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

Blogs

Blog 85448
 

The Ongoing CPAP Saga

Today I got a phone call at work from "Lincare" calling to set up an appt to fit me with a "BiPap". The first opening was 3/17! I explained that I'm only doing this as a condition for surgery which is scheduled for 3/9. Magically, they're able to see me on 3/4 and even more incredible - they already have my insurance info and plan # - excuse me, isn't that my private info to disclose? Hopefully I can lease rather than buy something I doubt I'll use beyond my surgery date.
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

3
Blog 86790
 

Day 6 and holding strong....

Hey guys. so the day is almost over. tomorrow i will have been on th liquid diet for 1 week and i have 1 week to go before my surgery. god i am sooo excited. ive been jumping around with joy all day and keep singing the line from that song that goes "i'm so excited and i just cant hide, im going to lose control and i think i like it!!!!" today also starts the 10 days straight that i have to work. ugh.:thumbup: that im not looking forward too. my husband is out of town on business so its hard when hes not here bc the bed is soooo cold. but he comes home on thursday or friday and when he gets home i will be able to go get a pedi/mani since i cant treat myself with food. i actually got on th scale today and i lost 7 lbs. i immediately emailed my friend to let her know. i kind of boycotted scales a long time ago but my friend made me get on the scale to see how much i have lost. everyone keeps asking me how can i do it? arent you hungry? oh i couldnt do that!!! my answer to them is yes i am hungry but this process is making me realize how much control food had over my life and my mood. i realized that i can be happy without certain foods. of course im hungry and EVERYTIME i smell bbq i want it. but im not starving. im not starving myself and it took my body 5 days to realize this. i just keep my mind on the prize at the end of this journey and my new life that is going to start. this site has helped me sooo much. i was about to quit the second day on the liquid diet but then i found this site and this feeling of happiness and accomplishment fell over me. i made this decision, i took the first step and yes i feel accomplished even though i havent finished myjourney yet. but i will get there. thats how i do it and make it through each day. we eat to live not live to eat. im making so many plans and gathering soo much recipes that its not even funny. besides my income tax comes in this week and im gettting a new cell phone!!!! (im addicted to technology :tt2:). so day 6 almost gone and day 7 here i come.....8 more days untill i have my surgery.....
Countrychic

Countrychic

3
Blog 80125
 

The real before pics! And a few current ones...

Who am I fooling? My old before pics were very flattering...lol and thats not what this site is about. So I sucked it up and put up a few "real" before pics. I have also updated my current photos. All straight on, no "self" pics (you know the ones you take of yourself from above that make everyone look hottt). All I can say is CHEESE! :thumbup:
Theresa'sMom415

Theresa'sMom415

3
Blog 79919
 

Surgery Tomorrow

I am very excited! Surgery is scheduled for 6:30 tomorrow morning! Last day of pre-op diet although I am certain the post-op won't be much different. Wish me luck!! :thumbup:
kleinow01

kleinow01

3
Blog 61341
 

I Have a Lap for the Laptop?

I had a shocking revelation today. I was able to use my lap for a laptop. I have never done this before. Then it dawned on me, I have been fat since before there were laptops…ouch. I really should not be surprised, but I am. I believe this qualifies as one of those NSVs, but it was still somewhat disturbing that I have been fat longer than laptops have existed. I do travel almost every week for my job and I have over 3,000,000 miles on American Airlines alone, and about that many on United and other airlines. I even bought my roll-aboard suitcase because it made a good table for my laptop when I was on the road. OK…probably not the most earth-shattering event ever, but very helpful anyway.
Cingulus

