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Jenn1214's Blog
 

Solids tomorrow!

It's been a long time coming...I start solid foods tomorrow! As happy as I am to start eating like a normal (banded) person, I must admit I'm also pretty nervous. Eating regular food is what got my in trouble in the first place with my weight. I also worry that some of my favorite foods may not agree with my band, but if they don't it's something I'll just have to learn to live with. This is where the real journey starts!
Jenn1214

Jenn1214

0
Kris' VSG Blog
 

Three Month Surgiversary

I went to Orlando this week on a business trip and while I was on my trip I hit my 3 month surgiversary. I actually lost 1 lb. this week, which is awesome, considering I was eating out every meal (but on the other hand, I was doing a lot of walking around in the evenings, which I think helped offset the extra calories). I was really, really happy to be walking around with other people who are not obese and able to keep up with them pretty well -- something I could never do pre-surgery! As of today I am 188.8 lbs. I had set an ambitious Easter goal to be at 180 by Easter and I am sure I won't make it ... I am thinking I will be lucky to be below 185 by that date. But heck, that is still great! DH just went out for breakfast ... he is going to our local, amazing donut shop called Legendary Donuts (and they are incredibly great donuts). I passed on the trip (yay for me, little NSV right there!) -- I am having crackers with sunflower seed butter instead (not exactly the best breakfast, but way way better than a donut!). Fortunately, the idea of a donut is not nearly as tempting to me now as it used to be. My appetite for sweets still is nowhere near what it used to be prior to surgery. I do enjoy a bite or two of dessert on a periodic basis, but usually 2 bites is totally fine and I don't want or need any more. I saw a friend yesterday whom I hadn't seen since before surgery. The first thing she said to me was, "You've lost weight, haven't you? I can really notice! You look great!" That made me feel really great. I told her I had been sleeved and she surprised me and said her mom had the same procedure, and she was very supportive. I have been very open about telling people about getting sleeved and so far I have not had one negative comment. I know my friends and family were truly concerned about my weight before surgery, and they are really happy that I am losing weight. I figured if I ever get a snide comment about having surgery, I'll know that person really doesn't have my best interests at heart and I should be wary of them going forward. Other than that, there's not much to tell this week. Oh, one last thing ... I did splurge and spend $60 at Sephora yesterday and bought replacement Bare Escentuals makeup kit (the last time I bought some was at least 2 years ago and I was thinking it needed to be replaced). I do wear makeup now most days, and I have to admit it does make me feel like I look better. I don't mess with eye shadow but do use foundation, blush, and lipstick, and if I'm feeling very into it I'll put on eyeliner and a little mascara. I've been shopping a few times and am already coveting some of the really pretty spring dresses that are for sale. I think I may end up being a real girly-girl once I get into regular sizes again!
Kris

Kris

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wishes' Blog
 

List of WLS VSG Guides

Here is a list of guides for guidelines on food and vitamins after VSG surgery. I take no credit for these, and they are just for my own information and for me to keep up with as I travel on my VSG journey.   http://www.sleeveguide.com/uploads/1/7/9/4/1794785/dietguidevged42006feb.pdf http://www.northwestobesitysurgery.com/pdf/sleeve-gastrectomy-diet.pdf   http://www.cornellweightlosssurgery.org/pdf/dietary_guidelines_sleeve_gastrectomy.pdf
wishes

wishes

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ChoseLife's Blog
 

Day 5 of Pre Op Diet

Woke up around 8:45am had my shake got ready for the day. we went to a local parade. Went to the mall to walk around. Went to GNC and picked up more shakes. Did you know that GNC has a weight and BMI scale? According to that scale I have lost almost 9 pounds. Yeah me! had 6 In subway roast beef sandwich w lots of veggies and water for lunch. Shake for dinner.
ChoseLife

