I went quiet (again) because it's going tits up!

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

FWIW, I think the consult is a good idea. It never hurts to get his opinion and his is one of the opinions I would really value. I would bet he can figure out how to help you. Then you have a decision to make!

Statistically you are a success and your progress has been wonderful but I get that it hasn't been enough and you are running out of steam. I hope he comes up with a real answer for you!

BTW the shortest CC I know of is an Australian woman. 40CM. And she did lose the weight. I have had no contact with her for a few years now but last I heard, she was doing great!

WOW!!! 40cm? Bloody hell!

If there is one thing that stops me in all this, it is that whilst I'm 0.3 points from being a BMI 40, I am also a statistical success. So humph. Who knows lol. I'm trying to remain calm and cautious. I was dead set against more surgery until my blood pressure blew up and became very difficult to control...and now I'm pretty much a damn preop with co-morbids! ugh.

I think I've been this size too long. It feels normal....and this normal now feels fat.

 

[JackieOnLine]

now I'm pretty much a damn preop with co-morbids!

think I've been this size too long. It feels normal....and this normal now feels fat.

whatever we practice should start to feel more normal; it's all about time.

I'm trying to feel more normal by practicing being "excited for" instead of "afraid of" ...well, everything.
my weight has always been largely (get it?) about my thoughts and emotions rather than my metabolism. kind of makes me a freak on this forum.


ETA: been meaning to tell you: love your new photo

 

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

whatever we practice should start to feel more normal; it's all about time.

I'm trying to feel more normal by practicing being "excited for" instead of "afraid of" ...well, everything.
my weight has always been largely (get it?) about my thoughts and emotions rather than my metabolism. kind of makes me a freak on this forum.


ETA: been meaning to tell you: love your new photo

Yeah I think my body hears my brain when I catch a glimpse and say omg SO FAT...and my body is like game on! +5lbs for you! lol ugh.

And thanks about the photo. I had to change it because the super skinny face made me feel worse lol.

 

[Sheanie]

Donni, its SO good to read you! I left all social media. Have never been happier.

You ARE the number one DS success story. I talk about you to my husband. You have been thru so much, with such an attitude. I admire your strength so much.

I support you contacting Dr K. And Diana is so correct with her math, as always. Yes, some absorption can come back for some of us. And Prozac makes me gain. As does Wellbutrin. And one other I cannot remember that was hell getting off of.

You are a very smart lady. Do what you need to do. I support you. Be happy.

 

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

Donni, its SO good to read you! I left all social media. Have never been happier.

You ARE the number one DS success story. I talk about you to my husband. You have been thru so much, with such an attitude. I admire your strength so much.

I support you contacting Dr K. And Diana is so correct with her math, as always. Yes, some absorption can come back for some of us. And Prozac makes me gain. As does Wellbutrin. And one other I cannot remember that was hell getting off of.

You are a very smart lady. Do what you need to do. I support you. Be happy.

I've calmed down a fair bit lol. I finally realized what brought on this panic.

So I had some suspected kidney issues in March. I had been put on Wellbutrin, Topamax, Prozac, Lisinopril and HCTZ (a water pill). Welllllll, lol, I ended up in the ER with low potassium and high something else. It was a mess because the ER staff kept telling me I was having an allergic reaction and no matter how much I argued, NOPE, allergic reaction! They gave me fluids and I felt better within an hour. They took bloods and then released me with a prescription for prednisone and hydroxyzine. I didn't take it lol as I was 100% sure this was not an allergic reaction.

3 days later they left me a voicemail about some concerning labs and that's when I discovered my potassium had dropped to 2.5....no wonder the IV fluids made me feel better! I had arterial blood drawn and the MOFO's kept missing...so I had it done FOUR TIMES....not fun. 1 star. Do not recommend! The results were hell interesting though lol. As in, I had to learn how to interpret different labs.

My Dr then referred me to Nephrologists who did all sorts of tests. 2, 24 hour Urine tests. Everything turned out to be ok with my kidneys, but my BP is out of control. This DR is European. Why does that matter??? Because Europeans are the WORST when it comes to hating fat people. ugh. I saw her twice and she was so bad, when we left, mike said 'god, what a bitch!'. Indeed dear, indeed. This attitude is what I survived in the UK for 11.5 years. Her report basically said MORBID OBESITY (in all caps) was the cause of my swelling, high BP and funky potassium issues.

I put it behind me, thinking I'd never have to deal with her again. I quit topamax, wellbutrin and HCTZ. My BP was STILL out of control. I went to the DR last week and even on the top dose of Lisinopril, it was 153/101. I quit prozac and the progestin I was on. I freaked the hell out and begged for a small dose of HCTZ with a script for potassium. Then she said she wanted to send me back to the Nephrologist. The evil European!

