Slow and steady wins the race....

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kkrause2
kkrause2 Posts: 9 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just wanted to share my story just in case it helps someone else. I joined MFP the day after Easter (also the day after my last chocolate binge!) :tongue: From April to October I busted my butt and closely watched what I was eating. In that time, I lost an AMAZING 73 pounds, too fast in many peoples opinions, but I was damn proud of myself!! Over all I felt great, had more energy, etc. but then I started waking up in the middle of the night with abdominal pain. The episodes would usually last about 30 minutes or less and, being a nurse, I self diagnosed myself with heart burn, maybe ulcer pain and began treating it as so. Then all of a sudden after an evening workout and dinner one night in Nov, I had THE MOST excruciating pain I have ever had in my life (and I have 2 kids). The pain was in my upper right quadrant and no matter what I did, it wouldn't subside. My sister was over at the time and called 911 and I was taken to hospital. Long story short, it was gallstone pancreatitis and, as it turned ou,t I had many "large , mobile stones and 'sludge'" in my gallbladder and it would have to be removed...the worst part, my doctor said the gallstones were caused by my "drastic" weightloss. What a kick in the teeth!!! It was so discouraging to hear that I had made myself so ill by trying to get healthy!!! I see my surgeon on Tuesday this week to plan for my surgery date. I have had a few attacks since my major one and have been living in fear with everything I put in my mouth and with exercising in general (since that was what I was doing right before it happened)

Well today I got back at it!!! I just completed my workout on my elliptical and *knock on wood* so far so good!! This was a big step for me, as I have been TERRIFIED to bring an attack on again. But I have come this far and, even though I would of changed how fast I lost the weight if I could, I am not going to undermine the progress I have made!!! I am going to look at the positives that come from being a healthy weight and focus on all the medical issues I am potentially avoiding (diabetes, heart problems etc.) I hope that maybe all those eager and willing dieters looking to lose weight as fast as they can, can hopefully take something from my experience and story and realize...

"Slow and steady wins the race" (and they hopefully get to keep their gallbladder too!!) :ohwell:

Replies

  • tarapin
    tarapin Posts: 169
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    Wow, congratulations on your weight loss and thank you for sharing your story! All the best and hope you nothing but good health on your continued journey!
  • pkgirrl
    pkgirrl Posts: 587
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    Congratulations! That is so encouraging, and it's awesome that you're staying positive about it. At least they can fix gallstones, problems like heart disease and diabetes are life changers. Honestly I think reading that is just what I needed to get back on track. I used MFP religiously last year for a couple months before Christmas, and by losing slowly instead of the crash diet approach I usually took, not only did I have time to do things other than obsess about food, the weight I lost gradually actually stayed off, and made a difference in my clothing size. (It's funny how losing and gaining the same 10 lbs of water weight really doesn't affect the way you look or feel.)

    I'm so inspired by your story, it made me really want to get my eating habits back on track. Thanks for sharing

    You look amazing, by the way =)
  • MaggieGiamalvo
    MaggieGiamalvo Posts: 397 Member
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    Congratulations on such a great job so far!

    Before you let the surgeon remove your gall bladder, investigate natural ways of getting rid of gall stones. A friend of mine was able to heal herself from inoperable cervical cancer in 1 year. One of the 100 things she did to heal herself was a gall bladder flush. It sounds gross, but her gall stones (that she didn't even know she had) passed naturally within a couple days... no surgery! Oh, and in the year long process of healing cancer, she lost about 80 pounds, too. Let me know if you'd like more information.
  • lutzsher
    lutzsher Posts: 1,153 Member
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    Sometimes you just never know . . . maybe it was part of the shock to your system from all of the "new" and maybe you just had a gallbladder that was weak and would have given you issues no matter what.
    Regardless of this issue, you have added YEARS to your life, and that can't be a bad thing.
    Congrats to you! Good luck.
  • kkrause2
    kkrause2 Posts: 9 Member
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    Congratulations on such a great job so far!

    Before you let the surgeon remove your gall bladder, investigate natural ways of getting rid of gall stones. A friend of mine was able to heal herself from inoperable cervical cancer in 1 year. One of the 100 things she did to heal herself was a gall bladder flush. It sounds gross, but her gall stones (that she didn't even know she had) passed naturally within a couple days... no surgery! Oh, and in the year long process of healing cancer, she lost about 80 pounds, too. Let me know if you'd like more information.

