The GLP-1 Miracle

 Wow -- and just like that, another two plus years have passed.  A lot has happened.  I did get that GLP-1 I talked about in March 2024.  In June 2024, I started Ozempic (semaglutide) shots.  I lost about 30-ish pounds over a year and three months.  Then my doctor cut me off.  She told me she was concerned about my lipase and amylase.  However, many other Kaiser patients were telling me that Kaiser-the-insurance-company was refusing to cover GLP-1's for non-diabetic patients (i.e., for weight loss only patients).  My last shot was in September 2025.  My weight stayed stable for a couple of months, and then the yo-yo began again.

As an aside, I did start Pilates reformer in May 2025.  I was so excited and quickly got up to three to four classes a week.  Unfortunately, even that couldn't save me from the dreaded weight gain.  

I put on about 10 pounds right before Christmas, which was a bummer.  I was getting married in January 2026 and my dress was fitted to my lower weight.  Then the universe stepped in and gave me the worst flu I have ever had in my life.  I dropped that weight like a hot potato.  I was also so sick that one week before we were scheduled to fly out, I wasn't sure I could get on a plane.  Finally, the doctor sent me for a chest x-ray, confirmed pneumonia, and got me the right meds.  The wedding was in Hawaii and it was exactly the day I had hoped for.  I only wish I could have slowed it down to enjoy it more.  

Once I got home, the weight just packed back on.  I put about 25 pounds on between February and May 2026.  Gaining weight that quickly is pretty hard on your body.  I was also back up to a weight that is very painful and uncomfortable for me.  On top of that, I fell while hiking and fractured my ankle in April 2026.  I was just not feeling my best.  And Kaiser had no interest in prescribing Ozempic again.  I decided to bite the bullet and pay out of pocket.  I also decided if I am going to pay for it myself, I am going to go for tirzepatide.  It seems to be the superior GLP (2), and I have heard of people having higher success on it.  I did start those shots in May, and lost 12 pounds in the first couple of weeks.

As a lifetime fat person, it is hard to explain what the GLP's do for me.  When people talk about taking away food noise, it is life changing.  If a thin person tells a fat person to just eat less, it's impossible for some.  This helps you.  I can sometimes eat breakfast in the morning, and then at 6 PM, I'll think, oh I should eat dinner.  Not because I am hungry, but because I realize I need to provide nutrition to my body.  Is this how it is for thin people all the time??  These medications help by quieting the food noise, helping you feel full faster and stay full longer.  While on Ozempic, I also stopped desiring any kind of alcohol and stopped impulse shopping online.  

It really frustrates me to think I may have to pay for these medications for the rest of my life.  However, it is easy enough for me to drop $20 here and there on things I don't need off Tik Tok shop.  I might as well invest in my future health.  I have always said I would rather be fat than yo-yo up and down.  However, past a certain weight, my body hurts too much.  I'm turning 50 this year, and my hips already hurt a lot.  So, I am on this path, and hope that the miracle continues for me.  

I know the decision to take these medications should not be taken lightly.  There are side effects.  Luckily for me, those side effects have been mild (slight constipation and muscle spasms, controlled with magnesium supplements).  But the benefits have far outweighed those side effects.  These shots also bring down inflammation, which has lowered my joint pain and psoriasis flare ups considerably.  The shots have also been approved to treat whatever the new name is for non-alcoholic fatty liver, which I apparently have again.  There seems to be a lot of upsides to taking this medication (for me).  

Anyway, that's what I have been up to for the last couple of years.  I hope you are all well!  Please feel free to leave a comment to let me know.

Out With The Old: Calories-in Versus Calories-Out

Calories-in, calories-out.  Lose weight.  Gain weight.  You eat.  You exercise.  It's all connected.  Then they say it isn't.  But it has to be a little bit, right???  Otherwise gastric bypass surgery wouldn't work at all. 

I have been doing ALL the stuff.  (You can read that blog HERE.)  I'm eating so much better than I used to.  Almost no fast food (maybe twice in the last few months and those were salads from Wendy's -- my favorite!).  I have cut my sugar intake drastically.  Jellybeans?  Gone!  Vitamin Waters?  Gone!  Donut day?!  Gone (well I have taken a couple of bites here and there but I am not eating them every Friday)!  I'm making the majority of my food at home.  I'm reading labels.  I'M PUTTING SHIT BACK ON THE SHELF WHEN IT DOESN'T HAVE WHAT I NEED!  Who am I?! 