Cingulus

1
Blog 78593
 

Obsessed

I have become severely obsessed with bloggerland. I feel like I spend so much time reading about everyone else's journeys. I love it. It keeps me motivated, happy and also find I can relate to some of the stories and shed a few tears. I go onto everyones sites and continue to find new people to follow on here. I love it.   Couple questions for the pros out there. How do you know you are at your sweet spot??? I notice at 5 ccs I get full easy but also find I get hungry early and start to snack on things. Now does that mean I need a bit more of a fill?? I am going for one tomorrow. I have also noticed with some food it hurts when it passes through the band. I have learned to be a lot more careful. I have also had some food get stuck but am learning slowly what those foods are. I have also learned that I am tight in the morning and I have to take it easy in the morning and try to get water before I try to eat. I also enjoy tea and freshly juiced vegetable and fruit juices.   Another question my hair has started to fall out a lot. I know that it was like this after any of my surgeries and that it can not be food related because I have never eat so healthy before. So my question to you is how long before it quits falling out??? I have lots of hair so not worried about going bald but dang I hate getting handfuls out.   Well off to watch the rest of my soaps I got behind on blogs and on my favourite shows being away..   Just wanted you all to know that I love each and everyone one of you for all the support you share with me. I come here for the motivation. I hope that I can help everyone as much as you have helped me.. HUGZ all the way around..:rolleyes2:
michelleisaac

michelleisaac

3
Blog 50043
 

5 days post-op

i think the swelling is starting to go down a bit since i can eat applesauce without a problem. it just feels weird. can the rest of you feel food sitting in your chest/your pouch? im still staying away from jello.   my incisions itch like crazy and the steri-strips still havent fallen off. im not allowed to pull them off so i guess i just have to play the waiting game.   i meet with my surgeon in 9 days to see how things are going. i was 291 pounds before the 2 week pre-op diet, 275 pounds on surgery day and today im 271 pounds. :rolleyes2:   my husband has been the most amazing, supportive and helpful person in the world. im so thankful for him.:thumbup:
harliquinn

harliquinn

6
Blog 85662
 

Pain in chest when I drink

I am 9 days out from surgery and I know am having pain in the middle of my chest when I drink anything (still on liquid diet). I have only had protein drinks, water, broth, and water with crystal light in it. It feels like I have a burp in there, nothing comes out and it takes hours to pass. Any ideas? Nothing could be stuck cause I have not had anything but liquids....right?:rolleyes2:
outdoorgirl

outdoorgirl

7
LoseIt!'s Blog
 

One Month Out

I've been having trouble posting my blog entries and have lost about three. Supposedly things are fixed, so here I go! I am one month out. I have lost 22 lbs and 8.75 inches. YAY!! Most of that was during my pre-op diet, but I'm still down in total since the surgery. I understand this is bandster hell and I'm trying! I've found that I'm less obsessed which is good, but since I didn't lose anything last week...maybe it isn't too good. I analyzed what I ate last week and found that I'm spending too many calories on carbs and fat. So my goal for this week is to really focus on high protein and low carb meals. My scale goal is to get on a downward, losing trend. I'm trying not to be too selfish and impatient, but I just want to go in the right direction! Working out again feels really good. I think it will take about 6 weeks for me to get in the habit of going to class 3-4 times a week, but that is my goal. I used to do that without a problem, but it is amazing what you can get used to when you are being lazy! I know that without a doubt, the exercise makes me feel better and it will help me get off those pounds. I am definitely feeling more restriction since my first fill. I have had trouble when I eat too fast or take too big of bites, so that has helped me to slow down. I have also had some trouble with heated up chicken no matter the size of the bites, so that has helped me modify my meal plan. Right now I'm having a protein shake for breakfast, my "big" meal at lunch (today was some chicken on a baked potato), an afternoon snack of pita chips and laughing cow cheese, and dinner (grilled chicken salad with boiled egg.) My breakfast, snack & dinner don't see much diversity, so I really try to mix it up at lunch. For instance, yesterday I had grilled catfish with a small amount (2 T?) of broccoli rice casserole. I eat lunch out almost every day. If anyone has any meal ideas for restaurants, please send them my way!! Have a great week!!
LoseIt!

LoseIt!

5
Blog 52574
 

I've been instructed to eat a little dessert... huh???

