Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!
$99 Yearly Supply Alert! 🎉 "1 per Day!" Bariatric Multivitamins

Blogs

kutia's Journal
 

ticker going the wrong way!

It is time for another weekly update. I'm so mad at myself for this week.:mad: Somehow I've managed to gain back 5-6 lbs.:think I don't even know what happened, this whole week has just been kind of a blur. I've scheduled another fill for next week. That'll be three weeks after my first fill. I really hope this one gives me some great restriction. I have to be back on liquids for a week afterwards. That should get me back on track for my January 1 goal. I really want to make it to One-derland by January.   I also just found out that my dad is planning to bring my grandmother to visit for Thanksgiving. :help: Now, don't get me wrong, I love my grandmother. But she drives me crazy. She'll tell me how much she worries about me and how I'd be so pretty if I'd just lose weight. Oh but that isn't the worst! Usually about 5 minutes after she reminds me that I'm fat (you know like I forgot) she'll ask me if I want anything to eat. Does that make sense to anyone? 'Cuz it sure don't to me. So I want to lose as much as possible before Granny hits town. She doesn't know I have the band and I have no intention of letting her know. She'd just over-react and give me a headache.   I know my reward for losing 75 lbs. is to buy a bicycle. I'm thinking of changing that. I may just go ahead and buy one now. It might help get going in the right direction again. I used to love to ride my bike when I was a kid. It would certainly help on the days when I can't manage to get to the gym. There is a bike store right by my work, I think I'll stop in there on Saturday. I've gotta do something. I won't be able to stand myself if I start yoyo-ing up again. :help:
kutia

kutia

2
tianealperry's Journal
 

2nd Day with LBand Talk.com

I must say Im very happy to he HERE!!! I have met some pretty nice people so far and I want to give them a shout-out:biggrin1: and some love :clap2: TEXAS style!!!   If anyone here is from the Dallas, Texas area holla at me please:kiss   I hope you all have an awesome weekend it's been great so far and I look forward to sharing many moments with everyone:eek:   Until then :kiss2:
tianealperry

tianealperry

1
ms883's Journal
 

Evil-step mother

My evil step-mother (aka depression because bading was postphoned) got on her broom and flew away. I have a new banding date. 10/23. Even I can diet for 2 weeks.   Interesting about needing to lose weight pre-band is that I don't care if I diet. Trust me, after 35 years of diets, I hate all of them, and I hate the self-loathing that accompanies diet failure (either falling off the diet, or gaining the weight back lateron). Ok, I can do this. I can do anything for 2 weeks. This is unlike any other diet I've been on before. With my goal (the lapband) just 2 weeks away, I don't feel hungry even though I'm down to about 900 calories/day. IMHO, I could just quit eating now, well, maybe, but the demond munchies and cravings would return.   Thumbs up to the band!
ms883

ms883

1
LapofLuxury's Journal
 

First Post-Op Visit

Tuesday, October 3, 2006, my first Post-Op visit. Lucky me, I get to weigh-in at 193 lbs. That's 10 lbs since surgery!:clap2: The doctor said that I could eat solid foods. :hungry: I get to "bypass" the mushy foods and straight onto the solids. Except no steak or pork! That's okay with me, just to get mashed potatoes and chicken are a blessing in disguise.   I am excited.   Loss so far - 20 lbs.
LapofLuxury

LapofLuxury

1
LapofLuxury's Journal
 

The Journey begins

Wednesday, September 20, 2006 finally arrives, it's Lap Band Surgery Day:)   My morning begins with arriving at the hospital by 5:30 am and surgery is planned for 7:30 am. My parents drive me to the hospital and go through my pre-op procedures. Not really nervous, but more anxious to get it over with, as the waiting as been tiring. The Post-Op diet was less than exciting but well worth it as I lost 10 lbs prior to surgery which will help with my recovery and start the weight loss process.   Oh happy day!
LapofLuxury

LapofLuxury

1
My Journey
 

10-5-06 Yeah journals are back!!!

