Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!
$99 Yearly Supply Alert! 🎉 "1 per Day!" Bariatric Multivitamins

Blogs

Blog 90217
 

Emotions????

Emotions???? I don't know if I can put into words how I feel, but here goes. Surgery tomorrow. Woke up feeling very sad, and tierd. This confused me. I should be excited. Now whats wrong me. Maybe I am crazy. Well I guess I can try to explore these feelings since I can no longer turn to my best friend (FOOD). Well I am a little nervous about the pain after surgery. I have Fibromyalgia, so Doctor said pain is worse for us, and recovery usually twice as long. I have given birth to 5 children, 4 no drugs, heck the Dr. didn't even make it in time for birth of my son. Not good, very painful. Baby was 10 pounds 1 oz. Survived that, getting banded will be fine. Next emotion- Feeling sad? I am going to miss my friend. We have been through so much together. Drug and alcohol addiction,(been sober 16 years) Divorce, quit smoking(defiantly ate my way through that one) Losing my mom, and 5 kids moving out and starting their own lives, and so much more. We won't even get into all the good times. Why does popcorn with extra butter make every movie just a little bit better? Is food really my best friend? NO!! I have gained 147 pounds eating my way through life, which of course has caused numerous health problems. Next emotion? Trying not to get to excited so I won't feel let down if surgery doesn't happen tomorrow. Well that one is just dumb get over it! I then decide to come here so I can write down how I feel. That in itself is weird. I don't blog, heck I don't even journal. But oddly enough it seems to help allot. I log on and I am so surprised people not only read my blog but they left comments!!! While I am reading them I get tears in my eyes. Tears of joy :smile: People care about me and my feelings. Now that's a new feeling. Their support and words of encouragement are truly amazing. One person was even spot on about me taking care of everyone else but me. I have said these very words. I have been a wife since I was 18, and a mom at 19. It has never been about me, and I think its about time!! This has left my kids wondering what about them. They want to know if we will have still have family dinner every sat. and many more questions about them. Whatever. It is time they see me as more than a short- order cook. Hey I like that feeling:lol: So I have explored each emotion instead of eating. Outcome? I feel nothing but excitement. I am having life changing surgery in exactly 24 hours and 3 min from right now!!! :thumbup:How blessed am I!!!
beachcitygirl

beachcitygirl

6
Blog 80569
 

Pre-op testing

I had my pre-op testing yesterday april 27,2010. Went pretty smooth. I am so excited about getting this finally done. I will be having final meal tonight with my family. We are having sauerkraut burgers and chips. MMMMMM. Then tomorrow (thursday) I start my liquid diet and do bowel prep.
pmitch50

pmitch50

1
Blog 71707
 

The Beginning

April 23, 2010   Today was a great not only because it was Stephanies (my neice)Birthday but it is the beginning of my Banding journery. I went to see Dr. Adam Glasgow. He is great. I weighed in at 253 lbs and and 5'7" so that makes my BMI right at 40. Dr Glasgow said that I am heathy enough to have to surgery. I just have to do the normal stuff like the Sleep Study, see the Nutrionist and a physcologist. I have my appoitment for the Nutrionist on May 11th. I called BCBS and they said that they do cover all visits as long as the provider is in their network. This was great news.
nonnsmom

