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Blog 90427
 

Say Cheese

This Sunday is not only my brother-in-law's birthday, have a happy Dennis, but I am going to take another sent of pictures in the green top I started my journey in. For those of you interested, you will find my photos in my album. I am anxious to see a side-by-side.   I think the only way we can actually view ourselves as we really look is through the eye of a camera. I know they say the camera puts 10lbs on you, but I think that's only a TV camera.   I've always run from the camera when friends want to "remember the time". Or try to find a way to hide part of my body, but I am looking forward to the day that I am the one saying, "Does anyone have a camera to capture this memory?"   I was telling my husband on the way back from the gym tonight that I really believe my stomach is getting a bit flatter. Then I realized it is only 5 or 6 weeks since my surgery and realized I have a heck of a long time to go to reach my goal weight. I know I will eventually get there, but I am only taking 10lbs at a time.   As my friend and fellow bandster I'm a Luckydog said, she has lost 110lbs in a year and it went a lot faster than she thought it would. She is now on maintenance and doing great. How wonderful is that?   Have a wonderful weekend everyone and check out my pics next week.
Bklynike

Bklynike

3
Blog 98076
 

Need Info Please

I was wondering if anyone could help me out there. I have been reading lots of succes stories but I haven't heard the down sides. Maybe there aren't any, I dont know. I am trying to decide wether or not to go down this path, so I would like to know everything please. Thanks.
daytonr

daytonr

5
Blog 92116
 

vacation food has zero calories???

Someone told me that the food you consume while on vacation has ZERO calories!!! Is this true?? ....... of course not!! LOL! but it made for a great vacation! I just got back from Puerto Rico.... i started off trying to "eat right" and log everything in my food diary but it was close to impossible!!! most of the food wasnt "American" and couldnt be found in my reference chart...I didnt have internet access and i didnt have enough time in the day to log stuff! I got stuck twice while out to eat... i guess i didnt chew my meat properly? maybe b/c i was so hungry by the time the food arrived? I definitely did NOT over-eat anything!! my band was tight and my pouch is super small!!! but i can NOT say that WHAT i ate was "good"!! I discovered this wonderful italian eatery w/homemade ice cream and gelato!!! Mmmmmm.... then there was the capaccino w/cool whip, the tostones, the arroz con pollo, dulces...........blah*blah*blah*** I did get in a good amount of "exercize" ~ we walked a lot and i played in the waves.... my "new" clothes (the old ones that I can fit back into) still fit -for now (I know the "damage" doesnt always show up for a week or two) I got right back on my treadmill this morning and had a good workout!! My eatting is now back on track....So I feel good PS - I REALLY did miss this site! I missed reading about all of your highs & lows. It will take me a few days to catch up on all your blogs but I'm glad to be back!!!
J_BandRanger

J_BandRanger

5
Blog 81574
 

Day 7 of 27

Day 7,   This is what I was suppose to do:   20 seconds "on", 10 seconds "off" for 8 rounds. 1 minute rest between 8 round sets: Push ups
Squats
Sit ups
Tuck jumps
This is what I did: Ride bike to park .99 mi 5-8 round sets of 15 each so a total of   150 push ups 150 squats 150 sit ups 150 tuck jumps   Ride bike home .99 mi finished in an hour.   I just wish I could jump more than 12" off the ground, I am glad I cant see how dumb I look doing the tuck jumps. See there is a benefit of not being at the gym where you can see yourself in the mirror.   I was just finishing up when a guy I know walked by, I said Hi to him and he nearly jumped out of his skin, he had no idea who I was until I spoke. That is the second time that has happened to me this week.
LeighaMason

LeighaMason

2
Blog 84891
 

Joined the Gym

I did it! A friend of mine won a contest for a gym membership - $99 for the year and could invite other friends to join with her. I was scared to just even walk in to sign up, but I had to by today or they wouldn't honor it! I didn't work out, my kids were with me, but I'm proud of myself for signing up! I figured I could work up my strength walking on a treadmill and then going from there. When I've worked out in the past, I've always liked going to classes, but I know I won't dare to go in there until some of the weight comes off. I found an old weight loss journal that includes a workout page and a food tracking page, so I made copies for myself and started a new binder. Small changes = big results!
Lap2Fab

