Thirty-six weeks

I now weigh 88.9 kilos/196lbs/14st.  My weight is going down very slowly now.  When I saw Dr Lechaux last week he said I shouldn't be losing more than a kilo a week so I seem to be pretty much sticking to that.

This was me last week, just before I went to the hospital to meet him.

The diarrhoea is worse again since I saw him on Tuesday.  I still get caught short which is humiliating and horrible.  I wish I had shares in a toilet tissue and air freshener company!

I've been sunbathing in the gorgeous weather of the last few days in a swimmer I haven't worn for a long time - I've always been a hoarder and never got rid of clothes I couldn't fit into.  The top half of my body seems to be about the size I am happy with, but the bottom half - hips, bum, thighs and calves still have a way to go.  My mother and grandmother were also heavier below the waist so I don't expect miracles as genetics obviously play their part.  I was always a typically pear-shaped English figure.

Last night I had my first probiotic yoghurt in the hope that this might help my situation.  I couldn't eat them before because of the lactose intolerance, but this seems to have gone away, to a large extent, and I thought it might be worth trying this - anything has to be worth a shot.

Thirty-five weeks post op and good news

I weighed in at 90.1kg this morning, 198.6lbs or 14st2.6lbs.  I have now lost exactly 53 kilos since 18 July 2011. 

I set off to drive to St Brieuc at 10.00am as I had an appointment with my mini gastric bypass surgeon, Dr Lechaux.  I needn't have rushed.  He's never on time with appointments because he gives everyone such long time to talk, which is lovely when it's your turn.  I always take a book with me and a drink, so just relax in the waiting room.  One of the girls in the waiting room was another of his patients who I had met at the meetings for Obesité Bretagne Nord.  She had her sweet thirteen month old daughter with her.

I had prepared a report for my surgeon on the progress of my diarrhoea from Day 1 to Day 245 (this morning) and translated it using Google Translate.  I don't suppose the French was perfect but it was understandable.   It explained the frequency, consistency and colour as things have changed through to now, incuding the difficulty I had with increased diarrhoea for the twelve days I took Créon. 

The reason I was seeing Dr Lechaux this morning was because my experiences while taking Créon were awful.  The frequency of diarrhoea increased, the gas and cramps increased and I had very little sleep with having to get up for the toilet in the night.  I also had three "accidents" during those twelve days, which left me very insecure about leaving my house.  I gave up taking the Créon having talked by email to Dr Lechaux and he asked me to meet with him today.

We had also both received the results of the blood tests which I had done on Friday.  My liver function has improved, as has my cholesterol.  The main reason I had the bypass was because I had a marked fatty liver which could have led to cirrhosis, so that was very good news.  Also the water content of my blood was very good and I was showing no signs of dehydration.  Everything seemed good!

The last three days have been almost acceptable, even though I have given in and been eating cheese, cream, butter and milk in a sauce.  So, if it doesn't worsen, then things are pretty much ok.  If it does worsen then I am to email him and he will probably make an appointment for me to see an intestinal expert at Clinique St Yves in Rennes, where I would stay for one week.  Hopefully this will not be necessary.

Dr Lechaux also recommended that I drink a mineral water called Thonon which he seemed to think might be beneficial to my intestines.  I bought a shrink-wrapped eight 1.5 litre bottle pack on my way home at only €2.88.  I've put one in the fridge so I can take it up to bed with me for my "during the night" drinking.

The weather has been glorious today and I had the roof down on my car coming back from St Brieuc to home - beautiful sunshine. 

I am feeling much happier now this diarrhoea has improved so much and I can, for the first time in 20+ years, get my solitaire diamond engagement ring on the correct finger!

Thirty-four weeks weigh in

This morning I weighed in at 90.8kgs, so I only lost 400g this week.  I've had someone staying with me and have been cooking and eating more so that's probably why.

I'm taking the Créon which Dr Lechaux prescribed for me to help me absorb fat and not have it rush straight through me.  I am not happy with it.  I seem to be going to the toilet even more than I was before.  The colour of the diarrhoea has changed to a sort of pale grey/yellow colour - very odd.  I have more stomach cramps and more gas, so all in all, not a good thing.  I will take it a little longer and then if things have not improved I will have to get something else to sort me out.

Apart from the diarrhoea everything is going well.

Thirty-three week weigh in

Weighed in this morning - forgot on Tuesday - at 91.2kg/201lbs/14st5lbs.  So I've lost a further 0.8kg /2lbs this week - 8st 2½lbs in 33 weeks. 

I met up with other mini gastric bypass patients again on Wednesday last week with a view to setting up a support group in the north of Brittany.  After chatting to one of the organisers, she insisted that I talk to Dr Lechaux, who was at the meeting, about my continuing diarrhoea, rather than waiting until my appointment in July.  He was surprised that I still had this problem and said he would send me a prescription for Créon which helps the absorption of fat - he believes that my problem is due to fat going straight through me instead of being absorbed.  I have now had this prescription filled and will take the opened capsules with each meal (3 times a day) for a month to see if things improve.  I am also having blood and urine tests done for him next week.  He was concerned that I was losing weight so quickly.  It's a bit of a double-edged sword - obviously it's good for my esteem that I am losing so well, but clearly because of the enjoyment of life limiting effect of the diarrhoea and the nutritional implications it would be better not to have to go to the toilet so much.

I am eating more in quantity and variety this week as I have a wwoofer staying with me and so am making meals and eating more regularly.  He's not a fish lover, and I usually eat loads of fish so it's a change for me.  He's introduced me to the delights of couscous with some delicious roasted and spiced vegetables (from my garden) as he is also a trained chef.  Wwoofers are willing workers on organic farms and they work on the land or with the animals in exchange for full board and bed.  Yesterday for supper we had pan fried duck breast with dauphinoise potatoes and green beans - lovely!

My hens are starting to lay well again now that the daylight is longer and the temperatures are milder and we're having eggs in lots of different ways.  I think pancakes are on the menu for lunch today.