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What's behind the curtain?
 

Honesty is the best policy!

I attended my initial lap band seminar in September. I was very angry with my boss for the insurance plan that we have...he eliminated weight loss surgery from the BCBS cafeteria plan. I was stuck with self pay, so I contemplated surgery for 3 more months....it was $10K, out of pocket! I eventually decided, at the end of January 2011, to proceed with surgery.   Surgery was set for March 1, 2011 and I was excited....just excited, not scared.....READY! My doctor, Dr. Wilkenfeld in Conroe/The Woodlands, TX had a wonderful 3 hour pre-op seminar about eating, medications, exercise...everything to know before and after surgery. I also attended a 2 hour post op seminar about food and nutrition. There are monthly seminars about everything from diferent types of exercise, information from dieticians, plastic surgery...I attend my first one this weekend!   My doctor performs this surgery as an outpatient procedure, so ther was no overnight stay for me. I went home after the surgery feeling like I had been hit by a truck. For 4 days, I thought "What have I done to myself? This was a horrible decision." I had problems with nasuea from the liquid vicodin....as soon as I switched from that to Children's Tylenol, I felt much better! I had surgery on Tuesday and was out of the house on Friday! I took it easy through the weekend and was able to return to work on Monday (yoga pants and no underwire until Thursday)....luckily, I didn't have to go see any customers! By Thursday, I was back to almost normal and had my first post op appointment.   I was down 8 lbs in 10 days...not too bad! I haven't weighed again since then, so I don't know where I am 23 days out, but I am in pants that I wasn't able to button pre surgery. I only weigh when I go to my doctor's office. Next appointment and first fill is 3/30/2011....I'll have my weight update and the real truth after the first fill!   I have some restriction, but I am pretty hungry 2-3 hours after eating. I have had a few problems with eating too much, but PB (productive burping) helped and I haven't made that mistake in a while. There was ALOT of gas pain for the first week....this was the most painful part of the surgery. I have more gas issues now than I did before, but I DID have major surgery to my digestive tract, so that is to be expected. It gets better every day.
hmm33502

hmm33502

4
Blog 90135
 

Help! Drainage!

I think I have a sinus infection and this drainage is making me feel stuck. I haven't been able to keep anything (non liquid) down in two days. Anyone have any suggestions or experiences?
qtney1

qtney1

4
lawrn's Blog
 

3 wks out

3 weeks post op. Banding date 2/28...I lost 15 lbs pre op and have gained 3 lbs back. I'm currently tolerating most foods, though I can definately feel the change in my ability to consume food. It is completely different and can be uncomfortable, may be uncomfortable is the wrong word. I guess I should say that it is impossible to not feel food enter my body and notice that I have to take my time and breathe. I was concerned, not knowing what this was going to feel like, that it would be either painful, and I wouldn't want to eat at all, or that I wouldn't feel any different and I would be able to eat normally. I am so very happy that my body is already signally me and even more to the point I am able to catch that signal and stop or slow down or take a second to figure out that I had enough. When I feel I have to take a deep breath after I swallow, I know I'm eating to fast or that it time to check in with my mind and stomach to decide if its time to stop. I can honestly say I have never had to do that before. I'm sure I'm not alone, but prior to sugery if I was eating something that was good I just wanted more b/c it tasted good and I really never took the time to listen to my body. It was like I didn't want to listen or couldn't listen to my body's signals. Is it any surprise I've been over weight for most of my life. I am so excited that banding has giving me this new ability and I am very hopeful about long term weight loss and maintanence. I explained my story in here in LBT when I was a newbie. Sustained weight loss has always been elusive. I would be very successful only to gain all my wt back. I had no complications with the surgery. I had very little gas pain, which was so hard to believe. Just a little neck stiffness and daily head aches ( which I contribute to caffeine w/drawl). My incisions are completely healed. I am scheduled for my 1st fill 4/4 and I am ready to feel a little more restriction. I am kinda bummed that I am not loosing more, but I think I have to be more realistic about my expectations. I am walking but really want to kick up the excercising routines. I really think that's the hardest thing, getting started. But if I was willing to going through with cutting my self open I better damn well get my butt up and move.   Signing off....Starting weight 277..preop weight 262...today 265    
lawrn