nonnsmom

1
LoseIt!'s Blog
 

Change

Prior to my surgery, my friends and I wondered how life would change. My best friend, at almost the same time I made my decision to have the surgery, started her own journey to become a Jazzercise instructor. This girl is my best friend and the best friend I have ever had. In my heart, she is my sister. We are routine girls and planners. Our weekday schedule was almost always the same and weekends were left to plan fun things. When she told me she was going to become a Jazzercise instructor, instead of feeling excited for her as I should have, I was selfish and full of dread that our lives would change. I knew that this committment of hers would many times come before me and that made me sad.   A few weeks later, I told her about my decision to have LB. I think she went through many of the same emotions that I had with the additional ones of not knowing anything about LB and with that comes fear. Luckily, we had this conversation in November and my surgery wasn't until January. By the time I had my surgery, she was well on her way with her plans to become an instructor with my full support and I was full of knowledge of band life which I shared with her.   Here we are in April, I'm banded and living life and she is a real-life certified Jazzercise instructor. There have been a couple of times that she has been unable to do things because she has to teach, like last night for our monthly girls dinner. But that's okay. I know that she would have loved to have been there, but she couldn't. And she knows that next month, we will all be right here when she comes back.   One of the big worries that my friends had was that so much of my world revolved around food. How was I going to be happy with this new life? I completely understood their fears, but I knew I could only address them through time and experience. For instance, six of us have a monthly dinner group that I started in October 2004. Out of the 67 months since then, I think we have only missed about 5 or 6 months. Last night was one of those dinners. I definitely didn't eat what I would have normally eaten, either in the selection or in the quantity, but I had a wonderful time! Plus, I'm learning to try new things! Last night, I had some sort of cheese concoction with tortilla chips as an appetizer. It certainly wasn't lo-cal, but it was delicious! And I only ate about 1/2 what I normally would have. I had tamales for my main course and (of course) only ate about three bites before I was full. Now I have a yummy dinner to go home to tonight!   Today, my friends are going to lunch and my boss is picking up the tab. I am not going because I committed to work out today. A friend of mine that works in the building has expressed interest in working out and I'm trying to help her. I know that I could have told her that I have plans today and she would have been thrilled! Ha! But I also know that sometimes you need (and crave) a little accountability. So, even though I've done my two work out lunches this week, I will do another one today. I'm said that I'm missing lunch with my friends. BUT, we have an outing tomorrow and will be able to hang out together all day. AND, we have lunch with a former co-worker on Friday. Skipping one lunch in the grand scheme of things is not that big of a deal, but I can't tell you what a big accomplishment it is for me to do.   So in the end, my friend and I were worried about our lives changing. We were right that they would change, but we shouldn't have worried. We care about each other and will always make time for each other. It was just time to fit in some time for ourselves too.   P.S. She is an AWESOME Jazzercise instructor.
LoseIt!

LoseIt!

2
Blog 88031
 

Day 10 pre-op!

Ok, so the temptation to hurt anyone with food now has officially passed. I actually made it two hours this past weekend at the carnival with the family before the smell of turkey legs, corn dogs, funnel cakes and fajita's made me snap. I swear, had I stayed there one more minute, I may have been on your local news! But I was strong! Got to the truck and cracked open a cool, ice cold Aquafina. Yummmmmmm. Made it home and a little broth and a shake made all the bad people pain go away.... :w00t: I survived.   But its now the morning of day 10 and I feel so great. If this morning is a feel of things to come, I cant wait. I am so excited to see the results and cant wait to share this experience with others! Funny though, on my liquid diet, a few people have noticed the weight drop and ask alot of questions about my "great diet" , LMAO, so I tell them. "YOU CANT HANDLE THE TRUTH!"   May 5th surgery, here I come!:biggrin:
Dblex

Dblex

2
Blog 74081
 

So tired of this....

I am so tired of all of this crap! I feel like hell and no one is doing a damn thing about it. This started back in JANUARY! It was very mild compared to now but I went to see my dr and he didnt think it was anything but let him know if it continues. It went away but came back every once in a while. Just getting random stabbing pain under my rib on the r side, it would come and go so no big deal. I let it go... In march, it came on strong. Feeling completely miserable, in pain, and disgustingly nausous. Didn't want to go to the dr so I waited and waited. Then I got sick at work, one of the worst attacks I had, got sent to ER. They gave me a ton of meds to try and control the nausea but it wasnt helping. Spent the whole night there and found nothing- no gallstones or inflammation. I went home feeling just as bad as I did when I went in. Again, i put off going to my dr. Didn't want to admit that there was something wrong. I tried to ignore it and hope it would get better. A miserable week later and I finally go to the dr. Go have a HIDA- another week later have the HIDA and upper GI. Now I have been suffering for 6 weeks, a trip to the ER, a bunch of meds, drink a bottle of CAT Sacn dye, IV dye, ultrasound, 2 bottles of barium, plus the CCk, all on my already stomach that is already turning!! Another week later and I am back at the dr. I get a little bit of a feeling from him that he doubts me but I give consent for surgery. Take this stupid gallbladder out, I cant stand feeling like this anymore. That was a week ago! I am still waiting to hear from the office when they are going to schedule this. What the hell is wrong with them?? A week of waiting for them to schedule?? then they are going to call me and say they scheduled it for another week or 2 away! I am absolutely miserable, I am really not eating because it makes me sick. I am losing weight which would be a plus but now it is excessive and not healthy, I am tired all the time, have no energy, dont want to talk to anyone, my patience is worn out and I really think I am going to lose it.:wub::biggrin::w00t:
velvets143