But where's all my weight loss?  I know.  I know.  I didn't do this to lose weight!  I am doing it to get healthy after years of having a horrible relationship with food and my body.  And, sure, there are a lot of good things going on -- I feel great, and am actually requiring less food.  After two weeks of returning home each evening with the afternoon snack I would pack for work, today I finally decided to stop bringing an afternoon snack.  Ellen says this means I'm making better food choices that are sustaining me longer.  YAY! 

I read a couple of articles about calories and why eating real food doesn't equate to weight loss, so I wanted to talk about them. 

For years I made the argument that a calorie was a calorie.  And why did anyone care if I chose my calories to be ice cream and cake instead of fruits and vegetables?  But now I know that is not the truth.  Besides the fact that ice cream and cake take up less room, so they are less filling with more calories, there are VITAL vitamins you get from eating fresh fruits and veggies.  Here are some great tidbits from THIS article:

"Thinking that all calories are the same is an antiquated notion. Granted, by definition calories represent units of energy provided by a particular food, but thinking they’re all alike is like saying a diamond and a rhinestone are the same because they both glitter. With calories, as with diamonds, it’s the quality that matters most and enhances their value."

"So what’s the work-around? Trade hunger, calorie-counting and denial, for filling, nutrient-dense, organic or local produce, poultry, pasture-raised meats and wild fish. Eat them until you are full, not until you’ve hit some abstract, virtually meaningless magic number. By eating these kinds of foods, your body will tell you when you’ve had enough. Eating refined carbs like wheat, grains and sugar—the crystal meth of the supermarket aisle—never will."

I personally still choose to track my food.  Mostly because I'm trying to make that stupid pie chart hit the 40-30-30 mark (40% carbs, 30% fat, 30% protein).  But I am hitting my calorie goal each day without trying.  I don't feel like I'm dieting.  In fact, I feel like I'm eating better than ever!  I am also eating close to a 50% fat diet since starting with Ellen's nutritional program in early May (good fats like coconut oil, nuts and olive oil) and have lost almost four pounds in the last two months.  I know.  That doesn't sound like a lot, but I don't lose weight quickly.  Ever.  My body has always done this bounce around thing.  Up 4 pounds.  Down 5.  Up 3.  Down 2.  Up 4.  Down 6.  It's crazy.  I am no longer bouncing around and am now consistently losing small amounts of weight each week.  And I am at my lowest weight in almost two years (my highest weight last year after foot surgery was 263 pounds.  I am now down to 252 pounds). 

I was also reading THIS article about why eating real food might not equate to weight loss.  I do take issue with her blaming obesity on certain diseases.  I like something Ellen posted in our Balanced Table group.  It is poor diet choices (processed food, sugar, etc.) causing Type 2 Diabetes, heart attacks, cancer, etc.  Not obesity.  What do they say?  Correlation not causation?  Anyway, I think the article still contains some good information.  Reasons you might not be losing weight?

Digestion: "Weight loss will not happen if the body is malnourished and unhealthy. That’s the least concern of the body, therefore it will focus on repairing and bringing down the inflammation before it even thinks of shrinking fat cells, especially if it doesn’t have the proper energy to do so."

Food sensitivities: "The good news is sensitivities are not allergies and can be reversed, but this requires eliminating certain foods that an individual may be reacting to for a period of time while their body heals."

Yeast overgrowth: "Correcting imbalances can diminish cravings for sugar and sweets, improves digestion and absorption of nutrients, and reduces the amount of toxins the body is exposed to."

Stress: "This is directly linked to maintaining healthy adrenal function which regulates cortisol levels, sex hormones (which is another underlying cause of weight gain), and of course adrenaline and epinephrine- which put you in a state of fight or flight. Stress eats up B vitamins, Magnesium, hinders digestion, and causes imbalances in blood sugar that cause the adrenals to work overtime."

Toxin overload: "Bottom line, we must limit our exposure as much as possible, and more importantly, take a pro active approach to support our body’s ability to decongest and rid these toxins properly to get the stress off our detoxification organs (i.e. LIVER!). The body can then focus on ridding toxins from fat cells which is where they accumulate!"

Dysfunction of the master glands: "Making sure adequate amounts of amino acids are being utilized and getting enough essential fatty acids, along with a diet rich in vitamins and minerals is crucial for support. Possible cause of the weakening of these master glands can include a diet high in sugar, refined carbohydrates, digestive problems, stress, and even heavy metal toxicity."