ChoseLife

0
Blog 76073
 

Post-Op Day 10

I can't believe it's been 10 days since surgery! It's going by so fast! The surgeons said the surgery went great! But I had a reaction to morphine in recovery and was there for 3 hours, writhing in pain and broke out with a rash. They pumped the benadryl and fentanyl to me and my respirations dropped.. It was definitely an interesting experience, haha. But I'm good now! I went home the same day, which I found kind of scary, but more comfortable anyhow. I stayed the night at my parents' house so my kids could be home with my husband and I could rest alone, though I wasn't able to get much sleep. The pain was never incredibly bad, just a burning feeling behind the incisions. The last dose of pain medicine I took was on Day 3, so I'd say I'm feeling pretty good! On Day 5 I began feelling antsy and hopped back on the treadmill, I did 30mins (1.75miles) without any pain or discomfort! My instructions were to not lift more than 10lbs until I have been seen in the office, which isn't until this coming Monday, but I have a 2 year old that still requires lifting every now and then, and of course I have been taking care of him. Well, the night before last I was having some pain in my largest incision (I still have staples in, by the way) and noticed a scant amount bleeding/drainage coming from it, I cleaned it up and let it be. Yesterday it continued to drain a bit, so I covered it with gauze and a bandage, and at the end of the day there was a spot about the size of a quarter on the gauze. When I removed it and cleaned the incision I watched it drain.. it was a light orange-red color. As far as I can tell it doesn't have an odor, but I'm kind of worried about it. I go to the surgeon on Monday to have the staples removed so I've been holding off on calling about it until then. Hopefully it's not infected, and hopefully it's not something I did! I had been getting frustrated with my weight, as the scale had stopped moving for a couple days. My husband says I've been obsessing over it, and I'm sure I have. I'm down 10.5lbs since surgery, 27.5 since starting the pre-op liquid diet, and 36.5 from my highest weight (January). I walked along a window in a hallway the other day and definitely noticed a difference in my reflection, it was exciting! The surgeon said he didn't put any saline in my band at all, which kind of frustrates me, but excites me at the same time (exciting because I've still managed to lose 10lbs, but frustrating to think that I could have lost more, and knowing that I'm progressing my diet next week and don't have restriction scares me!). I thought they usually put a couple cc's in to begin with? I have to wait 6 more weeks for a fill. I'm still starving as of right now, but I'm so scared of screwing something up that I've stuck right with the liquids.. and I'm surprised at how easy it is for me. I'm so excited to advance to pureed foods this week!.... I never thought I'd say that.... Any suggestions on foods for that stage?! The only thing I've heard is mashed potatoes and baby food, but are potatoes really the best thing to be consuming while trying to lose weight?! Anyway.. any advice is greatly appreciated!
PinkFish

PinkFish

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sexyat44's Blog
 

Goals for the day

My pledge to myself to:     1. drink plenty of fluids 2. get the 60gm min protein today 3. done some sort of exercise for at least 30 mins 4. take all my meds 5. not anyone stress me out 6. and just embrace li
sexyat44

sexyat44

1
My Life As Liz
 

Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)

