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Blog 75274
 

6 Weeks Post- Op

Hi Everyone its me Shonna, well its 6 weeks post-op tomorrow and I am happy to say I have lost 35 pounds, wow what an accomplishment!! I feel like a new woman.. Life seems to be changing so fast for me right now.. Feeling really good and starting to look pretty good too LOL.. Well have a great day and I will post more later.. ; )
shonna uram

shonna uram

3
Blog 83409
 

Still hanging in there

I feel like some days I'm not getting anywhere with this weigh losing. Then I go in to Curves today and get weighed and measured and life is good. I've lost a total of 27 inches and 42.8 lbs since surgery.      
smoogee10

smoogee10

1
Blog 28024
 

New beginnings and more discipline

I HAVE HAD 2 FILLS IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS....I'VE MADE IT MY GOAL TO KEEP GETTING THEM UNTIL I GET TOO TIGHT. I'M AT 3.2CC IN A 4CC BAND. I LOSE 2LBS PER WEEK WITHOUT EXERCISE, JOURNALING, OR MEASURING. I THINK IF I DID THESE THINGS, I COULD REALLY LOSE AND GET THE MOST BENEFITS FROM MY BAND. I LIKE THE FACT THAT I STAY FULL FOR 3-4 HOURS BECAUSE I COULD NEVER DO THAT ON MY OWN, BUT IF I START EXERCISING I'LL BE LOSING INCHES!
andreajohnston

andreajohnston

2
Blog 70706
 

Help!! Food Getting Stuck!

Hi Everyone, I cannot figure out what I'm doing wrong. My food routinely gets stuck and I'm nervous because I know i have to either drink to force it down or have it come back up again (usually I drink). I conciously take smaller bites, chew more, but it seems that I keep getting stuck around the third bite.   I'm wondering if it's the type of food. It seems to occur more frequently with any kind of bread (bagels, tortillas, crackers, etc) than with anything else. Has anyone had that experience?
Wordsmyth

Wordsmyth

5
Blog 90232
 

Surgery Date

So excited, I went to the doctor this week and I finally have my surgery date. May 4th. Start my 10 day liquid diet Saturday, I know it will be hard but I am super motivated!
s.smith

s.smith

2
Blog 1978
 

My List of Demands

Well, ok, this isn't really a list of demands. Rather, it's a list of complaints. I wanted to list all of my complaints and issues BEFORE surgery that I think that losing the weight might improve.   This will sound like whining -- so if that annoys you, skip this post. But it's not, really. My memory is poor (a complaint!), so I wanted to have a concrete list to look back on after the surgery and after I lose the weight, and see how far I've come.     My sleep is almost ALWAYS poor. It's the rare exception when I sleep deeply, with dreams, through the night. Usually I'm struggling with my CPAP mask, or pressure. Or, I'm dealing with cramps and aches and pains from being so heavy -- just lying on my side for too long makes my shoulder ache from my own weight. As a result of this, I'm always tired and use too much caffeine.
I always have some sort of aches and pains. Whether it's the shoulder I just mentioned, or my back, or (lately, worryingly) my knees, or my elbows. Or, I have a headache, or muscle cramps, or whatever. I know that some of this is just "getting older," but I also know that being obese is a big, big part of it (pun semi-intended).
My sex-life is almost nonexistent. My partner is very patient with me, but it's still a source of some friction. I have almost no libido, and the few times that I do, I rarely have the energy to DO anything about it.
My skin is very poor. I get constant rashes and dermatitis. This is very embarrassing, and it's one more thing that I use prescription medication to control. A portion of this is genetic, but it is modulated by bodily stress, and obesity (with its constant low-grade inflammation state) is a major bodily stress.
I feel like I complain too much, but the reality is that I DO have a lot of physical complaints. I don't like being a "complainer" -- I'm hoping that losing weight and getting healthier will result in having less to complain about!
I struggle a lot with anxiety. I chalk this up to exhaustion (see my first point) and my excessive caffeine use.
I have very poor body self-esteem. I tend to avoid social situations because I am nervous about being so obese and having people mock or insult me for it. A portion of this is just stuff I'll have to work through, but not being obese will help me to not have to worry so much about it!
I have low energy -- I rarely have the energy to go do "fun" stuff with my girlfriend, so weekends are just sitting around at home.
It seems to me like I get sick a lot considering that I'm still relatively young and in relatively good health (aside from my obesity).
There are all sorts of things I either can't do (skydiving) or don't feel safe doing (bicycling, kayaking) due to my weight and size.
I have to wear giant, ill-fitting clothes to either hide or accomodate my flab.
It's just a matter of time before I develop serious health problems, at this weight, and that knowledge at the back of my mind makes me anxious.
My memory is very poor. I forget names and facts and figures very quickly. It's embarrassing and further limits me socially. Er... wait. Did I mention this already?
ouroborous