Lap2Fab

3
Blog 85769
 

Pictures posted

Message to self. I had to post new pictures of myself to remind myself of the progress. Self, don't be discouraged because the scale is not moving. You look great as you can see in the pictures.....everyone else check out the pictures.
jmunks2000

jmunks2000

5
Blog 87911
 

2 days Post-Op :)

So I am 2 days post-op and I feel pretty good!   I'll go ahead and describe my surgery date and yesterday... Although I do need to preface this by saying I had an issue with my car on the 27th (the night before my surgery), and it was undrivable for the 28th, which kind of through a monkey wrench into the whole thing, but it turned out ok.   July 28th, day of surgery-- Woke up around 7am to start getting ready, went ahead and took a shower (my doc's instructions said "a good shower with soap." Ummm....I do believe all of my showers include soap, but maybe that's just me. ). My fiance called the repair shop for my car and then said they could take it that day, so I called AAA to have the car towed and asked them to please rush it as I was having surgery that morning. I got to thinking later that they may have thought that was a lame excuse...but oh well! It was true!   I was scheduled to be at the surgery center by 9am for my surgery at 10am, and the towing company said they would try to be at my apt by 830am. I was absolutely terrified that I would be late, but I shouldn't have been! AAA has always been so good to me and my fiance, especially when we say we're in a hurry. The tow truck was there by 810am. They loaded up my car and we were on the road by about 825am, plenty of time to get to the surgery center.   We only hit a little bit of traffic getting to the center, and we ended up getting there around 855am.   I filled out my paperwork (felt like my hand was about to fall off with all the different forms I had to sign!), and then I waited to be called back. It didn't take very long, I was back within about 10 minutes. I changed clothes and gave them a urine sample for a pre-surgery pregnancy test.   The nurse then had me get into bed and hooked me up to the IV, gave me a shot of antibiotics, and hooked up my leg squishers (no idea what the real name is, but they're the things that keep my circulation going through my legs--circulators..?). She took my vitals and asked a ton of questions. After her pre-op procedures were finished, she invited my family back.   After another 10-15 minutes, we were greeted by my surgeon, Dr. Smith, and the anesthesiologist for more questions to ensure my readiness. Everything went swimmingly, so the anesthesiologist gave me the anesthetic and rolled me into the OR. The last things I remember were switching over to the OR table and the nurse putting the oxygen mask over my face and telling me to take deep breaths.   Then I woke up!!   My throat was sore and I was unbelieveably groggy. All I wanted to do was sleep, but the nurse kept telling me to wake up. I wanted to kick her, lol. I had another oxygen mask on and she was telling me to keep breathing. I think I slept for another couple of minutes before she took everything off told me to wake up again. I woke up more and more until finally I was moving my head around to see where I was. It was difficult to swallow because of the intubation having given me a sore throat. She asked me if I was ready to stand up and I just kind of laughed, and said, "really?" She said absolutely and expected me to be able to get up in the next couple of minutes, and would help when I was ready.   She helped me up and had me walk across the room to a chair so she could take my vitals again. They let my family come back to see me and I was feeling better and better by the minute...until they asked me to get up and walk again, lol.   They took an x-ray of my band as I drank some barium and said everything looked good! They sat me back in the chair and had me drink some ice water and then helped me get dressed. It kind of felt rushed, but I was glad to be going home so quickly to get into my own bed!   I was groggy for the rest of the day and slept a lot. They sent me home with an incentive spirometer (you suck in air as much as you can and do so every 2-3 hours to prevent things like pneumonia). I used that and took pain meds and was drinking water and broth by the end of the day.   July 29th-- I had scheduled a dental cleaning for the day after because I thought I'd be feeling alright to go have that done, and I was right! I woke up and I felt ok, but then I took some pain meds and felt really good, so I went ahead to the dentist. Everyone was pretty optimistic about the surgery and they were surprised I was up and moving around so well. I was up for most of the day and took a short nap that afternoon, but was up and walking around easily for the majority of the day.   I did have a small bout of nausea last night, but was able to take my anti-nausea medication and felt fine to go back to sleep.   This has been a pretty good experience so far! The only pain I have is right around my port site. I can feel it in there and it just feels different and slightly uncomfortable, but I was told that's normal.   I've also had some of the shoulder pain, but that's mostly gone away now. Just a few twinges here and there.   I hope this helps calm some fears! I feel a lot better now that it's done! Let me know if y'all have any questions for me!
AggieAmy

