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LovetheNewMe's Blog
 

Great Weekend

Celebrated my wedding anniversary this weekend. We went to dinner theater to see " You can't make this $^@! Up at the Café and Then Some in DT Greenville. We had a great time, I did appetizer and a salad and had a few bites of my husbands dessert. It was yummy! They served us Champaign, only one sip for me, way too many bubbles. One drink and I burp like a sailor, too funny. It was a great celebration of 18 years. No weight loss this week, but I learning to listen to my body and making good choices. My challenges are exercise, I have to make more time for exercise, I need to do this on a regular bases and I have not been good at this. I have 40 lbs to go and these are going to be the hardest 40. I bought a tread mill for Christmas but I just have not been good at using this. I am going to challenge my self to do some type of exercise this coming week daily for 40 minutes. So here goes, starting tomorrow, Monday June 12, I Diane will exercise 30 minutes a day and blog about my exercise every night. Keep me honest bloggers, I gotta do this if I want to move that needle. I would like to be at 175 by the first of July. I am at 183 today so I gotta some work to do.    
♥LovetheNewMe♥

♥LovetheNewMe♥

0
Cathy1982's Blog
 

Day 2 after surgery...

I've been a roller coaster when it comes to my weight pretty much my whole life. I've tried every diet and pill on the book to loose weight. And I have lost a significant amount of weight before and gained it back for one reason or another. I've been trying to have beriatric surgery for years and for one reason or another I've been denied before. Even though 1800 get thin scam the insurance companies, are extremely unorganized, and have many issues with their doctors, they did manage to get me my surgery. I had my surgery 6/10/11 in Beverly Hills with Dr. Gee. The day was long and eventfull but it finally happened. I am now recovering at my parent's house and looking forward to thye new me to come.   Today is recovery day #2....still on pure clear liquid diet and somewhat in pain. Most of the pain coming from gas still trapped in my cavity. I am resting as much as possible since I go back to work on Tuesday, only 4 days after my surgery. I have many plans on how I will change my eating habits and life style to make this work. I feel like this is my last chance to loose the weight and keep it off.   I'm trying to be optimistic, I feel a little depressed tough.....Oh, I forgot to mention that I also have bipolar disorder   <a href="http://www.TickerFactory.com/weight-loss/wL4OtvZ/"> <img border="0" src="<A href='http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/wL4OtvZ/weight.png">http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/wL4OtvZ/weight.png"></a>
Latin_Nena82

Latin_Nena82

0
Kris' VSG Blog
 

Slow Week

In my last blog posting I mentioned how my weight loss goes in cycles, and that has proved to be the case this week. After two weeks of good weight loss, this week I only lost 1 lb. -- I'm 172.8 today. I expect next week will be similar, and then hopefully the last 2 weeks of June will be another good weight loss cycle. I am 3.8 lbs. from my July 4th goal, and I think I can still make it, barring a stall.   I still have some of my old size 22/3X/2X clothes in my closet, but slowly but surely I am giving them away to Goodwill. I just filled another large bag with clothes to donate this morning and will drop them off today (and pop into the store to see if there's anything cute to buy). Some of the 1X clothes I bought in late March/April are definitely too big now ... that is a good feeling! Aside from my size 18 swimsuit (which I need because I am so darn busty), I am totally out of the plus sizes now.   My hair loss is definitely continuing, but not as bad as I had thought it would be. I have seen stories of women losing hair in handfuls, and I haven't experienced that ... I do shed hair for sure when I am washing my hair and styling it.   I have noticed time and time again that my sleeve now is just part of me ... my life is totally normal now, except I just can't eat as much food as I could before surgery. I am losing weight pretty effortlessly. I still have to battle the carb monster and not make stupid choices, but it's not nearly as hard now as it was before surgery to walk past the bakery section, or confine myself to two or three little bites of garlic bread with a meal instead of half a loaf, or to skip having lunch at fast food 3 or 4 days a week (though I do love me some Wendy's salads ... they make great salads, and they're pretty guilt free esp. since I have the half size salad, skip the cheese and have grilled chicken on the salad). A couple of times I have 'splurged' and ordered a hamburger and fries at a fast food joint, but I can only eat a few fries and really they don't feel that great in my sleeve, so it's not as tempting to eat them as it was pre-surgery. I do still love food, and I am actually glad about that, because good food is one of life's great pleasures. I just now have this wonderful, powerful tool, that helps me to enjoy the heck out of my food, in small quantities.   I have seen a lot of people losing incredible amounts of weight since being sleeved ... that's not me, but I am more than halfway to goal and not yet six months out. Next month will be my six month surgiversary and I hope to be 30-some-odd lbs. from my end goal weight. I don't exercise much (really my only exercise is gardening, which I do for several hours each weekend day and some evenings after work) so I know I would lose more if I were exercising more ... now that the weather is getting really decent, I will be bumping up my exercising more. I really do need to work on toning, as my loose skin is yucky (but not as bad as fat!).   So ... off to the garden now. I am going to be having some wonderful salads this year. I have two pet rabbits and DH and I make them a big salad every night for dinner (veg and little bits of fruit only, of course, no dressings or nuts or croutons or such) ... and every time I make a bunny salad I'm like, "Yum, I want to eat this too!" My dinners most summers are going to be salad with some grilled meat or fish ... YUM!!!!
Kris