ouroborous

2
LoseIt!'s Blog
 

Feeling good!!

Hi everyone!! I am a day out from my 3rd fill. My doc says that he thinks I'm very close if not at my sweet spot. He told me to make an appointment for next month, but to not feel bad if I have to cancel. That would be awesome! I had lost 11 lbs since my last fill, so I was quite pleased with that.   I'm not a fan of being on mushies for 2 days after a fill, but (a.) I'm tight anyway and (b.) I tend to lose about 4 pounds in two days if I am on liquids. I guess if I don't have to go in going forward, but I hit a plateau, a 2 day liquid diet would be a good trick for me. I will just file that in my back pocket.   I actually had a scale victory this week. I have lost over 35 pounds and am now under 250. Most of my life, when I reached 250, that was the point where I always got serious. I got to that point several times in my life, but I always managed to kick it into gear and lose. However, over the last 3-4 years, that high point number turned into 260. Then in 2010, I gained 25 pounds to get to 285. Wow. Oh well, what's done is done. It's funny now how I feel pretty good about being around 250 having experienced 285.   My next big goal is to go from Morbidly Obese to Obese Class 2. Only 8.2 more pounds. That seems like a "funny" goal, but it is one I will be quite proud of. Take care all!!
LoseIt!

LoseIt!

1
Misadventures of a Bona Fide Diva! ME...
 

What Happened to Liquids In - Liquids Out?

Seems like there is NO WAY I'm going to the bathroom (from either end) enough to compensate for the fluids I'm taking in. Maybe I'm holding on to them...not good. Maybe I'm not getting enough.   I'm down 25 lbs as of 5 weeks out. I hope next month I will see at least 3 lbs a week. My clothes sizes are moving but obviously my clothes were just too freaking tight to begin with. Now everything is just baggy. Spring is here and summer is a stone's throw away so I'm not buying any pants for now just some belts.:cursing:
Bona Fide Diva

Bona Fide Diva

0
Just another day. . .
 

YouTube videos

A member here, youknowit, let me know she had seen my before and some after pics of me in some youtube videos.   Least to say, I did not authorize this usage of my photos. I contacted the poster, and advised them that they were violating the TOS of youtube. I'm assuming they snagged my photos from this forum because my OH is completely private. So, I went in and made my photo album here available to only my friends.   I gave the poster 24 hours to reply. If I do not hear from them, I will report the privacy violation to Youtube.   If your album is public, go to your User CP, hit Privacy Options, and then make it available only to your friends.   I'm not completely upset by having my pictures out there. It's the principle that the poster did not ask for permission to use them.   I realize the internet is not private. I realize once it's out there, it's out there. That is NOT my concern so I don't need a lecture on posting pics on the internet. My point is that the pics were snagged, and used without any consideration or authorization. Even a common courtesy to say "hey I'm making some videos on youtube and would like to use your pics." would have been appreciated.   Also, the poster has a weight loss forum/community (not just for WLS patients) that he/she is trying to get people to join.   So, least to say, we'll see what happens.
Tiffykins

Tiffykins

0
Blog 84015
 

Feeling at a Standstill......