Brief back story: about 2 years ago I had what I thought was a gallbladder attack. I went to the ER because I couldn't stop throwing up and my stomach hurt really bad. They did tests, and said it's most likely my gallbladder. They recommended an ultra sound that my PCP at the time wouldn't give me. Fast forward to last month. I had 2 more short what I thought were gallbladder attacks again in the same day. So I went to the ER, they took some blood, gave me some fluids, and scheduled me an ultra sound for the next day when I told them my old PCP wouldn't schedule me one. I got the ultra sound done. My gallbladder is fine. My liver is enlarged twice the size it's supposed to be. More blood tests later and my new PCP (who I like, she seems really nice) emails me this: "I think the liver changes are due to nonalcoholic hepatosteatosis (also known as "fatty liver.") The best thing you can do is diet and exercise for weight loss."     This is Kaiser's explanation of NASH:   Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH):     Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is liver inflammation caused by a buildup of fat in the liver. The fat buildup is not caused by drinking alcohol. Because of the inflammation, the liver does not work as well as it should. NASH is part of a group of liver diseases, called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, in which fat builds up in the liver and sometimes causes liver damage that gets worse over time.   Healthy lifestyle changes, such as eating healthy, staying active, and slowly getting to a healthy weight, may help protect your liver from damage.   Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor if you are having problems. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.   How can you care for yourself at home? Stay at a healthy weight. Control your cholesterol. Talk to your doctor about ways to lower your cholesterol if needed, like getting active, taking medicines, and making healthy changes to your diet. Eat healthy foods. This includes fruits, vegetables, lean meats and dairy, and whole grains. If you have diabetes, keep your blood sugar at your target level. Get at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week. Walking is a good choice. You also may want to do other activities, such as running, swimming, cycling, or playing tennis or team sports. Limit alcohol, or do not drink. Alcohol can damage the liver and cause health problems.   When should you call for help?   Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if: You have yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes (jaundice). You have pain in the upper right part of your belly (abdomen).   Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if: You have swelling in your legs or belly. Your skin itches. This is what I expected it was. I started googling as soon as I heard my liver was enlarged. I google a lot. And I found a couple interesting articles/pages. There seem to be mixed reviews for whether surgery is helpful or harmful.   The websites I've read said that there are two types of fatty liver disease. Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH), and that the only way to tell which one you have is by a liver biopsy. I haven't had one of those done, so I'm wondering if my doctor is correct. I don't want to say she's not since she's the doctor, not me. But who needs a medical degree when you have the internet? When I think about it, NASH fits because my liver is enlarged, and in NASH there is inflammation.   Having read that wls may not be good, it made me worry a little. So I played phone tag on Thursday with the bariatric department and they said I could still have the surgery. But I'm still skeptical and nervous. I'm nervous b/c of the reduction of food and wondering if I can really do this, plus I don't want to get all the way to surgery for them to poke me to find out my liver isn't ok to get the surgery done. I want to know for sure that my liver is ok before I get to that point so there isn't any, go home and try again later.   And then there's my family. The only people who know I have liver disease are my doctor and my boyfriend. My family keeps asking if I got any results about my gallbladder and I keep telling them I'm still waiting. I know I should tell them, but I feel embarrassed, ashamed. I don't want a bunch of questions about it. I don't want to have to explain that my having liver disease is the result of being fat and eating badly. I can't imagine it ending well. I don't know what to do. Any advice?     Here are links to the websites I've read and a few quotes:   http://www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/nash/ -The only means of proving a diagnosis of NASH and separating it from simple fatty liver is a liver biopsy. -Weight loss can improve liver tests in patients with NASH and may reverse the disease to some extent.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-alcoholic_fatty_liver_disease -A biopsy (tissue examination) of the liver is the only test that is widely accepted as definitively distinguishing NASH from other forms of liver disease, -gradual weight loss may improve the process in obese patients; rapid loss may worsen NAFLD. The negative effects of rapid weight loss are controversial: the results of a meta-analysis showed that the risk of progression is very low. -A recent meta-analysis presented at the Annual Meeting of American Association for Study of Liver Diseases(AASLD) reported that weight-loss surgery leads to improvement and or resolution of NASH in around 80 % of patients   http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nonalcoholic-fatty-liver-disease/DS0057   http://www.emedicinehealth.com/fatty_liver_disease/article_em.htm -The definitive diagnosis of fatty liver disease can only be confirmed by liver biopsy -In patients who are morbidly obese, bariatric surgery to promote weight loss is very effective in decreasing liver inflammation and NASH.   http://www.uptodate.com/contents/patient-information-nonalcoholic-steatohepatitis-nash -Although other tests may suggest a diagnosis of NASH, liver biopsy is required to confirm it. -Weight reduction can help to reduce levels of liver enzymes, insulin, and can improve quality of life. Weight loss should be gradual (no more than 3.5 lbs or 1.6 kg per week) since rapid weight loss has been associated with worsening of liver disease.   http://www.liverdisease.com/nonalcoholicfattyliver_hepatitis.html -Excessively rapid weight reduction or starvation techniques can actually worsen or even precipitate progression to cirrhosis and liver failure.     Has anyone here had / have NASH and had the surgery? Have anything to say about it?
My Life as Liz