Kris

0
KrisW's Blog
 

Family gatherings

Well last night my niece graduated. Before the graduation we had dinner at my sister in-laws house. They ordered pizza for dinner which even before the surgery I couldn't have because I can't eat dairy. But my Mother in-law was so nice and showed up with a fillet of smoked salmon for me. YUMMY!!   The hard thing about the visit was everyone looked at my plate and kept saying is that all you are going to eat? What a pain. Also I wouldn't eat dessert and I was asked a few times are you sure you don't want 1 bite. I politely said no thanks. But I love my hubby, he would walk up to me and whisper you are doing awesome.   A little family history: My mother in-law had gastric bypass in Dec 2000 (yes I have the month and year memorized because I had my daughter at the same time and took care of them both) She looks great she bottomed out at 115 I think and is back up to 140 I believe which I think looks awesome on her. My sister in-law was set to get a bypass 2 years ago but because of medication she is on could not get it done until she is off it for 6 months. (prednisone and one other doesn't work well with any surgery). My sister in-law has told me she is jealous that I had a band and she hasn't been able to get hers yet but I am tired of feeling guilty about it.   Other than a few foodie issues last night was great!   Congrats to my niece love her lots.   ~Kris   (oh, only a few lbs away from wonderland.... I can't wait)
KrisW

KrisW

0
MV ROCKS' Blog
 

Camping

Camping and a liquid diet do not go well together.  Rheumatoid arthritis and sleeping on the ground do not go well together. But all in all the camping trip was fun. Besides the cheetos and the marshmallows. I'm over it I will exercise tonight. Already started drinking my water. We shall see what that evil scale says tomorrow. 
mmv671

mmv671

0
Scoutmama's Blog
 

Broken Scale!

Starting over again is hard, harder than being banded to begin with! I know the weight will not come off as easy as it did, but I want it to come off faster than it is! Ha! What am I talking about? MY scale is BROKEN! Everytime I get on the scale it gives me a different number... ugh! How can I start over with a broken scale???? I guess I just need to learn to do this without hopping on the scale every morning!   I think I have been doing better. There are a couple of things I have been working on this week. The main thing is PLANNING. I think this is where I may have started going astray to begin with. I have realized that I absolutely have to plan out exactly what I am going to eat for the day at the beginning of the day and take it to work with me. It is just to easy to not eat correctly when I have to go out to eat for lunch!   I have been trying to increase my water intake. This is something that I have totally let go! I know that water will flush all this fat away, so why do I not like to drink it??? Our instructions are to drink 64 ounces a day. I have also heard that a person trying to lose weight should drink half of their weight in ounces....anyone do this? I think I would float away!   Thanks to everyone for you support and nice comments! It has really inspired me!
scoutmama

scoutmama

2
Dig It Dog
 

Insurance, fasting and showing my goods

So yesterday was a rather tough day for me. I had a doctor appointment at 2:15, but the office kept getting pushed back. a local freeway had been shut down, so everything was backed up. I wouldn't have minded waiting, but i was fasting so that could do the ultra sound of my heart, lungs and liver. Needless to say, it sucked. I was finally seen at 4:30 for a test that took no more than 20 mins. So Fasting since the night before until about 6pm the next day. no food, no liquids. The test was rather interesting. What cracked me up was that all of these women would go into the office, and come back out slightly askew. And the Dr. doing the test was just acting like business as normal. Idk Thought it was funny. When it was my turn, i had to show my goods in a professional sense. FYI: paper gowns are not my friends. Test went great. Result were good! Not 5 mins after test, i was at Starbucks ordering an ice coffee and a banana! Never tasted anything so good in my life! The paper work will be sent to my insurance for approval next month after all of the paper work is complete. Please pray that it goes through quickly!
Tanya_cotto