Well....tears came...the C word flew out of my mouth. I sobbed. I have to see this fat shaming asshole again. Her practice is the only one available to me and when we (my Dr is kinda a badass) asked if I could see someone else...their response was 'She is an established patient and cannot change providers'. I kinda lost it.

I didn't put two and two together (Evil European Bitch and my OMG my DS is broken freak out) until someone on FB mentioned something about medical people asking 'Did WLS work????'. So yeah.

I've got other issues DS-wise that I'd love to have Dr K figure out so I'm still 100% needing to see him and I'm in a privileged position with insurance to do so.

Thanks for all the support

 

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

So I forgot to add a few details lol. In March when I was on allllll the meds, my weight was 258lbs. After I quit the helpful ones weight wise (Wellbutrin, Topamax and HCTZ) my weight has been on an upward trend. What kind of DSer can gain 30lbs in a a few months??? This one. My highest was 2 weeks ago: 294lbs....but it's not real as we had taken a 2,000 mile, 5 day road trip.

My BP now that I am back on HCTZ (12.5mg) is now 115/73...perfection. Except I am fighting near constant dehydration even with drinking 6+ litres of water a day. I struggle with severe cramps in my legs....like 5+ cramps at once, plus abdominal, leg style cramps. The European ho-bag, tells me I drink too much. And yes, when I saw said ho-bag, I took her all the DS info. She's ignorant and lazy. Wants to blame everything on fatness.

 

[Sheanie]

Did anyone suggest potassium infusion? Were your female hormone levels checked? All this sounds Rx-caused to me. Low potassium is a side effect of 3 of the Rx's mentioned.

The weight gain feels hormonal to me, especially with the emotions. Didnt you also mention steroids? But you never took them. If you were given those IV, that could also make things go tits up, hormone wise.

Glad things are settling down. I would be very curious to see a hormone panel.

 

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

I'm taking ALLLLL these issues to Dr K. At this point he my my Obi Won Kenobi. I have hormonal issues anyways....PCOS since age 12 and PMDD...which is why I was on the progestin only BC.

No potassium infusion but I am back up to normal through taking fistfuls of store bought + bananas + rehydration stuff....4.1 now.

A lot of people in the DS community kept saying I needed to be medicated! (The weren't wrong, really lol) but because I tired to be proactive, it bit in me in the ass.

Oh well. It is what it is. Hoping Dr K can help me figure it out and make a game plan.

 

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

How long does it normally take Dr K (or his office) to get back to people? I filled out the patient questionnaire and my insurance info on Wednesday. Dr K was out of the office that day and I corresponded with Kirsten....once. I emailed her a copy of the info I had my about my DS and that was the last I have heard. When I submitted the insurance info a pop up said someone would contact me within 2 days: Friday afternoon.

Kinda panicking.

 

[southernlady]

How long does it normally take Dr K (or his office) to get back to people? I filled out the patient questionnaire and my insurance info on Wednesday. Dr K was out of the office that day and I corresponded with Kirsten....once. I emailed her a copy of the info I had my about my DS and that was the last I have heard. When I submitted the insurance info a pop up said someone would contact me within 2 days: Friday afternoon.

Kinda panicking.

Going thru the office staff seems to take longer. Somewhere his “personal” email is available. Maybe find it and email him that way.

 

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

ok so Im a bit emotional, but yay Im a Dr K patient!

Here's how it went

So, he told me to calm down lol I'm kinda a neurotic patient. Told me to tell the medical professional that told me my issues were because I was fat 'You are short. You grow a couple of inches and I will lose weight' he made me laugh through my tears.

He told my I have done exceptionally well for a 2 stage DSer period. Then add to the fact that I had to wait so long for second half AND the likely scenario that my limb lengths are too long, I done good.

First thing he wants done are labs and a barium colon scan (?! Sounds FUN! ha) and Im to see a cardiologist about my blood pressure as it is beyond my PCP. The Barium Colon thing is he suspects my constant constipation is a possible prolapsed or bunched up colon. As for the GERD he thinks the surgeons possibly did me up too tight when they did my hernia repair and apronectomy squishing all my insides together.

So we have kinda a game plan. Once he has more info on the colon situation, once I am there and he is dealing with that, he will fix my limb lengths as I am absorbing everything.

 

[Larra]

See? You aren't quite as much of a DS unicorn as you thought. There may be actual explanations for at least some of your issues.
Keep us posted.

 

[Georgepds]

Good luck and best wishes. I'm glad you found someone who can help.

 

[southernlady]

Glad you chatted with him. Sounds like a good game plan even if some of it is not fun to go thru.

 

[JackieOnLine]

He told my I have done exceptionally well for a 2 stage DSer period.