My Life as Liz

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My Life As Liz
 

a little bit of this, a little bit of that

I lost 11lbs in a month! (March 3 - April 6) Yay! But I have to wonder how much of that was from being sick and not eating as much vs following the meal plan. You know how when you're sick and you lose weight and then gain it back when you're well? I'm hoping it's not that. All of it can't be.   And you know what that means? That I'm 7 or 8 lbs from goal! I weighed in at 262 point something (which blew my mind), and my goal is 255. One of my coworkers said I look like I've lost some weight and I noticed that my orange old navy tee seemed to fit looser and my Threadless Pillow Fight tee felt a slightly looser. My Avenue jeans also felt looser. And I think my Lame Giant jeans fit better too. I better stop before I list every article of clothing I own. Not everything fits differently. My jean petal pushers from Ross didn't seem any different. And I don't notice any difference in my bras.   That's the weird thing. When I lose or gain weight I don't feel any different. I just feel like me. It's like my clothes magically shrink or get bigger while I stay the same.   Which reminds me, I bought some clothes at Old Navy. Just tops. I'm really loving their Lace-Trim V-Neck Camis right now, so I got 3 of them (I already have 5 of them). They make my boobs look great! I got 2 in black and one in this funky green color to go under another top I have. If it doesn't match I'll take it back and just wear a black one with the top. I also got 2 other tank tops, a long sleeved thermal, which I wasn't sure about since I'm planning on shrinking. I got a super cute graphic tee, and I think that's it. I got 7 things for like 40 bucks. Not bad. I have done better in the past though. I've gotten about the same number of items for like 26 bucks before. My coworkers think I'm so cheap. And I guess I am. But here's the thing. I'll totally throw down a couple hundred on a purse like it ain't no thang. lol. Or on cosmetics/beauty crap (hair, nails, makeup). But that also does have to do with my job and jobs I may have in the future.   I'm really liking Old Navy right now. Besides that a lot of their tops are too thin (supposedly you're supposed to layer everything now), I like that they're affordable (I'm a sale rack shopper), and I like that their regular woman's sizes go up to 20 on bottoms on 2x on tops. That's how it should be. Up to size 20 you're normal sized. Above 20 you're fat. I'm fat. But when I was a size 20 I was thin. 20 is thin for me. More stores should be like this. Sizes shouldn't top off at 12 or 14 when the average woman is a 14/16. The one thing that pisses me off about ON is that they don't carry plus sizes in the stores anymore. But hopefully that won't be an issue much longer.   I found out what's wrong with my liver. I have NASH. That'll have an entry all it's own in case you're wondering what it is.   Getting back to the start; I wonder if I could reach goal next month? That just feels so fast. I've got so much coming up, idk when I'd have surgery. My birthday's this month. Next month is Bay to Breakers (which we are so not prepared for =/ ). My sister is supposed to have her baby at the end of June, and I've got a dentist appointment mid June. And a coworker is having her baby, so she'll be out for 6 weeks. I almost forgot about that. We're going to Vegas mid July. After that nothings planned. Work wise, and I don't care if it inconveniences them b/c I need to put me first, August is back to school, September (bfs birthday) / October (our anniversary) are usually slower months (but one of my coworkers is getting married in October), November / December are holidays. May would be perfect. But this may wouldn't work for various reasons, and I wouldn't want to wait a whole nother year. Jess suggested June, but that seems fast and idk about having it done before Vegas. But I'm not against it. Part of me wants December just to be like, f**k the man (I'm way more bark than bite). However it happens I'm sure it will work out. I was just preferring Spring or Summer because I'd be more likely to get out and walk when it's nice out. I know myself. I don't like to get out and walk when it's cold and/or rainy.   That's another thing that's really irritating me about work. I found out today that one of my coworkers scheduled her vacation for the same time as mine. (In all fairness, her boyfriend picked the dates, but still.) And I've been planning mine since the beginning of the year. And we never go on vacation. Literally, we have not gone on a vacation since 2006. Taking a weekend to go visit my mom who lives an hour away is not a vacation. I've had the hotel booked since mid February and the tickets for the conference we're going to are non-refundable. And I am not about to be out of $900! Since the beginning of the year I've been saying that we're going in July to Vegas since my work has this stupid policy where they don't want you to put in requests for time off more than a couple months in advance so that everyone has a chance at time off. Which is so stupid because most people plan months or longer in advance and there's no guarantee we can have the time off even if we put in a request and our entire trip (or event like say a wedding) is paid for and non-refundable. Luckily this hasn't been an issue other than with previous management having a bitch fit over it (I requested Saturdays off because I was training for a half marathon for a charity over like a 4 month period. And in the beginning I was still working a half day after training). And because of this policy and the fact that the schedules are made so far in advance, lately I've been forgetting to put in requests for the days I need. I almost forgot to request off Bay to Breakers. They claim they want us to have lives and to use our vacation time, but then get mad when we try to. I have a love hate relationship with my work. I feel like it would be impossible to go back to school for something, even one class a week.   BUT... I got promoted!! (after this big ol rant about my job, haha). I'm assistant manager now! I know I wasn't my boss's first choice. I got it because my manager wanted me to be it, not the girl the boss wanted. He announced my promotion at our work meeting we had. Idk if it was just me, but it sounded like the position could be taken away from me, the way he was talking about it. I mean, obviously if I'm not doing the job it can be taken away. He said, just cause I was assistant manager now, doesn't mean there aren't opportunities for others to have the position. Then he segued into shift leaders. Like, nice save there, but I got what you meant. Or I could be reading into it cause I don't think he likes me. And I can totally see why he'd want her in the position by the way she is around him. But he doesn't see how she is when he's not there. But enough about that.   So that's exciting. I hope I get a raise soon. I need to save for so much. The surgery. Vegas. Bills. The future.   If someday I do get a different job or start working for myself, idk what my options for health care will be at that time. I just can't see having a major surgery and then not having health care. Plus now that I have the liver issue and I get sick way more often than I'd like. And I actually like my PCP for once. And my va-jay dr.   Plus idk how much I should save for the month I'm off after surgery. You bet I'm taking a full month. Idk if I've got everything listed that I'll need money for.   Rent Surgery - I'm pretty sure I now how much this will be Health Care - I'll have to pay this instead of having it take out of my checks automatically Groceries - whatever I'll need for after surgery and my bf still needs to eat, the cat needs to eat PG&E - I can guesstimate this Comcast - this is always the same amount Credit Card(s) bill - I can only assume we'll still have this Entertainment - gas money, bridge toll, Laundry quarters Lost wages - I can approximate how much this'll be my cell phone bill   If anyone actually reads this and has any suggestions, please comment. That's all I can think of right now that I'd need to save for.
My Life as Liz