Tanya_cotto

2
Lucky Lady's Blog
 

One Month Banded

Today marks one month since being banded. I did the math because I spent almost 18,000 on WLS every pound lost equals $155.00 dollars. To me that is money well spent. Highlights this week is a three pound loss (465 dollars lol) My lumps and bumps are smoothing out. You know what I mean cottage cheese lumps on legs. I think about how I want my sexy legs back. I have awesome calves very muscular and sexy but the thighs yuk! Now they are just smoothing out. No lumps.   I have a mini skirt waiting for me   First day in over a week I went over my calorie limit. Not bad. I average 700 calories a day and today was 1053  
missmary44

missmary44

6
Shonda7911's Blog
 

ALL MOST TIME

I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THEY ASK. LAST VISIT IS ON THE 20TH OF JUNE THE DAY BEFORE MY 9TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY. THEY ORDERED ME A C-PAP MACHINE DUE TO MILD SLEEP APNEA. I HOPE ALL IS WELL . I THINK I GAIN SOME OF MY 11 LBS BACK BUT IT ALL WAYS COMES AND GOES. IM READY FOR IT TO GO AND STAY GONE. WELL WILL CHECK IN ON THE 20TH BE BLESSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shonda7911

Shonda7911

0
jfaulk71's Blog
 

5 1/2 months in and I think I'm finally "getting it".

Ok, so I was banded Dec 21, 2010. Did awesome at the rate of 9-10 pounds a month until about a month and a half ago. Now I'm gaining and loosing the same 10 pounds. I don't think I need a fill. I'm still struggling with episodes of vomiting if I each a food that I have difficulty tolerating. I'm too scared to get another fill at this point. I've got 3.5 cc in a 10 cc band. I really think I'm good on that end of it. I believe that the weight basically melted off the first 4 months without much effort on my part. Now I'm gonna have to work for it. I've just recently joined a gym. I know, I know, I need to exercise. Have to admit I haven't been at all. Plus, I sometimes eat foods that I know will stay down and are easy on my stomach. Foods we as bandsters shouild never have.....ice cream, chips, crunchy things. Yes, I know that's considered eating around the band. But as of today, for whatever reason, my perspective has changed. I get it. I really do. I've just been taking advantage that restriction was enough to get the weight loss started but now that's no longer enough I'm going to have to utilize my band as the "tool" necessary for successful weight loss. I've got a greater goal as well. I'm 39, will be 40 in September, and I want to have another baby. My fertility doctor refuses to aggressively treat me until I'm down to at least 230. So, I've got 39 pounds to go. 4 months if I really kick some lap band ass, which I totally plan to do. No more foods that anyone, especially bandsters, trying to loose weight shouldn't eat. No more snacking, protein first. I've been lacking in the protein department for months now. I bet I don't even get 20 grams of protein daily. I know it's horrible. Time for a new perspective and a new lease on my new life. I've been given a second chance at having a healthy life. I realize that now. I can see a significant difference since my starting weight of 323. 58 pounds makes a huge difference. Not so much in clothes just yet. When you wear a size 24-26 you can basically wear that size for amout 40 pounds either way. I've just recently bought a nice 22 in jeans. Haven't seen that size in a very long time. Thrilled about it. It's smaller and leaner from here on. Yeah, I'm just tooting my own horn but If I'm not gonna do it, who will?
jfaulk71

