Tiara's Thread

[ShrinkingMyTiara]

Congrats! So, you know, the 10,000-step thing is a myth. It's a made-up number, not connected to health. So, it might be better just to pick a distance. My target is 5 miles a day. Or if the step thing is working for you, just stick with it. Whatever works for you.

Oh yeah, I know it is a myth... But I have apps that like to measure in either steps or calories burned, and since I think that calories burned is a silly measurement (Apple watch I am looking at you), I picked steps instead. It feels more attainable to me than distance for some reason... My brain gets hung up on certain units of measurement! I'll probably switch to miles when I start using the treadmill or elliptical. I don't live in a very walkable area of the city.

 

[galaxygrrl]

oh, I looooooove, this app https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pedometer/id712286167. I use it on my phone. Wanna see the joy of losing weight and getting in shape. I'm so proud of this. I was going to die, I could barely walk up 3 flights of stairs. 65 miles in a week and I walked up a ton in elevation. This was Iceland. I still can't believe this is my life.

You will get there. DS is magic

 

[ShrinkingMyTiara]

oh, I looooooove, this app https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pedometer/id712286167. I use it on my phone. Wanna see the joy of losing weight and getting in shape. I'm so proud of this. I was going to die, I could barely walk up 3 flights of stairs. 65 miles in a week and I walked up a ton in elevation. This was Iceland. I still can't believe this is my life.

You will get there. DS is magic

That is amazing!!! Wow, those are crazy high numbers! My dad was telling me when he was running and working out consistently his top step count was something like 22,000 but it wasn't often he saw that. I'm so excited for you! I bet Iceland was beautiful... Pre-surgery just walking to the car was a chore for me, and I could barely make it one flight of stairs, with a lot of time. Now I'm up to a little more than a mile a day which is just incredible to me. Sooo super thankful for this surgery!

 

[galaxygrrl]

Now I'm up to a little more than a mile a day which is just incredible to me. Sooo super thankful for this surgery!

It gets better and better. 7 years out, it still gets better. I'm thankful every day! You'll be able to walk 10 miles before you know it.

Oh, make sure to get really good walking shoes. You'll need them. Let me know if you want good podcasts to get listen too.

And give yourself time, It took me 3 months to be really functional and 13 months before I felt back to normal. YMMV on that though.

 

[ShrinkingMyTiara]

It gets better and better. 7 years out, it still gets better. I'm thankful every day! You'll be able to walk 10 miles before you know it.

Oh, make sure to get really good walking shoes. You'll need them. Let me know if you want good podcasts to get listen too.

And give yourself time, It took me 3 months to be really functional and 13 months before I felt back to normal. YMMV on that though.

Thanks!! I don't get along with podcasts for some reason. I don't know why, I love audiobooks. Maybe it is because I never liked radio shows either? I do love to exercise to music though...

I have some Sketcher shoes right now that are amazing, way better than the walking shoes I bought from a running store that I was custom fitted for with all their shiny tech--and then promptly started to get foot pain and blisters from last year. snort Comfortable shoes really DO make a difference!

I am so proud of this pic! I am averaging over 3,000 steps now easy, no plateau or post exercise malaise, which is honestly a miracle! The steady uphill climb of the daily bars is super satisfying...

 

[ShrinkingMyTiara]

I had a check in with the surgeon's PA last week. The scheduler put my 3 month follow up at 10 weeks for some reason.

The PA is thrilled I am getting at least 120 grams of protein most days, 64+ oz of water, can tolerate some raw veggies now, can take my vitamins by pill instead of by chewable, and said my increase in portion size is normal and a good sign I've healed well inside! She said I'm ahead of the game in all those things, many people are still struggling with 60 grams of protein and not getting water in. So that was reassuring. She isn't too concerned with the extended plateaus in weight loss I've been experiencing. Some people's bodies respond differently to surgery and while it is discouraging to not see the weight melting off like others do, I really appreciate how well my body is doing and truly, 34 lbs is nothing to sneeze at, even if most of it was lost in the first month! She is super stoked for the walking goal, she said many don't even touch exercise until they are 6 months+ out and she loves that it is tangible and titrated, which are both signs it will be successful. All in all she feels I'm doing fantastic. She's ordered labs to be drawn at the 3 month mark for vitamins which makes me very happy! I'd like to stay on top of those and I appreciate they do too.

 

[ShrinkingMyTiara]

I also had the MRI with contrast done on my shoulder and it does indeed show anterior and posterior labrum tears. I had my follow up with the nice surgeon yesterday who said he feels this is not an urgent thing to fix. The second MRI verified with the first that my rotator cuff has a 40% partial thickness tear. He feels this could have been there for a while and just so happened to flare this past year. He said labrum tears are complicated when you are in your 40s and beyond, and often make the shoulder much more stiff, so it may not be necessary to repair it either. However, if I persist in having pain in it, we can go in and detach the bicep tendon and tack it to the bone, which causes the tension to ease on the labrum and normally stops the pain. He said he is much more concerned with ensuring I have a "functional" shoulder joint than a "anatomically perfect" shoulder joint. He recommended trying an ultrasound guided steroid injection into the joint to see if that stops the pain now that I'm having less joint pain overall post surgery. He also said he's reviewed my history and with the autoimmune disease I run the risk of a failed shoulder surgery because of the increase in inflammation already present in my body. He would be very hesitant to take down the rotator cuff tendon completely and repair it (the plan the other surgeon had) because he thinks it may not heal properly and the cost/risk benefit just isn't there at this time with a 40% partial thickness tear. He feels surgery is a nice thing to keep in my back pocket if the injury progresses or I lose range of motion and functionality, but until that point we can watch and wait and monitor with imaging if symptoms flare again.

