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Blog 93219
 

I am an official Bandster !

Hi all-   I was banded on 6/3/10 and wow I did not really know what to expect after surgery but I am hurting around the port area mostly. I can only drink a little bit before I feel this tightness in my throat/chest .   Is that when I have drank too much ? I am real careful to sip, sip, sip and not drink.   I lost 18 lbs total since 5/23/10, I am definitely happy about that.   So I get to try pureed foods Thursday so I am going to the friut/veggie market tomorrow after my visit with the nutritionist.   I have to see the surgeon today because I have some drainage from my incision at the port. Did anyone else have this problem ?:eek:
dallen

dallen

0
Blog 93898
 

Liquids...fun!

Can you sense the sarcasm?   It's not that bad, I guess. I'm not nearly as hungry as I thought I would be...and it's been one week since I started this diet. One week till my surgery! Woot!   I sure wish I could chew on SOMETHING, though. I've been chomping on some sugarfree gum to tie my over till I can eventually eat food again.   Today I had Lipton Cup of Soup, tomato flavor. I was pleasantly surprised!! It was really good and it filled me up as well.   I'm feeling full of energy for some strange reason and I might head over to my apartment's really small gym to work out for just a little bit! I hope no one is in there. :thumbup:   I am very optimistic for my future--for the first time in a while! Just can't wait to be done with this stinkin' liquid diet! Haha!
maggs79

maggs79

3
LoseIt!'s Blog
 

What a Happy Birthday!!

Today is my birthday and it has just been the best birthday in a very long time! This time last year, I was beyond miserable. I did not like myself, I was sick and I was probably close to depressed.   This year, I have lost 47 pounds since 1/14, I'm starting to fit into my "skinny" clothes, and I'm starting to feel like I'm actually in some kind of shape!   I have no regrets. Part of me wishes that I would have started this process last year. By now I would be at my goal! But I realize that I had a journey to go through to come to this decision and if I would have done it too soon, I may have not been successful.   In April & May, I worked out 18 hours and 17 hours, respectively. Assuming roughly 4 weeks in the month, that is over four hours a week. I'm feeling pretty good about that! Let's see if I can top both months in June!   My favorite achievement so far is that I have made it out of the Morbidly Obese category! I'm now merely Super Obese. Regular Obese...here I come!!! :thumbup: At my current rate, I would be in spitting distance of Overweight! However, I will not be dissatisfied with any result as long as I'm doing the best I can and I'm going in the right direction.   As I believe I have mentioned before, I plan to jog a 5K in September. My progress is not as I would hope. I did jog 1.25 miles on Thursday, but I was unable to do so either Saturday or Sunday. I just couldn't seem to go longer than 3 or 4 minutes. Hmmm...   Tomorrow I'm getting a fill. I had hoped that I wouldn't need one but I get hungry after about 2-3 hours and I seem to want to eat quite a bit more than the prescribed amount. I feel sure I haven't stretched my pouch or anything, so I probably just need a tweak. I'm always cranky the day of my fill, so I decided to just take the day off. It will be a good day to go get my drivers license renewed. Nothing like being cranky at the DMV!   Every 4th of July weekend, I visit my friend's family in Louisiana. Right now, I'm about 25 pounds lighter than I was last year. I would love to lose about 10 pounds in June so I would be about 35 pounds lighter. I think that is quite doable. A. I have my fill tomorrow which always jump starts my progress. B. The last 3 weeks in June I'm scheduled to Jazzercise twice and be with my trainer twice each week. C. After 5 months, I'm still motivated!! I feel quite sure that has never been the case for me.   Next Monday it will be time for picture updates and that is always fun!!   Hope you all have a great week!
LoseIt!

LoseIt!