This is kind of a long one so bear w/me...   I went to my surgeon's lapband support group last night. I've been doing great lately w/my band, but I still try to make it to as many support meetings as I can. I figure its free therapy (led by one of the psychologists from my surgeon's office) and I do learn something new at every meeting (either from the psych or from one of the more experienced bandsters). We have a lot that go to the meeting that are at goal.   OK, so earlier in the day I had an odd discussion w/my 4 yr old daughter. On the way to preschool, she told me in the car that she wished I never had surgery. Yes, I've told everyone about the surgery, even my 4 yr old daughter and 6 yr old son. They know it is to help mommy get healthy and they seemed happy w/that explanation before surgery. So, it totally throws me off that now my daughter is saying she wishes I didn't have surgery. :huh2:   I told her I'm all healed now, feeling great, and that its really working so I'm happy I had surgery... and ask her why she wishes I didn't. And, she said its because I can't eat dessert anymore and she wants me to eat dessert w/them. I explained to her that I CAN eat dessert, but I'm just choosing not to because it is healthier for me to not eat it. But, for a 4 yr old, the idea of delayed gratification or doing something for one's health is just not a concept that can be easily understood.   Long story short (woops, too late!), the advice I got from the psych is that he thinks I should eat a little dessert (not just for the kids, but for me too). He said that I'm slipping back into a 'diet mentality' of deprivation and extremes. Well, he didn't put it that bluntly, but I got the point. And, man, is he ever right on!!! :rolleyes2:   I knew going into this that my biggest challenge would be embracing moderation and no longer living in the extremes. I just didn't realize that I had slipped back into an extreme. And, he also doesn't approve of my rule of no alcohol and exercise every day until I've lost my 10 pounds for the month. He considers that diet mentality as well and too strict. But, I have a feeling that the dietician and exercise physiologist would feel different about that! LOL :thumbup:   Anyway, so I've decided I will eat a little bit of dessert when my family has dessert, but still not sure if I will give up my 10 pound per month goal. I figure I'll stick to it until this month's 10 pounds are gone and then see how I feel. I only have 6 pounds more to make my 10 pounds this month (my month goes 2/17-3/17) and I've been losing fast since I gave up the alcohol and started exercising every day. Ultimately, I have to do what works for me and even though he may be a great psych, it is still just advice and my choice what to do with it. But, definitely food for thought. :cool:
adagray

adagray

5
Blog 81481
 

Ummm What?

Okay so in went in for a fill on Friday a whole 3 hour drive. I was hoping to fill some even a little restriction but Nope.... Bummer. I almost wonder if he put anything in?? I feel like i haven't even had surgery sometimes. Still making healthy choices and even went to yoga on Saturday and Monday with a little extra hiking in between, but still the scale does not move. :rolleyes2: Hopefully things will start to turn around and I will see some Fabulous results soon. we will see...
Jadeite

Jadeite

4
Blog 1118
 

Inches Lost @ 3 months

Just wanted to post that I've lost a TOTAL of 20.75" overall! which includes 6" in my waist, 5" in my hips and 4.5" in my chest. This after only a little over 3 months! Yay me!:biggrin0:
Shontel

Shontel

3
Sunshine2's (Tonya's) Journal
 

3/2/10 Day 18 of the HCG diet

Day 1 - loading days 178.2 Day 2 - 178.5 (another loading day) Day 3 - First day of VLCD 179.8 Day 4 - 176.2 Day 5 - 175.6 Day 6 - 173.4 Day 7 - 172.4 Day 8 - 171.1 Day 9 - 168.9 Day 10 - 168.9 Day 11 - 168.8 Day 12 - 169.0 Day 13 - 168.2 Day 14 - 167.6 Day 15 - 167.5 Day 16 - 166.9 Day 17 - 165.8 Day 18 - 165.4   Its so nice getting on the scales and seeing them continue to go down. And its nice not experiencing any hunger! Today's menu   Bfast 1/2 grapefruit, 2 cups of green tea   snack melba toast   Lunch Shrimp salad, celery   Dinner HCG approved chili Applie crisp made with stevia - yum   Wt this morning - 165.4
tonya66

tonya66

4
Blog 85732
 

Day 2 after surgery

I slept most of the day yesterday. Today my tummy area is quite sore, but other than that I feel pretty good. Liquids are staying down well. I really wanted something warm this morning so I had some diet hot chocolate with protien. I tried some of that. I had no problem and I think I felt a little more full. Hope I'm not rushing it. :rolleyes2: I did get up and pick up the house a little. Didn't load/unload the disher. Still a little too much bending required for that. Working from home on my computer.
Neverquit