velvets143

2
Blog 91133
 

Day 2 Post Surgery

Today was a little better than yesterday. I want to take a bath so bad, but I have to wait 3 days and even then I can only take a shower. I realized that the only time I need a little pain relief is so I can get some sleep. My body is tired and the best way to assist in the healing process is to get plenty of rest. I've made sure to drink plenty of water. My husband bought me low sodium chicken broth that taste very good if I must say so. I've been able to drink about 5 sips of that, 16 oz of my vitamin water and 2 16.5oz bottles of water. I decided to get some walking in today. I went to Walmart for a couple of items. 1....a laxative. I have to go to the bathroom so bad and it hurts. 2....some jello. I ate it really slow but it did fill me up. I didn't even eat the whole cup. The worst thing about today is I started my cycle. So not only do I have to adapt to my new addition I now have to deal with my horrible period. I still have pain in m back. I'm not sure if it is the gas or just my body trying to adapt to the band.
snatylove

snatylove

3
Blog 91133
 

Day 1 Post Surgery

Unfortunately I just found this sight, I wish I would have looked sooner. My wonderful supportive husband suggested that I might need others to talk to to get me through some of the things I've been dealing with. I will begin this blog with my surgery day feedback. I was so excited about doing this. My doctor was very nice and I was in the best of moods. When I woke up from my surgery the utter pain in my abdomen was enough to make me regret what I had done. The feeling was temporary. By the time I had made it home I was exhausted. All I wanted to do was sleep. I soon realized that that was easier said then done. Every side I tried to lay on hurt. I couldn't just lay on my back because the amount of gas that was still rolling around in my body was hanging out in my shoulders and my back. I did my best to walk hoping this would alleviate some of the gas pain. It didn't. Out of this whole experience I can say the my incisions did not hurt, my band area was just a little tender, but the gas was the worst. I was given a prescription for liquid lortab. That didn't sit well in my stomach. Every time I moved I felt like I was going to vomit. Needless to say I did. I don't ever remember being informed that I would end up vomiting small amounts of blood due to the breathing tube, but that's exactly what happened. Luckily my doctor gave us his cell phone number and was able to answer any questions that I had.
snatylove

snatylove

1
Blog 63580
 

Please Help!

Hello everyone! My name is Rebecca and I had Lap Band surgery on March 25, 2008. As of today, I have lost 95 pounds. Although it has been an eventful journey, with both ups and downs, I am ultimately happy with my decision. I would still like to lose another 30-40 pounds, and I know I can do it. My reason for this thread is because, to go along with my new body, I am also attempting to improve my mind. I have gone back to school and am currently enrolled in a Sociology class. My research paper for this class is on the effects of weight loss surgery on a person's self-esteem. In order to complete this assignment, and help me pass this class, I ask you to please assist me by filling out the short survey I have attached. ANY and ALL help is greatly appreciated.   1. What is your age? 2. Have you had bariatric surgery yet? 3. If so, when was the date of your surgery? 4. What was your weight prior to the surgery? 5. What is your weight now? Or, if preferred and you wish to not give specific weights, how much have you lost? 6. How much more weight fo you have to lose to achieve your “ideal” weight? 7. Has your ideal weight changed since you had surgery? 8. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your self-esteem prior to your surgery? 9. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your self-esteem now? 10. Are there any particular reasons that you believe your self-esteem has Improved, worsened, or stayed the same?     Thank you in advance....   Rebecca
rtwiggpm

