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Blog 95888
 

Waiting

I finished all the test for my insurance company last week and now am waiting on everything to be submitted. I also am not good at waiting. I am the "just do it" kind of person. It was easy for me when they gave me a list and said "you need to do everything on this list so we can submit it to your insurance for approval". I was like good I'm on it! Now my part is done and I have to wait on someone else to do their part...not so good at that. Then I too am on that borderline with my insurance. My BMI is 42.5 so I meet that requirement...but no high blood pressure, sleep apnea. So I always say I am a healthy fat person. The truth is that my bones and joints are crumbling and I've had one surgery on my neck because it had crumbled and flattened my spine so I was almost paralyzed on my left side. I have problems with my feet and ankles. My hips hurt all the time, my back. I have arthritis from top to bottom. Every doctor I go to says well there isn't much we can do you need to lose weight. Soooo I have tried diets my whole life and I am the perfect example of yoyo diets. Lose 20 gain 30...lose 20 gain 40. It never works, then I go to ex streams and stop eating. The LAP-BAND® sounds like the perfect life for me. A healthy way to lose weight and live a happy life. The hard part is not the fasting before surgery it is the waiting for an approval from an insurance company! The fasting will be doable for me because I will know that at the end of that 10 days I will have my surgery! Wish me luck everyone and thanks for listening. :frown:
brandnewme2010

brandnewme2010

2
Blog 82480
 

finally....

So i finally had my surgery on the first of July. I gotta say it wasnt what i expected. I was in a great deal of pain the day i left the hospital from the gas and i expected that what i didnt expect was how fast the incision pain subsides. well the doctor did mention that ill be back to normal in no time but i thought he was just saying that so i wont get too scared but Im on day 6 and im pretty much back to normal except for the itching....boy do they itch. now im in the liquid diet stage. Is it just me or does anyone else wanna eat every damn thing in sight just cause you cant have it? I crave every thing! I never thought that i would ever miss chewing but after 6 days of drinking I need to chew.:frown:
sweetsagi

sweetsagi

5
Blog 85786
 

Plateaus Suck

DISCLAIMER I have been very fortunate. I have worked the plan since being banded and lost weight at a very accelerated rate. I know this. So I know my bitching now may fall on deaf ears but I wanted to put it out there. END DISCLAIMER   When you get used to seeing that weight move every other couple of days, going two weeks with no movement BLOWS! I am within 10 pounds of my first hundred pound loss (and yes, I need another C NOTE to get to where I want to be and even then I will be obese by medical standards). I have fluctuated between 340.1 (bitter about the scale)and 344.8 for the last two weeks.   I am not posting this for advice as I am 99.9% sure I know the problem. What I am saying is that for fellow bandsters, if this has happened to you, I hope your cause is the same as mine. It is easy to diagnose and easier to fix.   I have gotten lazy.   1. Not measuring things accurately 2. Pushing past my 'soft stop' when eating 3. Eating foods that are more calorie and fat dense 4. Not exercising as regularly or as vigorously   These are the reasons. No mystery. No conspiracy. Just my own laziness. I am back on it today. I have a target, dammit, and that is 100 pounds by July 22nd. It will not be easy as 9 pounds in just over two weeks, even for a guy my size, is no walk in the park, but by using this tool (the band) and the other tool (me, as I am now referenced as a 'tool' for wasting two quality weeks on bad habits) I will get it done.   So to all you fellow losers out there (meant that in a WW good way), keep it up! I am back in this damn fight full force. I have a long way to go!
OldSchool76

OldSchool76

5
Blog 90804
 

Broth Recipes?

Hi Everyone . .. I'm looking for some recipes or suggestions to help make the broth more tasty. I am on day 2 of liquid pre-op diet. Someone had posted something about hot and sour soup and basil broth . ..suggestions anyone? THANKS!!!
marw

marw

3
Blog 93702
 

Recipe Of The Day! Bean And Tomato Salad With Seafood Kaboos

This is a full meal sides and all, and so low in calories. Summer time, is a great time for outdoor grilling to help keep the heat out of your kitchen. This is a great dish and am sure you and your family will love it. ENJOY!   Makes 4 servings Active Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes   385 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

0
Blog 78407
 

Second fill!

