The bottom line is this: my TSH (thyroid) is supposed to be somewhere between 0.5 and 5. Right now, mine is 22. This is apparently considered very high. OK, fine. But I've been under the care of my PC doc for months now for my thyroid and I was never told this before. He always told me that my numbers were "a little off" and it could "possibly affect weight loss" so we might as well treat it and get to where it should be, but basically, no big deal. Nothing he ever told me prepared me for the urgency that my surgeon felt in the situation. Obviously my first question to the Dr. was "how could we have not caught this before?"(and yes, by WE, I did mean HE, but I was trying to be nice). He said he never caught it because it was never an issue. Strangely enough, after my surgeon called, he went back to look at my old labs and my TSH number was never off. This reading is the first time it's happened. VERY STRANGE if you ask me.
Anyway, he agreed with the surgeon's assessment that surgery needs to be put off until this is under control. He said it would have been irresponsible of her to do the surgery knowing this and she did the absolute right thing in putting the brakes on things. And I get this, I really do. It's just SO disappointing.........I was looking forward to so many things: the surgery, losing the weight, having 5 weeks off of work, showing up at my cousin's wedding in 6 months looking skinny and hot :) It's just that it's all different now........My PC had me redo my bloodwork tonight after work, and assuming it's the same as what the surgeon had, he will increase my meds and we will have to wait 6 weeks before testing my levels again. Chances are slim that one dosage increase will do it though, and it's pretty likely that they levels will have to be adjusted a few times before we find the right one, having to wait 6 weeks in between each dosage change to retest. So realistically, 6 weeks is the absolute minimum I will have to wait to get on the surgery schedule again, and it's probably more like 12-18 weeks. *sigh*
And here's the other thing.......When I started this process, I was on the low end of who is a candidate for surgery. My weight was within 5-10lbs of me not qualifying at all. I moved ahead, basically ate what I wanted for a while knowing that for the first time in my life, I actually needed to try NOT to lose weight. I went to the initial visit with the surgeon, weighed in, and did qualify, barely. But because I have Sleep Apnea, the insurance approved me and we moved forward.
Now I have been on the liquid diet for a week, expecting to be in surgery next week. In this last week, I have lost 7 lbs. With surgery being put of anywhere from 2 - 6 months, I have a choice to make. Do I blow all the work I have done up until now and start eating unhealthy again? Or do I continue on the "right" path and make all the choices I have been making up until now to have lost 7lbs in one week? And if I do continue that, and I keep losing, do I even pursue surgery anymore since if I lose much more, I won't even be eligible anymore??????
See, it's never cut and dry or an easy answer........
My husband thinks I should just continue on the protein shakes and small meals and try in this timeframe of the delay to lose it "naturally" one more time. Part of me agrees with him, but part of me is unsure. I don't want to go back to the way I was eating before. I feel better in these last couple of weeks than I have in a long time. Part of me is saying just live "as if" you HAVE had the surgery. Eat small meals, low carb, no sugar, etc. and live the life that you would have to after surgery anyway. I'm bound to lose that way....right? But then what if? What if I can't do it? What if I fail - AGAIN - and I do something like lose 20lbs and get stalled and then I have lost too much weight to have the surgery anymore, but not enough to be happy with where I am - then what???
OMG, this is all just way too much for me to figure out.
Girls? Advice?????????
1 comments:
First off, Liza, deep, cleansing breaths...in..out...in...out.
Okay, I had the same concerns about losing weight when I had to do a six month structured diet for my insurance company. My fear was that if I did well, my insurance company would deny me and just tell me to keep on the dieting as it was working. What I found out from my surgeon's office is that when they submit to insurance, they used my starting weight. Find out if this is true for your surgeon's office, as I'll bet it is. They make money from your surgery so they want the business!
I think it sucks that this has come up, but again, I believe there is a reason for it. Call your surgeon's office and ask about the weight and if you lose while you wait. Know everything and get it in writing if you can.
Stay calm, girl! This is but a bump in the road, not a complete detour!
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