SO...I had my Nutritionist appointment last night. They told me that this appointment would be an hour long. I got there about 15 minutes early....but couldn't find where it was located in the hospital. I was directed to the basement....but it was nowhere to be found. Then, I called the number given and she told me to come back upstairs and in actuality, was right down the hallway from where I had spoken to the first person. Haha...Oh, well.   I got to her office, paid my $10 co-pay, and she was like, "Oh, I need you to fill out these forms". "Oh, you mean these?" I had all of the forms prefilled....so she was like, "OK! hahah" So, then she kept asking me if I knew this and that...and I felt like I know all of this so well, that I could repeat it to her. Long story short, I got out of my appointment at 5:07 - I had gotten in a little early, so in total, it probably lasted about 20 minutes. hahaha...   Anyway, although the 2nd part is down, I feel a little bit at a standstill. I'm sure others have felt this way....but I can't start losing weight yet b/c I am right at the point where my insurance will fully cover my surgery. If I lose more than 1.6 of my BMI, I am under the 40 BMI that is required. I feel like this is almost counter-productive. I cannot start to modify my diet to be more like the one that I will be eating when I have the surgery, or I might risk losing a few pounds (which I inevitably gain back anyway), to have gone through this whole thing for the insurance to deny me.   Anyway....I'm just counting down the months until this dream is a reality! :frown:
jennay5180

jennay5180

2
Blog 82799
 

A New Beginning 4/19/10

I spent the better part of the weekend crying about the turn of events in my WLS saga. I talked to my DH about it (more than he wanted to hear I'm sure! ) He said that we could take a loan through one of his retirement savings accounts so I can still follow my dream :wub: I've always known that I'm a lucky girl to have trapped a good man like him! :tt2: I love him more & more every day. He knows the score with obesity. His dad has type 2. His mom had bypass surgery about 5 years ago. He saw her struggle for so many years, being beaten down by military doctors & the insurance company every step of the way. We've struggled together with our weight over the years. We're like that cartoon couple you see in the Slimquick commercials. :frown: I told him that I feel like being able to have WLS would be like a new beginning for our whole family (all 3 of us!) Y'know how the mom/wife is kind of like the glue of a family, well I know that if I could finally get my weight under control it would have a huge, positive impact on all of us. I could finally set a good example for my child - so that he can grow up with a healthier relationship with food than my DH and I did. We'll be able to "go" and "do" together. I know for sure that I've held them back from doing things recently. It wasn't with malice - I just don't want to go out walking in our neighborhood and risk more people seeing me & how huge I am. (Not to mention that I might make it one whole house away before I start huffing & puffing.) I've had people yell disparaging remarks at me when I was outdoors on more than one occasion. I know that I'm not the first & unfortunately won't be the last, but I didn't deserve it (nobody does) and I don't want to deal with it again. Today I had the pleasure of calling up Pacific Surgical to schedule a consultation. Yay! I spoke with Michelle. I remember her from the seminar I attended a while back. So much of what she said about her experience still rings in my ears. She was so nice! The way she treated me was the polar opposite of the way Karen did. Amazing how when you're a self-pay patient things can happen sooo quickly! I was able to get a consult scheduled for next Monday! Michelle said that it would be possible to have surgery as soon as May 11th! I think we're still going to shoot for a surgery date towards the end of July. My DH said that since we just paid off the last loan through his retirement plan, we need to wait 2 months to apply for another. He'll be back from his partial-deployment in time to help me with a summer surgery. I'll find out the nitty gritty when I go for my consult, but I believe that all I have to do for Dr. Neal is a nutrition consult, and I assume pre-op bloodwork. I'd imagine there's some sort of pre-op diet. Pre-op as in a week or two before surgery - not Dr. Oh's type of pre-op diet. Oy vey! He wanted a 10% weight loss in the months leading up to your procedure & two weeks of clear liquids prior to surgery. Not to mention that Dr. Oh had a huge list of other pre-op things that had to be done. Speaking of that, I need to call and cancel my endoscopy & follow-up. I really hate that we'll have to pay $ every month for the next few years, but... I have a feeling the return-on-investment will be priceless! :ohmy: I'm actually kind of relieved now. If I can have surgery w/ Dr. Neal, I don't have to make that arduous trip over to Federal Way, cow-tow to Dr. Oh & his excessive pre-op testing, and worry about coordinating all the babysitting I'll need to cover those appointments. When I tried to picture myself going through surgery & whatnot w/ Dr. Oh I couldn't quite "see" it; it didn't feel like that was the place I needed to be. I haven't had my consult w/ Dr. Neal yet (just the seminar), but already I feel that this is where I need to be. I'm feeling much better 'bout everything now!
desperate4aband