1
Blog 93630
 

Day 4 of Liq Diet

So, I made it through the weekend. One family party, 4 hungry kids all the time (it seems) but I made it! The party was so hard! Walking away I felt good, like it's toward the goal, keep going it was I told myself. I go for my pre-op appt on Wednesday, getting so excited and nervous. It's a crazy realization how much food has been such an addiction. I love to eat! I love tasting new foods and of course all of my favorite foods, that's just my reality. Some people are the "emotional" eaters and sure I can eat when I am not myself but it's so much more than that and I've never, ever realized that. I just like eating period! I've never "de-toxed" from food before, and it really feels that way. Sound weird? Well, I am hoping I am make it til next Friday!:thumbup:
tesa

tesa

3
Blog 90217
 

Almost 6 wks. Post-Op

Wow how time flys. I can't beleive it is time for my first fill. The Lap- Band has been great so far. Way less pain than I thought. The Lap-Band is helping me to change my relationship with food. I was loosing weight. That only stopped b/c of my Breast lift/reduction. I had that surgery 5/27.I woke up 10 pounds hevier. People here have told me that is normal and usally goes awat after about 2 wks. I have los 6 pounds. This surgery has been sooo painful. I did not research this one as much as the Band, and there is not as much support as with the band. I am a mess phisycal and Emotional! The pain has left me wonderring if it was really worth it, and I am so lonley. My friends have not called and my family has not been there for me as they were in the past.I did not tell anyone what kind of sugery I was having. I really did not want everybody looking at my boobies the first time they saw me. You know this would happen. I told everyone about the Band. Not sure that was a good idea b/c they now watch evrything I eat and some make comments not realizing they are not helpful. I cry alot. I can't help but wonder why I did this to myself!(breast reduction not the Band) I was suppose to have surgery in Jan. But I was having other issues. Finally found out I needed my gallblater removed. Had that sugery 2/22 then I got approved for Lap Band way sooner than I expected so I canceled the B/R again. Had the Lap Band 4/29. Then fanally had the B/R-B/L on 5/27. It was way to soon to have another surgery but my authorization was about to expire, so I went for it. Today I am 12 days post op I am starting to feel myself again. I had a good wkend. I finaly got out of the house and saw some friends. We had a gret visit without talking about me and my surgeries. That was nice. I also started walking 30 mins. Boy does that help. Also this morning I started. Dah, I was PSMing last wk. No wonder I was having a pitty party. I was not paying attention to the date, otherwize I would have known I was being emotional b/c I PMS really bad the wk. before. Sorry, TMI I know but it explains alot. My poor Husband. I won't even go into what I put him through. Anyways I am still in pain and need meds however I have gone from 2 percocets(sp?)and a anti-anxiety med to just 2 vicodin every 6 hours. I am looking on the bright side. My cramps are keeping my mind of my sore breast lol BTW my fill is in 2 days. I have read so many horror stories that I am scarred. Od cource I have read a ton of storie that everything went well, but those are not the ones that stick in my mind!!
beachcitygirl

