfy super sized table (cuz, oh, yeah...fun fact.  I'm a fainter).

The blood work is to test some stuff I forgot....but mostly my A1C cuz of my diabetes.  I asked her about that because at the seminar, my surgeon said that "blood sugar and blood pressure had to be controlled".  So I have been stressing about whether or not my numbers would be ok.  She said that my blood pressure is ok for surgery.  They would like to try to get it a bit lower though.  And she said that my A1C has to be less that 7.5.  She is thinking it will be.  She said she "wasn't worried at all".  The cool thing is that the medical network I'm going to is huge in this area.  All the places I go are under the same umbrella.  They have this online chart thing where you can go and see all your results from all your tests and all you images if you have any imaging done.  I think my PCP will have me go get a CT for this weird pain in my belly....I hope it's nothing awful!!  When I get the report, I have to send it to the Bariatric Center.  But that's pretty much it.

I just have to do good on my nutrition and cross that hurdle.  

Turns out my A1C was 8.8 and I need it to be 7.5 before surgery. Great. Wonderful. 

Pain, Pain, Go Away

I'm having this really weird pain/discomfort.  It started 2 weeks ago.  It's in my right mid-abdomen.  It feels like a numb/tingling feeling sometimes and then other times like a pinching pain.  I went to my doctor about it.  She thought it was either a pulled muscle (from coughing/throwing up...cuz, oh fun thing, I have been sick with one thing or another the last two months) or my gallbladder.  I didn't see any connection between eating and the pain, so I really didn't think it was my gallbladder.

I went for an ultrasound and *surprise* my gallbladder is perfect. She said my liver is enlarged and I have a fatty liver.  Which I had in 2007 when I was down to 200 lb....and really, every fat person has fatty liver...on accout'a cuz they're fat.  Anyways....I am seeing her again next week and will likely go get a CT.

Meanwhile, poor Gander has been having a really rough time with his back.  My poor man!  We are gonna get him all fixed up.  He is going to physical therapy and also has a consult with a surgeon.  Maybe we will be recouping together :-)

2nd WLS Support Group

This support group went way better than the first one. There was no "topic" or presenter.  It was just an open discussion.  I expressed how I was pretty freaked out and had just about talked myself out of this whole surgery business.  The idea of having surgery...of having an IV put in...of being cut open...and my stomach REMOVED was just getting a bit overwhelming. 

At the group there was a woman who totally related because she had actually gone through the whole process once before and CHICKENED out.  She said that she is going to DO it this time. Her surgery is 1/30/14.  She made a lot of sense.  She said everyone she knows that has had it only regrets not doing it sooner.  She is right.  I have to remember that not having this surgery isnt going to prevent me from every having surgery...if I don't have this surgery I will probably end up needing 3 other ones (and more serious ones).  I have a lot of health problems from my weight. 

There was also this girl there who had the bypass and has lost 113 pounds.  She ran her first 5k.  We talked about everything.  We talked about the nutritionist and what to tell people who ask about our weight loss. She is very open and tells people.  I don't think I can do that. 

I even got a fake Facebook page so that I could join the group's facebook page.  :-)