Neverquit

3
Blog 72367
 

post op weight gain

Help!!!! i had my band fitted July 09 and managed to lose 3st (42lbs) I have had 2 fills (5mls) and the last one of those was back in Oct 09, unfortunately I have regained 1st and am feeling really depressed about. I know what i need to do as far as the eating is concerned but struggle to find foods and the time to consider my menu. I have an office job which obviously means i am sat all day which doesnt help with the exercise side of things. I invested in a cross trainer recently and am trying to increase my exercise although the going is slow. I am getting another fill done on Mar 8th and am hoping this will quick start my weight lose again. basically what i want to know is has any one else experianced this problem and found that having another fill helped. I am so worried that it wont and just need a bit of encouragement....:rolleyes2:
deedee68

deedee68

1
Blog 397
 

Unfill done

got my unfill yesterday. :biggrin0: Down the final stretch. I WILL NOT WEIGH MYSELF EVERYDAY. :sneaky2:Typing that make it more of a commitment. I weighed yesterday. Just two more times then sleeve city. Just gotta get my bank check. Geesh that is ALOT of money. Now time to save for PS...
Dee

Dee

0
The Bitter Bandster
 

Last pre-op post, Today's the day

Well, I'm either in shock or this is really no big deal to me.   I'm having surgery that will change my life forever about 6 hours from now and I had absolutely no problem sleeping last night.   I made it through 22 days of shakes without being hungry, moody or cheating. I have another 14 days of shakes starting this afternoon. I wonder if that will be just as easy.   Not drinking water for the next 6 hours is going to hurt. I should be nice and parched by the time I get to the hospital.   Today is not only notable for my surgery but it also marks the day that:   95 pounds weight loss
100 pounds left to lose
NO longer morbidly obese!
I want to thank everyone on this site (except of course the idiots that told me I know nothing and shouldn't give advice because I'm not banded). I don't wear my feelings on my arm and may come across as I think I know everything but I wouldn't know a thing without reading about your experiences, questions and answers. I don't ask a lot of questions because for the most part, you've all done that for me.   Pre-Surgery ticker!   Post-Surgery ticker!
btrieger

btrieger

10
Bird's Nest
 

post from lapband Dr./ save

This was a post from a lapband Dr. and I just wanted to copy and save it.   All weight loss comes from calorie deficit (burning more calories than you consume). Burning more and consuming less is what causes weight loss.   The band will not force you to burn calories. The band helps with the consuming less part. It helps with this in three major ways:   1. Reduced appetite - some surgeons argue that the band is an appetite reduction operation. It has been shown to reduce appetite hormones. Patients say they don't feel hungry - they don't feel like they are on a diet. The band reduces true physical hunger. Some of us struggle with emotional hunger, phantom hunger which is not cured by the band but reducing physical hunger is very helpful at combatting head hunger. Emotional hunger comes from deep rooted emotional pain causing negative emotion that is unfortunately temporarily cured by food.   2. Fullness on small portions - the amount of stomach above the band is small. You will feel full on a much smaller portion of food if the band is properly adjusted. The fullness feeling is not a "pat your lower belly" kind of fullness. Band fullness is a very high sensation - in the chest - the feeling that the last bite of food is somewhere near the base of the tongue and another crumb will not be physically allowed.   3. The impossible nature of overeating - let's say you feel full and not hungry but you decide that you will overeat anyway. A properly adjusted band simply will not allow this. A point will be reached where the system will reject anything more. The esophagus (swallowing tube) is a transport organ; not a storage organ. The esophagus has two buttons: down and up. It will try down first. If that doesn't work, it switches to up and you get to see the food again.   We've been banding for eight years and we see three groups of patients in our practice:   Group 1 - gold medal superstar patients who lose easily and steadily after band surgery and send us Christmas cards that will bring tears to your eyes.   Group 2 - patients who acheive the same ultimate results as Group 1 but it takes longer with more office visits and more education and slower weight loss but we still get there. The race car crosses the finish line but it's on fire and badly damaged.   Group 3 - patients that will be three years out from band surgery and only down 20 or 30 pounds. The three biggest reasons patients are in this group are: 1.) unsolved emotional eating 2.) zero calorie burning 3.) Quit, give up, stop coming to the practice for band adjustments, education, etc   One of the best books I've seen on emotional eating is: "Shrink Yourself" by Dr. Gould. Many patients have told me this helps. The secret to curing emotional eating is to identify the root cause of this negative emotional pain and work through it. This is the most difficult aspect of successful weight loss.
Humming Bird