rtwiggpm

3
Blog 75113
 

Day two liquids

Ok well I am not going to sugar coat this....Liquid diets suck!!! It is a lot harder than I thought it would be! It is also not as bad as I thought it woud be. I know that sounds weird, but I know I HAVE no choice anymore.I have been doing it my way (aka any food that is in sight goes in mouth) for so long that I needed a complete overhaul. A liquid diet is my complete overhaul. I am excited about the surgery and I want to prepare my body as best I can before hand.I do have moments of uncontrollable hunger, but that usually passes. I work the overnight shift (7pm-7am) so when i get home at 730am, I am pretty darn tired and hungry. I was making my son his school lunch this morning and it took every fiber of my being to not devour the ham sandwich that was calling my name. It looked so tasty. I resisted though and am proud of myself so far. I am truly a food addict and I know this because I literally dreamt all night of food. I woke up and was panicked because I couldn't tell for a moment if I had really devoured that ham sandwich or if it was a dream. After thinking for several moments I realized it was a dream. I had not broken my diet and I was still on track. This is going to be quite a journey. :biggrin:
izaiahsmommy

izaiahsmommy

1
Blog 90192
 

Possibly no longer a May 3rd bandster... =(

I have been having problems with my surgeons office since day one and little did I know that this was just the begining. So today I went for my pre-op appt. AF is coming soon and I started my day with cramps and a headache, i could tell that this day wasn't going to be good. So I went to the hospital which is an hour and a half away, it was jam packed and I had to park about a 1/4 of a mile away from the hospital! I waited for what seem to be forever before I was called back. Once again I had to do more blood work, ekg and all that great stuff when the surgical nurse from my surgeons office called the nurse that was doing my test and said she wanted to speak with me. So I get on the phone and she tells me that what I was quoted prior was no longer the case and that it is $400 more which needed to be paid TODAY!! I'm now upset. Then she tells me that I can't have my surgery on Monday unless I have had a one on one which I havent. No one ever told me that I needed to do this until today at 3pm... 6 days before my surgery!! I asked well can I see him this week? She said no he is going out of town!!! So yes, I did go off on her. I have already taken off and so has my husband and I have made almost impossible arrangements for my daughter to be with someone the night before and day of!! She didn't care nor show any sympathy. That was the final straw for me. I have been feeling for awhile that this was not the right place or dr for me but since I was already approved by my insurance & I had heard some good things about him I was just going to go ahead with it anyway. I called my husband very upset and emotional and he told me that he hasn't felt right about this place either and that I should go somewhere else where I am treated right. Ever since I went for a consultation and told them I wanted to use my insurance I feel like I was being treated unfairly or that I wasn't important because I wasn't paying cash. I couldnt take it anymore so I called the office back and told them to shove it! :biggrin:   The only thing is that I have lost about 18 lbs since being on my pre-op diet and now am slightly below my required BMI for my insurance to approve it. I am now concerned about not being able to get approved that now that I am going to see another surgeon. Anyone else have any similar problems or can ease my mind about the insurance approval with this type of situation?   I'm sorry but I just needed to vent to someone who would understand. :wub: I am/felt very sad that I won't be having my surgery on Monday. But as soon as I told her to shove it my headache went away and I felt at peace about it. That lets me know that this was the right thing to do.:w00t:   Thanks! Stefani
stefaniwg

stefaniwg

2
Blog 90253
 

Confused...