jfaulk71

4
Blog 65542
 

2 Years out... Try and Remember Where has the Time Gone?

2 Years out... Try and Remember Where has the Time Gone?   I remember being FAT! I sometimes think I am still FAT!!   I remember wanting to be banded and I could not wait!   I remember wanting to lose weight and I could not wait!   I remember my sleep apnea and machine and could not wait for it to go away!   I remember packing up the apnea machine and tossing it away forever!   I remember taking blood pressure medicine and could not wait to get off that stuff!   I remember canceling the order for my Blood pressure meds!   I remember the shots in my knee and the pain not being able to walk!   I remember wanting people to notice I have lost weight, I could not wait to be noticed!   I remember wanting my first fill and I could not wait!   I remember wanting my un fills and there have been many, I could not wait!   I remember wanting to just eat all the foods I love, I could not wait!   I remember not wanting to exsercise and hoping the weight would come off!   I remember starting to exsercise and having the weight fall off while I slept!   I remember snacking and eating those things we as bandsters should not!   I remember making a food plan and sticking to it mindfully!   I remember the mistakes I have made, and could not wait to fix them!   I remember not wanting to go skiing as I could not bend over and buckle my boots!   I remember going skiing again for the first time in 20 years, been skiing now for 2 years!   I remember my fear of flying because I could not sit in the set comfortably!   I remember going on a plane and feeling small in the seat I still have the memories!   I remember waking up in the morning and committing to a healthful and happy day!   I remember the power of a positive attitude, it has change my life!   I remember feeling my body and not ever remembering how it felt thin!   I remember the excess skin hanging off me and I can not wait to have it removed!   I remember making the appointment for skin removal! I can not wait!   I remember thinking what is Abdominolasty, Panniculectomy, I can not wait!   I remember the life decision I made to be banded, I would do it all over again!   I remember just two years ago and now the excess skin will be removed, I can not wait!   I remember being denied by the insurance, I did not have all the correct paper work!   I remember being patent and re submitting the paper work and got approval today!   I remember blogging for the first time and wanting anyone to respond, I could not wait!   I will get my Nip and Tuck on June 27, 201. I can not wait!   I am just a little worried about the recovery, I hope I can bounce back, I can not wait!   My two year Bandversary is right around the corner banded on June 29, 2009         I wish everyone who is starting out on their journey all the best to you and I can not wait to hear from you. imaluckydog
imaluckydog

imaluckydog

9
My Life As Liz
 

untitled

If the scale at the gym is to be believed, I am at goal. I am skeptical of this because I feel that I have been eating badly lately. BUT if this is true, it is completely awesome! And either way, I'm finally feeling like I want it again. I want to eat plan. I want to work out. I want to stop eating crap and I want to lose the weight. I was so scared there for a little while that I had gained and had 5+lbs to go instead of just 2. I can only assume my next weigh in will be next Wednesday, the 15th. I will definitely make it to the meeting. I made sure of it. (The meetings I go to are the first and third Wednesdays of every month. So 6ish months ago at my last dentist appointment, I made my next appointment purposely a group day.)   I'm not sure how I feel about this yet. Like, I'm not jumping for joy like I thought I would. I didn't cry. But we'll see.   I have to wonder if watching MTV's "I Used To Be Fat" helped a little bit.   I took a Turbo Kick Boxing class today at the gym after work. It kind of amazes me that I even did it because work was so busy (I did 21 cuts) and I was tired, but I still did it. And I did the whole thing. And I want to do it again. But I am anticipating being sore tomorrow. Which seems a little crazy of me only because we're having a sale this weekend and that usually means being HELLA busy.   One thing I do need to work on: showering immediately after working out. I was going to, but I attempted to do laundry first but all the washers were taken (apartment complex), made dinner and ate it since it was already 8p. And sat on the couch watching Super Skinny Me (It's a neat British documentary, not sure if it's BBC or not) while I ate. Then we did laundry and I watched I Used To Be Fat while waiting for it to finish. And I still need to shower but I'm posting here first.
My Life as Liz

My Life as Liz

0
MV ROCKS' Blog
 

Sorry for the delay

I hate more than anything weighing on different scales. I weighed on mine 171 I weighed on weight watcher 176 I just got weighed at dr 178. WTF. Anyway I just go by my he scale but it's still very discouraging.  I started this blog a couple days ago.  So much has happened. Went to Ra dr and found out that it had settled in my jaw and must do liquids and things I do not have to chew. I'm on my 2nd day. It has been ok. Not too hungry.  I'm managing. I hope it helps my weight loss. 
mmv671

mmv671

0
here we go...
 