lawrn

2
Jen's Jabbers
 

9 weeks post-op: Gypsy Life Ends and Wagon-Jumpin Begins

I am finally home. 2 lbs heavier at 202lbs. Back face first into the swing of things. Work, home, BandLand. I got home Sunday afternoon and since stepping foot off of the plane, I am re-commited!   I had my first fill Monday. It was STRANGE. I am not a needle person AT ALL (see Surgery Day entry) and was terribly nervous! I had the sweats and everything! The Dr. offered to slowly explain as he went along to help set me at ease. REALLY?! Hell no, I don't want to see a big needle penetrating my belly! I closed my eyes, made small talk and TAH DAH!!! He was already checking to see if it actually went in to the port by taking it all back in to the syringe. The weirdest part about it was feeling my port slide around along my muscles until he found the point. I've somewhat "babied" the port site from day 1. I was scared to sleep on it, scared to have anything rub on it or bump it. He was REALLY going at it. It didnt hurt at all. It just felt very strange. So, here I am with 2cc of saline sitting around my stomach, feeling no different. A little anti-climactic almost. Dontcha Think?   Back to cardio and even a little ab work this week. I hurt!! It feels pretty good though. I am back to cooking my own food in my own house, prepping lunches and NOT DRINKING!! Planning ahead and being successful and NOT beating myself up over enjoying the last few weeks either. I loved being in newfoundland and I miss it (and the family most of all) already. That kind of atmosphere is no good for the scale but good for the heart!   Here is a new recipe for trial!   Kale Pesto Penne   1 bunch kale de-vien kale and chop roughly. Place in steamer w. a sprinkle of sea salt Steam until wilted and dark green. juice of 1/2 Large lemon 2 Tsp EVOO 1/4 c walnuts pinch of salt pinch of pepper pinch of dried red chili   When Kale is steamed, add all ingredients to a blender. Blend until fine. Add more lemon juice or evoo to taste. I serve this over whole wheat penne w. sauted chicken, peppers, onion, garlic and broccoli. Just toss it all together. I also like to use red chard, spinach and any other green for this pesto. So good and so fresh!   Take Care for now and dont beat yourself up over living!
EdmontonGal

EdmontonGal

1
luvmylapband's Blog
 

Its the little things that matter!!!

I started my journey in may of 2010 and had my surgery Dec 29th! I've lost 100lbs ! When I say little things that matter I mean like I haven't been able to fit in doctors office chairs In I couldn't tell you how long and I always had to stand and everybody knows that sometimes those waits can be long! But now I cane fit in them just fine! I put a bra on today that I haven't got to wear in like 5 yrs! My major one is and it breaks my heart I haven't been able to sleep with my husband in our bed for 6 yrs ! I couldn't breathe so I had to sleep in the recliner or on the couch! Guess what I can now sleep in bed with my husband ! I thank god every day for every lb I loose because its making me healthier and healthier every day! I'm finally getting my life back! I hated taking pictures now I enjoy taking them to see my progress! I'm shedding the fat suit and getting my life back! I still have lots more to go but I have been given my life back and the lapband is the best thing I could ever done for myself!
mandyMO

mandyMO

10
Day Dreamer's Blog
 

Pipe Dreams and other nonesense

Friday is my one-stop stopping appointment. Bluegrass did a basic overview of my insurance plan to make sure I fit the requirements. Everything else will be done in their office on Friday: Weigh-in, lab work, psych, nut and whatever else they deem fit. I like the idea of one-stop shopping. I have seen people running around to different doctors to get everything done, and it seems very stressful. The bariatric groups gather the info and submit it all to insurance for me. I can dig it. The hard part for me is waiting up to 30 days to see if Anthem BC/BS bites. I fit the requirements now (no co-mo's), but still worrying about the co-pays, out of pocket cost and deductable. Really hoping everything comes together.   Once approved then maybe I will feel like this is real. Right now, it all just seems like a pipe dream. Anyone else feel this way?   Seminar: 3/5/11 and 3/15/11 check Intake: 3/25/11 Approval: TBD Surgery Date: TBD
Day Dreamer