I am so happy that the journal function is up and running again! For about the past month I have been playing the insurance "battle." I found out today that I have been approved for the surgery! My next step now is to make the final appt. with the surgeon. I am excited, nervous...I have dreams about what it feels like to have the band inside me. A lady that I work with had the surgery back in May and she actually let me feel her port. To be honest, I was kind of freaked out by how "well" I could feel it...But she looks great, already has lost nearly 60 lbs.   Well...moving on..update soon!
Veggestyle

Veggestyle

1
luv2blab's Journal
 

like energizer.....still going and going and going

Well, today I saw the nutritionist for over 2 hours. This was only 1 of 3 required sessions with her and my insurance isn't covering the cost. She's $70 an hour. She wants me to get more exercise and start 2 herbal pills.... hoodia and cortisol...I think. I also saw the pulmonologist today. He wants me to have this surgery but sceduled me for a 1 night sleep study first because he thinks I may have sleep apnea. So, I'll call to make that appt tomorrow sometime. Aside from the sleep study and 2 more nutritionist visits, I have a endocronologist appt on Nov 3'rd. Then....after all that is done...I guess the wait continues for the long drawn out process of my insurance company deciding whether to go along with all these specialists reccommendations and approve the surgery. My parents continue to be non supportive and say I should be able to do this on my own without surgery. Now, picture for a moment...both of my parents are also obese....my dad has had a stroke and is a diabetic...my mom is also having heart issues. My husband cannot understand my choice either. He says it's mind over matter.....when it comes to not overeating. AUGH! They don't have a clue what I've going through and what huge lifestyle changes I will be enduring once I have the surgery. I really hope it's worth it and I can be successful after all this.
luv2blab

luv2blab

2
avilla's Journal
 

OMG

Ok I am totally excited today...We got our new uniforms in today...I was guessing at a smaller size for later on...But guess what, they actually fit...I am just almost giddy...So from a 50x34 pants its now a 46x34 and from my 4x shirt to a 3x...Now just to get these new ones fitting as big on me as my old ones!!! Work work work!!
avilla

avilla

1
sharlee's Journal
 

18 days

I can't believe I am only 18 days away from surgery. I have so many different emtions and they are stronger since I can't eat!!
sharlee

sharlee

1
tianealperry's Journal
 

NEW CHICK ON THA BLOCK!!!

:clap2: Hi world! I found this site and now Im in love with it! I have yet to talk to my doctor about LBand, but my first appointment is on next Thursday. I found out last week that Atnea covers the LBand. So I'm very anxious to talk to my doctor about it, she is already aware of what I've been going thru as far as my history of diets and yo-yo weight loss.   I had a revelation about 3 weeks ago!!! I decided I MUST LIVE until I DIE and I'm going to live the best life for my children and myself!!!:clap2: KUDOS to ME!!!   My current BMI is 41 I'm 30 years old b-day is March 29 I plan to be 40 to 60 pounds lighter!   I plan to have this LBand done before this year is over:biggrin1: 2006 will be the last year of me hiding behind black clothes & pretending to be happy because everyone says you have a pretty face!!!   It's a WRAP!!!
tianealperry

tianealperry

4
Kee's Journal
 

Accepting Reality

I needed a place to vent... so why not here. I am scheduled to have my lapband surgery on 11-9. Should be excited, right? Wrong... I feel upset with myself. When I initially started researching the band, I knew it was for me because I am a BIG uncontrolled portion eater. Carbs all day every day. So I began my jouney... Well I think deep down inside, I thought I could still do this on my own. I can work out a lot, can be very enthusiastic. But after trying again.. I failed. failed cuz I just can control my mind to keep my mouth shut. No, instead I convice myself why I should have 8 slices of pizza and cinnamon rolls and biscuits.... URGHHHHH!   I guess I am coming to the realization, that I have a true problem. Something I just cant seem to get control of. I know the band is what I need. I know that I will probably do well with it. But I just feel really crappy for letting myself down over and over again....   Okay, I'll quit my bitchin now:cry
keekahari