My Life as Liz

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My Life As Liz
 

Dr Drew = Good. Anti-fat blogger = Bad.

I was listening to LoveLine on the way home last night and Dr Drew started the show with talking about addiction and how fat people aren't given the acknowledgment that food addiction is the same as drug addiction. As in, they're treated like, 'just stop eating so much.' If I could listen to the show for free, I would type out exactly what he said. He said that often there is trauma behind the addiction just as with drug addicts. He also shared a story about a woman who was sexually abused by her father then given milk and cookies after for being such a good girl, and now she has all these feelings and can't distinguish between them therefore she now eats to dull the pain. Of course not all overweight people have had bad things happen to them, but I like that this is slowly getting more attention because I feel very strongly that I would not have the issues I have today had my dad been a dad and not an asshole. Which is why I've said in the past that I blame him for me being fat. And I don't mean in a he-forced-me-to-eat-so-I'm-fat way, I mean it in a if-he-hadn't-been-mean-to-me-I-may-not-have-felt-the-need-to-eat-and-I-might-not-be-in-this-situation-way.     Earlier today I found this blog written by this effing c*nt (I don't want to get banned for language, otherwise I wouldn't censor) about weight loss. She has no clue what she's talking about. I will not link it because I will not help spread misinformation. In one post she went on to say that everyone who has ever had wls (all kinds) regretted having it at 10 years out. She completely failed to cite any of her claims with proof. Reading this sorta got me doubting the surgery. So I browsed through other entries. She had one about an article on a guy who was on the biggest loser. She missed the point of the article and took the majority of it out of context and made the assumption that fat people are stupid. This kind of shit pisses me off. One of the things she was complaining about was that the guy in the article said he ate less and exercised more. She then said that that meant that a fat person at home would assume that all they'd have to do is exercise for an hour a day and eat a little less and the weight would fall off like on the biggest loser. Anyone who has seen that show, even one episode, can tell that they exercise like it's their job. They're literally exercising as many hours per week as I work at my job. I hate how people assume fat and stupid go together. Just like how Cartman thinks Nascar and stupid go together. (I watched a lot of South Park last week while home sick.)     I got more information about my liver. But I'll post that separate.
My Life as Liz

My Life as Liz

1
Ugh!!!
 

This is HARD!!!!