Day Dreamer

2
Blog 104709
 

It is March, where has the time gone

Weight loss has slowed way down, I have also not made it to the gym. After the stomach virus and other ailments, then being super busy. UGH.... The good news is weight loss is still weight loss. I have been, unfortunately putting weight on and then taking it off. LOL   The good news is I am now in a size 16, I haven't been there in nearly 8-10 years.   I know what I need to do and I will get back on track. I haven't been drinking my fluids and I have NOT been exercising like I should. I have a lot of self motivation I have to rebuild up. Things happen and I always try to say that it isn't my fault, but me not going to the gym is totally my fault. I am doing four classes a semester with college and I am making excuses why I can't get to the gym. Then I sit on the computer and talk to people. LOL SO whose fault is it that I am not at the gym? MINE   So getting off here now to get myself motivated again. I have to drink more, (I am now onto herbal teas for variety and make it a goal to drink water first thing in the morning, afternoon and evening before meals) and not snack. I would love to feel full all the time but I get so gassy since this surgery about 2-3 hours after I eat that I have to put something else in my stomach. I think I just need to start putting an antacid in there. LOL   Hope you are all doing well.   This journey is a roller coaster but I am still enjoying the ride. I will get to the end, for now I just have to hang on.   Celeste   PS The hair loss is also depressing me, I have a nearly bald spot, most people say they do not notice it but it is a glaring shiney head. I can see it and I don't like it.
Cangel76

Cangel76

0
jeepygurl's Blog
 

3 months banded....

I decided to get banded as we all have I needed to get in control of my weight, I am 5'11 and I was 265 pds, and although I didn't or would not qualify for surgery, I still had it done, my doctor I thought was a SAINT and now I am realizing I dislike this saint so much, I wanted someone to offer to help me and so far I have lost 42 pounds, but at what cost!!!!   I throw up all the time, when I went to see him for my first fill I was 100% honest in telling him I was mad, I threw up all the time, almost every meal and what was I doing wrong?? He told me I was not chewing well enough and so I let him fill me 5CC, I now know this was a mistake, I feel like my doctor should be on my side and instead he is working against me, and there are days I don't eat solids due to being afraid of throwing up, my friends who know are supportive and my family is as well, but now everyone is thinking, you can;t even do this right?? WHY because I am thinking it!!!!   I am so sorry I got banded, I am sorry I caved and I am so sorry I let my thyroid doctor talk me into this other doctor who I thought was going to help me.........   I am not quiting, infact it's making me work harder and I am going to do this, I am taking spin classes 3 times a week and I love it, I am trying to work through this.....
jeepygurl

jeepygurl

5
Jewel Hickman's Blog
 

Got my surgery date!!!!

Hello, I am new to this site. I tried to post a couple of other times but was not successful because I don't have a clue to what I am doing. I am 42 years old and I currently weigh 220 pounds. When I started my weight loss journey I weighed in @ 247lbs. I have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and sleep apnea. I went through the options class @ Kaiser Permanente last year and finished in may 2010. It took me long to get my final aproval because my labs were comming out bad. Potassium level was very low and so was my Iron. Finally passed my labs in Dec 2010 and was approved in January. I met with the psyc, intern, and surgeon on Feb 8, 2011. I finally got my surgery date which is set for July 6,2011. I will be having my surgery @ Pacific Bariatrics in San Diego & Dr. Taller will be performing my surgery. I am so excited!!! July may seem a little time away but it gives me time to make arrangements with my children. San Diego is approx. 95 miles from where I live. Well I will continue to lose as much weight as I can until my big day.
Jewel Hickman

Jewel Hickman

8
aNew_KB's Blog
 

My First Blog

My First Blog ever. Yay go me!!!!   Im so glad I came a cross this website. Im so nervous and excited about my surgery this Thursday.   Whats the worst part and best part of week 1 Post-Op???
aNew_KB

aNew_KB

0
What's behind the curtain?
 

It's time to meet the wizard: Hidden imperfections of the "Perfect Specimen of Everything"