desperate4aband

1
Blog 82799
 

Mayjah Aggravation! 4/16/10

I missed a call from Karen on 4/14. She called right before 5pm. She said she'd be in the office until noon the next day & to call so she could go over the insurance info w/ me.   Almost made me question whether I was hearing from the same lady I spoke with before...this one was kind of nice. ??   I missed her by a few minutes the next day so I left a message.   Didn't hear back from her so I called today and finally spoke with her.   Ugh.   The way she was talking at first was like this was the end of the road & I should just give up since I don't have the co-moribidities on the list of 5 or so that my insurance acknowledges.   I mentioned that they approved the endoscopy & whatnot and asked if I should go ahead with it. She tried to discourage me. Grrr!   I was about to cry... I told her that I *really* want this & my options are very limited as far as finances/physicians, so if there's any chance to make this work, I want to try.   Kind of sounds like they don't want to make any extra effort for me - or at least Karen doesn't.   I mentioned to her that a dear friend of mine had surgery with Dr. Oh in February.   My friend has the same insurance, is about 1/4" taller than me, started out within a couple of pounds of where I did, and didn't have any of the co-morbidities on the insurance's approved list. She has lots of "little" ones, as do I. They're legit co-morbidities! They're on the lists of every other bariatric surgeon I've looked up. (We both started out at the same BMI even though our insurance doesn't go by BMI...) We're both SAHM's with only children. Heck, the major difference between us is our hair color!   My friend was told that if a patient has enough "little" co-morbidities then surgeries tend to get approved through our insurance company just the same. It worked in her case.   Karen just said "I don't know... all of the requests and claims are handled the same way... Maybe your friend had diabetes." I told her that I knew for sure she did not have diabetes.   I made an appt to go back to my primary next Thursday morning. I don't know if she'll be able to tell me anything about my bloodwork that will help me for surgery.   I was prepared to fight the insurance company, but how can I and what difference is it going to make if the surgeon's office isn't going to help?
desperate4aband

desperate4aband

1
Blog 50043
 

WHAT!? youve GOTTA be kidding....

i called my bariatric coordinator and told her that i cant eat solid protein. even now, i can only sometimes get down tuna salad and cottage cheese. thats the most solid protein i can eat. vegetables are a HUGE no-no. they wont go down. no matter how long they are steamed. and today, even pureed chili wasnt going down.   long story short, my band is too tight and i need a partial unfill. she passed the message to my surgeon and then called me back. they REFUSE to take anything out of my band. they refuse to see me until May 13th. they want me to go back on liquids for a week and then see how im doing.   *cries* this is SO frustrating! they also had the nerve to tell me that im making poor food choices. HOW am i supposed to eat solid protein if solid protein gets stuck every time i eat it!? the best i can do is tuna salad and cottage cheese! nothing else will go down! i could understand getting lectured if i was eating chocolate and gummy bears...but this? how ridiculous!   i called the patient advocate on base (military) and theyre going to try and get me a second opinion.   arent overly tight bands more prone to slippage? im scared.
harliquinn

harliquinn

4
Blog 59268
 

All the fluid has been removed from my band

Hello....I was banded on 12/8/08. It's been a struggle to lose weight, but I had kept off 30 lbs. This past weekend I ended up in the ER with dry heaves and diarrhea. My surgeon was called, he removed ALL the fluid in my band and has referred me to a gastro Dr. for a follow up on a lymph node behind my small intestine???? I'm worried about what that means, but mostly, HOW do I cope without the restriction. I am SO worried the weight will go back on so fast, and I have a wedding dress to get into in Sept. I wanted to lose 10 more pounds and now I'm back to square one. Has anyone else had to start back at square one????   thanks, Molly
TiniTummi

TiniTummi

1
Blog 1837
 

Surgery in Cancun May 7th!!