I was banded 2 weeks ago, and have lost 12 lbs... 1st week liquids/2nd week mushies/Dr office put me on reg food, within reason going forward... I gained 3 lbs,:biggrin:, i wonder if its bc im actually putting food into my system after being on pretty much nothing for the past 2 weeks. I go for my 1st fill on 5/14, what can I do NOW to make sure I dont gain more weight... Protein, fiber, i cut off carbs after the mushie week , any other tips or help w. what I cna eat 2 make sure i do not gain more weight b4 my 1st fill... Kinda a downer.
NicVio

NicVio

2
Blog 85448
 

Meeting with the NUT

...not the one affiliated with my surgeon's practice. Got some concrete instructions, calorie goals and a framework which will hopefully get me moving in the right direction. Still seeking a therapist who specializes in eating disorders and child abuse as I realize that's the true root of my problem.
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

1
Joy Joy's Journal
 

emotional eating

Oh boy today I wanted to eat my feelings away, long day at work, argument with my BF, and to top it off PMS. BUT I didnt do it I stayed strong:thumbup:. My evil co-worker bought me a huge payday candy bar---I swear he is trying to fatten me up for some bizzare reason. Anyway I didnt eat it I gave it away. Im so pleased with myself now im off to have some sting cheese and watch Glee as my lovely son makes cinibons in the oven the smell is making me nuts:sneaky:
Joy Joy

Joy Joy

3
Blog 59228
 

Day 1 Pre-Op diet

Today should have been a good day for me but I am so overwhelmed with materials to read that I had a panic attack and just generally have melted down into a fetal position. I feel like I had nobody today. I guess I will get used to the changes that are coming into my life but for now, I just feel like a $hitstorm of information is swirling around in my brain. I tried to call my family and friends and nobody would answer. It's a bad feeling being lonely and confused. I am certain that I will recover but for now.. right this moment, I can only say that I hope things become more clear for me and easier to understand. Postlog: I have actually eaten dinner and feel much better now. Maybe I'll get the hang of this just in time to change to another diet. :biggrin:
Mikissa

Mikissa

1
Blog 78717
 

Post Surgical Blues...

So here I am... almost 8 months after having the LAP-BAND® surgery. I've lost 72 pounds so far, and up until now I think it's been too easy. This should be difficult right?? I think the losing weight part has been easier than what's happening inside my head. I always thought that losing weight was the beginning of everything. I would have more confidence, I would be able to get a better job, get more respect, etc etc etc. So far... all I've gotten are a bunch of pants that hang off the back of my ass!! :-) Losing weight before has always been exciting!! Like, WOW, my pants fit even after being in the dryer on HIGH. For some reason it doesn't have the same emotional high as it once did. Maybe my expectations are too high. I've lost an average of 10 pounds per month...that's great!! I'm actually a weight that I haven't been down to in over 15 years!! That's great too!! But I've realized that it's not just about losing weight. I'm still stressed about money, still hate my job, still can't get the respect I deserve and still see myself as the fat girl. Anyone out there...does this get better?? I'm certainly not upset that I had the surgery... I just want my head to catch up with my body!!!   :biggrin:
LEXUS86985

LEXUS86985

1
Blog 1964
 

4 weeks since surgery

Well it was 4 weeks ago today that I was sleeved. My recovery has been different than what I expected. I'm not stranger to surgery--I've had 2 c-sections, a tubal, and my gall bladder removed, and I've always bounced back very quickly. This surgery has taken me longer...I haven't taken pain medication since I came home the day after the surgery--but I just haven't had any energy. Maybe in part because I'm getting older (54)...and also it's been a challenge to get in all my liquids, and enough protein and part of feeling weak and tired is about not being able to take in very many calories. I'm up and doing some things, but not pushing myself too hard. My hope is that I will start to feel more energetic when I can eat a little more.   Even though I don't feel super perky, I'm optimistic that this is going to get better as my healing continues. I'm down 29 pounds now and wearing smaller clothes. That's a huge victory because the only place in my area that I could buy a size 28 was Catherines which was an hour away from where I live. Last weekend I was able to shop at the mall in my own town because I'm wearing 24's which you can get in regular department stores. Sleeping better, walking better, and no BP medication. I'm eating "mushies" now--and that feels like a huge improvement. I am surprised by the tiny amount that I'm able to eat. Occasionally it might be 1/2 cup--but more often, it's about 1/4-1/3 cup.   I don't really feel physically hungry very often--but I still feel kind of anxious about not being able to eat more food. I'm trusting that my surgeon knows what he's doing. He said that the stomach capacity usually doubles by the end of the first year, and triples by the end of the third year. If that's correct, then it makes sense to start out with a smaller pouch so that you end up with a reasonably small pouch for the long haul. I'm graphing my weight loss and it's wonderful to watch the red line moving down the page. It does still feel a little overwhelming to know that I have another 110 pounds to go. Just trying to relax and enjoy the journey.
deletedsally