A little preface to this blog entry.......I have to post something I wrote back in January. To understand where I'm going, you have to understand where I've been. I have been labeled, by my friends and family, as the "Perfect specimen of everything". They all joke about how I can do everything really well. I'm a Chemical injection pump applications engineer, graduated from Texas A &M with a degree in Industrial Distribution Engineering, play piano, sing, cook, super mechanically minded, volunteer with 4 year olds, lead a young single ladies small group, am starting school to get my estiticans license to become a makeup artist....I can do it all and I have an AWESOME support system in my friends and family. Weight...it's the one thing that I haven't been able to do...ever!   Jan 2 2011   Pay no attention to the fact that it is January 2 of yet another year that I am going to try to get healthy. I started writing this in a journal that I had started back in Feb 2006. Let’s keep this imperfection between us…I wouldn’t want my friends and family to really know how imperfect I am, but I am letting you pull back the proverbial “curtain” and see me for who I really am. I weigh 327.4 lbs and am 5’4” tall. Yeah, let’s not even bring up my BMI. I’ll give you a hint, MORBIDLY OBESE……MORBID….that means death. This weight may kill me. That, in itself, should be enough to make me change my eating habits, but this is a struggle I can’t overcome…….at least, not alone.   Today, in church, the preacher (a guest preacher, so I don’t know his name) spoke about faith. He told the story about the paralytic man brought to Jesus by his friends. They had faith….the friends and the paralyzed man, had faith that Jesus could heal this man. The preacher talked about the woman plagued by bleeding for 12 years and how her faith brought her to touch the cloak of Jesus. This healed her, not because of Jesus’ magical cloak, but because they had faith that GOD could heal her when numerous others had tried and failed.   I’m not saying that I don’t believe that God can heal me of my eating problems, I’m saying that maybe that is somewhere that I haven’t been placing my faith. I have had faith to pray for my doctors. I have prayed that God would give them the wisdom to figure out the problem with my Pituitary tumor, my borderline low growth hormone levels, and my other PCOS related issues. I have been praying that I could find a disease or a problem to blame my weight and health problems on, instead of praying and having the faith it takes to ask GOD to take the problems away, altogether. GOD is the ultimate healer!   I have always struggled with my weight and eating. I was 180 lbs in the 6th grade. Weight has fluctuated throughout life, but I was around 200 lbs near the end of college. Do the math and you’ll find that I have gained 127 lbs in the past 8.5 years. THAT’S INSANE. It has to stop. It stops now. I’m not looking at a number, I’m looking at a lifestyle and a quality of life that I want back.   GOAL #1: Multipart goal – get under 300 lbs by controlling portions. Get my weight down so that the back pain goes away.    
hmm33502

hmm33502

3
AngryBaby's Blog
 

Rant: clothing prices vary depending on size

I went shopping today in hopes of finding something cute to wear to work. I found an adorable top (normal size Yay!) for $8. I then had a revelation. I realized that when I used to go shopping for tops (plus sized), I was lucky if I could find something less than $25-$30.   I've realized that you end up spending alot more money when you are obese than when you are "normal". America is "fighting" obesity. Eat healthier food.... healthy fresh food is more expensive than over processed food. Work out more.... commercials flood television shows with "use this EASY workout and you will loose 20 pounds in two weeks" results not typical... Plus, you figure in all of your doctor bills then BAM! bye bye money....   Of course the majority of society frowns on public nudity. Therefore, we must buy clothing. So we hit up the malls and other random stores in need of wearing something publically acceptable. *Sigh* Why do businesses think that is okay to charge a plus sized person more for their clothing than someone who is smaller. I've seen the crappy material they use to make some of these clothes. I know you're using more material HOWEVER I also know that it doesn't cost THAT much more for the extra material.   On a side note... why do designers think that everyone who is plus sized should wear ugly clothing? It's hard to find something really cute (and age appropriate) for a 22 year old sized W22-24 chick. I would hit up Lane Bryant and nothing is screaming "buy me 'cus I'd look great on a 22 year old". I'd hit up DEB and they have cute plus sized clothes but not everything is adjusted appropriately for the chicks with curves in all the right.... uh well curves in all the places...   I'm just happier that I'm smaller. It's less frustrating to shop and soooooo much cheaper. I wish good luck for those of you who are on the road to normal-dome.   Until next time, Angrybaby signing out.
AngryBaby