Today I'm going in for my second fill!   I already have 1cc in my band from my first fill and I'm hoping he adds another cc today!   When I went in for the first fill I was down about 18lbs (about 3 weeks after surgery), and today I'm down 30lbs!   the first fill didn't go so well, Doc couldn't find the center of my band so there was a lot of poking and moving...OUCH! Hoping I have better luck today!   Wish me luck!! :frown:
Lace-E

Lace-E

1
Blog 75574
 

Up and Down these past three days!

Well after the fourth of July and some cake and goodies. (cheating) I have rolled 2 lbs up and down.   I am going to have to work hard to get them gone, cause I have a goal this month to meet to get to my bandiversary weight. I won't hit 100 lbs, but that is OK!   Life does go on around us and we are still a part of it. We will get use to how to work out lives around the band, to work with it, not against it.   Have a blessed day all!:frown:
Blog 94454
 

7/5/10

Today is 3 days post op or 4 days since my surgery. I am having less pain but it is definetly still there. I am drinking my water and broth, but i'm starting to feel hungry tonight. My boyfriend had some chicken wings and I felt my stomach growl. Is this just my mind playing tricks on me? It seems from reading others experiences that I should NOT be hungry yet..but I kind of am. I don't want to begin the hunger so early. I was hoping to avoid that for a few weeks at least. How soon did you start to feel hungry and am I really too soon in this process to feel hunger? I was instructed to do liquids for 4 days then add protien shakes/yogurt/broth for another week then go to soft mushy foods at day 7-14. Does that sound close to what you are doing?   I'm just concerned and do NOT want to mess all this up. I've invested way to much and gone to far to make any mistakes.
Jannalise

Jannalise

2
Blog 92489
 

ouch first week post op

I got banded on 6-29-10. I hurt and had a hard time. I ever ended up at the ER because my breathing was so labored. Today is the first day I feel good. Is it just me or did anyone else have a hard time of it?
luckyone

luckyone

4
Blog 2657
 

Introduce myself

Hi everyone! I have been posting on this form for a little bit but I have yet to really introduce myself to you. I am 23 years old and have been fighting obesity since my dad passed when I was 16. I have always been over weight but when he passed it got out of control. When I was 18 I got a plastic retainer glued into my mouth over my teeth to try to make my mouth wider for braces causing me to be limited on what I could eat and how fast I could eat it. I lost most of the weight and kept it off for 6 months after the retainer was taken out. Once that aid was gone the weight just seemed to come back. Then when I was 19 I got my wisdom teeth and tonsils removed in the same month so I lost the weight again. That time I kept it off for 8 months until the obesity came back.   Over a year ago my boyfriend of two years ended things with me since he didn’t want to marry someone that was over weight. He told me that he gave me a year to lose the weight and he just wasn’t attracted to me anymore. It is one thing to think someone broke things off due to your weight and it is a whole other to have someone tell you. So I tried EVERYTHING from South beach diet to Weight Watchers to Diet pills. I would lose 10 or 15 lbs but then stay the same a few weeks. After not losing for a few weeks honestly I don’t think I did the diets well and I would always just gain it all back and then some.   Now I don’t care what he himself things of my weight but I care what I think and what I feel. I really believe that if he doesn’t love me because the way I look on the out side is different than what he would like then there is no reason for me to live the rest of my life on egg shells in fear that if I gain weight he will leave.   Once I was able to deal with my fathers death and my ex’s hurtful words I made the choice that I will be happy. And that is when I made the choice to lose the weight for myself. I put my start weight on what I weighed that day and it was 210 lbs. Since then it has been a flight to lose weight but I am now 180 lbs. but it seems no matter what I do I just seem to gain it back. I would lose 10 lbs and gain 5 lbs then lose 5 lbs and gain 15 lbs. It is a never ending battle that doesn’t even get me under a 30 BMI.   I want to be in control of my weight. I want to eat to live NOT live to eat. (does that make sense?) All my siblings are over weight and so is most of my family. When my sister was over 100% over weight she made the choice to get the lap band and now three years later she doing great still at 130 lbs. Losing the weight made her look amazing on the outside but it really helped make better is many other ways. It has made her such a happier person and she is healthier.   So I started to do some research on WLS and made the choice to Booked with BeLiteWeight to get what is called a Super Sleeve from Dr. Rodriguez in Tijuana Mexico on July 12, 2010. The only times in my life that I have been under a 30 BMI is when I had some type of aid so I am really happy to think that I will have this sleeve for the rest of my life to aid me in having a normal weight. Sure it would be nice to weight 115 lbs but honestly I would just be happy to no longer have Wii Fit tell me “du du du.. Your Obese”. It is past midnight now making it Tuesday July 6th here in GA meaning I am starting my seven day pre-op diet. My dr put me on pretty much the Adkins diet but I’m going to try to stay with shakes as much as possible. I find it very hard to eat steak and then pass up the red potatoes. It is so hard for me to fully wrap my mind around the fact that I will have that full feeling in just a week from today! In one week I will be able to control of my life!!   All of you on this site has been so good to me and I cant wait to share my surgery with you all next week. And in a few months my surgery success! I cant wait to be on the losers bench with wisdom and advice for those like me getting ready to change their life!
mellifrits