AggieAmy

6
The Skinny: A Journey Through Lap-Band Surgery
 

The Skinny on Fear

Geez, it’s been a long time since I’ve written in this blog. A lot has happened, and also not so much. In a lot of ways I feel stuck. My weight loss has definitely stalled. In fact, I had regained about 10 pound although I’ve re-lost about 5 of them in the past couple of weeks and am hoping this is the beginning of me getting back on track.   Anyway, that’s not really the point of this post. The truth is, my psychologist gave me a homework assignment—to write about fear; to help me with my fear of developing relationships and letting people in. As I was researching (yes, research-- I’m a dork:tongue_smilie:) and thinking about what I would write it reminded me of a blog post from many moons ago. In it I was talking about how I got upset over people asking me if I “felt” better. Because the truth was that I didn’t. And that scared me. I was actually pretty healthy before this (or as healthy as anyone with a BMI of 47 could be). The changes I was looking to make (other than to my waist line) were more mental and emotional. On an intellectual level I always knew that losing weight wasn’t really going to change my life, but on a visceral level I think I believed it would. I imagined all the ways my life would be different when I was skinny. Now I know I’m still a long way from “skinny”, but I’m far enough along in this journey to have to admit to myself what I really knew all along—that my unhappiness was the cause, not result, of my weight.   So what was the cause of my unhappiness? Well perhaps it’s this fear that Dr. F wants me to write about. I suppose everyone is afraid to some extent—not just of cockroaches (eek!) or heights, but of the important stuff. Of letting others in, of getting hurt, of being too dependant on someone else, of being so independent that we die all alone with the exception of the 40 some-odd cats we’ve kept for company. But it seems like most people are able to overcome this fear whereas I’ve let mine debilitate me. Instead of confronting that fear, I hid behind 100 pounds of excess fat. I got so big, I became invisible so that I wouldn’t have to let people see me.   Now I’m going to risk becoming one of those people I hate who bring their pets to me after having “diagnosed” them on Wikipedia. In my attempts to complete this assignment, I did some searching on “social fears” and found a lot of reading on “social anxiety disorder.” (But not on Wikipedia ) A lot of it resonated with me, though to be fair many aspects didn’t seem like me at all. Then again it seemed like a pretty broad disorder. Forgetting about labels (it’s only my job to put a name to dog and cat diseases—not my own) the truth is, I have a major tendency to sequester myself. I used to think (believe?) it was my self-consciousness over my weight that lead me to avoid social situations and getting to know people, but as my weight goes away I find myself facing the fact that perhaps being fat was just the excuse I gave myself for avoiding these situations. I still find myself feeling extremely anxious when it comes to putting myself out there. When social situations arise I want to take part, but as the time approaches I find myself making excuses not to. And even when I know a person the thought of picking up the phone and calling them to see if they want to hang out makes my chest literally tighten with anxiety.   For a long time I felt like my weight defined me but if my weight is really a manifestation of my fear, does my fear define me? Do I let it? I don’t want to. I want that life that I envisioned I would have once I was skinny. I still think I can have it, it just turns out that getting skinny isn’t the way to get it.
ALuv82