beachcitygirl

3
Blog 85448
 

**Warning - Off WLS Topic -Weasels from the Past

My senior year in college I dated a graduate student. It was my first head-over-heels love affair. I was 21; he was 26. Never was the line, "Hindsight is always 20/20!" more true and now more than two decades later I Thank God for the un-answered prayer titled, "Oh please let us get back together...".   Right from the start, my friends could not stand Alex. As one pal put it, "His arrogance is only exceeded by his condescension"...or was it the other way around!?! His "friends" had a similar vibe and would ask me what I saw in him. Several weeks into dating me he was let go from his internship at due to a "personality conflict" - of course according to Alex it wasn't his fault; they were against him. I had an uncomfortable feeling then as I would several weeks later when he roughed up a fellow lacrosse player who ribbed him for a missed goal.   Alex played into my insecurities with ruthless skill. Based on my old photos, I would've been considered "cute" maybe even "pretty" and I weighed about 125-130. At that time though, I didn't think I was any of those things and agonized over my weight.   We'd probably been going out less than a month when Alex dropped me off at my dorm after a date. I still remember stepping out of his car as he made a comment along the lines of,"...if you think you're the most beautiful girl in the world, you're sadly mistaken...!". Of course he'd already informed me that he hadn't found me that attractive when he first met me, so this comment while a real kick in the gut wasn't that surprising.   My nieces can't believe I didn't "kick'em to the curb" then and there. Goes to my lack of self-esteem at the time.   As it was, we dated for about six months. I put graduate school on hold because he didn't know where he'd(we - as he implied)get a job. I starved myself because he had no problems advising me at intimate moments that he'd seen me, "looking slimmer in that teddie". I cooked and baked for him only to have him complain that boxed brownie mix was so much better and on one memorable occasion, throw a fit because there were bones in a piece of fish I'd broiled.   Stir into this pot my meddling mother who between trying to live my life for me and engineer our break up was telling me she'd never forgive me I "screwed up" this relationship(she thought Alex was a "catch") and telling him he wasn't good enough for me(well - that was true:w00t:).   Right around graduation time, I found a faux-diamond ring in a Tiffany box on his desk. Since he only bought the best for himself I don't know whether he was going to try to pass it off as the real deal or if it was left there for me to find and either get upset about or give me a clue. I never acknowledged finding it. This was a guy who told me he'd never send me flowers, because then I'd "expect it all the time".   He broke up with me three weeks before graduation. Looking back, I can see how he'd planned the whole thing. There was no concrete "reason" ... he "didn't know what he was going to do with his life", and he "couldn't stand my family"...   Oh he wanted us to stay "friends", but he "too busy" attend my graduation ceremony. Me being the doormat I was back then - went to his. His parents didn't even know he'd dumped me! One of his classmates made the comment to me that "...you don't realize it now, but you dodged a bullet..."   I moved home to Virginia and from the day after I got home he was calling me and sending me job notices from the city he landed in - but never came out and said he wanted us to be together again. Like an idiot, I got a job and moved in with one of my sorority sisters who lived in the area. Quasi-dating lasted three months and we split up again. A month or so later I'd realized I was better off without him and had been accepted to grad school at UVA for the fall term, so I was packing to move back home when he called and wanted me to pick up some things I'd left at his apartment. I should've never gone over.   He'd been drinking and wanted to know why I hadn't called in over a month? Who had I been seeing? You can guess where it went from there - I got to see the same side of Alex that his former lacrosse teammate saw - and a trip to the ER from my roomie-sister - though I had only minor physical injuries.   So jump ahead twenty some odd years. My 21-year-old niece is home from college for the summer and I'm telling her this tale. She wonders if Alex is on FaceBook. I'd prefer not to think of Alex so I never looked - but to amuse her we did. Oh - he's on there and guess who one of his Facebook buddies is - my old roomie-sister..who only knew him because she knew me...and knew what he did and said to me...Two Weasels from the Past!
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

0
Blog 64737
 

The scale is moving again!!!!

I am finally losing a little again. Some times it seems like those scales will never budge! They finally moved. I am down 90 pounds. From 258 to 168. I started out out a very snug size 22 and now my 12 jeans are getting a little baggy. My original goal was 155. I am only 13 pounds to goal. It is hard to believe. This time last year I never thought I would make it. Thank God for my band!!!! Mechelle:wub:
NewMechelle

NewMechelle

4
Blog 85448
 

Name Change

Yes - Changed my screen name. Thought I was being clever "JaxNole88" refering to the last vacation (Jackson Hole, WY) I enjoyed before I was really plus sized (1988). Got too many strange inquires so I decided to go even more obscure.   RavenClaw779 - Was it my "house" at Hogwarts:tongue2:? Or is it a part of a line from a poem(song) by a famous singer? Did I weigh 779 pounds? Things that make you go "hmmm"!   Ponder on dear readers...
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

0
Sunshine2's (Tonya's) Journal
 

Fill #22 is perfect but.........