first fill

well, hello... so i had my first fill yesterday, thursday the 9th of june... apparently they'd put 2cc's in me when he strapped that sucker to my stomach back in may, and yesterday she gave me another 1.6 ... so i'm at a total of 3.6 in my 10cc band. drinking water with a needle sticking out of me was a new, fun experience. it seems that a lot of people pass out when this happens? she kept asking me if i was about to hurl or conk out. i'm still on liquids but am living in constant fear that i'll be one of those people that this just doesn't work for. i'll be able to eat and eat and i WILL eat and eat and blah blah.   i'm feeling a bit like a failure, as i gained weight on the mushies and today and yesterday i've been "snacking" on pieces of chocolate. i finally grew a pair of health-balls and gave away the chocolate. f**k this is hard. it's hard getting over these sugar cravings once you cave in and allow yourself the sweets. i've been depriving myself so much with the liquids, then the mushies, then before i got back on normal food i had this fill so it's 2 days of liquids and then 2 days of mushies again.   look at me complain. i'm frustrated with myself, not with this band. frustrated and scared that this wont work, either. but i have to make it work. i just have to because i can't live like this anymore. i can not be 280 pounds and live with myself much longer. my pcos is just running rampant. my hair is so thin on my head but pretty ******* abundant everywhere else. i feel disgusting. i want this journey to start.   tonight i walked for about 40 minutes. up 2 hills that almost killed me. trying to make up for chocolategate and also keep a routine up. before last week i hadn't genuinely exercised in about 2 years and my phone rang just now and i spent about 20 minutes talking and so i've completely forgot where this is going.... i guess that's the end of this lil entry, innit?   have a good nite, banditos.
jessyM

jessyM

1
angelinamariee11's Blog
 

Day 3 banded

My surgery was June 8 surgery day I woke up in recovery w weird pain I wasn't ready for took my pain medicine and was fine day two was defiantly worse I had more gas pain but nothing crazy I felt very tired day two and napped alot day three I woke up with much less gas then day 1 and 2 not so much chest pain it was great to feel so much better by day 3 I'm so happy I can't wait to wake up tomorrow I hope I wake up feeling even better today I m so excited for this new life challenge I can't wait to see my results nd start to eat healthier and feel great
angelinamariee11

angelinamariee11

2
KatDub's Blog
 

Can't Wait to See If Approved, Health Going Down the Tubes

Well in my last blog I told you that I had to lose a significant amount of weight in order to avoid a lumbar fusion. I have been waiting very patiently for my doctor to write my letter of medical necessity to submit to my insurance to see if lap band will even be covered by my plan. And boy, it better be! Now I got a call from my doctors office regarding my physical done for the lap band and I was told to see an endocrinologist now because I now have Cushing's Syndrome. I look hideous, I have a huge hump on the upper part of my back from this overproduction of cortisol and it is all because of the treatment I received for my back. The only way to get rid of my excess tummy, my fat face and this hump is to lose weight! I am praying everyday that my health will be markedly improved and ask for patience as I go through the process of applying for this procedure. I know everyone on this site (mostly everyone) is very positive and caring and I want to thank each and every one of you for your kind words and motivation. I would be such a mess right now if I didn't see the great results and positive feedback. Keep it up and we will all be feeling and looking great!
DrmBig4Evr

DrmBig4Evr

4
SunnySarah's Blog
 

Consultation in Rancho Cucamonga

Hello All. I am new to this. I am very excited and have my first consultation scheduled. I picked Dr. Davtyan in Rancho Cucamonga. I really want to do the LapBand, am considering the Realize Band as well. I did a lot of research and picked Dr. Davtyan bc of the information I read (plus it says he has a band). I read a lot on their website lapbandla.com, it has lots of information but I would like to hear from you all about your experiences. I am very excited. Thanks! Sarah
SunnySarah

SunnySarah

0
KrisW's Blog
 

So far so good....

So my fill was Monday I FINALLY after 40 days on a liquid diet got eat with the family. I have not had any stuck or over eating episodes with food yet. Yah me! But I was getting all my vitamins ready yesterday morning and without even thinking I popped my 2 rx's in my mouth and swallowed. They are small enough I don't need water with them but I forgot to crush them. I have a feeling of a bone stuck in my throat for about 1/2 an hour before it went away. I have learned to chop them up every time. Man what a pill I mean pain   Other than that things are going well. I'll see on Monday if I lost or gained after getting back on food. I still hop on and off the scale all the time but I will NOT write the number down unless it is Monday morning. I will go insane if I write it every time I get off and on the scale. Cool thing about my scale is that it remembers my last Monday weigh in then will tell me exactly how much I lost in the week. It seems to be about 1-2 lbs off the doc scale so I can live with that.   Have a great one.   ~Kris
KrisW