ALuv82

0
Blog 98059
 

trip planning

today i woke up feeling encouraged and excited. this week i found a doctor, set an appt for systems check, got financing, ready to roll. should be banded by mid september and quite a bit lighter by my birthday in february.     gonna use this blog as a diary.
gena155

gena155

2
Blog 97210
 

Home from Lap Band surgery

I was banded Wed. July 28th. I'm home & doing well. Tummy's sore, throat's scratchy from breathing tube. I didn't get the gas pains so that was lucky. I don't think band is very tight because I can drink my whole 11oz. protein drink just fine. Wanted to check in & let people who are waiting to be banded know it's not that bad. I'm still laying low second day post-op but that's to be expected I think.
Winks

Winks

1
Blog 3250
 

uhhh ohhhhh

What the heck!!!!! last night for supper I had a baked potato for supper. No big deal!   My husband asked me to go walking with him because he felt like he had eaten to much yesterday(after hearing everything he ate i would agree)   everything was fine when I went to bed. At 12:30 ( this will sound weird) I woke up thinking i was going to pass out. I got out of bed as qick as I could and went and ate a bowl of cereal. My blood sugar had dropped, and it has never done that at night.   I have a weird hunger system, I rarely ever get hungry, I get sick. My blood sugar drops and i have to eat fast. To say the least it freaked me out. Then about an hour ago it happened again. I never eat breakfast, I never have and I know that is going to have to change really soon, so I guess this is just a sign that I need to get going on this.   I am a little concerned, but I really feel like Its my bodies way of telling me to get with it.:thumbup:
jennylou3

jennylou3

0
LoseIt!'s Blog
 

I'm an accountant...I love information!

Jax is providing me with TONS of information. First and foremost, I burned 3060 calories yesterday. Wow! I cringe to think about how many calories I was consuming per day to gain the 20-30 pounds in the last 6 months of 2009. Yikes!   But the good news is that now I know. I have set up my online program to shoot for a goal of a 900 calorie deficit each day. I'm actually trying to reach closer to 1200 per day to allow for the apparent 20-40% (!) error rate that people have when counting calories consumed. I try to be conservative when counting what I eat, but I want to make sure that I'm allowing some cushion.   So, yesterday I burned 3060 calories and consumed 1625 for a calorie deficit of 1435. Technically, that should lose me .4 pounds. Actually, I weighed exactly the same this morning that I did yesterday morning. That's okay though. I feel quite sure that it will all catch up.   Tomorrow is my best friend's birthday. Today for lunch we are going to Babe's Chicken and tomorrow night we are going to Campania's Pizza. I have to say that knowing Jax is paying a whole lot of attention will help me make good choices.   Have a great weekend!!
LoseIt!

LoseIt!

2
Blog 93702
 

Recipe Of The Day! Vegetable And Tilapia Packets

This healthy low calorie easy to make dish is so full of so many wonderful flavors. Here is a great way to make your taste buds happy. This Vegetable and tilapia Packet has every thing to do that, I love this dish. Am sure you will too... ENJOY!   Makes 4 packets Active Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes   284 Calories Per Serving   CHECK OUT MY BLOG FOR MORE INFO ON THIS RECIPE AND SO MANY MORE:thumbup: http://life-after-lap-band.blogspot.com/
Debra G

Debra G

2
Blog 97949
 

Info Please

Hi, I am new at this so here goes.   I have just started taking Metformin about 3 months ago.   I have Type 2 Diabeties, High BLood Presser,High Colesterol and am 68 pounds over weight and 4'11" tall.   I am trying to find out if Lap Band surgery will be approved by TRICare?   What is the process to go forward. I have a surgeon and the Diabetic Nutritionist said that I should prusue this as more and more type 2's are chosing this as thier treatment.   Thanks,
callnshop

callnshop

1
sheilamj1fan's Journal
 

Day 6 on liquids!