deletedsally

5
Blog 89934
 

Question

I had lapband back on February 17th. It was very quick and I had not seen the Nutritionist for over a year. Does anyone know the amount of protein you should have everyday? Also how often do you take your vitamins and what vitamins do you take? Thank you very much:crying:
katbabie34

katbabie34

4
Blog 90217
 

2 day until I'm Banded, Hopefully

Pre-op diet sucks, but it works! I am down 14 pounds and can feel my ribs again. Laying down of course, but hay it's progress. I have been sick, and today I woke up feeling worse. This makes me vervous as I read a post about someone having to postpone surgery b/c of being sick. I am really excited to get this going! The last 2 days I have been kinda sad. I found out I did not have the support I thought I had. My middle son brought over a cheesecake from Kings Hawaian. He has never done this before. Anyways I am being good as I was tempted to at least snatch a strawberry, but I knew that would lead to disaster. As they sat around eating, and commenting how delicious it was, my lap band came up. They mentioned about how they think its the lazy way out, and how eating healthy and exercise is all a person needs and so on and so on.:biggrin: Really are these the same people who saw me try this a million times. Needless to say they dont have a weight problem. As they were talking and I was feeling so betrayed, I started thinking about this forum and how everyone is so helpful, and compasionet. I remembered I am not alone, and most of all I am not crazy, or week. I am so thankful for everyone who post thier feelings, and experiences. :wub: I'm thankful I have a place to turn to and people who understand. Because of this, I am able to focus on the positive. As I am writting this I have just decided I will not be sick, or nervous, ok just a little nervous. the point is I am focusing on the positive. 2 more days until I am banded. I will be thinking about my fellow April 29th bandbuddies as well, we can do this!!!!:w00t:
beachcitygirl

beachcitygirl

5
Hail to the Fat Guy
 

I am Invincible !

15 days post-op and I'm relieved.   Why? Because I was starting to be concerned -- concerned that this surgery meant I would no longer be the strong guy. I would no longer be able to do hard manual labor. Today I pushed it. Yes, I know, doctors orders and all that and yes, it was in the back of my mind.   But today I had some heavy pieces of a tree that needed to be moved. I split them and tossed them in a wheel barrow and hauled them down to the curb. I know -- bad, bad man. But this was more than just a household chore for me -- this was me being able to tell whether I would ever be able to do hard, physically taxing tasks and I completed them without ripping my guts open.   Well, maybe not completed. A small dose of sanity crept in and after I hauled some of it down to the curb I took an hour break. Then I moved more down to the curb and I think I'm done for the day. There will be other days to finish the task but it felt good to be able to accomplish this task -- really, really good.   The day before I went in for surgery that was one of my major concerns. Will this surgery compromise my ability to do what I identify as a mans responsibilities. Will this surgery essentially neuter my ability to be a good provider and do what needs to be done around the house. That day I worked to split and stack about two cords of wood. It felt good, but I was worried that it may have been a last hurrah.   Nope.   I'm not going to push it anymore today. After all, I do recognize that my body still does need some rest. And while we're on the issue of rest, I was able to sleep in my own bed last night. Yeah, that's right -- my own bed. It was really, really nice. As much as I appreciate the comfort that the recliner gave me for the past two weeks, to sleep in my own bed was a major milestone.   I'm looking forward to more milestones as the days, weeks and months progress.
IrishHurler

IrishHurler

2

PatchAid Vitamin Patches

Bariatric Forums

For Patients

Health Professionals

Search Surgeons

Bariatric Surgeons: Want to research a weight loss surgery surgeon? Enter their last name below to start!

×