KrisW

0
LilMissDiva's Corner
 

From: Diva's journey to GOAL

Helloooo okay today is day 2 and I have 97 days to reach goal.   So I'm down one pound from last weeks weigh in.  I could've done better sure, but oh well.  I'm not upset about that, especially since it's close to TOM and I've been snacking a bit too much in the last few days.  That's why I've set this thing up so I can push myself and be motivated to reach my goal faster.  26 lbs now and I'm on my way!  Anyway the snacking stops TODAY and I get on this ball.  I will keep a log (minor log nothing fancy) on what I eat today.  I know what I should be eating and what I shouldn't. I don't care about the calories/fat/carbs - any of that.  I lose weight when I eat healthy and I get my workouts in.  Simple as that.  I do keep my calories up anyway when I'm doing my runs, that stuff burns a lot of energy, so I'll usually drink an extra power and calorie packed protein shake.  Yes, I still drink protein shakes, and no I'll never stop.  I need them and I like them.   My protein shake is usually the EAS Carb Advantage 11 oz in either vanilla or chocolate and half a scoop of Unjury any flavored - or Bariatric Fusion one scoop.  Both are low carb and and very high in protein per scoop.  I also add crushed ice and shake that up in one of my mixer cups.  I got them from GNC, its a plastic cup with a whisker ball inside.  It works great.   I have to fast this morning so no coffee, no nothing.  I'm having my panels taken this morning at 8 am and as soon as the results come back I'll be sure to post them.  It will be interesting to see if I'm lacking anything.  I mean if I'm low on anything I think it's my electrolytes - other than that I think I'm doing good.  I need to keep up on those.  I really don't like to skip breakfast so as soon as I'm done I'll come back home and make me some eggs and turkey bacon.  Yum!!!  I'm going to put some salsa and reduced fat cheese on my eggs.  I can't wait.  BTW my eggs are one whole real egg and one quarter cup of egg beaters (equiv to one egg).  So I can have the real taste of eggs and cut the cholesterol by one half.  Who says you can't have the best of both worlds??     My Dr. Appt yesterday went extremely well and my Dr. couldn't believe how much weight I've lost.  She said... "You've lost One hundred anndddd... well you've lost a lot!!!"  LOL  That was pretty funny!  So she left me with a panel request to check all my nutrients and a slip to have my yearly mammogram.  Fun times I tell ya!  I don't have much in the way of boobage anymore so that is not something I'm looking forward to.     See you all tomorrow!  I'll have my food log done and I'll share what I did for my workout.  Yesterday I didn't do any workout so nothing to share.  Oh I need to change up my routine.  I have it down as Thursdays and Fridays off, but I'd rather have Mondays off.  I hate Mondays... ugghhh... LOL   Irene   Source: Diva's journey to GOAL
LilMissDiva Irene