I had surgery a week ago today and I cannot believe and was not prepared for the emotional toll it would take on me. I am a wreck. I have been regretting the surgery for the last 3 days wondering what I was thinking. I am so afraid I will NEVER enjoy eating again....its just ridiculous. I don't know how much longer I can handle this liquid diet.....ugh, it sucks!!!!   I am lucky to be blessed with some AMAZING friends that are doing everything they can for me, but its hard for them because they don't know exactly what I am going through.....I feel like I am so high maintenance right now to them and they are going to just get sick of me.....please someone say this will get better......because I am a WRECK!!!!
Mick

Mick

13
Melissa1978's Blog
 

Referral Signed

Got my doctor's OK to go ahead with the Bariatric progam! Have to mail it to the surgeon's office and wait for the call to schedule my 1st appointment with the nutritionist.
Melissa1978

Melissa1978

0
What's behind the curtain?
 

When Margaritas and Mojitos attack!

YES....they attacked me! Believe it!   I only weigh in when I go to my doctor, which is ever 2-4 weeks. I have only been banded a little over a month, so I am still trying to guage how this will work for me and the amount that I can expect to lose. I went in for my first fill and my total loss since banding was ONLY 10 lbs! I knew what was to blame.....it wasn't my effort....my eating.....my band....it was a margarita and a mojito.   I decided to go out to dinner the night before my appointment to celebrate with a friend. I am not a bi drinker, but I will have drinks on occasion and this time, I wasn't thinking very clearly. I know that alcohol makes me retain water like CRAZY! BAD IDEA....really bad idea.   According to my Endocrinologist, I had lost 20 lbs since January. According to my at home scale, I had lost 25 lbs from my heaviest, so to see a 10 lb loss was deflating to my ego. Any other time, I would have been beside myself to lose 10 lbs in 4 weeks, but I just expected more. WHY IS THAT STUPID NUMBER SO IMPORTANT TO US? My clothes fit better. Everyone I know says I look like I have lost weight, but it's the scale's opinion I trust....WHY?   I have another fill on 4/18/2010.....we'll see what happen then. No more margaritas or mojitos....for a really long time!   MORAL OF THE STORY.........Don't drink and weigh-in.
hmm33502

hmm33502

1
Blog 74159
 

I am still in it !

Its be awhile but I am still in it ! I ve reached onederland finally mannnnnnnnnnnnnnn the poundage leaving as I call it rate has slowed......... But I am not going to give up. I am exersizeing more 45 min a day treadmill and bike I am doing about three miles a day. I 've started another mode of exercise ,taking part in every 2k fun walk I can find to sign up for on the weekends I 've completed 3 so far.I amazed at how much I really do love to walk.The social experience is good too I refuse to look bad on the streets. My next goal is to do a 5 k walk .....................I ll let yall know when I 've managed to complete the challenge.
LarraineM

LarraineM

0
Paul11011's Blog
 

Progress Shirt....Attention Pre-Op'ers

Monday April 4 was 12 weeks since I had my VSG surgery. I have enjoyed every second of my journey thus far. I have found one thing that I wish I would have done differently and I wanted to share with you.   I have a blue camp shirt, nothing special, blue denim button-up. I had bought this shirt back near my highest weight because it was the type of shirt that my wife had always wanted me to wear. At the time I bought the shirt I could not wear it, it was too small. It was about 4 inches away from being able to button. I told myself that I would lose enough weight to be able to wear this shirt one day, it would be a bit of motivation for me. I hung the shirt in my closet and would take it out from time to time to see if it was getting any closer to fitting. Well after enough time I no longer thought about the shirt though it continued to hang in my closet.   Flash forward to this weekend. As I mentioned I'm almost 12 weeks post op and thank God I have been fortunate to lose 109lbs (73 post-op) so far. I found my shirt hanging there where I had left it in my closet. I tried it on and instead of being 4 inches from being able to button, it now overlapped by about 4 inches. I wish I would have taken a picture of myself in that blue shirt when I first bought it. In those times when the scale may not be moving as fast as i would like or I may begin to feel down about how far I have yet to go I would look at that picture and know how far I have come already.   I have bought a new shirt, a shirt that does not yet quite fit. One day, hopefully soon, that shirt will fit and I'll look back to where I was and have a greater appreciation for where I am. First picture 4-7-11     Second Picture 4-22-11 Third Picture 5-4-2011 <a href='http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/gallery/image/3461-progress-shirt-5-4-11/'><img src='http://cdn.verticalsleevetalk.com/uploads/gallery/album_824/gallery_7088_824_71823.jpg' alt='Progress Shirt 5-4-11' /></a>     Final Progress shirt photo
Paul11011