Well had fill #22 exactly 3 weeks ago and it is the sweet spot I have been searchig for over 3 years! I love the restriction, I love everything about the way I eat, however, I noticed acid reflux at night. Lots and lots of acid reflux lately. grrrrrrrrr. I'm waking up choking and coughing and my lungs are feeling like I'm getting pneumonia, I know I don't have that, but thats the way it feels. I know its time to tweak this fill just a little.   I have Barrets Esophagus from years of acid reflux and its very dangerous to have acid reflux once you are diagnoxed with Barrets Esophagus, so my ENT doctor wants me to get just a slight unfil to see if that eases it up.   I am going back today to have the band doc take just 1/10th of a cc out. He only added 2/10ths with my last fill so I'm think 1/10th of a cc taken out might do the trick.   Weight this morning 147.7. Still would like to get to 145 before my cruise - which I have a feeling I will do it with no problem, my cruise is 5 weeks away. :thumbup:   Menu today:   Bfast Coffee/cream strawberry jam (homemade sf) toast   Lunch mini meatloaf with homemade SF barbque sauce I made and a radish salad   Snack orange and strawberry protein drink   Dinner fish & salad
tonya66

tonya66

0
Blog 94059
 

Help...plateau for about a year

Help fellow lap banders... I have maintained my weight for about a year now and I'm not losing any weight :thumbup:. I got down to 215 at one point and I'm up to 230 now. I need to jump start this wieght loss again. I work out 3-5 days a week and I've been counting my calories. I average about 1500 cal a day but I'm thinking thats too much. Starting today I'm drinking a protein shake morning (316 cal) and afternoon (316) and then having something for dinner (no more than 568 cal) trying to keep my calories at 1200 or less. Is there any other suggestions any of you can help me with? This is really the first time since surgery that I've counted my calories. I am determined to get to my goal weight by spring of 2011...that means I have 70 lbs to go and I need some support from ya'll...
butter75

butter75

2
Blog 52306
 

I am The Soup Queen

After three days of canned soup I decided I'd had enough and decided to make my own today. Lurking at the back of the freezer I found a bag of home grown Broccoli which my friend had given me (god only knows how long ago):eek: but I have never been one for wasting food! I sauteed some chopped onion and de stringed celery in a little butter then when it was all soft added a some chicken stock and the broccoli. Simmerred it for about 10mins then made a roux from a little flour butter and milk. I then added the roux to the soup and blitzed it with a blender until it was souper (did you get that joke) :thumbup: smoothe. I then added a little bit cheese and stired until it melted added salt and pepper. YUMMY! I learnt a valuable lesson today:- its difficult to make a small batch of soup so if any of you guys want any give me a shout!
dsinhouse

dsinhouse

2
Blog 85362
 

Trying to Beat My DNA - 3 days post-op

Well, my brain thought I was super-woman yesterday and since my body didn't put up an arguement at first, I went with it. We drove to the closest mall, which is like a hour away, so I could get some samples of protein powders and such at GNC. It didn't take long for my body to catch up with what was going on and retaliate. I think my body won that fight, because we came straight home and I had to go to bed.   Fast forward to today. Not feeling so well today. I have woken up every morning at 4 in pain and extrememly nauseated (I'm sure because my stomach has not been this empty in well FOREVER). Drink a protein shake, take pain meds, sit up for about 30 minutes to an hour and then off to bed again. That reminds me, I am going to have to find me a new place to sleep. It seems that my children have all conspired against me to make my bed the community bed and right now I just can't handle all those people in my bed. Woke up this morning lying sideways with my feet hanging off the side. Did I mention I have 4 kids living at home. 5 if you want to include DH.   The shoulder pain is still there and I'm still passing gas like never before. Makes me wonder, exactly how much gas did they have to pump me up with. I know I'm a big girl, but really I feel like I could have fueled the space shuttle by now :thumbup: Diarrhea kicked in this morning. In a way I am very thankful, because I was contemplating taking a laxative, because things just weren't happening like they were supposed to. Who knows, I may have taken a laxative in my narcotic induced state and just don't remember it. lol.   I was supposed to go back to work this weekend, but I'm so glad I chose not to. I had enough sick leave to take 5 weeks off from work and right now I can't tell you how excited I am that I don't have to worry about that for awhile. I am a RN charge nurse on the Medical/Surgical floor in the small town that I live. Although I do get to sit down a lot more than some of the other nurses, I can't imagine having to go through the different phases of the diet while having to be at work. This way, by the time I go back to work, I will be on regular solid food and should have already had my first fill (supposed to have it a 4 weeks post-op).   Well, I could type all day long like this, but I guess I might want to do something productive. I wish I felt well enough to clean house, because it is a pig stye right now. Wish I had a maid. Oh wait, I do have a maid, but she is off on medical leave due to just having the lap-band put in place. lol.
nursesandy

nursesandy

1
Blog 86711
 

3.1cc's were added Friday!