AngryBaby

0
roseyposey's Blog
 

TICKER BAR HELP

CAN ANYONE PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO UPDATE MY TICKER BAR ON MY SIGNATURE PAGE? I UPDATED THE WT. INFO ON MY TICKER BAR BUT IT DOESN'T SHOW ON THE BLOGS ON THE SIGNATURE PAGE. THANK YOU!
roseyposey

roseyposey

4
Sunshine2's (Tonya's) Journal
 

3/21/11

Wow, long time since I've posted. Winter has gotten the best of me, was diagnosed with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and its time to get the winter weight off.   Will post later when I have more time, just wanted to reactivate my journal!
tonya66

tonya66

1
The plot thickened and so did I
 

Time to suck it up!!

Alright, time to come clean! The two days at the hospital were really great, I was released early and I felt so good. I have not been on any pain medication since the day after surgery. The last few days have been very hard for me for some reason. It really blindsided me and I really don't know why because I really want this and did everything within my power to make sure I got it. So, I sat down and did some deep thinking about it and I figured out I think it's a major control issue with me. It's no longer me in control, it's my stomach, my body. When I would diet before surgery I still had control over what I decided to put in, even if that meant cheating on my diet. Obviously I didn't have as much control as I convinced my mind that I did, otherwise, my diets would have worked, but now the control is 100% beyond me. Sure I could try and eat something, but I know the physical aspects would hurt very bad, not just be a cheat on the diet. It really got to me the last few days. I have been hungry, and have not been able to get in hardly any protein. Maybe 20 grams a day, very little calories, and the results have been very hard for me to adjust to. I have been so tired, gotten blurry vision occasionally, and felt so run down and I saw my house falling apart a little so it was getting to me mentally. The water intake has been at about 30oz a day, if I'm lucky! Another major reason I was frustrated. All this piled up on me and I felt so betrayed!! By my own body, and my own mind. I felt like I worked so hard to get this for me and now all I wanted was a freaking egg or 1/2 cup of real soup to eat. But now it's reckoning time! Time for the complaining to stop, the whining, the longing, the wanting, it all needs to end! I have done this, I wanted this, I am healing great and losing pounds every day and there is no going back! My sister has been staying with us because my husband works a lot of hours and I have needed help with my littles ones, and I saw her this morning and realized all over again one of the reasons why I did this. I know all the medical reasons and health reasons, but for now I am going to remind myself of the physical appearance reasons as well. I have so many clothes I have bought over the years that at one time I fit in, or thought I would fit in shortly if I could just diet a little more.Well, obviously that did not go as planned so I have loaned so many out to my sisters over the years who have fit in them just fine. So I looked at my sister this morning wearing one of my favorite shirts that I am still about 55 pounds away from fitting into and It just clicked! Why the hell am I still whining about my intake? About being hungry? About how hard this is or how tired I am?? This is just one more piece of the diet I should be on anyway right now, and I am thankful for it! I am going to follow the plan my surgeon gave me, and lose the weight, and deal with the head and food issues, and get back MY life! MY clothes, MY health, and MY ability to take care of MY kids and MY house! I am anxious to get back to exercise, I have been walking, but I really wish I had a treadmill. I have an elliptical, but I am being careful as I know I need to heal all the way before I start anything harder. I know I will get to a place of loving this sleeve rather then just accepting it. Once I see some more physical results and transition into a little bit healthier phase of fuel for my body I except that love and bond to the sleeve to start, Anyway, I rambled on long enough, but I needed to get this out. I know I have read about others struggling a bit with their sleeve and other issues, so I know it will get better for us all!
foxgirl74