So the adventure continues to regain my health through better food choices.  I am also working hard on being strong.  Lots of yoga, pole and cycle.  Next year, my test scores better be perfect!!!

Enlarged heart versus inflamed heart

Recently, I blogged about my latest "condition," an inflamed heart.  I talked about how I had decided to have gastric bypass years ago after being diagnosed with an enlarged heart.  I figured they were the same issue.  And apparently they are not. 

I took phen fen years ago, which caused heart valve defects in some patients.  As part of the class action lawsuit settlement, I was entitled to a free heart scan (woohooo!).  Although my valve was in tact, I was told my heart was "enlarged and flabby."  You know, if my heart was working so hard hauling my lard ass around, it should have been svelte and in-shape.  I remember my doctor telling me that I needed exercise to lose weight but that I shouldn't let my heart rate get over 130 beats per minute.  Oh ok, as soon as I get up in the morning, I think my heart rate jumps that high.  Again, I should have been a walking, talking fat-burning machine if all of those books and heart rate estimates are correct. 

Anyway, so what is an "enlarged heart?"

According to the Mayo Clinic:

Enlarged heart (cardiomegaly) isn't a disease, but rather a symptom of another condition.

The term "cardiomegaly" most commonly refers to an enlarged heart seen on chest X-ray before other tests are performed to diagnose the specific condition causing your cardiomegaly. You may develop an enlarged heart temporarily because of a stress on your body, such as pregnancy, or because of a medical condition, such as the weakening of the heart muscle, coronary artery disease, heart valve problems or abnormal heart rhythms.

While having an enlarged heart may not always be preventable, it's usually treatable. Treatment for enlarged heart is aimed at correcting the underlying cause. Treatment for an enlarged heart can include medications, medical procedures or surgery.

While I did not openly have any of the listed causes, being over weight is a generally-accepted "excuse" or reason for "heart problems" in the medical world.  So, I opted for the weight loss cure through gastric bypass.

Fast forward nine years.  I lost 165 pounds, then gained 65 back.  I'm still 100 pounds lighter than I used to be.  Recently, another doctor ran some tests and found that my heart was inflamed.  Enlarged.  Inflamed.  All words just saying I have a BIG HEART.  Turns out, that is not correct.

What is heart inflammation?

According to Heart.org:

...inflammation is common for heart disease and stroke patients and is thought to be a sign or atherogenic response. It’s important to know what inflammation is and what it can do to your heart. 

According to Alive.com:

Excess body fat can lead to a host of heart diseases. Veins and arteries become compromised, and blood vessels in legs and microcapillaries in eyes can wear out three times faster in overweight individuals. There is also an increased risk of high blood pressure with each additional pound of fat.

Most of us know the effects of being overweight where the heart is concerned. Unfortunately, what is less well known is the effect of excess inflammation on the heart. You may associate inflammation with the redness, swelling, or heat you see or feel when you get a cut, bite, or minor infection, or with the pain you feel in a swollen joint (as in arthritis). But uncontrolled inflammation is also at the root of heart disease.

Research published in a 2004 issue of the journal Circulation indicates that the immune cells of obese individuals seem to exist in a proinflammatory state, which places these individuals at an increased risk of developing heart disease and diabetes. Increasingly, researchers are showing that fat cells are prime production sites for proinflammatory messengers such as IL-6, TNF-a, and C-reactive protein (CRP levels are a well-known indicator of heart disease).

I had my c-reactive protein tested. Over 3 was bad. Mine was almost 5.

So, although enlarged hearts (think fatty, neglected, over-worked heart) and inflamed hearts (think not-well-cared-for, abused-with-bad-food-and-no-exercise, swollen heart) [*that's sarcasm, by the way*] are potentially related, they are not exactly the same thing.  And again, heating healthier and exercising (which they say will lead to weight loss) is the generally "cure."  Medications can be prescribed in more severe situations.  I don't have a lot of the symptoms that they claim go along with these issues.  For example, no high blood pressure, no high cholesterol.  But heart issues do seem to run in my family.  So, maybe my weight doesn't matter and my heart just isn't built to tick right. 

