Six months after surgery

In three days, it will be six months since Dr. Ben-Meir performed gastric bypass surgery on me.  Time for a quick status report.

I now weigh 194 pounds, for a weight loss of 80 lb.  Loss has plateaued over the last couple of weeks.  I'm trying to exercise more to keep things moving.

Am now walking 2.2 miles four or five days a week.  This gets me close to the distance I used to walk before open-heart surgery in 2006.

After taking blood pressure meds for 38 years, they are no longer part of my life.  Cardiologist Dr. N broke the news to me a few weeks ago:  You no longer have high blood pressure.  You can stop taking the pills.  And this morning, my primary care physician agreed.  Oh wonders of a merciful God!

I had been dizzy and unsteady on my feet, and asked another doc if dropping the BP meds would help.  Yes, she said, but you should also switch the Tamulozosin (prostate med) to nighttime.  It's an alpha-blocker and that is partly responsible for your dizziness.  So I made the change, and I haven't had any attacks of dizziness since.  Bless that woman!

Had family and friends here for my 70th birthday party over this last weekend.  Monica's family local, Jeff's family from Simsbury, CT: Skylar, Erick, Evangeline, Hannah, Susan and Jeff.  Gavin couldn't get off work, so we skyped Saturday afternoon.  I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful, supporting family!  And my dear wife Virginia worked her fanny off for a month doing the hard work involved in bringing off this special event.  Profound thanks to all!

Life before Bariatric Surgery (Life about 5 months later, Oct. 3, in red)

Life before Bariatric Surgery

(Life about 5 months later, Oct. 3, in red)

Last night in our presurgical meeting, they suggested that we leave a written record of how things were before the operation, and what we hoped to obtain from the surgery. The point they made is that after some elapsed time – say, a year or two –we'll be feeling good and keeping on a rigorous diet/activity program won't seem so important. So, to avoid backsliding then, it's best to leave a record of things now. Here goes.

How I feel Now

I am about 1/4^th through my 70^th year (now 100%). Weigh 274 lb (now 194). Am in weakened health, suffering from diabetes for 20+ years and hypertension for 33+ years. I joke that I take more pills than Elvis, and though I joke about it, it does bother me. Right now, I take three pills to control blood pressure, of which the most important is Diovan. To control diabetes, I use Lantus insulin and two types of pills. With all these meds, my BP comes in at about 122/74 (now 90/50), and my HbA1c at between 7.3-7.7 (now 6.6). Several of my pills warn me that “may cause dizziness,” and they do. I often feel light-headed in the morning after taking the pills, and a few times have fainted or fallen down from it.

I have always been fat... fluffy … stout. Pick your word. I remember going on my first diet when I was four years old. But for 60 years or so, I felt healthy and enjoyed my life. My favorite exercise was walking, and I would walk two miles nearly every day. Even when I traveled for business, I would slip away from my hotel and walk a couple miles in the evening, and enjoy it. Now, I wear pants with a 46-in. Waist and shirts with 19-1/2 collars; and 2XL shorts and sweats. Now, after “shopping in my closet” I'm wearing those size 40 pants and smaller shirts.

After open-heart surgery in 2006, I went through rehab at Lakewood Hospital and carefully restored my health until I could walk again for my normal two miles. Then something happened, and my walks had to be shortened to only one mile. This around 2007. And here's where I am now:

Exercise Rehab Value, 2006 Current value, 2011 And now

Walking 2 miles 1/3 mile, see below 1.4 miles

Stationary bike 10 minutes 90 seconds ?

Arm “bike” 10 minutes two minutes ?

It's a cold winter, so I'm not walking outside. I go to the Westlake Rec Center to use their indoor track, which is twelve laps per mile. I walk the first lap, then stop to catch my breath and do some leg stretches. Than after each additional lap, I stop briefly to take six deep breaths before continuing. I go a total of four laps, with equates to 1/3^rd of a mile.

When I go to the Rec Center, I focus much of my workout on resistance exercises. I've been told that resistance, rather than cardio, will increase my metabolism as well as increase strength. Can't tell if it's working yet. I usually spend 30-45 min. on resistance and give some of the effort to my legs as well as arms and chest muscles. Most resistance work on machines, rather than free weights. Typical weights worked with are about 20-25% less than three years ago:

Exercise Current Weights for two sets of 8 reps 3 yrs ago

Squat thrusts  170                                                   210

Leg curls 70                                                              90

leg extensions 70                                                      90

Arm curls 50                                                             50

Arm pulls 90                                                            110

And Now?  Haven't done that much resistance work post-surgery. Noticeably weaker. The ol' weightlifter now has stick arms. In short, I'm healthier, but not stronger yet.

I live in a two-story house with lots of stairs, and they tax me. My legs are strained to get me up stairs on their own, so I use my arms a lot, pulling on the handrails to get myself up the stairs. Then coming down, I need at least one hand on the rails. I fear losing control on descents, so hold carefully. On one business trip, to a Solid Works conference, I lost control and fell on a down escalator, falling and damaging my shins. At another conference, I damaged my right big toe, causing an ulcer that required several months to heal. In both cases, I attribute my problems to my excess weight.

What I Hope to Achieve 

When my brother Greg had bariatric surgery 13 years ago, it cured his diabetes. He no longer needed to take insulin. This is my first and major hope or expectation that drives me to have this surgery. It worked. Woo-Hoo!

• I've taken meds to control blood pressure since I was 33. Again, I am hoping that I will need less medication to avoid hypertension. Total BP meds reduced to one-eighth former level, and cardiologist says I can stop them entirely.

• I'm hoping I can walk two miles again, and walk a little faster than my current labored pace, so I can walk with my wife and family. Definite improvement, but I'm not walking as much as I should.

• I hear stories of fat old guys going through this type of surgery and then running marathons in a couple of years. Doesn't seem realistic, but I'm willing to try. Not at 194. Maybe at 174 or 164 or even, God willing, at 154.

• As I've gained weight and size, I've bought a few new clothes in larger sizes, but often have not disposed of the clothes that no longer fit. I'd like to wear them again. I'd love to wear the size 42 pants I once wore, or the size 40s that my wife bought me by mistake. How nice that will be. Again, a hearty Woo-Hoo!

• When I was younger I had dreams of major projects like perhaps walking the Appalachian Trail, or the smaller trail through Ohio. I've kind of given up on them, but when I lose some weight, I'll re-open those subjects.
• I'm trying to avoid any expectation that I'll feel younger. Or sexier. But when I shed weight, I do expect to feel better. And healthier. And I'm told that the combination of weight loss and increased exercise that it makes possible often lead to increased levels of testosterone, which can improve moods and spirits as well as body functioning. So we'll hope for this too. And I do look and feel better, and healthier. The other benefits are yet to manifest themselves.