Paul11011

2
Day Dreamer's Blog
 

Anthem BCBS (Cali) Approved *whew*

After all the bad things I heard about Anthem BC BS, I was worried I would not get approved. I was barely at BMI and with no co-mo's, so yeah, my nerves were going crazy. Today I get the notice that my surgery was approved!! YAY! My Dr's office hasn't even called me yet. I got the news right from my insurance. Here is the crazy part: Anthem said the claim was submitted for approval on 3/29 and was approved on 4/01! WOW...That is less than one week for an approval turn around. Amazing. So now I wait for my Dr's office to contact me with my EGD date and pre-surgery consult. If they are on the ball I could be looking at surgery soon.   I have said many times that this did not feel real. Well it does now. I can't eat. My tummy hurts - I think it is like how your dog knows he is about to lose his gonads and he is giving you the sad face... well my tummy is giving me the sad face. LOL   Anyway, I am looking forward to getting an actual surgery date. Wow! I really doubted if I would ever make it to the losers bench... Thank God for small miracles   *Note: my insurance is BCBS of Cali but I work in Kentucky. The corporate office is in Cali though.
Day Dreamer

Day Dreamer

2
sexyat44's Blog
 

Moving on Phase 2...the mushy stage. Scared, yes

Today, I will be starting the mushy stage and I am scared. Yesterday, I excited to move on to the next stage and today, I'm experiencing some anxiety. All kinds of questions, how will I know I'm full, am I chewing all of my food, am I putting too much in my mouth, etc I have this vision of my stomach exploding while I sit at the dinner table. . Did anybody else feel this way or am I the only one??
sexyat44

sexyat44

2
The Sweet Spot
 

4/8/11 Friday Facts (Food Pusher, Land of Oz)

It's in the 40's now and we had hail and snow this week, but we're supposed to see 80 degrees on Sunday for the first time this year...com'on spring! -Had a great visit with my middle sis, her DH, and her youngest (of four boys). Here are some pics from downtown one day; visited DD's apartment, ate, and took a trip up one of the inclines (steel mill workers used to ride these down the hills to work at the mills on the rivers).
[/url]           'Martha Moment' of the week: helped my Sis sew four new pillows for her Living Room (and she helped me pick fabrics for DD's old room).
 
*Portion of Post Deleted for Lap Band Book Weight: 154, down 2. Even though I was in line with meals, no, I don't deserve a good weight loss this week...did I mention that I bought the Costco 'big chocolate cake' and the 'cheesecake medley/variety pack' (and had a slice of both)? I sent the rest of the giant cake out the door with DD's BF and my nephew (chocolate = trigger food...and I don't even like cake).   I'm going to send my daily meal list/amounts (OK, not this past week) in to Dr. Oz (*Note: Sent the show an email with specifics that they got wrong.). If you didn't see his show on LB (mainly regarding the new ruling for lower BMIers), videos are on his site HERE ...the LBers they had on were either lying or malnourished; 5 teaspoons of yogurt OR a cup of broth is a meal?!...and aren't both those sliders (this gal is a full 6 months out from surgery)? I was mostly angry with the bariatric Doc who didn't point out that their meals shown are NOT what is recommended and that none of them had enough protein. Thank G*d I didn't see this before my LB or that would have scared me off.
Off to find my meds...head thumping, shaky, nauseous...I feel a migraine coming on...or maybe it's a sugar detox?
Happy Weekend All!
 
Come visit my blog and help me with the Lap Band book you talked me into writing
 
http://bandgroupieth...t.blogspot.com/
Band_Groupie

Band_Groupie

0
ChoseLife's Blog
 

Day 4 of Pre-Op Diet

This morning it was muggy outside so I talked myself into not walking to work. It didn't help that I started my monthly friend and I am feeling crappy. I am having my shake for breakfast. A tbsp of peanut butter as a snack in about an hour. Shake for lunch . And another tbsp of peanut butter for snack. Dinner is leftover lean turkey breast (which actually tastes like chicken) and salad w/ 2 tbsp of Kraft Lite dressing. This weekend is coming up fas I hope I can keep up with my schedule. Maybe I need to set my clock and go for a walk in the early morning. Then have a shake and clean the house. At least that will keep me motivated.    
ChoseLife

ChoseLife

0
princesslea's Blog
 

Lap Band fueled by disabling injury?

