Nineteen week weigh in

For the first time, I have not lost any weight this week.  So - disappointing, but as I can't influence it, I am still not really eating enough, I shall just hope that there will be a drop next week.

Nothing to do with my mini gastric bypass, but a nice photo of Purrdy flopped over the top of the settee, taken ten minutes ago.

I saw my GP yesterday and explained my reasons for thinking I have a lactose intolerance.  Apparently, in France, they don't believe there is a medication which works for people with this problem.  The advice is that you should just cut out dairy completely.  I decided I would cut dairy completely for four weeks, except for the probiotic yoghurts, Actimel, which I am going to try today.  I shall review the situation after that.  We talked about the fact that once my stomach/bowel is in balance again, it may be that I can return to dairy on a reduced basis.

Yesterday I had a close relationship with the toilet for the whole of the morning and was sick twice as well.  Heaven knows why - it's very frustrating.

I see my surgeon, Dr le Chaux a week tomorrow, so maybe he'll have some suggestions.

I found a very fat photo of me from a day playing bowls outdoors on Sunday, 30 August 2009.  Already I find it difficult to remember me that fat.

Here's a "full frontal" photo of me two days ago.   5stone 6lbs/76lbs lighter/34.5kg lighter than the day I went into hospital for the bypass.

Have I found the reason for my problems?

I've spent the morning on the internet and have read and read so many different articles trying to find why I might be having such a noisy stomach and be spending so much time on the toilet.  I think I may have found the answer.

It seems that I may be lactose intolerant, which means that all the milk I have been drinking and adding to soups may be the reason for my tummy troubles.  In lactose intolerant people there is a deficiency in the production of the enzyme called lactase which breaks down the lactose.  Lactase is found in the top of the small intestine, which is the part bypassed in the mini gastric bypass, and frequently people who have had this bypass subsequently find they are lactose intolerant. 

If the lactose is not dealt with by the lactase then it arrives in the colon where anaerobic bacteria convert it into foul smelling gas, methane and possibly hydrogen sulphide and extra water is passed at the same time, creating diarhhoea with the associated cramping  pains.

There are two solutions.  The first is to avoid lactose containing products such as milk, cream and cheese, but also some cakes, icecream etc. etc.  The second is to continue to eat dairy but to take lactase either in drop or pill form prior to eating/drinking the lactose containing product.  This lactase should then alleviate the symptoms.

I am seeing my general practitioner on Monday early evening and will put my findings to her.  Hopefully this will be the answer.  Fingers crossed, because I have really had enough of it all after nearly nineteen weeks.

Comparison photos of the day before the operation and eighteen weeks later

I spoke to my daughter on the 'phone yesterday evening.  She hasn't seen me since I came back to Brittany on 14 October and wanted to know what I looked like now.  She suggested that I put a comparison photo to the "day before the op" photo which I posted on 17 July, so I just took a photo of me now.  Here they are:

I hope it's not necessary to point out which is which, but in case it is, the second is when I weigh 76lbs/5st 6lbs/34.5kg less than the first.  I think the thing that my daughter will notice is the extra row of books on the shelves behind me.  I can stop buying books!

Having a very difficult day today.  Tried cauliflower cheese.  Enjoyed preparing and cooking it.  Enjoyed the first two mouthfuls and then rushed to the sink.  Couldn't keep it down at all.  It's nearly 2.00pm and I haven't managed to eat anything else - so not good.

The best part about the day is the beautiful weather.  After two grey and misty days we now have brilliant sunshine again and it's lovely out there.

Eighteen week weigh in

Eighteen weeks post op now.  This morning I weighed in at 108.6kg which is a loss of 1.4kg since last week's weigh in.  108.6kg is about 240 or 17stones 2lbs, so my total loss at the moment is 34.5 kilos/5stones 6lbs/76 lbs. 