To be real and honest, my family history does play a part in this and apparently exercising (even if not to lose weight) and eating less fatty food (again, even without the intention to lose a single pound) is important.  I am trying to be very aware of the food I put in my mouth and make more time for exercise.  I have added krill oil to my diet and I now take a baby aspirin every day (not good for gastric bypass patients, yes, but I guess a potential stomach ulcer is better than a potential heart attack). 
I'm 36.  I feel like I shouldn't be dealing with these kinds of issues.  Is it pre-destined?  Did I do this to myself?  I guess it doesn't matter but if I want to stick around awhile longer, I better take my health a little more seriously.  Anyone else had these issues?  How do you deal?

The Blood Type Diet

So last week, I talked about a possible gluten-free diet. 

http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2011/05/gluten-sensitivity-and-psoriasis.html

Friday night, I tried gluten-free pizza at Skipolini's.  It wasn't bad but it sure wasn't great.  My friend has been gluten-free for years and says that it's her favorite, so I assume after years of not eating bread, it probably does taste pretty good.  But when you had a delicious croissant for breakfast, there is no comparison. 

I think I would rather just eat less bread than replace it with gluten-free products.  Plus, my stomach was seriously upset after I ate the gluten-free crust.  Post-gastric bypass, my stomach has to think hard any time I eat new things -- even seven years later.  But, I had one piece Friday night and one piece Saturday.  And both times, my stomach was grumbling and very upset with me. 

I have heard for years about the Blood Type Diet.  It sounds interesting and some of what they say makes sense (and goes along with the whole gluten-free thing).  You can find lots of websites who say its all bullshit too.  I find with any diet, supplement, exercise, store, or whatever, you can usually find someone who loves and someone who hates it. 

My blood type is O positive.  So, according to this website:

Type O was the first blood type, the type O ancestral prototype was a canny, aggressive predator. Aspects of the Type O profile remain essential in every society even to this day – leadership, extroversion, energy and focus are among their best traits. Type O’s can be powerful and productive, however, when stressed Type O’s response can be one of anger, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. When Type O wiring gets crossed, as a result of a poor diet, lack of exercise, unhealthy behaviors or elevated stress levels, Type O’s are more vulnerable to negative metabolic effects, including insulin resistance, sluggish thyroid activity, and weight gain. When you customize your life to Type O’s strengths you can reap the benefits of your ancestry. Your genetic inheritance offers you the opportunity to be strong, lean, productive, long-lived and optimistic. 

The legacy of your Type O ancestry causes an immediate “fight or flight” response in people of this blood type. However, this finely tuned response to stress, so vital in early Type O’s, is not always so beneficial in modern times. The Type O response can cause bouts of excessive anger, temper tantrums, hyperactivity and even create a severe enough chemical imbalance to bring about a manic episode. Since there is a powerful, synergistic relationship between the release of dopamine and feelings of reward, Type O is more vulnerable to destructive behaviors when overly tired, depressed or bored. These can include gambling, sensation seeking, risk taking, substance abuse and impulsivity. To avoid becoming overstressed, Dr. D’Adamo recommends following the Type O diet, which focuses on lean, organic meats, vegetables and fruits and avoid wheat and dairy which can be triggers for digestive and health issues in Type O. Additionally, he suggests that Type O’s avoid caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine can be particularly harmful because of its tendency to raise adrenaline and noradrenaline, which are already high for Type O’s.  

So, it pretty much tells me to avoid gluten too. 

Here's my problem with "diets."  They don't work.  I can think of this as a lifestyle change, of course.  But I already know what works best for me -- ANYTHING in moderation.  I just don't work well when I have to cut something out completely.  Maybe its better for my body, but my crazy brain inserts itself and tells me I need to eat MORE of something if I try to cut it out.  And I can fight it for awhile but I always give in eventually.  It's so  much easier than battling my own mind.

I've lost weight before.  And I've had clear skin before.  I just need to keep eating right and exercising.  The weight will come off and my skin will look better.  I just need to be patient. 

THIS IS NOT BRAIN SURGERY

I borrowed that catchy little title from an out-of-print book about gastric bypass.  I never got to read it but I don't need to.  I already know it's true.  I have mentioned before that my biggest beef with the "gastric bypass industry" is that one-on-one personal therapy isn't absolutely required after surgery.  Overweight people generally ate for an emotional reason.  So, they need to deal with their issues.  Otherwise, gastric bypass will not work for them in the long run.

There is a myth out there that you cannot gain your weight back after surgery.  This is completely untrue.  You have to work at it, but it's very possible and it seems to be happening more and more. 