keekahari

6
NW Island Girl's Journal
 

Out of the Closet -- a little

5 October 2006   Yesterday I decided that it's time to tell a few of my closest friends and all of my family. Initially I had wanted to keep my surgery confidential, because I can't abide all kinds of people "monitoring" me, but knowing that I have to get through the December holiday-birthday-concert season on a pre-op liquid diet, I decided it was time to confess.   I've received several positive responses, and one curiously guilt-ridden friend who feels bad for having sent me food gifts over the years. I told him, it was alway my choice whether or not to put that thing in my mouth.   I'm still having trouble (especially around Halloween) staying away from the candy and junk food I love, and I haven't yet worked water REGULARLY into my schedule. That probably will be one of the most challenging points of transition for mw. I'm accustomed to drinking a lot of water, but I'm also accustomed to drinking it by the pint or quart.   I've ordered a cookbook that is specifically for weight loss surgery patients -- for the weeks, months and years after surgery. Lifestyle, that's what I need to learn...both in practical terms as well as intellectual.
NW Island Girl

NW Island Girl

1
KariK's Journal
 

Goodbye LB 204

Yay, another pound bites the dust.   Yester day I ate:   7 am Atkins + Unjury   10 am Southbeach bar   2 pm Southbeach bar   4:30 pm South beach bar   6:00 pm Chicken leg   8:00 pm peice of salami   Vitamins: Biotin, Calcium, Multi   Water: Didn't keep track but filled my glass regularily   Exercise: Didn't have time, too much paper work. Seriously not enough time. Maybe im just making excuses but I really don't think so.  
KariK

KariK

1
peluche's Journal
 

My first fill

Well I got my first fill today 10/4/2006 and I had a little trouble drinking the water they gave me because he filled it too much, but then he took some saline out and I felt much better. I have been able to eat and keep it down, even though I feel a little weird in my chest area. I am gonna give it a couple of days to see if this is just the side effects of the fill. It wasn't painful at all, I didn't even feel the prick in my stomach. I have lost 24 lbs in the past 6 weeks and should start losing 1-2 lbs for the next few weeks as that is the norm. If I don't then they will fill me again. I have to let my doctor know how my progress is going. :nervous
peluche

peluche

1
ms883's Journal
 

Waiting again

Just when I thought I was going to meet the lapband of my dreams, my evil step-mother came in and ruined everything.   I called my MD today and discussed the pre-op diet. I even called 2 days ahead of schedule. I was told that I need to lose 17 lbs before surgery. Ok, but I don't think that is going to happen in the next 9 days.   Good by, Friday, October, 13. Hello, sometime later this month. Bummer. I am not happy. Things could be worse.
ms883

ms883

1
reeburgdon's Journal
 

10-04-2006

I had my assessment with the Nutritionist today, it went very well.   She was very nice and knowledgeable of the nutritional requirements pre and post-lap band.   I have my pysc eval on Monday, then it's just wait and see.:nervous
reeburgdon

reeburgdon

1
chameleon's Lap-Band Journal
 

spinning my wheels...