I'm happy with this advice and relieved it isn't as urgent as the first surgeon made it out to be. Speaking of the first surgeon--I called last week and cancelled my surgery once I saw my MRI because I wanted time to really consider how I want to move forward. The first surgeon's nurse called me and asked why I cancelled it so I explained I'd had more imaging done, gotten a second opinion, and wanted time to carefully weigh my options going forward. An hour later I got a really ugly call from the first surgeon railing at me for canceling the surgery. That I was not acting wisely. That I have an 80% full thickness tear that is like a frayed rope ready to snap and that I'm putting my shoulder at risk of permanent disability. That he knew I had a labrum tear but didn't tell me about it because he decided he preferred to make a call on whether to repair it or not once he got in there. I took issue with this because it is MY body, I should be given ALL the information about it, regardless of his preferences. I was told that I couldn't possibly understand the complexities of shoulder surgery. That it was my call in the end but he wanted to make his position clear that I was making a huge mistake and ruining my future. He was nonplussed about the fact that 2 radiologists and another orthopedic surgeon all feel it is a 40% partial thickness tear (which is supported by my exam results). They just don't have the foresight he does it seems. I felt very much like I was the little lady being talked down to because I was too dim witted to understand what was best for my body.

Clearly I prefer to go with the second surgeon and take a conservative "wait and see" approach for a few months. Every pound I lose makes me that much safer under anesthesia and gives them more room to work. Plus I really need a few infusions of my biologic because I'm becoming symptomatic since they were delayed by this whole mess and my rheumatologist is having a coronary over it.

 

[southernlady]

Always go with your gut!

 

[navygrrl]

I can't believe the behavior of that surgeon. What arrogance and gall! I'm glad you were able to get another opinion and make an informed decision.

 

[ShrinkingMyTiara]

OMG guys, I've had my 12 week labs done with my GP and my vitamin ones done with the surgeon. I'm waiting for the surgeon's labs to come back, but my GPs labs are back today and....my hemoglobin a1c is a 4.9!!! happy dance That's not just good, that's amazing! My fasting glucose was 82, all my cholesterol labs are normal, even my triglycerides. My vitamin D is 94 which is going to panic everyone but I just laughed maniacally, I have been deficient in Vitamin D since they started checking it 2 decades ago. I think it is why my depression is doing so well even in the middle of winter!

The only thing that needs tweaking is my protein lab is down to 6.7 which is not too unusual for me, normally pre-op mine sat between a 6.4 and a 7.5. Although now that I look back, the last time I was having swelling issues pre-op my protein was down near 6 and no one thought to point that out to me. Anyway, I want it 7 so I'll be increasing from 120 grams a day to 150 grams a day and make sure that extra is whey protein isolate so it'll boost the number. I don't want it to continue to trend down. I'll let you know how the other vitamin labs look when they show up next week! But so far I'm quite happy...

 

[southernlady]

OMG guys, I've had my 12 week labs done with my GP and my vitamin ones done with the surgeon. I'm waiting for the surgeon's labs to come back, but my GPs labs are back today and....my hemoglobin a1c is a 4.9!!! happy dance That's not just good, that's amazing! My fasting glucose was 82, all my cholesterol labs are normal, even my triglycerides. My vitamin D is 94 which is going to panic everyone but I just laughed maniacally, I have been deficient in Vitamin D since they started checking it 2 decades ago. I think it is why my depression is doing so well even in the middle of winter!

The only thing that needs tweaking is my protein lab is down to 6.7 which is not too unusual for me, normally pre-op mine sat between a 6.4 and a 7.5. Although now that I look back, the last time I was having swelling issues pre-op my protein was down near 6 and no one thought to point that out to me. Anyway, I want it 7 so I'll be increasing from 120 grams a day to 150 grams a day and make sure that extra is whey protein isolate so it'll boost the number. I don't want it to continue to trend down. I'll let you know how the other vitamin labs look when they show up next week! But so far I'm quite happy...

Fantastic!

 

[JackieOnLine]

that's wonderful news!

 

[KyahRose]

Way to go!

 

[ShrinkingMyTiara]

I noticed yesterday my wedding rings were spinning around on my finger even with the ring snuggies on. I'm worried I'm going to lose one of them! It is like a lost an extra ring size overnight... So I measured my finger today and I'm measuring at a size 7!! This is so weird to me because back when I was 200 lbs the first time (I'm 258 now!!) my ring finger size was an 8 if I wanted to wear a really tight ring, so I usually went with 8 1/2. I went up to a 9 closer to my highest weight. But now I'm a 7?? It is so amusing where the body decides to lose weight... So I'm going to buy a substitute ring to wear, since I won't resize my wedding rings until my weight has been stable for 6 months. I just never thought my ring size would change all that much! LOL

My clothes are definitely getting bigger now. I'm officially 62 lbs down from my highest weight and one pound away from 50 lost since surgery!! I can see it now when I pass the mirror sometimes. These are awful pictures (I really didn't want to take them until I compared them afterwards) but I was really surprised to see how much my posture and spine have changed in 2 months. One side is at 1 month post op, the other is at 3 months post op. That chuck of weight off my front has made a big difference in the stress on my spine...

 

[KyahRose]

awesome!!! wtg!