LilMissDiva Irene

0
Karon's Blog
 

Getting Prepared

Hello again, Well let's see what has happened since I last wrote. Well I had my appointment with the Nutritionist to discuss life after being banded. She gave out some vitamin and calcium samples, a power point presentation discussed food and eating habits, diet and exercise. I was in the class with a 71 year old man who says that he wants the surgery so that he can walk in the room and the women will say 'who's that hottie." Oh how I laughed, But God bless his soul for being brave enough to embark on something like this in his truly senior years. He inspired me to say the least. The Nutritionist also gave us a packet of information from the company that makes the band and we can chart our progress at their website www.lapband.com. I came home and read through the materials and looked at the vitamins. What I have learned now is that this program is expensive in more ways than one. I hear the cost is close to that of a new small car and in addition, there are out-of-pocket expenses that we must shell out for these protein shakes which are not covered and are not considered food purchases. They can cost anywhere from $13 to 40+ for a container of whey protein. She gave us a list of the types that we have to have pre-op since we will be allowed to eat chicken and fish once a day along with the shakes and some veggies and fruit and oatmeal oh and non-fat yogurt. That's about it for the 3 weeks. Someone on here posted a list of places we could call or email for samples and I spent all day yesterday doing that. There must have been about 20 places on the list. The title of the message was "Samples, samples, samples" in case you can search for it. There were quite a few who are sending me free samples, some have sample packs where you only pay for the shipping and others have sample packs where you pay a small fee for the products and the shipping and handling. I ordered some Unjury and she is going to throw me in 2 samples of different flavors. I also ordered the sample packet of Chike products as I have heard they are good and Nectar products. The rest are freebies. However, today I found out that I could use the product sold at Walmart so I order 3 2lb tubs in different flavors for $40. That was a good deal along with some chewable Flintstones vitamins and chewable caltrate as we will need these things too. So my total at Walmart was $69.00 and that should tide me over at least for the3 weeks plus maybe a week or 2 after I come home. I am hopeful anyway as I am on a fixed budget and every penny does count. I have to pay for my one nights stay in the hospital, out of pocket for that is almost $300 and I hear they want that up front and cannot be billed. So again, I say this is not something for those who don't have the extra money to pay. Then there will be the doctor co-pays for the fills which happen every 4-6 weeks and in my case that will be $40. Yes, I think I am sort of venting about money right now, but someone told me I wasn't complaining when I used to go out and eat all the time and think nothing of spending $40 on my meal alone or when I want to buy a new computerized gadget. This is for my health, my life, so why complain. Just do what you have to do Karon and keep it moving, as the young folks say. I spend a lot of time at this site reading the posts and listening to people vent and rant and rave about they aren't losing fast enough, or this hurts and that hurts and when is the first fill and on and on and on. I would bed happy to have lost 78 pounds in 3 months as one lady did and she was still complaining about she needs to hit the gym more. Some of these folks seem obsessed. I don't want to become obsessed about this decision, this new life, etc. I have never been that type of person in the past and I don't want to start at this stage in my life. However, I understand to each his own and what's silly to one person makes sense to someone else. Those reading my blog may find me to be a ranter and raver. Who knows. OK, so I can step down off of my soapbox for now and go and enjoy and old movie. Something that gives me lots of pleasure and entertainment. I will have a cup of strawberries mixed with green grapes. Oh, and I joined Myfitnesspal.com . I really like that spot. A lot of support there and people who are dieting, doing weight watchers and various other things to lose weight. The nice thing is you can have a food diary and keep track of your workout times, etc. It is also compatible with cell phones and you can post in one and they will sync up. So that's a nice little feature. I have been staying under my allotted calories so far and am happy about that. The program says if I keep eating the way I am in 5 weeks, I will have lost 8 pounds. I put that I wanted to lose 1.5 pounds a week. I'm not greedy. I would be happy to have lost 8 pounds. Every pound means something to me, to lose them means something as well and I'm not looking for a magic bullet because I think if it's too magical I won't appreciate it. I want a nice steady pace. I don't want to ask for too much or expect to much. Let me be pleasantly surprised. Enough!
Karon

Karon

2
mscarla123's Blog
 

Gas

Well all I am officaly a bander.   The surgery went great however, I woke with the worst gas you could ever imagine. I am still a little sore. But I am trailing the path    
Determine-Gem

Determine-Gem

3
Choosing My Future
 

The Past is in The Past

I choose anonymity not because I fear judgment, but because I fear being pitied. I've always been afraid of showing any signs of weakness, especially since I grew up in an abusive household. I equated being small with being weak, and so I started to gorge on massive piles of food. I wanted to make myself as large as possible so that no one could hurt me. I was also emotionally neglected, so after a while, the action of binging was a stable source of comfort for me. Eventually the overeating led to morbid obesity. It created a thick shell for me to hide underneath. I lived my life like a zombie, never truly experiencing anything. I've sought help several times over years, never really finding anyone that could help. I've tried the weirdest weight loss techniques, from liquid diets to acupuncture. I never succeeded but I also never gave up, because I love to win. I don't believe in losing, and to me, the only way to fail is to quit. It was actually a school counselor that helped spark a the greatest change in my life. I told her about how my childhood severely affected the way I act today, preventing me from doing many things that other "normal" people could do. She replied with something so simple, but it felt like a slap in the face. "The past is in the past." It seems so stupid and obvious, but she was the first person to sense that I needed someone to carve that into my mind. The past is over, and none of the horrors of my childhood can actually physically hurt me. She told me that the only way I can ensure that the past does not seep its way into my future is to change my present actions. I decided to take more control of my life. I was afraid of being fully in control because I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to treat my body properly. I didn't want to fail miserably and have all the blame fall on me. I was so used to blaming my weight and childhood for things going wrong. If I took this weight loss journey into my own hands, then I might be severely disappointed. I knew I had to rely on a group of people, dietitians, physical therapists, surgeons, and behaviorists. But to me, opening up to people was more painful than the surgery. I'm not an overly social person, I have trouble trusting people even though I loyally love and appreciate everyone who manages to claw their way into my life. The older I got, the harder it became for me to live. It's hard being overweight in the entertainment industry. It's hard to volunteer and take care of animals while carrying such a heavy weight. Even college seemed difficult, it's hard to get support as an international student. I never had trouble learning and was always the student that got by with A's despite doing little work. I was constantly harassed and berated at my school, due to both my weight and ethnicity. Somewhere along the way, my body desperately pushed me towards the option of having surgery. It was in my mind after seeing several close friends lose a staggering amount of weight. I always tried hard to do it the natural way, but many conditions such as PCOS, PTSD, and addictions kept preventing me from achieving the results I deserved. I spent months with a personal trainer and didn't drop a single pound. The sneers I received at the gym constantly made me question why I even bothered. I'm not here for them. I'm not doing this for them. I'm doing this for myself, so that I can finally be free. I was dedicated and ready to change my life, and a very great opportunity opened up for me to have the vertical sleeve done. It's only been 4 days since I had the surgery but I already feel myself getting stronger than ever before. I have great hope for the future, and am learning to appreciate the present for what it is. I will be discussing my journey in its entirety so that anyone contemplating WLS can be fully prepared as to what to expect. In the next few entries I will be discussing how I successfully followed the 2 week pre-op diet without cheating, the exact process of surgery for my situation, and helpful tips on shaving/makeup in the hospital for women with PCOS. I appreciate any comments/suggestions and hope that my entries can help another person create a better future for themselves. Thank you for reading =)
Madison