I am getting the sleeve surgery with Dr. Verboonen at the Galenia Hospital in Cancun. :ohmy: It is exciting and the reality of it all is starting to sink in. Would love to hear from anyone who has had surgery there or who is planning on surgery around the same time. Open to any comments or tips on pre or post surgery. Thanks for being here.:cursing: Brenda
Sleeved and Relieved

Sleeved and Relieved

6
Big Blog Girl
 

Another Fill and Back on Track!

I went for a fill today and I'm feeling pretty good and back on track a bit. Last blog entry was about how I gained weight after a massive unfill. This time, I can say I'm back to where I was before the lap band vacation. I'd gained 6 lbs as of 4/3. Today, 17 days later, I'm back down those 6 lbs and got another 1cc added to my band. Here's how I got to where I am now:   At surgery: 3ccs First fill: +3ccs = 6 Second fill: +1.5ccs = 7.5ccs Unfill: -2.5ccs = 5ccs Third fill: +1cc = 6ccs Fourth fill: +1cc = 7ccs   I am really hoping that this is it. 7.5ccs was too much and resulted in vomiting, discomfort and weakness. 6ccs made a slight difference but I still managed way too much food and felt hunger. If 7 isn't right, they will start adding in smaller increments so I don't go overfilled again.   With my fill and renewed attitude, I've also decided to set a new mini goal: I am going to the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Montreal on June 11th. Last time I went to this race, I was wedged into my husband in 95 degree heat and humidity because the seats were bench style and I didn't want to overlap onto someone I didn't know. It wasn't comfortable, I got cranky and trying to leave the race in the slow moving crowds nearly killed me. My goal for this Grand Prix is to walk over the bridge to the race track rather than take the subway. It is a little over 7 weeks away so I would like to lose another 20 lbs by then.   One last thing - I went out with a girlfriend the night before Easter to do karaoke at a local bar and I must be looking good because I am surely not a good singer!! Someone actually tried to pick me up!!!!! It was the first time a man had taken that kind of an interest in me in years. Of course, I nicely let him down -- I am happily married -- but boy that put some pep in my step for a few days! Can't wait for the next guy to try to pick me up so I can brag about that too!
BarbaraWM

