The Results are In

The results from my first blood test post gastrectomy came in showing that my Iron levels are very low at 5, with the normal range being 10-33. And my B12 level is on the decrease as well, 365 with the normal range being 160-800. My GP recommended I begin an iron supplement immediately and a B12 injection asap.

Within a week of beginning the iron supplementation and after my very first B12 injection, I began to feel much more energectic. I am no longer getting sleepy in the afternoon. It seems as though I can do so much more now!

My appointment with my surgeon has been post poned until the 17th November. I am still experiencing difficulty eating a meal, with it not going down and staying there....however the frequency of dramas occuring seems to be less. I was regurgitating about once per day and then it became once every 2nd day and now it is even less than that.

I have been eating less, sometimes it is so much easier to just not eat to avoid any drama. And sometimes I just try to snack lots, all day. Last night I felt like having a beef stir fry with lots of fresh vegetables and a little bit of rice. Well, I may have really wanted it, but my body just didn't want to take it in. I kept trying and trying, and finally after some really gut wrenching vomiting, I managed to eat a very small portion. Later, I heated up 5 frozen cocktail springs rolls and ate them just fine, with a little sweet chilli sauce.

I just bought some A2 Milk, a full cream milk that is supposededly easier to digest. I tried it last night as I finished the night off with a sustagen milk shake, and it seemed to settle better in my tummy than my regular light milk. Will keep this up.

I am still losing weight, now weighing 61 kilos (134 lbs). (Have lost a total of 15.6 kilos or 34 lbs). People are now really noticing how different I am looking. I look good!

Joined a gym. Can't wait to start doing some Pilates classes and using the weights machines to build up my muscles and strength. I really need to do some toning! And of course, exercise always makes you feel so much better. Will stay away from cardio for the moment. I will see how my weight is going after Christmas.

My brother's wedding was just beautiful. A gorgeous day and the entire bridal party looked so glamourous! I am pleased that I managed so well to last all day and right through until 1am. The food was lovely and I thoroughly enjoyed eating ALL of my creamy ravioli. That was the entree, but served me fine as a main.

Another busy weekend ahead as we celebrate Cooper's 5th birthday with a party with 14 of his friends! Aaaah, what have I got myself into!!!!

'Has it only been 12 weeks?'

It has been almost 3 weeks since I re-visited the hospital and spoke to a surgeon regarding the eating dramas I have been experiencing. The appointment went well and the outcome was pretty much to take it easy, slow down and give myself some time. (It had only been 10 weeks since my op). We discussed the possibility of there being a stricture at the join site and the surgeon agreed that it could be likely however they are reluctant to do anything about it so early post surgery. I have another appointment to see Dr Nathanson (the head surgeon) on the 20th October to see if there have been any changes or developments.

Basically what has been happening is that at least once a day, during either lunch or dinner (mainly), the food that I am eating will get 'stuck' or won't 'go down'. I begin my meal and shortly after eating just 2 or 3 mouthfuls, I feel an incredible urge to bring up that little amount of food. Sometimes just those couple of mouthfuls are expelled, sometimes it is clear, frothy, sticky saliva. Sometimes I am reduced to an incredible vomiting episode involving tears streaming from my eyes and mucous dribbling from my nose. Most times I am able to resume, and finish my meal, sometimes I cannot.

I have really been paying more attention to my eating since my appointment recently and I am trying to really make sure that I am snacking all the time. This helps. I also just discovered that if I snack on something like some crackers whilst preparing, and just before dinner, I seem to be able to eat my entire meal without any dramas. Almost like having an entree I guess.

Last weekend was my future sister-in-laws' Hens Weekend Away. We started with lunch where I ordered a Caesar Salad with Avocado and Salmon. I ate a couple of mouthfuls and then it all came back up. (In the bathroom of course). I tried again to eat a couple more tiny mouthfuls and again, it came back up. Determined to 'eat something', I tried again, and again, it all came back up. Not good.

Looking back now, I realise that it had been a good 4 hours since I had eaten anything prior to attempting the salad, and perhaps I will just be one of those people that will need to snack ALL THE TIME.

Later that afternoon I snacked for hours on crackers, dips and cheeses and then ate a small meal of Gnocchi (drenched in pesto and oil) with not a single drama. I also enjoyed a couple of sips of wine, a Smirnoff Ice (vodka and lemon drink) and a small 'fruit tingle' cocktail over about a 5 hour period. I was very impressed with this effort as it had been the first time since my surgery that I had drank any alcohol. We danced the night away until 4am! 

I visited my GP on Friday to have a blood test to check my B12 and iron levels and will have those results back Monday. I am finding that I am 'crashing' about every 3rd day or so, needing a sleep in the afternoon. (It doesn't help that I am still not getting to bed very early of an evening either). I may have to start B12 injections soon, something I would much rather avoid. I have been taking a sublingual B12 (1mg) tablet each day but it is apparantley debatable as to how much B12 I would actually be absorbing via this method. (It just dissolves under your tongue). I guess I will find out Monday!

My weight seems to have stabilised for now. I am 64 kilos (141 pounds) which is the weight I would sit at in the past when not dieting. I am scared of losing more weight now. Really scared. In my mind, I have this figure of 60 kilos as being my 'goal' and I guess I am now focussing on eating more frequently so that the weight stays on. Mum is taller than I and weighs a tiny 50 kilos (110 pounds), 3 years post gastrectomy. She keeps telling me that I will lose more weight, that it is still early days yet.... and that is scaring me. Time to step it up Tammy, and be more positive than I have been before!