So Fill number 1 and he added in 3.1cc's of liquid ot my band....Wow I can totally tell te difference when I eat!!!! That was not as bad as I thought it would be either...my 10 year old daughter was so excited she got to watch him do it! She is my rock my little cheerleader! got to love it whenthe role reversal comes in and the child takes care of the mom! Doing great and I am almost under 200!!!!!
debG239

debG239

0
Blog 93499
 

6/7

Although i cant swim yetas its only day 7 after my banding. Does any one know of any water excersizes you can do in an above ground pool? I would really love some ideas and workouts to do any ideas are appreciated thanks:rolleyes:
crsti41

crsti41

2
Blog 93702
 

My Story - Part I

Date of Surgery: October 26, 2009 (my "re-birth day") Pre-op weight: 288 Current weight: 208 weight goal: 150     Pre-op health issues: sleep apnea asthma high cholesterol joint pain difficulty walking, needed cane often shortness of breath had surgery on both knees due to torn cartilages from excessive weight back surgery was recommended   I could not walk more than 1 1/2 blocks before I was out of breath, and experienced severe lower back pain that made me cry and stop in my tracks. My doctor was adamant that I had to have back surgery, saying it was not related to my weight. I needed numerous cortisone shots to relieve the pain. The back doctor told me I had to have back surgery if I wanted to be able to walk without pain - "I SAID NO". I wanted to see if the pain would subside if I lost some weight, AND IT DID!   I no longer walk with a cane. I can walk many blocks without shortness of breath and WITHOUT PAIN.   Dr. George Fielding of the NYU Program for Surgical Weight Loss and his staff saved my life. There are two other wonderful doctors at NYU, Christine J. Ren Fielding (his wife) and Marina Kurian. Although I was confident that any of these three doctors would do a good job, I chose Dr. Fielding for several reasons. First, he had the LAP-BAND® surgery himself, and I felt he would really know what I was going through, and that he would really understand my feelings. Second, he is an Aussie, and I love his accent (LOL) - I love to hear him talk, so I ask him a lot of silly questions just to hear him talk in that Australian accent.     I have had five fills so far - I skipped one month because my band was still very tight, and I knew they would tell me I did not need a fill - and I would still have to pay the co-pay. I saved myself a $40.00 co-pay (lol).   I am going in for my 6th filling today, May 13, 2010.   The only thing I hate about their office is that their scale always shows me three pounds heavier than my home scale! So I always ask if I can bring in my scale with me but after laughing at me, they tell me I can't do it (Grrrrr).   I was told by Gaspar, one of the Nurse-Practitioners, that I should write an article for their newsletter about the type of exercising I do to help with the weight loss. I do lots of home exercising by using things commonly found at home, such as lifting weights (liquid laundry detergent), etc! I am thinking about doing that, but I also thought about starting this blog to have a shared support system.   In this blog, hopefully you will find many helpful tools, such as: 1. healthy recipes, called recipe of the day 2. types of exercises 3. activities 4. ability to share your thoughts and feelings   http://life-after-lap-band®.blogspot.com/ :thumbup::thumbup:
Debra G