Dang these days are flying by! And I feel great! I've really been taking my vitamins reguarly and trying to get my protein in, but today I've only had about 35-45 grams. Tomorrow is another day to increase my protein intake! I've met my goal of 3 POUNDS this week! YAY! My goal for August will be 10 pounds!!! I can do it!!! Until next time Keep the Faith!
sheilamj1fan

sheilamj1fan

0
jennaj221's Journal
 

im baaack..

ok, wow, its been almost a yr since i've really been on here. so this is where im at now... current weight is 215 (this morning) i've been on weight watchers for about 2 weeks now, and 2 weeks ago i was at 220. so 5 lbs in 2 weeks is a start. i really only do weight watchers bc i find writing everything down with the points system works for me. i didnt join or anything, i just went a got the 3 month log and food companion and kind of do my own thing with my band..just really only follow the logging of points. seeing what im doing is keeping me on track and helping me meet my daily requirements. So anyways, yea thats been working. I also try and do some laps in the pool a few times a week when i go. my community pool is up to $7 to get in, so i can only afford to go once or twice a week. and the pool at my gym was giving me ear infections..so i pretty much have to deal with the $7 fee. oh well. and i've been walking about 4-6 times a week. Monday and tonight i walked extra long. i usually only do about 40 mins (power walking) but those two nights i did 65 mins power walking. and wow do i feel it!!but im proud..bc i usually have to push myself to go..it gets old after awhile and i start to resist it a lil. but im stickin to it this time. Well im hoping to lose about half a pound a day, about 3lbs a week is the plan. If i work hard and achieve this i could be at my 1st goal by halloween..thats putting me at 200..well i wanna be at 199..its a big deal to get under 200 for me..i cant remember the last time i was there. my 2nd goal will be for 172..which marks my 100lb spot. hoping to be there by christmas..and then be at my ultimate goal of 150lbs by my birthday in February. Ah it feels so good to dream..i really want to achieve this and im going to do everything i can to get there!! This is it..i had my moment of "its going to happen!" Another lil goal is to keep myslef on track by spending more time on this site and trying to be loyal to writing in this blog..i find i do better with an outlet. So ok, this is where im at now. The yr since the last time ive been on here was kind of a blur. It was pointless and wasteful. but im baaaaaack!!
JennaJ221

JennaJ221

0
Blog 90427
 

Update update update update update

All last night I kept going over in my head - I'm not hungry between meals, I'm losing weight, I am able to eat and drink comfortably within the portion size my doctor and nutritionist set for me. So why am I having a fill?   I get to the doctor's office this afternoon. I get weighed and I lost another 2 oz since last night. Now I say 2 oz, but that is only if the gym scale and the doctor's scale register the same numbers. I'll know tomorrow night when I get to the gym if I actually lost anymore.   So, I sit in the exam room for almost a half an hour waiting for the doctor's assistant to come in. When she does, after the usualy small talk she asks me: Are you hungry between meals? Are you losing weight? Are you staying with the portion size? It was like a Filini movie. I answered all of her questions and she said I was not ready for the fill. I was still in the green zone.   She made me another appointment for Aug 19th, but said I should call at any time my answers to the questions change and they will fit me right in. She said it could be in a day, 5 days or 2 weeks, so we will see.   Instead of drinking my dinner, we went out to dinner and I had a 1/2 a cheese burger, no bun of course and brought the other half home for lunch tomorrow.   I am having my first post-op meeting with a new nutritionist on Aug 6th to see if there are things I should or shouldn't be eating. I hope I am doing what I should be doing. I think I am, but I am far from an expert. Remember, I had to have the lap-band!   I am happy with my progress. I hope everyone who reads this blog is as happy with theirs.
Bklynike

Bklynike

5
Blog 3290
 

Scared.....

HELLO IM NEW HERE BUT I LOVE HOW YOU GUYS ARE UPPORTING EVERYONE. I COULD REALLY USE IT THE SUPPORT I MEAN I AM VERY VERY SCARED TO GO THROUGH WITH THE SURGERY BUT I ALSO KNOW MY LIFE DEPENDS ON IT. I GO TOMORROW IN HOPES OF GETTING A DATE TO HAVE THE SURGERY BUT OMG THE THOUGHT OF IT MAKES MY SKIN GO PALE ITS ODD FOR ME TO BE PALE BECAUSE IM KINDA BROWN SKINNED LOL SELPFUL SUGGESTIONS PLEASE??
PrettyGirl2012

