Hi everyone! So it's been awhile since I've posted. I took the advice of a very sweet poster and stopped focusing on losing weight and started focusing more on my health.
So I had cardiac arrest back in Feb of 2017 and it's been a long journey for me. We thought there was something just wrong with my heart. But it turns out, I have three autoimmune diseases. Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (which is an autoimmune disease that attack my blood making it more prone to clot), hashimotos thyroiditis (which is an autoimmune condition that attacks the thyroid) and Systemic Lupus (which is an autoimmune disease that attacks the tissues internally and externally).
So holy crap guys! My battle with weight WAS being deterred because of my body. I wasn't crazy. It seemed like every time I lost weight, I ended up sick or in the hospital (with back in Feb being the worst of it). Doctors back then acted like it was in my head and psychosomatic. While I am SO thankful I have been diagnosed and know what is wrong with me now, it is still frustrating to hear that I'll never be able to lose weight the natural way. Exercise triggers Lupus flares, losing weight triggers my Lupus flares, it's hard to lose weight because of my thyroid being attacked, and I can only take hormone therapy as a last resort due to my blood clotting disorder. Weight loss pills were out of the question too because I have a fast heart rate. I was being told that all of these things were working against each other and working against me.
So long story short, now that I am in better health and on the right Lupus medication, I am having Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy on October 9th this year. I'm praying that insurance (which requires that I have 12 months of attempted weight loss (HAH that's easy)) approves it since they have already said they will cover the surgery 100% due to my comorbidities like high blood pressure and insulin resistance.
Because of my high BMI (51.7) I am 4' 9" and they clocked me in at 243 pounds (meaning I've gained 47 pounds in a year!) I need to be on the liver shrinking diet for a month.
Ya'll!!! This diet is something else. I have to replace two meals a day with a high protein, low sugar, low carb protein shake. And one meal can a 3 oz of a lean meat with two servings of a non starchy vegetable. I can have two snacks a day either a high protein low fat snack (low fat string cheese, 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese, boiled egg) or 1/2 cup of non starchy vegetable. So I'm eating around 600-700 calories a day and feeling tired and grumpy and fatigued and I want FOOD. Like, healthy food is fine. I just want FOOD. I'm only on day 2... so if anyone has any tips or advice on the liver shrinking diet, that would be great.
If anyone has any tips about having gastric surgery and having an autoimmune or other chronic illness, that would be great too.
If anyone just has general tips about having WLS or VSG, I would really appreciate them. I'm scared and happy and anxious and all of the feelings. I am excited to lose weight finally and happy I have a team of doctors looking out for me and trying to get my weight down, but really nervous too.
<3