I am on a weight watchers high..ya know that euphoric feeling that comes over you when you are still in your first few weeks of ww? I joined last week so that I can at least loose a little bit of weight while I wile away my days waiting for my insurance company to take their thumbs outta their asses and approve me. Anyhow of course I lsot my obligatory 4.5 pounds in my first week, and of course it wasn't even hard...not at all as a matter of fact. There were actually a couple of days that I couldn't even eat the last couple of points. Why is this??? Why can I do so well on ww for the first 4 or 6 weeks, then I just peeter out. Maybe, no probably because I loose those first 20 lbs so easily, then it gets harder. I know your only supposed to set small goals, but I can't fool myself completely, that 140 pounds over all that I have to loose to get to my goal is a HUGE, Ginormous, Gargantuan Monstrous number and it scares the shit outta me. I loose 5 pounds and I think ok, only 135 to go....you're 5/140ths there girlfriend....go, go, go, you CAN DO THIS. Then I start the mental figuring...this is what I always, always, always do when I start a new weight loss effort...I'll be walking on the track, or on the elliptical or on my way home from ww or anywhere and I start doing the calculations in my head..."ok I am 280 now...If I keep loosing at this rate I will be 260 in 4 weeks, then I'll be 240 in 8 weeks, then 220 in 12 weeks, then 200 in 16 weeks, then 180 in 20 weeks, then 160 in 24 weeks, then 140 in 28 weeks, then I shoould make my goal of 137 in 28 and a half weeks...whooo hooooo!! Then reality sets in and I go, Ok theres no way in hell that I will keep up a 5 pound per week weight loss....Ok lets figure it this way. I am sooo fat that I can probably keep up the 5 pound per week loss for like 8 weeks...that'll bring me to 240, then I can probably looses 3 lbs per week til I get to 200...umm lets see, that'll be like 13 weeks, so in 21 weeks I can be at 200. Ok then I'll probably slow to about 2.5 pounds per week til I hit 175, so lets see...that'll be like 10 more weeks so in 31 weeks I can be 175, so then it'll probly slow down to 2 pounds per week till I hit 150, so that outta take another 12 weeks so in 43 weeks I will be 150. So It'll probly slow down to 1.5 lbs per week til I hit 137 so in a total of 51 weeks I will be at goal!!! So I can comfortably say that in 1 year I will be at my goal weight!" This talk has taken up hours and hours of my thought processes over the past 20 years...I can't even estimate how muc time I have wasted on these pathetic calculations...over and over again like an obsession I do this. I should have lost 700,000 pounds by now if all of these strategizing sessions produced the desired results. I estimate that I have given ww somewhere in the neighborhood of 1200.00 over the years...now thats nothing compared to some women friends I have. Some of them just keep paying and paying and paying for years even when they don't go or follow the plan for months and months at a time. I bet I know women who have spent 5000.00 at weight watchers, just for attending not for products and they all loose some weight and put it back plus a few then loose some more...blah blah blah. I do know this. Weight Watchers is the BEST, Healthiest, most effective eating plan known to womankind. I say this as a dietician and as a woman who looses lots of weight on the flex or point plan AS LONG AS I DO IT! AND AS LONG AS I JOURNALIZE. You loose the battle when you stop writing I do know this. Anyhow, my current dilemma is that i wonder what I will do when I loose 35 pounds, I worry that if I loose more that I will not be eligible for the surgery even if med mutual ever coughs up the cash. So I ask myself....what will I do then? Should I loose as much as I am allowed and then try to maintain at 245? I keep thinking in my head about statistics...the statistic that only 7% of women who loose a significant amount of weight kepp it off for more than 2 years. I then wonder what percentage of ww women have lost 140 pounds. Then I try to apply that 7% number to the number of ww women and I come out to like 2....No just joking...I really don't know what the actual statistic is for ww over time. I drive myself crazy with thse number things. I can use numebrs to justify anything and I do it all the time. My quest for weight loss started this craziness and it has never stopped, not since after the birth of my daughter when I had gained 20 lbs...from 131 to 151 after birth when she was about 3 months old and I hit my first plateau...at 151....God what a gift and I thought it was such a curse! I remember my frustration at not being able to get that weight off...If I had a crystal ball then I would have only needed one bullet. Anyway, I was proud of my 4.4 lb weight loss at my weekly ww meeting yesterday, but I was even more proud of the man who was sitting behind me. He probably weighs about 350 or 375 and is about 5'10" and I would guess he's about 35 years old. He's a black man and I can tell he is a successful classy business man...he doesn't have spinners on the wheels of his late model beige colored Chrysler 300 nor does it have curb finders or any of the other paraphanelia that many black guys feel that they need to show how proud they are of their blackness. These men always come off as so pathetic to me...aspiring to be a pimp...anyway, this man is comfortable with his success and does not feel the need to prove any thing to any one. He is real. I know it sounds like I am attracted to him but I am not. I am proud of him because last week ( he joined the same day I did) he was talking about how he was looking into weight loss surgery and that he heard about someones great success at ww and he thought he should give it one last ditch effort. He came in yesterday and beat my 4.4 pound loss into the dirt with his 9.6 pound loss in one week. He was so happy and amazed that I was happy with him and for him. It was as though he got a new lease on HOPE. That's when I realized it...I had lost all HOPE of ever loosing this weight and this lapband procedure has given it back to me. I know that I will not be 280 pounds a year from now. I know that I will have lost a great majority, if not all of this burden of carrying around a whole extra person. This gives me such happiness, it's like a drug...a really good drug. I am not touting wls to this black man in my ww class. I am a dietician, I am supposed to believe that if you eat right and eat less nd move more you will loose weight. I will continue to g to ww even after I have had the surgery, and I will try to keep tabs on this man and I will tell him someday if he is struggling about this wls. But not yet. He might be one of the ones who makes it on his own...I wish I was because I feel like somewhat of a fraud doing this, but I don't care enough to continue to live fat. Well that's enough of that! Love, Me:kiss2:
chameleon