There are no simple steps to deal with weight gain after gastric bypass.  Losing weight after gastric bypass is hard (I mean, losing weight after weight gain after gastric bypass...you get the point).  Part of what keeps me successful (er, mostly successful) is sticking close to my roots and not forgetting that I am a gastric bypass patient.  I try to keep going to my support group meetings.  I also try to eat better more often than not.  Of course, people will see me put things in my mouth that I shouldn't.  That's a choice I make, though, to keep myself sane.  Everything in moderation!  Maybe every time you see me, I'm eating cake.  But do you only see me every six months?  I don't eat cake every day, so don't judge me.  Also, as I stated before, exercise is key and the number one way for me to keep my weight off or lose weight.  I know I cannot do it very easily with diet alone.  

It is very easy for people to sit back and judge.  Of course, I've heard that gastric bypass is the "easy way out."  Easy, huh?  Really.  Of course it is.  There's nothing easy like having your guts sliced open and rearranged, being able to barely eat jello and 1/4 cup of soup for months, throwing up if you eat even a drop too much, feeling dizzy and light headed or blacking out, losing your hair, enjoying dumping syndrome if you eat too much sugar, possibly getting ulcers from lack of stomach acid...  Yeah, that sounds easy (and FUN).  Sign me up!

When I was going through the process to get approved for gastric bypass, I went to support groups and had to talk to a dietitian and psychologist.  I remember hearing a statistic that only 1 in 20 people can successfully lose 100 plus pounds and keep it off.  Who knows why.  Maybe it's easy to fall back into old habits.  Maybe your body physically won't let you and you don't have the will power to stick through the plateaus.  But that was the selling point of gastric bypass:  THIS will be the tool that helps you keep the weight off this time!!  (Hello, I've tried all the other tools, including phen fen when it was on the market.) 

Gastric bypass surgery has actually been around for awhile.  There are many types of weight loss surgeries, but I had (and focus on) the roux-en-y gastric bypass surgery (See: Link about the surgery, issues that can arise and death statistics).  Although it has become popular in the last 6-8 years for weight loss, I understand the surgery itself has been around for many years -- primarily to remove parts of the stomach due to cancer.  I also understand that, when this surgery was first suggested as a weight loss tool, it was meant for those in the 500-600 pound range (a catch-22 since, at that weight, their hearts could not always survive the anesthesia).  Some form of bariatric/weight loss surgery has been around for many, many years though.  In the last 10 years, though, it has become more popular for the "regular" fat person in the 300-400 pound range.  I remember when I had the surgery, you most definitely had to be 100 plus pounds overweight.  But lately, when I see people coming into support groups, I'm thinking they are new patients, a month or two post-op, and it turns out they're waiting for their surgery date.  It looks like insurance companies are loosening the standards to allow more patients to get surgery.

I'm sure the insurance companies are thinking they're going to save money in the long run by not having to pay for sleep apnea machines, blood pressure medication and insulin shots (etc.) for all the fatties they're making skinny.  But they're just handing this surgery out like candy and then releasing people on the street with almost no supervision.  They are refusing to pay for plastic surgeries even though I had a friend who was actually throwing out her shoulder from her "bat wings" flying around.  The domino effect.  The insurance companies are thinking they are taking care of one problem, but they're only creating another one.  And they all cost money to fix.  If people are gaining their weight back on top of it all...what a waste.  

Clearly, there are many ways to judge your good health.  Getting on the scale isn't the only one.  You should take measurements of your body to see if you might be losing inches even if pounds aren't coming off on the scale.  What's your BMI? How's your blood pressure and cholesterol?  You should have a good idea of your overall health rather than relying on one "good" reading.  When I was still overweight, I thought I had good health because I had somewhat low blood sugar.  However, I found out later that sometimes low blood sugar in overweight people is just the lead up to having full blown diabetes later.  However, your weight DOES count at least a little bit.  I knew someone who weighed almost 400 pounds.  He too felt that since he didn't have any health problems, he was healthy.  But bodies just aren't made to weigh that much and, eventually, the health problems will catch you.