Debra G

0
Blog 90798
 

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

As I sit here 4 days after my surgery, I am realizing slow is the way to go. I have been slow getting out of chairs and bed due to soreness, I have been slow sipping my clear liquids, I have been slow walking. So this weight loss will need to be slow also to do its job.   I have already lost around 20 lbs since beginning pre-op diet but I know that will stop soon. Then it will be time to start moving. I am beginning slow there too. Water aerobics first, walking in between, then learn weights and hopefully in a year running (which I have never done, only F I made was skipping track time in high school).   But if you think about it all good things come in time....education, babies, jobs, homes, the list goes on and on. The fast track is what got me in this mess, fast food, fast snacks, fast full days with no time to think about what you are eating.   So as for me, I am OK going the slow route, it will last so much longer.
ssmom

ssmom

3
Blog 90798
 

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

As I sit here 4 days after my surgery, I am realizing slow is the way to go. I have been slow getting out of chairs and bed due to soreness, I have been slow sipping my clear liquids, I have been slow walking. So this weight loss will need to be slow also to do its job.   I have already lost around 20 lbs since beginning pre-op diet but I know that will stop soon. Then it will be time to start moving. I am beginning slow there too. Water aerobics first, walking in between, then learn weights and hopefully in a year running (which I have never done, only F I made was skipping track time in high school).   But if you think about it all good things come in time....education, babies, jobs, homes, the list goes on and on. The fast track is what got me in this mess, fast food, fast snacks, fast full days with no time to think about what you are eating.   So as for me, I am OK going the slow route, it will last so much longer.
ssmom

ssmom

2
Blog 89559
 

Something isn't Right

Started feeling lower left abdominal pain (nothing big just a little) on Friday). Saturday my friend who had seen me last week and this week told me my stomach looked really swollen.   Yesterday I saw friends I haven't seen since the surgery and they said the same thing.   And the pain is getting worse. Thank goodness I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon! I think its gas, but even Gas-X isn't getting rid of it. I was thinking maybe its muscles on the elliptical? But that wouldn't cause that much bloat/swelling?   Well, we'll figure it out. Looking forward to the nutritional class and the appointment (and maybe a support group meeting afterwards).   I'm glad I'm not back to work this week. After driving two hours to the party, sitting for a couple hours, I'm exhausted.
sandradee0124

sandradee0124

2
Blog 91736
 

Back at it

I got up at 4:15 to come into work at 5:30 so I could get some OT. I am supposed to have drops today and that is fine. Drops are where you sit in the office and process the checks that have been dropped off at King Sooper's and outside in the payment only box. It is a nice break from dealing face to face with customers and it usually takes about 4-5 hours, some people take the full 8 hours to do them but I like to get them done and come back up front to work the customers. I went and bought a new blue tooth yesterday and car charger for my cell phone. My cell phone was going dead after about 40 min of talk time which was killing me since I talk all the way to work and all the way home to family. I have to tell them about my day and then it pisses me off when it goes dead and I'm in the middle of a story. I hope the blue tooth works like it should but yesterday after I charged it while I was talking it was making this crackling sound so I don't know if that is just where I was talking that caused it but if it continues I'll take it back and buy the more expensive one. This one was $80 so it wasn't a cheap one. I'm watching dance your ass off and I have never seen it before and it is great. People are crazy on it. Eating was ok yesterday, went to PF Changs and it was good but I was hungry about 3 hours later so I had some cheese from the Whole Food's sample trays. That lasted me another couple of hours and then I had 2 pieces of pizza and 6 wings which were wonderful. So I can't take anymore days off because I eat like a pig. It was like I could have eaten anything last night, just like before I had surgery. Some days a cup of food fills me up for 6 hours and sometimes I can eat a bunch of food and am hungry in a couple of hours, It doesn't make sense. My mother is about 5 or 6 weeks out from having the sleeve done in Mexico and she is down 22 lbs so it is working for her. Just wish I could get over this hump and continue losing my weight. well this is my story for today. Have a good one.
khunt719

khunt719

1
Blog 86212
 

Post-op Day 16 (6/6)

well, I have a full blown cold! Not only do I feel like crap, but I had to endure the 5 hour drive home...ugh! I have such a busy week ahead I can't be sick!   Still having a problem with the dang protein shakes! With all the medication I have to put in them, they taste horrible.   I have nothing else to write. I'm going to take some nitequil and going to bed. Good night!:thumbup:
sophieownsme

sophieownsme

0

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