Madison

2
hollyboyd63167's Blog
 

My journey continues.. June 2011

As many of you are aware I had lapband surgery in January 2011.. I am not embarrassed that I had this surgery. I am very happy with my decision to have this procedure done.     I do have to tell you that I am not cheating by doing this. I still have to watch what I eat and exercise just like a normal person who is trying to lose weight. The band is only a tool.. I have heard some people saying that I am cheating and my comment to that is weight watchers, jenny craig and other diets are cheating too then.. For the individual who doesn’t have a clue about the band you really shouldn't give your two senses anyways. If you are going to comment please make sure that you have the facts before you open your mouth.. and diss it.. Sorry, I am being for REAL!!!     I have lost 43.5 pounds. I am only 6.5 pounds until I have LOST 50 pounds.. This is the most weight I have ever lost during any diet.. Have lost a total of 17 inches from neck to legs. I even measured my arms and calves.. Weird I know.. I am very proud of my accomplishments.     When having weight loss surgery you learn what is important for your body.. Protein first.. You will hear a weight loss surgery person say that if you know one you will notice when they are eating that they will eat protein first…     During this whole thing you learn what you can and cannot eat. The list tends to be different for each person… I have talked too..I have issues with pork, roast and breads.. I learned the hard way.. It’s not fun driving down the road with a trash bag in your lap because you are getting sick.. One day you might be able to eat them and another day you won't. It’s a learning experience every single day with the band. I don't know how bad I would love to have a Diet Mt. Dew or potatoes chips.. But that isn't going to happen.. Especially the soda.. For those who don't carbonation isn’t' good for the band it can cause your stomach pouch to stress which can cause you to overeat.. This defeats the whole purpose of the band... I have learned to accept not having sodas.. I do crystal light, juices and water instead.. However during this journey as I call it.. There are many times you would like to say hell with it and go back to the lazy life style. Because its comfortable or because it’s easier..     Another issue you will hear is “I am tight”.. If you are stressed, sick, mornings or even the temperature effects how the band works.. Stress and mornings have been major issues with me. During the last few months I have seen doctors more than I did when I was pregnant..     Another issue that has been discussed many times at the support group meetings is friendships are going to change.. I have realized that some people aren't going to be supportive of me.. Then makes you wonder if they are really your friends in the first place..I have doubt friendship in the past and now.. I have noticed that certain people who I am/was friends with don't comment or say a word about my success or what I am doing.. During this journey you are going to need friends that are supportive.. This isn't easy..     The main reason why I did this because I don't want health issues that come from being overweight..I have been lucky that I don’t have any health problems.. I am trying to do this before I have any concerns. I also don't want Kaitlynn to be embarrassed of me.. I also want to be able to going shopping any store not worrying if they are going to have my size or not.. A most important I want to be healthy and be here as long as possible.. When I started this journey I wore a size 22. I can now say that I wear 16.. That’s four freaking sizes in four months..     You realize who you can count on. I am very thankful for Lapbandtalk.com and my Surgeon’s Support Group mainly because they can relate to what I am going through. I have also started to use myfitnesspal on my phone and my compute this is another tool that can help you with counting your calories in case you are not on the weight loss path like myself. I haven’t change inside just outside..          
sassy k's mommy

sassy k's mommy

6

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