foxgirl74

5
Thomas Moore's Blog
 

First Week Down

Things I should have bopught for myself prior to surgery; scale, blender, dishes, food scale, hobby ...   Let me explaine the reasons why. First the scale the thousand resons why here. I have been using my wii fit which would drastically change through out the day and have me at the brink of tears. And yes I should only be weighing in the morning but lets be honest most people pre op that I have taked to weight often through the day to see the changes in their body weight I like to see the changes in myself good or bad.   Second is the blendar, omg protein shakes are gross if you dont have a blender. And right now Thomas can not live on chicken broth alone. Getting your protein is vital post op, so for those of you don't go into surgery without a kick ass blender!   Third dishes, nothing sucks more than popping four ounces of liquid into a giant glass. I don't care how full your stomach is thats not going to make your mind happy. And lets face it we fixed the stomach here but not the mind. Something I am discovering since I lost the interest in food. Is some how retraining the brain mine has been going on and on only at meals like, "Really, this is it?" Although I am not hungrey my brain at meals works on overdrive to some how sabatoge me. Of course then something kicks in that says I really don't need this and then I can barely eat anything.   Fourth food scale, everyone measures things differently, and you want to track your callories without losing your mind the food scale is the way to go here. Nothing is easier than poping your plate or bowl on a food scale, zeroing it out, slidding it ounces and adding 4 oz which is your meal is.   I never expected I'd be so bored... find something you can do on your ass period.   So as of totay my total weight loss 17 lbs in 7 days, and feeling great.    
Thomas Moore

Thomas Moore

9
Day Dreamer's Blog
 

The voices that hold you back.. part 1

Part 1 - voice: self   Muted laughter from behind the cubicles. Was it about me? I thought I looked cute today. Make a beeline for the ladies room, only to check the mirror and see a fat girl staring back at me. “Who are you?” I ask. She mocks me, “Who are you?” We both look down; sadness comes over. Cute? No. What was I thinking? I make my way back to my cubicles and work in silence.   What makes women so mean? We are all even right? Not so much. The easy answer is that they are mean because I am fat. The honest answer is that because I am fat, I am also insecure. Their laughter could be over a silly email or text message, yet I assume it was me.   One thing I need to work on is me. WLS is not going to cure me; so instead I shall use it as a stepping stone. I need to fix the outside and get healthy again. I also need to fix the inside so that the mind matches the new body. Fat. Skinny. Fatter. Skinnier. Obese and now extremely obese. I am reminded of this fact on a daily basis. My lack of self esteem has led my once extroverted personality to take shelter inside an introverted fat covering. The bigger I get, the more I hide. It is an evil game of cat and mouse. Sadly, I am both the cat and the mouse. I am my own worst enemy.    
Day Dreamer

Day Dreamer

2
Paul11011's Blog
 

My workout buddy

I can not express how valuable it has been for me to have a workout buddy. Though I am very excited about my new exercise routine as part of my journey, there have been a couple of times where if I were left to my own devises I would likely have found myself too busy to get in my workout. Having that other person there to help me be accountable, and I him, has kept us on pace with our 3 times a week strength training. Even better part about my workout buddy, he's my 17 year old son. Commitment to exercise and quality time with my teen: priceless.
Paul11011

Paul11011

0
Bardy's Blog
 

Sweet Spot

Well, here I am almost 4 months out and have lost 42 pounds - I'm halfway to my goal weight! I am really happy and feel like I'm in the green zone -- when I first got this last fill on February 3rd (the 2nd) I was miserable and threw up several times in the first week -- I decided instead of going and getting unfilled, I would shift to liquids for a while and then ease back into soft foods. Fortunately this worked for me and I am able to eat very small portions and have learned how things feel going down. I find I have to eat VERY slowly, chew very deliberately and keep to very small bites and take my time - this works and I have been feeling pretty good for the last two months ... I know I will probably need another fill maybe in another month as the weight loss will slow down. But I have been losing about 1-2 pounds a week which I am very happy with. It is definitely a learning process. I always avoid bread and bread products, potatoes, rice, and other "sticky" foods -- and stay with chicken or fish. If I get hungry between meals I snack on protein bars. Seems to be working so far, but it is a balancing act for sure. I still am very glad I am here rather than where I was before, continuing to gain weight. Good luck to all banders out there!! Deb
Bardy

