The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Alisha]

Hi all. I thought I'd post to let you know that I'm back after two weeks (although I don't think anyone noticed I was gone!) because I had to have emergency surgery to have my gallbladder removed.

Apparently what the doctors diagnosed as IBS for the last 10 years was really my gallbladder all that time! So much for modern medicine huh?

I decided just over two weeks ago that I was going to try the 5 and 1 plan and see how it went after receiving so many well meaning but frustrating criticisms for doing the complete plan on my own. Well, that meal of chicken and veggies triggered my last and final attack and, after sufferering for 4 days, I knew that it couldn't be IBS and I had to go to the emergency room.

It's kind of a good thing because I was finally diagnosed (properly!) with having an egg-sized gall stone and I was able to have it and the gallbladder removed. The MF diet was a godsend because all I could keep down was the supplements before I gave in and went to the hospital. It's just unfortunate that I decided to give in to pressure and try the 5/1 before I got insurance! I now have a $30,000 hospital bill to pay.

But, the good news is now I can pretty much do whatever I want without fear of getting ill. My doctor and my surgeon both agreed that I could continue with the MF diet and they gave it their seal of approval. I'm also grateful that I was able to lose so much weight before I had to have the surgery. Even though it was done laproscopically, being overweight for surgery is a very bad thing. Rock on Medifast!

So anyway, that's my story just to fill you in. I've been off program for two weeks but I've managed to lose 7 lbs just the same, which I'm pleased about. As of today I'm back on program and will try (again!) to incorporate the one meal and see how it goes. I have a feeling it will work out a little better this time!

Three cheers for MF! I'm glad I found it!

Alisha

[Sablebaby]

Hi Alisha!

Glad you came out of surgery just fine! I had my gallbladder removed about 5 or 6 years ago. I also did not have insurance and it was also $30,000!! My doctor said was only going to run 6K or so. Yeah right!

I have been able to eat just about anything since then. I think only a couple of times I have had a reaction to food that resembled a gallbladder attack. It wasn't fun and I don't know why it happened at the times that it did??

Glad you're ok and back on the MF wagon!

Heather

[Mommy2girls]

Alisha! Welcome back. Sorry you had to have emergency gall bladder surgery, but that is great that they finally caught it.

I hope I don't upset or offend anyone here, but 7 years ago when I did the complete Medifast and lost 85lbs, I too had to have my gall bladder removed. I honestly believe that the full-fasting kicked in the production of those fun little stones, as I had never had any gastric distress of any type (no IBS, nothing...) Then when I was done with my "year of dieting" all of the sudden I started having horrid attacks. Thankfully, I had a wonderful doctor who diagnosed me better than my 2 E.R. trips. She poked and prodded me and sent me for an ultrasound THAT day. When they found stones, I was basically told that the gall bladder was coming OUT, although they did conceed to 2 more weeks (I had a function to attend and also wanted fully research for myself that there were no other options.)

When I full-fasted it was under the complete care of a doctor. I was warned about the gall-bladder "side-effect" but who wants to let that stop them? I don't regret full-fasting, but personally, for me (just my opinion, here again NO OFFENSE) I will never do it again. It was (IMO) just too hard on my poor body. I know there are thousands of people who MF and FULL FAST and never had a single problem, I just wasn't one of them.

I'm glad you got your dr's. blessing and I do think if you full fast you should be under medical supervision. For me the 5&1 plan has been a blessing, and I would really miss my lean & green, daily. I (like Heather) have also never had a single problem since having my gall bladder removed. Never again in my life do I want to feel the pain that it caused. It was worse than labor! So I hope you make a nice recovery and keep on shakin your way down the scale!!

[Alisha]

Heather, Sheila, I really appreciate your support. I'm going through a really lonely time right now and it's nice to know that at least a couple of people (and Mytime!) care.

I'm very glad that the thing is over and I hope I'll be like you guys and have no adverse reactions again. I don't think I will - my stomach is like cast iron from years of spicy food. You're right though.. this was the worst pain I ever felt. I told my mom that if labor was anything like it I was adopting or becoming a spinster.

For me, I don't think MF really had anything to do with it directly, as my condition had been present and mis-diagnosed for 10 years as IBS. I never had IBS - it was my gall bladder the whole time! That's why the stone was so big. Check out the small eggs in the supermarket and that's the size of the stone they took out. I do, however, think that MF sensitized my body though, so when I tried to switch to the 5/1 plan to be "safe", that's what finally kicked off my attack. Like I said, I'm glad it's out, but I only wish I would have stuck to my own advice and continued with the full fast for another couple of months until my insurance started. I felt like a million bucks then, stone or no stone. But, there's no crying over spilled milk, right? Maybe everyone on here who prays can remember me with hopes that I win the lottery to pay the hospital now!

Thanks again for your support. I appreciate it a lot.

Alisha

[Mommy2girls]

Alisha, I'm so sorry about the medical bill. That is REALLY frustrating! Is there any way that your doctor can discount any services knowing that you don't have insurance? A lot of medical bills (when covered by insurance) have a portion that is "written off"....say for instance you have a dr. visit that they bill your insurance for $125. The insurance (usually if the dr. is a "preferred provider", etc.) will then discount the total amount by say $30. That $30 dollar is somehow a write off for them and then they will base everything on a bill for $95 instead of the full amt.

I would be asking EVERYONE involved in this to apply any type of discount they can manage for you. Every penny helps. Dealing with medical bills not covered by insurance is one of the top reasons people file for bankruptcy.

Again, I'm so sorry that you had to go through this whole ordeal to feel better. I hope you are doing okay! OH! And I forgot to tell you that when I first pulled off my bandages (post-surgery, one week) I thought they screwed up by belly button. I was freaking out. But it went back to normal, it just took time.

Hang in there!!!

[Nancy]

Hi there, Alisha ~

I had my gall bladder sucked out, too and it was the best thing that has ever happened to me other than the hysterectomy!

I am sorry about your hospital bill, too. Medical insurance is so expensive and yet it is more expensive to not have it when something really blechy comes along.

When a person goes from the complete meal replacement program to tje 5 and 1, it is very important to transition properly. It involves adding a very small amount of very lean chicken - like one ounce of lean deli chicken. Chew it until it is totally masticated and drink a lot of water then over a course of a week gradually add more meat if it is tolerated well and then add small amounts of cooked vegetables. Slow is the way to go.

The gall bladder goes on vacation when there is no fat going down there and sludge can form. I had mine out before I started transition - I had not symptoms at the time but had them all my adult life. My Mom, brother and daughter have symptoms/attacks as well. I asked for an ultrasound and the doc said I had a load of gravel in there.

Recovery should go well for you and you are so right - surgery on overweight people is rough. I am proud of you for your hard work and dedication to the program.

You have done very well to continue to lose weight and to carefully watch your eating habits - that's empowering, isn't it? It helps you to know that you will do well with maintenance.