BarbaraWM

2
Blog 90135
 

First blog, first step to healthy

Wow! What a new world that I am about to embark on! I have joined (and started) this blog so that I can keep record of my thoughts, feelings, weight, etc, during this journey to a healthy me. I want to be able to look back and say, "Look how far I have COME!"   I am a mother of 4 children (2 of the them are natural; 2 are 'bonus children' from my husband). I love them all and love spending time with them. My husband has two boys, 12 and 13. I have a son who is 11. And, our daughter together is 10 months old. I am 30 years old and have my hands full, for sure!   All of my life, I have been overweight. I have often joked that I was the sister who was slapped with "the fat stick". Both of my parents are of normal weight, as is my sister. However, if you look closely at the women on my father's side of the family, all of us are of size. Weight is something that I have always seemed to struggle with. When I was 9, I remember at the health fair at school, hiding my card because my weight showed 104 pounds. I remember when I was 12, going to a chiropracter for the first time with my Mom. There were no health issues--I just wanted to go because she was going. They weighed me and I was 184 pounds! I can't believe how that number has stuck with me all of these years! Over the years, my weight has crept up.   For the longest time, I refused to step on scales. When I was 18 (1998), I got pregnant with my son. I was probably around 215 at that time. I have no idea how high I was for sure on the scale. I gained 70 pounds with him, but lost most of the weight after I had him. The next time I stepped on a scale, it was 2005. It said 270 and I almost fainted! I couldn't believe how high my weight had gotten. It seemed like overnight, but it really wasn't. After, that, I tried various diets (and failed) and swore off scales again.   Around that time, I met my incredibly supportive husband. He has always loved me the way I am and never misses an opportunity to tell me how beautiful I am. He is amazing. Needless to say, being in love and happy prompted me to put on even more weight. My weight crept up to 309 when I found out I was pregnant with our daughter. Can you believe one of my first thoughts was,"Wow! I can't gain anymore weight while I am pregnant with this one."? Well, I topped out around 332. That was my heighest point and my most miserable point. My ankles were swollen and it was horrifying carrying around that extra weight on my already loaded down frame. After I had my daughter, I lost 40 pounds. But, like clockwork, it came back up.   Today, I am sitting at 320 and have beat myself up time and time again. I look at pictures and want to cry sometimes. There are very few pictures of me with my family and most of those are waist up. I guess there have been times that I have been an emotional eater, but I don't really see that as my main problem. My issue is being full. I always seem to be hungry and love the full sensation. Embarassing, yes.   I made the decision to explore weight loss surgery and am very proud of my decision. I know I need to do something for my health and my family. I want to be around for my children and grandchildren. I want their memories to be doing things with them and not being tired from lugging around extra weight. I want to be able to sleep well at night (I haven't woken up well rested in at least 5 years). I am so motivated and this point and can't wait to sail straight forward.   I attended my first seminar last night with another scheduled for this Saturday. Gastric bypass is just too invasive for my liking. I toyed around with the sleeve for a bit. A friend of mine went from 270 to 135 in a mere year using that tool. Of course, my insurance won't pay for that. I did, however, find out that my insurance will cover LAP-BAND® at 100%. I am quite certain I will be headed in that direction. I do know i will have to work at it hard, but I am sooooo ready.   After my seminar this weekend, I will be equipped to make a surgeon decision and plan on making it quickly. I can't wait to get this ball rolling!   I am going on a cruise to the Bahamas with my family this June and plan on it being the last trip I take that I have to worry about fitting in an airplane seat...haha!! I would really love to get the surgery done after that. I would actually do it beforehand, if given the choice, but being out of the country so soon afterwards probably isn't the smartest decision!   If any of you "bandsters" have any comments, suggestions, or supportive thoughts, please let me know! I have a supportive family but is would be so helpful to have others in my same boat to share this experience with. I am ready to do this...and ready to do this RIGHT!
qtney1

qtney1

6
Blog 90015
 

One week to go

I have my preop on this Friday. Surgery next Wed the 28th. This has all happened so fast. My weight loss to date is 11 pounds. I have really been oblivious to the things that I really thought would bring me down. Refocusing on the things that I need to do and accomplish before and after surgery. Right now I am pretty calm but, surgery day I hope I dont freak out. I have so many wonderful things to be thankful for and am looking forward to giving everyone in my life my very best.
lakeside

lakeside

2
Blog 85662
 

Rice BAD....VERY BAD

So I now know what people were talking about when they said "sliming" and can I say... YUCK! I tried 2 small bites of rice and then the pain started. Next was when the fun started, sliming and throwing up. For me 2 small bites of rice equals 20+ minutes of unpleasantness. I will not touch rice again that is for sure!
outdoorgirl

outdoorgirl

2
Blog 83237
 

First day of pre-op diet.

Wow. I started this day all gun-oh. Is that how you spell gun-oh? I weighed myself this morning (and boy I really didn't want to do it) and I actually looked around in case something was on me or on the scale because I've been eating each meal and snack as if it was my last and it showed on that scale. So I thought I really need this liquid diet. Anyway now it's 5:00. I had one shake and 4 more to go and I'm drinking crystal light like crazy because I don't to use them up.
Boca

Boca

1

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