Bardy

3
Thomas Moore's Blog
 

6 Days And Made My One Month Goal

So here I am six days post op and I am down 15 pounds.       No complaining there, I now weigh 297 pounds and yes I feel great about it.       Sure it helps that Scotts mom game over this morning and was like, "Oh wow Tom your really looking great!"       Thanks mom, just what I needed to hear this morning.       I can't believe that in the last year I have lost 46 pounds. But most surprisingly I made my one month pre op goal in six days! This morning I noticed an even bigger change, the loss of communication with my gut. And more so with my body when it comes to signals like, "Hey Thomas...need some fuel down here!" Fact is I got up at six am, on my own by the way just popped up like wow it's really going to be a beautiful day today. I started and went about my day, even cooked waffels for the kids. Never once did I feel any temptation to eat it, no desire at all and let me tell you I LOVE WAFFELS! By 11am it dawned on me, when I was yelling at my boys that they needed to drink some water that I in fact had not. Not even one sip.... what the heck?       I like the way my friend Barbie put it, "Imagine for a moment living life where your hunger no longer controls every waking moment of your day?' Suddenly I see all the stuff I have been missing out on while stuffing my face. All the time I waisted for what? Now I am making my kids and husband nuts; i've gotten back into cycling again, doing it twice a day. I'm taking my kids to the park, going for walks with them, playing wii fit, board games, shooting hoops, and holy shit I thought I was cleaning fool before well look at me now.       Life is good really, although I am worried about the loss of communication with my body. This is what I signed up for and as of today 15lbs less in 6 days I only see my life getting better.       Oh and don't worry I have had 16 ounces of water now and will catch up with where I like to have myself at by this hour in maybe 30 minutes.    
Thomas Moore

Thomas Moore

2
Blog 98380
 

Where is the sweet spot?

Its been 6 months for me and I have only lost 20 some pounds. Im close to being in onederland. When I got my 3rd fill I felt good restriction. I was only able to eat a little at a time and I was losing about 2-3 lbs a week. I had something get stuck 2 weeks ago, I threw up my own saliva for 3 days and went in for an "unfill". He took out all the fluid allowing the stuck thing to pass and I felt better instantly. He put most of the fluid back in he said. Now, I am HUNGRY and eating all the time! Im even eating breads which never would have happened before. I have not gotten on the scale because I know I have gainded weight back. What should I do? My next appointment is at the end of April. I know he will do a fill then but should I see if I can have him do a little fill before then. I DO NOT want to feel like last time and throw up almost every day. There is a "sweet spot", right? Is there actually a place where I feel restriction but do not need to worry about throwing up? Please refrain from telling me how to chew food , the pace and what not to eat. I have been doing this a while and I already know and do that stuff. I dont mean to sound arrogant I just read a lot of these blogs that keep re-stating the obvious to those of us who have been banded for a little bit. Thanks so much everyone!
kelly111