I've never set myself targets as I can't really influence it, but it would be good to be at 100kg by six months post op on 18 January 2012.   100kg is 220 lbs or 15stones 10lbs which sounds brilliant to me and would mean I'd lost 43.1 kilos or 95lbs or 6stones 11lbs.  We shall have to see - as I say, there's nothing I can do really so just have to see what happens.

My bowels are no better - in fact some days/nights they seem worse.  I was up at 5.05am in the bathroom and have been all morning.  I don't feel like eating today as I feel slightly nauseous but not weak.  I have given up arranging to do things in the morning as I can't leave the bathroom far away.  I've had to cancel two medical appointments and rearrange them for the afternoon which is a blxxdy nuisance.

Seventeen week weigh in. Can I see the light at the end of the tunnel?

Seventeen week weigh in this morning.  I am now 110kgs/243lbs/17stones 5lbs, which is a three pound weight loss over the week.  I am happier with that loss, although I can't put it down to anything in particular. 

I feel that things have been slightly better this week, that there has  been an improvement.  I actually fancied a food for the first time since the op.  I was in the local supermarket and suddenly thought that I fancied tempura prawns.  I asked for 100g of shell on prawns which worked out to be seven prawns.  When I got home I peeled them and dipped them in a light batter before frying them.  I ate them, dipping in mayonnaise and the first four were lovely.  I then had to stop for about 20 minutes before eating the remaining three.  They tasted good.

Also this week I managed to eat almost a whole piece of toast in one go.  It was spread with butter and thickly spread with marmalade.  The first carbohydrate I've had for a very, very long time. 

I have had numerous bowls of homemade butternut squash soup and smoked salmon has been my only real source of protein apart from Saturday's prawns.  I tried scrambled egg on toast for supper last night but only ate a couple of forkfuls when I vomited.  I am having to sell more and more of my hens' eggs as I am not getting through them as I usually do.

I haven't managed to go to Bowls this morning as leaving the bathroom is such a problem.  Vomiting has been less this week, not stopped completely but definitely diminished.

I am appalled at the loose skin I now have on my front thighs and back thighs by the knee.  I know I will be able to have a stomach tuck at some point, but heavens knows what will happen with my thighs.  Somehow being fat is more acceptable to me than having hanging skin.  Not sure quite how to deal with it mentally at the moment.

I met two people I hadn't seen for ages, at the supermarket on Saturday and they walked past me to start with and couldn't believe how much weight I'd lost.  Always good to see someone you haven't seen for a long time as the difference is so much greater and the comments really positive.

Sixteen week weigh in

I weighed in this morning at 111.5kg/246 lbs/17st8lbs which is a loss of another one and a half pounds.  I am disappointed and don't understand the low loss, but I know the professionals will be happy I am losing more slowly.  The strange thing is that I am not doing anything different, so can't put the reduced loss down to anything in particular.

Otherwise everything remains as before with eating still being difficult, although when I am eating I think it may be easier to actually have food in my mouth than it was. 

I have been growing butternut squashes this year and the last few weeks have seen me eating soup made from these and to increase my protein I have been eating a couple of smoked salmon slices a day.  I think it's easy to eat because it's thin, a bit like the thin smoked ham slices I eat too some days. 

My blood tests from last Friday came back showing a higher, bottom of normal range, level of potassium, so that's good.  I continue to take the potassium syrup and the vitamin syrup to keep levels of potassium and vitamins in a good range.

Today I received an email from someone who has a family member who will be having this operation next year.  He asked if I would talk to him about the operation and its effects.  I am always happy to write or talk to anyone in private as I know how desperate I was for information before my operation.  Just contact me and I will reply to you.

Fifteen week weigh in

Today I weighed in at 112.3kg/17st9½lbs, just a loss of 400g or almost 1lb.  At least the professionals will be happy with this very small weight loss, which is just as well, because I am certainly not happy about it.

I have organised another blood sample to be taken on Friday morning, so hopefully, as I have been faithfully taking the bottle of red syrup which is potassium morning and night, my levels will be in the normal range.

Eating and drinking remain difficult.