chameleon

1
kutia's Journal
 

photos

Today is the two month anniversary of my surgery. In honor of that, I had some more photos taken. I'm wearing the same outfit as last time, except that my jeans are now a size 22.  
kutia

kutia

2
Erin's Journal
 

10/3/06

Well, I weighed myself yesterday and I have not seen anymore progress, I will weigh myself again tomorrow and then from now on only on Wednesdays. I don't know why I am getting so disappointed. I know I haven't had a fill yet. I am trying my hardest to track my calories and make sure I am staying between 800-1300. This is so hard when you don't have any retriction and know that you can eat anything you want and eat right around the band. :faint:
lifelongband

lifelongband

1
christy's Journal
 

The week after.

Most people take a week off after surgery. I went back to work Thursday afternoon (2 days after surgery.) I work with teens and I really needed to be at the meeting that night. I worked about 5 hours that day, and a few hours on Friday, and another 2 hours on Saturday.   I think it was a bit much, and I probably wouldn't recommend it, but it also wasn't awful.   I started a new job yesterday, and I felt fine... it's been hard explaining my strange eating habits though!   It's now 1 week post-banding. I'm down 10.5 pounds (and totally on my period, ugh.) I'm not hungry, but I'm wanting to eat, it's not worth destroying my investment though, so I wait.   A few of my tapes fell off, and my scabs are a lot smaller than I thought they'd be.   My friends keep asking how I'm feeling and honestly? I feel great!
christy

christy

1
christy's Journal
 

Banded, 9/26 by Dr. Aceves

Woke up very early on Monday morning, September 25th. Everyone else getting surgery on the 26th would be there around 2, but I'm not very good at fasting, so I wanted to get the tests over with so that I could EAT.   Took 3.5 hours to drive down to Mexicali, and of course my radio was busted. Crossing the border was no problem, and we had no problem finding the hospital once we were in Mexicali.   We got there around 9am, and my appointment wasn't until 9:30, so the patient coordinator wasn't there yet. Iliana showed up around 9:30 and I went to have my blood taken (the nurse was excellent, because my veins are hard to find), my EKG (I felt like I was being jumpstarted like a car battery with all the stuff they had me hooked up to), and my chest xrays (which had to be taken twice.)   After the tests Yolonda took me upstairs to go over the final paperwork, and give me an antibiotic. She offered my husband and me a sleeping pill, but we both declined. We followed her to the hotel to get checked in, then decided to head back across the border to grab a new fuse for my car radio (we never did get it in) and to eat.   "Last" lunch was at applebee's, I had the cowboy burger and spinach and artichoke dip. It was wonderful. We headed back to the hotel and relaxed until 7, when we met with Dr. C.   I met the other 4 people getting surgeries with me, and we talked with Dr. C about the band, the rules right after surgery, and the rules later down the road. I'd read all of these things on the internet, but it was neat holding the band and hearing it from a doctor.   Dave and I went to Mezzasole (the restaurant in the hotel) for the "last" dinner -- I had soup and a 4 cheese pizza, it was wonderful.   I slept pretty well that night, the bed was hard, and that was the worst problem. I wasn't really nervous about the surgery.   Met everyone outside at 7am to head over to the hospital. We were immediately ushered into our rooms, changed into hospital gowns, and then... we had to wait.   A nurse came to IV me (ouch, she had to poke around in both hands until she got it), then I met with every doctor who'd be working on me that day, and the attending nurse in the OR. I got a shot in my belly (blood thinner), and then... I waited.   And waited.   I was the last one to get my surgery that day so it was after 1pm before I went in.   When they finally pulled me in... that's when I got scared. I was injected with anesthesia shortly after, so that didn't end up being an issue. I remember moving over to the operating table, the doctor wrapping my legs, and that's it.   I woke up in the recovery room to the woman next to me dry heaving. I was lucky and didn't have any nausea. I was out of recovery in just under an hour.   I spent the rest of the day sleeping and waking. I did a little walking, but my stomach was very sore so I didn't do a lot. I got some water a few hours after surgery, and a sleeping pill that helped me sleep through the night.   I didn't have any gas pains, so I guess I'm pretty lucky. The next morning I got to see my band by floroscopy, and then I got to eat some jello, broth, tea, and more water.   Everyone else stayed at the hospital another night, but I left that evening at around 5pm.
christy