kelly111

6
Kris' VSG Blog
 

10 Weeks Out -- Slow Weight Loss

I'm now 10 weeks out after surgery and as of my last weigh-in am 195.8 I've lost about 31 lbs. since surgery; a bit over 3 lbs. a week on average, although the average is very misleading since I lost so much weight the first couple weeks after surgery.   I have really been slacking lately and am in a funky place emotionally and in my head. I'm not eating as well as I could and not exercising at all. My weight loss has really slowed down the past couple of weeks; I'm not in a stall but this week I didn't even lose 1 lb. I have this weird weight loss entitlement feeling going on ... like I had surgery, so the pounds just should be falling off no matter what I put in my mouth or what I do with my body. I know this is a horrible attitude to have and I've got to work to change it.   I think it started a few weeks ago. A dear friend of mine has an aunt who had VSG a bit over a year ago, and she's lost over 90 lbs in a year, and according to my friend she never exercises and she doesn't particularly watch what she eats. When I heard that, I think I used that as an excuse to slack off ... like I will lose weight no matter what I do or don't do. I know, however, that this is the prime weight loss time -- right now -- and if I don't get at least to midway to goal soon I am going to have a really really tough time getting to goal.   The flip side to this devil may care attitude is the unspoken and very scary fear that maybe I will fail at this ... I've failed at every other attempt at weight loss I've tried for the past 15 years ... I don't know if I have confidence to succeed. Maybe subconsciously I think I deserve to be fat the rest of my life and am sabotaging myself. I clearly still have food and self esteem issues to work through!   OK, to switch to a more positive note, I had to go shopping today. My bras are all way too big now and aren't giving me decent support. I didn't even know what size the girls are now, so I went to Lane Bryant and got a fitting, and the lady told me I was a 40G. My last fitting before surgery I was a 44H (but only had one bra in that size; most of my bras were a 44DDD or a 46DDD, depending on whether my weight was in the 220s or in the 230s. I'm a little suspicious and disbelieving at the fitting, and unfortunately the store didn't have any bras in my size, so I couldn't try on the new size to see if it was right. I am going to order a couple of bras online and hope they fit OK.   In the mall near the Lane Bryant store is another plus size store, CJ Banks. I popped in there to see what they had and found several cute tops. I tried on a size 1X and 2X, and definitely the 2X tops were too big ... yay! So, I bought a couple of 1X tops. I am hopeful once I get a new bra I will look a little better too ... I am looking pretty saggy and pathetic in the chest area using the current bras. I still wear my old size 22 clothes a lot (I donated most of the summer clothes to Goodwill already) and they are definitely too big ... I veer between being highly annoyed at how loose everything is to realizing how cool it is that everything is so loose.   I hope my next post is going to say I am below 195 ... that will be cool. I am looking forward to being in the 180s -- I hope to get there sometime in April. Because once I am in the 180s, it's not too far to be back in the 170s, a place I am really really wanting to get to again.   Back in my late 20's, when I started gaining a lot of weight, I remember being in the 170s and being fairly worried about my weight, but not seeing myself as really huge. I could still squeeze into "normal size" clothes (albeit a tight size 14P). And I remember my health was really good -- normal blood pressure, normal blood tests, everything normal. Even though I was a good 40 lbs. over my lowest maintained weight, I still saw myself as plump rather than fat (actually, I was definitely obese at that weight, but didn't "feel" obese). And so a big part of me really, really wants to be in the 170s again, and sees that as a happy place ... like if only I can get there and stay there, and not gain weight, I will be totally fine. I am still not fully sold on the concept that I will ever actually get to my goal weight of 125. I have always had reservations about that number. According to the BMI charts, 125 lbs. puts me at the top of the normal range for my height. However, I haven't been that low since jr. high school! In my 20s, when I was very active and looked/felt my best, I was always in the low-mid 130s ... I wore a size 8P and felt good about that. I am deeply skeptical that I will ever get to the 130s, not to mention the 120s!   Well, I really am rambling on this post ... hope next week brings some good weight loss news!
Kris

Kris

1
Kiskis' Blog
 

6 weeks post-op & down 32 lbs

Love my eggs too! I start my day everyday with one egg, feta & spinach. Yummy & a good start to the day!   Cottage cheese & fruit for a snack   Veggie burger for lunch with cheese   Protein snack - bar or more cottage cheese, yoguart   Meat & veggies for dinner   Fat & sugar free pudding with protein for a snack   Lot of water, crystal light & 2 cups of coffee.   If I have a drink when out usually caesar/bloody mary or 1 glass of wine   Treats - discovered Oh Yeah protein bars - like having a Oh henry bar with 20g of protein or Weight Watchers choclate bar minis   I love anything made by Veggie Patch. They also make yummy meatless Buffalo bites 12g protein
Kiskis

Kiskis

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