mellifrits

0
Blog 79919
 

July 2010

Went to a wedding this weekend and had the best time ever! I added a couple of pictures. I have to say I felt disapointed when I saw the pictures because I feel like I should look better than I do in the pictures. I guess I jsut need to be patient. I know I am a lot healthier then I was a few months ago.   I did meet my last goal. I am down to 185 lbs as of today. Next goal is to walk everyday for about 1/2 an hour a day for the next week.
kleinow01

kleinow01

1
Blog 2937
 

Gas and incisions

I am 5 days post op and I still have mad gas. I expel gas and I get it right back within a few minutes. Is there anything I can do to get rid of the gas? I find it easier to drink the liquids without the gas, but those times are slim to none right now. I have been forcing my proteins down and its alright except i cannot drink them cold. Cold stuff seems to make me more gassy and uncomfortable. I also want to know if anyone is putting anything on their incisions to rid the scars. I still have stitches and i want to put some neosporin or maderma on it to make the scars go away faster.
Heaven

Heaven

0
Blog 72146
 

Banded 6-18-10

I was finally banded on June 18th, 2010. As you can see from my "join date" here on the website, it took me a while to get to my surgery date. My cousin was banded 7 years ago and has been very successful - she lost approx. 160 lbs. I know it works, so I wanted to go for it too! My insurance would not cover the procedure, so I had to get creative. I was able to use my 401k without taking a penalty because it was for a medical issue. The rest came from a loan from SurgeryLoans.com. I will tell you that I had MAJOR anxiety and felt like cancelling the procedure before it was performed. I was terrified, because it is such a change in lifestyle. I also had A LOT of people tell me not to do it. Many people were pretty negative about the procedure and I guess, don't understand what it's like to pack around an extra 100 pounds every day! On the morning of the 18th, I was still very nervous, but the surgery was a breeze...or so I'm told. I had my surgery at Puget Sound Surgical Center in Edmonds, WA. The first couple of days, I was in pain, but pushed myself to get up and walk around to try to avoid the dreaded gas pains. I did very well those first couple of days. Then I went back to work. I did not take the recommended 1 week off of work and I should have. I was miserable!! If I could've taken my band out myself, I would have on about day 4. I guess I am one of the lucky ones (or unlucky ones) that has restriction immediately after surgery. I did the liquid diet, and am now on mushy foods. It was the 4th of July though...and I saw everyone eating all the BBQ foods and I did something I shouldn't have....I ate some small bites of a few different foods and I am paying for it now. Just really uncomfortable, and gassy... I have gotten food stuck twice since being on the mushy diet. I "forgot" I had the band one morning and ate a big bite of scrambled eggs. The other thing was a something similarly soft, but I just didn't chew. My cousin tells me that she can't really do eggs at all with her band, but I've been OK with them since. Just have to chew, chew, chew. :frown: These past couple of weeks haven't been easy, but I am determined to lose weight. Tired of being unhappy with my weight...
mymaria97