christy

2
NW Island Girl's Journal
 

Twelve Weeks out

3 October 2006 Twelve weeks from today I get my band. The journaling tool has been out of service for awhile, so I have a little catching up to do here. I've discovered that I'm not the first person on the Island to get a Lap Band, and I won't be the first person at the Theatre to have done it. Shortly after I opened this journal I discovered that I already know someone with a Band, who was banded in late July and has already lost 30 pounds. Now THAT's what I'm talkin' about! Through her I've learned that there are at least two others, and one more person who is exploring the possibility. As far as I know I may be the only one who is a "medical tourist," getting my Band in Mexico. I've been cruising this chat room regularly, and I've picked up on one thing that's beginning to make me a little nervous about the impact the Band may have on my singing life. I searched for posts about singers and came across one thread that talked about the port stitches interfering with deep breathing. Now I'm concerned that I won't be able to perform in the Song & Dance show in January (which I had agreed to do before I scheduled my surgery). The show is three weeks post-op, and I "should" be able to sing, but my breath control may not be what it used to. I asked my friend Ruthann about her recent lap-hysterectomy recovery. She said she was ablt to sing in three weeks, but her breath support was a LOT better after four. I'll have to ask Ellen about that, as she's a singer, too. Initially, I didn't want to tell anybody about my surgery until after people started noticing the results. I just cannot deal with everybody and his brother checking up on me, monitoring what I'm eating or not eating, but I have begun to tell a few ... with interesting results. The first person I told was my friend Alice, who seemed to know something about the Band already and wasn't shocked, and is, of course, very supportive. The next person I tried to tell was Merritt (my boss), and for reasons passing understanding I ended up in tears in the process -- must have been PMS, because I don't have any reservations about having the surgery or living the new life, in fact I'm quite looking forward to it, but I started out with trying to explain that I needed to be on a liquid diet restriction for two weeks before and four weeks after surgery, and that this will make the traditional office celebrations of birthdays and Christmas awkward for me. He seemed very understanding, and I know I can trust him to keep this confidential. However, with the need to tell a few people involved in Song & Dance (and others) about the possibility that I will have to be a happy surprise on the program rather than a deadliner, I'm finding a little more courage about telling people. I also would like to have at least a few key people in my musical life know, who can influence the people who do the gift buying that maybe NOT chocolate this year is a better idea. Down the raod, I think I actually would like to do a story in the Journal about being a medical tourist, but I'd prefer to have that hit the press six months post-op when I can be a poster child and not a warning to others. I am quite happy to have my success inspire others to make positive choices for their health. My next hesitation is whether or not to audition for the Theatre's winter plays. I wonder if it might be wiser to give myself three months to figure out how to eat and eat on the go before I schedule myself into a big production that may get me off track. I'm fairly certain Merritt wouldn't cast me anyway (February show), but it might be fun to do "Cemetery Club" in March, especially with Gretchen Gubelman as the director. And, of course, the Benefit Players will want to know what I want to do next. Maybe what I should do through the winter is simply concentrate on my April concert for San Juan Singers -- probably my last concert as their director. I want to devote the time necessary to pull off a really great program, and if theater has to wait a few months, so be it. It's far more important to me to wrap my Singers experience well than it is to be on the stage. "Guarding Erica" will be enough for me for a little while. OK, time to figure out how to post on this chat room. I need to know if being back on stage to sing three weeks post-op is a reasonable expectation.
NW Island Girl

NW Island Girl

1

PatchAid Vitamin Patches

Bariatric Forums

For Patients

Health Professionals

Search Surgeons

Bariatric Surgeons: Want to research a weight loss surgery surgeon? Enter their last name below to start!

×