Hi Everyone! I have reading through a lot of great posts with some great information from all of you, but I didn't see any relating directly to weight loss for injury relief. I was advised to have the Lap Band done do to severe back problems. I have tried many, many diets and have lost but then gained back and in some cases, more than I lost. Because of my injury I am limited to exercise and battle creeping weight that has been added since the injury. I was curious how many others are having or have had the same experience that I have had. How many of you have chosen Lap Band as a weight loss alternative to help alleviate pain and or help with it? How many have already had it done and have already started seeing good results on your problem areas? I would love for any of you to write in and share your experiences (good or bad) with me on this topic. Thanks for you support.
princesslea

princesslea

0
Young and banded's Blog
 

So sick of liquids

Today is my 14th day after surgery so im finally officially done with my liquid hell of a diet. I cant stand the thought of soup anymore. Now i just eat my sugar free fudgicles, sugarfree puddings and gotta go shopping for my mushies. I can feel myself slowly wanting to cheat because of the liquid diet, but im happy im out.
Young and banded

Young and banded

0
jennifer84's Blog
 

Need a surgeon

Hi...I've never done this before so lets hope im doing this right lol....ok so im a 26yr old female of 2 children...I have recently been diagnosed with sle lupus and fibromyalgia...I have also developed high blood pressure and many other health issues that go along with my diseases...I have gained 70 pounds in a year in a half and it has been very hard to work out etc,,,my bmi right now is 36.6 and my primary dr is totally for the VSG surgery..BUT I have been having problems with finding a surgeon who will opperate on me =( DOES ANYONE KNOW OF A GREAT SURGEON IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THAT WILL OPPERATE ON ME WITH SLE LUPUS AND FIBROMYALGIA??? THANKS!!!
jennifer84

jennifer84

1
myphoneq19i's Blog
 

Tech World Tablet PC Updates – Best Tablets Available

Tablets are undeniably important gadgets these days. They prove to be an indispensable mobile device for on the Internet browsing as well as for entertainment purposes. Mobile phones though posses same features, but they usually lack some hardware features due to their limited sizes.   There are different kinds of tablet pc available in the market these days. The iPad from Apple is probably the most popular available as it is considered the pioneer of tablet emergence. There are other brands, however, that posses sound technology and would be really appreciated by gadgets lovers.   Here are a List of Tablet PC with Windows OS - 2011 Latest Comparison. Notably they are manufactured by different brands, most of which are big names in the tech industry. Slate is a popular option for fans of Tablet PCs, especially those who prefer the Windows environment. As the model name, this slate tablet, HP is in the form of tablets than usual HP with an external keyboard or a convertible notebook. Slate 500 comes with HP Digital Pen Slate.   See the List of HP Latest Tablet PC for 2011 - Touchpad and Slate 500 Speaking of HP, a popular brand of desktop computers and laptops, they started to manufacture some good tablet computers. WebOS of HP offers great features both excellent user interface and features. Its modern browser features quick surf-faster and support the latest web technologies, and Adobe Flash format. Multi Media experience is excellent thanks to the functionality of Beats Audio which provides high quality audio output.     On the other hand, Linux, a popular server and secure operating system also makes its entry in the tablet pc industry. Some distributions of Linux are capable of running tablet devices. Here you can see the List of Linux Running Tablet PC - OS Edition Comparison 2011 You may notice that most of the brands are not mainstream manufacturers. This is due to the non-proprietary in nature of the Linux operating system. For mainstream OS with Linux kernel, users may try the Android operating System.     The Android operating system developed by Google, is based on the Linux kernel, is a leader in the market these days. The newly launched Android, honeycomb, specializes in large display devices, such as tablets. For users who prefer a native Linux environment on their shelves, there are issues that Linux can meet the needs of a tablet.
myphoneq19i

myphoneq19i

0

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