After years of battling my weight, I clearly did decide that gastric bypass surgery was for me.  Some people like to do that "last supper" before gastric bypass.  Go out and shove your face full of as much food as you can tolerate.  I didn't do that.  Some programs will try to dissuade such behavior by telling you that if you show up on the date of surgery with even an ounce of weight gain from your pre-op appointment, they'll send you home.  My program didn't threaten that, but I still didn't want to do that to myself.  In fact, at my pre-op appointment (which was like three weeks before surgery), I hadn't actually hit the goal set by my doctor.  My doctor kind of guilted me and said, well I'll suggest that we still go through with surgery even though you didn't hit your goal.  Ouch.  I worked my butt off to lose that last little bit of weight and actually weighed less than I "needed to" on surgery day.  I was a little disappointed that they never weighed me on surgery day, so they didn't even know!

My journey was an eventful one, for sure.  My surgeon attempted to do the surgery laparoscopically.  Fail.  The intestine they had chosen to connect to my new pouch was too short, so they had to open me.  My surgery took hours longer than it should have (leaving my poor friend in the waiting room with no idea of what was going on).  Apparently one of my nurses cut herself with a scalpel and they had to call my mom for permission to do an HIV test.  

I still remember waking up after surgery.  I was SO groggy (they probably over-medicated me since they had to keep me asleep longer than they expected).  I was bent over a table and the nurses were attempting to put an epidural in my back for pain.  It was the most intense pain I had ever felt in my life.  The neck of my hospital gown had opened and I could see my stomach.  I was totally out of it but I KNEW I should not be looking down my gut at the train track of staples.  I kept asking what had happened (hello, it's HOURS past when you said I'd wake up and I look like I have been stabbed to death by Michael Myers!!!).  The nurse just kept saying, you had surgery, honey.  OH I KNOW!!  WHY DO I HAVE THESE STAPLES?!  I didn't find out about the complication until the next day.  It's funny how the brain functions when you've been under with anesthesia.  It's like I can comprehend things but I can't get my mouth to work right.  Then, on top of the regular pain, I assume from being sliced open, I'd get these very intense body spasms.  That first night was not a good one.  

Normally after gastric bypass, they want you up and walking within a few hours of waking up.  Not me.  I couldn't even keep my eyes open long enough to sit up, much less stand.  I was assigned a one-on-one nurse who literally sat on the edge of my bed for the entire night.  One thing I've learned about myself when I've had surgery is that I obsessively ask what time it is.  I'm sure that nurse wanted to punch me when I asked him every 30 minutes what time it was, but he sure didn't show it.

I lost weight pretty quickly.  By the time I went back to work in two months, I was already down 55 pounds.  And I continued to lose quickly.  Then I started having issues.  Blacking out mostly.  So they thought maybe I had orthostatic hypotension.  Basically, your blood pressure changes drastically when you stand up, which causes you to black out.  Or maybe vasovagal syndrome.  The doctor explained that one like this:  It's like your heart is a half-empty water bottle and if you squeeze it, you just get a fine mist instead of a steady stream of water (maybe because I'm tall and my heart has to work harder to pump blood to all parts??).  Anyway, all I know is that if I stand still too long, I pass out -- doesn't matter if my knees are locked or not.  I can feel it coming on, so I told my doctors I didn't want any medication.  If I started to feel tight in the chest, I knew it was coming and I'd sit down, no matter where I am.  That was a fun one.  I was waiting in line at a concert in San Francisco and -- *POW* -- I hit the ground.  Hard.  Three times.  No bueno.  Now that I recognize the signs, I just sit, no matter how nice my clothes are or how dirty the ground is. 

I also have a funny side effect.  It's not well known although I've heard other people complain of it.  I get a runny nose if I eat too much.  Who really knows why it happens but I take it as a hint to stop friggin' eating. 

Another side effect is how alcohol affects you.  I remember the first time I had a drink after surgery.  It was like a sonic boom to my system.  Your stomach has very little acid after surgery, so drinking is dangerous (possible ulcers -- same reason we shouldn't drink coffee/caffeine).  After surgery, you get drunk SO fast (although it goes away fast too).  I understand that it happens because your stomach is smaller and it gets to your intestines still in it's pure form.  But at least now I'm a cheap date and, even though I wasn't much of a drinker before surgery, I can nurse one drink all night and be fine. 

Anyway, the point of that meandering story was that gastric bypass is not the easy way out.  And it's definitely not brain surgery.  It's just another tool in my belt to help me.  Even though I do deal with some side effects, I also appreciate the opportunity I've been given to be thinner and healthier.  I plan to continue down the right path by losing my excess weight (again).  I am writing my own story and the ending fully depends on me.  This story WILL have a happy ending.