mymaria97

4
Blog 1952
 

3 Weeks Post-op

I finally got to start eating mushies this week. One more week on mushies and then I get to start add regular foods. I can't wait.   In the mean time, I'm enjoying my Chicken Noodle soup with ricotta cheese in it, I love the instant mashed potatoes and the lentils. So far, I'm tolerating everything pretty well. I'm just not getting the amount of protein or liquids in yet. I get between 32-40 ounce of liquids in per day (I'm supposed to get to 64 ounces) and I get about 52-55 grams of protein (I'm supposed to get 60-80). I'll keep trying!!!   My incisions are healing nicely. All in all, I'm feeling almost back to normal. I'm up to a 1 mile walk per day and I'll be trying to gradually increase that. I'd like to get to 2 miles/day.   So far I've lost about 24 lbs. I didn't lose as much this week, but I switched to mushies this week and I had my monthly visitor, so I still think I'm doing well. :scared0:   Tough times for me are when there are delicious food smells in the house from the rest of the family. The smell of bacon really got to me!!! I'm still being true to my post-op diet, but sometimes I'm really being challenged. :crying:
BandMomsRock

BandMomsRock

3
Blog 92124
 

3rd Day Post Op

Okay.. today is the day that I tried to have some broth.. I was very scared. I added a little garlic powder for flavor and it was not too bad. I really did not want it but I have not been getting in very much. I have been drinking my water, not as much as I should but doing my best. I'm going to walk more since the majority of the pain has subsided..still hurt but I can bear it more. Has any out there had trouble with even having the desire for broth, soup and liquids post op? I'm really struggling :frown:
CamiC

CamiC

3
Blog 95493
 

With healing comes hunger?

I had surgery 6.24.10. I've had a really great experience and am very glad I took this step, although I was really questioning myself right before my surgery date. Just panic I guess. I started pureed food this weekend. Really glad to have something that requires a bowl and a spoon! I did the pre-op diet for 19 days and then the liquid post-op diet with no cheating (really proud of myself - never imagined I had that will power!) Anyway, today is the first day that I feel my hunger is out of control. I've lost 24 lbs since 6.5.10 and have been journaling what I've been eating. I'm following the doc's orders to a tee but the 2 oz. at a time of food is not filling me up. I am watching the clock for 60 minutes when I can eat again. Wondering if my stomach healing and the swelling being reduced is giving me less 'restriction' naturally and that's why I am hungry?
Drake alp

Drake alp

3
Blog 94381
 

My first week post of op

So I started at 314 pounds. Did the pre op diet and lost 20 lbs. Now post op i have lost 11 more pounds in the first week. Down a total of 31 lbs.. I feel great! im walking more and down a size and and all my cloths fit better.. Excited to see what the future has in store. :frown:
traceyna123

traceyna123

2
Blog 79244
 

The long road home!

This has been a very long process with me getting to this point. I called my insurance company today, and after 35 days I have finally been approved. There were a couple of days that me, my doctor’s office and the insurance company was playing fax tag. Thank God it was all cleared up. Some documents had to be resubmitted, but all and all it’s all over the waiting game is too. I was given my pre-certification number (BX8MSVK1) SWEET! I really don't know how I feel to actually know this is really going to happen for me. I have read so many other people’s site speak about their experiences, but today is my day to celebrate my "Great" news! Thank God for being so good to me throughout this entire process. Everything has gone very smooth but the road has been very long. My date to be banded has been set for July 21st and my pre-op is on the 14th at 1pm. I will get all the information I will need to know leading up to my actual date. Today I started my sugar buster diet and it is not as bad as I thought. However, this is my first day on this diet. I am just so excited to know my journey is just about to take a big turn for the better. One of my good friends I met on the Lap band site recently had her procedure done. That is a really big advantage for me, because she is able to give me some personal insight on does and don'ts! The days leading up to my surgery will be very exciting ones for me. I can not wait for my life to take one of the biggest turn around ever. All I can say is God is truly good to me. Thank God! :frown:
shonette

shonette

2
Blog 2980
 

A New Beginning

Today is day 1 of my pre-op diet. So far so good. Getting ready for lunch soon mmmm another shake yummy. My Dietitian has given me some recipes to make the shakes more enjoyable. I am excited to start the new me and change my life forever.
TexasQueen