    I would of loved for it to be that simple! A gallbladder cleanse is actually something that I considered, but due to the size of my gallstones (they are large) it is contraindicated to do. There is a risk my stone could get stuck in my common bile duct and cause pancreatitis again. I will discuss it with my surgeon this week. It sure would be a friendlier option!!!

    Thank you everyone for the kind words and encouragement. It means a lot and I know it is going to help me to keep going on this journey and reach my goals!!! :smile:
  • KeriA
    KeriA Posts: 3,275 Member
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    I appreciate you telling your story. I have determined to do this slow and to not see it as a diet. I have alot to lose so it will take me a long time. I have MFP friends that are losing faster and sometimes I feel like a tortoise. I am doing this way because I want the best chance of keeping it off. Also I want a way to lose where I can have anormal life since even if I went faster it is going to be a while. Sometimes you question your approach when your results seem so slow compared to others. I started out just by exercising and I didn't lose. I hope all goes well for you. It seems to me you can do anything you put your mind to from hearing your story.
  • MaggieGiamalvo
    MaggieGiamalvo Posts: 397 Member
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    I would of loved for it to be that simple! A gallbladder cleanse is actually something that I considered, but due to the size of my gallstones (they are large) it is contraindicated to do. There is a risk my stone could get stuck in my common bile duct and cause pancreatitis again. I will discuss it with my surgeon this week. It sure would be a friendlier option!!!

    If you want to be prepared when you talk to the surgeon, I would contact Jane first. She's awesome and so well-informed about natural healing practices! Her Website is www.janevanbenthusen.com and easily reached on Facebook. A link to her profile is on the Website. Good luck to you!
  • Mirabilis
    Mirabilis Posts: 312 Member
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    I had pancreatitis associated with a gallbladder that was literally full of sand, and ultrasound didn't pick up the problem. I sympathize with you.. I suffered with it for six months and wound up in the hospital with surgery because they couldn't tell what was wrong with me. The good news was that I didn't lose my pancreas (apparently it was close) but instead of having the regular tiny gallbladder scars, I have one that's 12" long and goes halfway around me. Well... maybe 1/3 :wink:

    Surgery these days is definitely not the end of the world. The pain is far worse from the attacks.
  • MzBug
    MzBug Posts: 2,173 Member
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    I am sure that by now you have researched the ways to avoid bringing on an attack. Stay away from oils and fats, back off the dairy and spicy foods. I lived with the stones passing for 5 years before they figured it out and removed the bladder. I wish I had been able to lose weight during that time, it would have made life much more simple! I gained weight! Don't let your doctor short change your efforts on the weight loss. If you have large stones they have grown over years, not months. Heredity has a lot to do with it too. Wierdly enough my mom, 2 aunts, 2 brothers and myself all had our gallbladders out at the same age (33). You will feel much better after it has been removed.

    Congrats on the massive weight loss! Enjoy your road to health!
  • andeeinevansville
    andeeinevansville Posts: 98
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    I know exactly how gall stone attacks are...I think they're worse than labor pain!!...I had my gall bladder taken out when I was 28 and the Dr told me it was because I had yo-yo dieted for so many years! Congrats on your weight loss.....
  • MzBug
    MzBug Posts: 2,173 Member
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    I know exactly how gall stone attacks are...I think they're worse than labor pain!!...I had my gall bladder taken out when I was 28 and the Dr told me it was because I had yo-yo dieted for so many years! Congrats on your weight loss.....


    Sorry I just don't buy the stones caused by gaining and losing weight. My mother was ultra skinny her entire life, 5'3" and weighed 110 when she was 9 months pregnant with me! My aunts and brothers were all skinny minnies too! They NEVER had a weight issue. I did have the weight issue, yet ALL of us had the gall stones and had surgery at the same age. My doctor thought it might be just a side effect of a western diet because it seems to be more frequent in the US. He had also seen a frequency of surgery in the same family line leading to his supposition that it could also be hereditary. Some people have stones and they never bother them at all.
  • cwouda
    cwouda Posts: 1
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    So proud of you Katie!!!! You're amazing, inside and out! Miss you! :)

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