3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community - Fabulous at Fifty+ .... A home for those of us 50 and older on IP! VOLUME 11

Well, its time to give you all an update and say thanks so much for the good wishes and prayers and also say how much those thoughts and PMs meant. As many of you know I met my "REAL" goal... just days prior to my 65th B-day a few weeks ago. It was an amazing timeframe for me and I've been grateful for the camaraderie and support from here in reaching that milestone...and look forward to cheering others on to their personal finish line!

About the same time, I began just not feeling "quite" right .. Felt a bit like fighting a virus or vague stomach bug for a while. Fatigue, general abdominal discomfort, nausea and eventually dry heaves and vomiting ensued. No fever.. All the abdominal stuff much worse at night waking me and migrating to back and shoulders. Had a physical scheduled that week and although I felt great that morning, mentioned it to my dr of course. My hubby was away all week... And wanted to go out to dinner the day he returned which was the Thursday nite before labor day weekend and I nixed it as not worth while that evening. That nite I awoke ..ill again, but much worse than the other nights, after just a few hrs of sleep. My husband was alarmed by how sick I'd become in a few hrs. Then it passed and I slept. Called Dr again in AM and they saw me immediately.. Ordered labs and abdominal ultrasound at the hospital. Symptoms mimicked gall bladder (VERY common after wt. loss)..maybe appendicitis or long shot ... an ulcer. All lab and other test results were normal, but I was instructed to go straight to ER if any of the symptoms happened again. Saturday AM felt great. then in early afternoon, very focused pain started very suddenly but only on the right side and up into my neck radiating to back and shoulders and I could hardly stand or walk so to the ER we went. Weekends.. And a holiday weekend for sure ....is not a good time to get sick.

The staff was great.. I got great care but there was not enough of them.. They were so busy. And everything things took hours. Results of stat tests finally coming in at 11 PM .. admitted to room at 2 AM...

The definitive test was a CAT scan that showed a twisted bowel. It's congenital. Apparently..not related to the weight loss..(hard to believe).. ?

But to make treatment worse it's turned out the location and type are suspected to be a very unusual presentation. Of the three types classified it is the least common form. Volvulos (or twisting) of the bowel usually loops and twists on itself and is frequently seen on the left side. Mine is on the right. Then instead of the typical location for a volvulos, mine is located at the cecal juncture. My cecum is also not "attached" as a normal one should be (the congenital abnormality part) and so after the end twists, then it "flips" upward...like a drawbridge! So, it's called a cecal bascule, which is from the French word for drawbridge. After a time my acute pain and symptoms subsided, and I was released for follow up with surgeon, which I've already done once. More testing is scheduled in another week. But both the medical literature (and we've done SO much reading) and my surgeon report a more than 90% chance of reoccurrence. Am lucky there was no necrosis, infection or perforation. Not to be dramatic..This can be, and often is, fatal due to the bowel obstruction that takes place and this is often not found in time.After next round of tests.. I need to meet with surgeon again and talk about a possible/probable need to have a bowel resection. Am not 100% on board with this very radical surgery yet, as they will need to remove 1/3 of my large intestine. All of the ascending colon. Will be getting a second opinion after the next consult if that is still the thought... And pray the chance of a reoccurrence does not deny me that opportunity. Recalling that I battled "big C"back in May, wondering now if it was the beginning of this. If any of you don't get relief from that while on this diet..... It'd be rare the same thing was going on...but don't play around! There are a lot of things that should be considered. Take care of you!

My focus the last few weeks has been learning what that surgical route and the recoup process entails and the challenges. There are some good forums for information with members who, like all of us, share first hand experience. The challenges are quite different from the issues we on 3FCs share, in fact they are completely opposite, and not appropriate for posting here, so I won't do that on here as its not fair. Am worried about the inside of my head tho' and how to switch gears...so to get well, if indeed the outcome is the resection.

I've come to really love the golden Girls and the 100% thread and the maintainers...and was looking forward to staying connected. For now I'm still 100% on plan... but at medical direction using real food..surgeon wants me off all processed stuff until current tenderness is gone and necessary testing is completed and treatment plan defined.

My sort of phase off to a combo Phase 1 and 2:

Breakfast is mostly egg white ommlette with various allowed veggies and some vegan cheese. I've added almond milk and use it to make a latte in the AM too. (It's only 30 cals and has 2x the calcium in it as regular milk.) I do try to keep breakfast at about 110 to 120 calories meeting IP fat, carb and calories and of course 0 sugar! Lunch is same parameters...salad -a cooked veg and at least 2-3 oz animal protein .. Or pureed veggies in chicken broth and NF plain yogurt (with higher protein) made into a creamy soup. No change to dinner. Snack ...if I need more calories for the day and can tolerate anything else after dinner, is a handful of nuts or some non fat yogurt, or another decaf latte.

This phase off approach to "No Packets" was with the help of my IP site chiropractor. I've not added any fruits yet. Not gained.. but importantly for this weird flip flop....haven't lost any more pounds since being released. Scale fluctuates a bit but I know it's water. I was very dehydrated, having terrible muscle cramps for a few days and was on IVs while awaiting tests and immediate surgical decision. Am still having problems with large volumes of liquid...and feeling too full. Some days worse than others.

I'll post about this again once the diagnosis is confirmed (or refuted!) but will keep reading your stories. Amazed ....excited and so happy at how well most on here are doing!! Love seeing the return of so many of the "sage" posters from when I began my journey too...And enjoying getting to know all the new folks.

Sorry this was all me...but wanted to say thanks for the good wishes and let those of you who were so kind know I'm doing so much better. Still have some unanswered questions and decisions to make. Keep your fingers crossed.

Wishing the best ....and good health to all'... Be good to yourselves! You are all SO worth it!!
"65"