TexasQueen

5
Blog 2978
 

Surgery date 7/21/10 NEWBY

Hello everyone ! My name is Ellen my surgery is set for the 21 with Dr Rodriguez at INT hospital in Tijuana. I am nervous yet excited. Anything I should know that will be helpful. :scared0:
ellenmarie60

ellenmarie60

8
Blog 2489
 

Naughty Kitten

I've been a bad bad girl! Yesterday I grazed all day. I had pureed shrimp salad with avocado, strawberries, pureed pesto parmesan chicken meatballs, pureed collard greens, and pulled pork that wasn't pureed but smoked for 7 hrs on the grill. Worse of all I must confess (and do not advocate this at all) I had......2 potatoe chips and a couple of bites of sugar free brownie:scared0:!!! Mind you none of this made me sick and I only felt overly full once, but I concerned about what on earth is wrong with me? I don't have a death wish and I really do want to follow my plan. Whatever I ate I took it real slow and pulverized it in my mouth before I swallowed. I'm worried though about the calories I consumed and the fact that I didn't puree everything. Tomorrow I'll be 3 weeks post op so should this kind of eating even be possible? I was outta control and really scared that I may have messed up bad. How do I get back in control today? Do many of you even go thru a pureed food stage anyway? I'm guilty as sin and would love some advice, counsel, and absolution!!
Bit of a Diva

Bit of a Diva

0
Blog 63450
 

One year, three months later...

I'm not very good about this Blogging thing. It was so interesting to read over my thoughts as I was getting ready for surgery. I'm afraid I am skipping over quite a bit here, but I would like to post an update for anyone out there that may be interested.   So far, I have lost 106 pounds. I would like to lose 50-60 more, but I know I can do it. It is just going to take time, and one of the most important lessons I have learned about this journey is that time is going to pass anyway. I can be heavier or I can be lighter, but time is ticking by, regardless.   I have managed to move out of the "morbidly obese" category and into "mildly obese." As I have mentioned before, I am not a fan of that word, but I think it is important for me to face it, and the medical implications that it carries. I do have a long way to go, but it is really exciting to think about how far I have come.   My legs, knees and ankles don't hurt anymore. I can climb up the stairs without getting out of breath. When playing on the floor with my little girl, I can practically jump to my feet, rather than the 5 minute grunt-fest I used to endure. We walk, we hike, we swim, we ride bikes. And I actually ENJOY these things! It isn't painful anymore, it is actually fun.   I do not have a single regret about having this surgery. It took four fills for me to reach the level of restriction that I currently have. I am not able to eat bread, and I sometimes have trouble with rice, and tortillas are out of the question. However, I really don't miss them. I have not felt deprived. Although, this may not be the same advice you will get from your doctor, I never really looked at this as a diet. I eat pretty much what I want, but I only eat a tiny little bit of it. I am sure that this approach has slowed my progress on occasion, but, I am really ok with that. I feel so confident that I can live this life, and know that I am still moving in the right direction (1-2 lbs. lost a week.) I have had all the requisite blood work done, and I am getting all of my essential nutrients. I can't just eat boiled chicken and mushy green beans. If I am SLOW, and really CHEW my food like crazy, I can eat what I want. I can live with that.   Two more things I want to share. I can cross my legs - with ease!! It is the coolest thing. It makes me feel so slim. Also, I am sleeping through the night. No more sleep apnea. I did not realize how ridiculously tired I was, ALL THE TIME, because I was getting such poor sleep. I don't struggle to keep my eyes open while I am driving to work. I don't wake up with headaches. It is incredible. This new found energy is probably the best side effect of all.   I will try to be better about posting. I have some other musings that I have never posted, but are saved on my computer. I would like to get them up here as well. If you are reading this and are still wondering if LAP-BAND® is the right choice, I would be happy to talk to you! For me, it was the best decision I have ever made. Even though it is not fast, and it certainly is not easy, it is amazing.   Good luck on your journey!   Alissa:thumbup:
amceache

amceache

9
Blog 91736
 

I finally got below 225.

I never thought for a second that when I stepped onto the scale this morning I would final be below 225. I have been fighting this for a month now and after gaining and losing the same 3 lbs I finally got to 224.5. What a relief. I upped my exercise and I've been watching what I have been eating and finally got to it. Now I just need to get to 223 by next Tuesday since that is the day I go for my next fill. I will be at 9cc in a 10 cc band. My restriction has been good but I want more. I want between 5-6 hours before I am feeling hungry again. What a sense of accomplishment for me. I am so excited. Now maybe my plateau is over and I can start losing again. What a rush.
khunt719

khunt719

3

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