PrettyGirl2012

3
Blog 94798
 

Day 9 Pre op

We went for a drive over to Gatlinburg today. I took my new mixing container with the whisk ball in it. Wonderful device, the protein mixed great. I think the protein drinks after surgery will be easier to transport. I haven't lost any weight in the last 3 days. I guess my body has decided that it is in starvation mode. I am very tired. The trip today was exhausting. I don't know if it is the diet or the fact that I am now 1 week past my time for remicade. I had been feeling pretty good but I knew it would hit me sooner or later. I am only taking in about 700 calories depending on how many popsicles and jellos and broth I consume. They are all about 10 calories a serving. I need something to chew. 5 days and a wake up.
belld

belld

3
Blog 84891
 

Sometimes you need a rock!

I have to say, I love my DH! Today he was offered a new job and accepted it! Yay for him! When I asked him if he had given notice, he said that he called his friend in HR and asked her about our health insurance. He is planning on giving a 2 week notice, but he's in sales, so they could just tell him to leave when he gives his notice. She told him if he waits until Monday, then we are covered through August but if he goes in tomorrow and they tell him to leave, our insurance ends this weekend! He looked into it because he knows how important my surgery is to me and didn't want me to worry about it or have to wait until he's on his new company's insurance! He has been through so much with me and my illnesses, and always is my rock!
Lap2Fab

Lap2Fab

2
Blog 78548
 

Is scared to have a Stuck episode

So yesterday I went to talk to my Dr. about what’s going on with band he asked me a few question one of the question was “could you eat a hole sandwiches in one sitting” I said yes because I can. So he said lets give you a fill it seem that you don’t have enough fluid in your band. So he gave me what he called a very aggressive fill. Said not to have anything solid till Monday when someone is in the office he would not want me to have a stuck episode during the weekend. Now I do fill like I have real restrictions even when I drink water it goes down pretty slow.   I have been reading peoples stories when the have a stuck episode and to tell you the true I’m really scared to have one. What is all this about slime and PB not to sure what that means. Since I guess I have never been in this situation. What do we do when something gets stuck? Do people go to the ER? Or just try to throw up? If you guys could help me so when this does happened I could be a little prepared.
ellaal01

ellaal01

6
Blog 3250
 

Life

Every day is a journey trying to wrap my mind around this thing I am fixing to do. I know read that there is another procedure that is coming out that does not remove your stomach but they can leave it in and possibly reverse the procedure if they ever need to. What the heck!!!!! :svengo:Technology is driving me nuts. When i originally went to the surgeon I wanted the Lap Band but after sitting for 4 hours listening to the advantages and disadvantages I decided the sleeve would be best for my lifestyle. I still want the sleeve but just wonder, what is going to change in a month when i get mine.   I so love looking at everyone's pictures knowing one day VERY soon that will be ME. I try to find people that are close to my weight and see how much weight they lost and how fast. I know everyone is different I don't expect my outcome to be be like everyone elses, but at the same time I do.crazy I know but I know i am not the only one that stalks sites just to see before and after pics   I am totally sane I just have never allowed myself to get this excited.   :thumbup::lol0::lol0::lol0::lol0:   THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING   If I could get in sooner I soooo would.   This morning while getting ready for work,over half my closet has clothes that i cannot wear, but in a month or so I will, that is just crazy to me:tongue_smilie:   The even crazier thing is that when i get into those clothes i can get rid of the the ones i currently wear and I will never wear them again.... NO MORE ROLLER COASTER WEIGHT!!!!!!   The size 22, 3x clothes are gone forever. The clothes i have on today are big but i hate for my rolls to show, so I don't care what the size says. I go for comfort, I hate pulling and tugging trying to keep everything hidden. The thought of being a size 12 and it be comfortable is my goal. that's it that's all i want.. my goal is a size 12.pant and a med shirt that buttons and they dont have tension like they are going to pull open.   well i have accomplished a lot in this blog. I have actually posted the size i wear and what my goals are, so i guess i will go.                      
jennylou3

jennylou3

0

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