Humming Bird

2
Blog 87048
 

New Bander 2/25/2010

I am a new bander! Started at 321-had to loose 19 for surgery, lost 25. Surgery on 2/25 and am now 291.8today. Hard to believe it is in the past! Finding joy in small liquid meals and help in small containers!
mgwags

mgwags

2
Blog 85448
 

Surgical Clearance w/My Primary

Got the once over from my primary doctor; review of vitals, meds, allergies, urine screening. Together we reviewed the reports from the cardiologist(no concerns), the abdominal ultrasound, upper GI, chest x-ray - all normal. In fact after Friday's appt. with the surgeon and the diagnosis of "fatty liver" I was researching on WebMD and Mayo Clinic and getting worried, so I asked my doctor about it. He said that it's commen in obese patients, but that according to the ultrasound, and the radiologist's report, my liver was of normal size and condition - no mention of "fatty liver"?!   Was also talked about the need of a CPAP and reviewed the report from the pulmonologist. My doc was stumped as to why the report states, "no indication of sleep apnea" but the pulmonologist put the sleep lab/cpap in as a recommended follow up.   My doctor told me to have the surgeon call him and he would support me not having a cpap. Hope I don't end up having gone through all this for nothing.
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

1
Blog 85448
 

Pre-Surgical Visit w/Surgeon + PAT's

Took my husband with me for the last meeting with my surgeon. She is pleased with my weight loss(21-25 lbs depending on time of day and level of dress:ohmy:), told me that all my tests came out clear but advised that I have a "fatty liver":sad:. My husband's concerns were addressed - still can't believe he thought the port was going to hang out of my body!?! What - like the tag on a stuffed animal!?   PAT's were a repeat of tests done several weeks ago plus a pregnancy test. Strange to have to have that done as I've been POST MENOPAUSAL(surgical) since 2007!?! Guess this is another sign the insurance industry needs reform - test after pointless test to hedge against any kind of lawsuit.   Told the surgeon about my CPAP failure and asked what happens now? She's going to have her patient case coordinator follow up with the pulmonologist but she made it pretty clear - No CPAP - No Surgery. So slap one one me in the recovery room.
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

1
Just another day. . .
 

Life after WLS (cross posted from my Facebook note page)As I approach my 9 month post

As I approach my 9 month post-op mark, I am trying to maintain my current loss. I won't deny having trouble maintaining, but I am doing my very best to quit losing as I am in the normal BMI range, and I feel great at my current weight. I'm technically 20 pounds below my goal weight, but my ideal weight for my height and frame is anywhere between 114-129 pounds. Living life post weight loss surgery has changed me more than just the physical stuff. Mentally, I feel better, emotionally, well that's debatable because of the hormone flux that we endure when we lose large amounts of weight, but for the good news, I no longer seek comfort in food. I literally eat to live instead of living to eat.   I eat anything and everything I want just in moderation. I still eat Pringles and Snickers, but instead of eating the entire tube of Pringles, 5 satisfy me, instead of a King-size Frozen Snickers, 1 little Fun size bar cures my chocolate fix. It's really pretty fabulous. With the surgery I had, they removed about 75% of my stomach and with removing the stretchy part of the stomach (fundus) the hormone that causes hunger called Ghrelin is removed as well . I eat about 1 cup of solid food per meal, and I eat 4 times a day, with some snacks on some days. I honestly eat between 1100-1200 calories, about 65grams of carbs, and over 80 grams of protein per day without the use of protein supplements. So, by no means am I malnourished, or starving myself. My post-op lab work has been perfect, my resting heart rate has now dropped to normal levels, and I am more active. If I wasn't "healthy" or if I were "so sick", I believe my labs, and energy levels would reflect that. I've had several comments of what I would like to believe is genuine concern such as "I've never seen your face so thin" "you look sick". Well, no one has ever seen me under 200 pounds for the last 12 years. However, I recall so many comments from family and friends such as " you're such a beautiful girl, now if you could just lose that extra weight you'd be gorgeous." or "she's got such a pretty face" or " it's not too hard to just work out, and push yourself away from the table." "no one is going to marry you with as fat as you are" (boy were they wrong on that one, I married an amazing man), so what gives? Either you love me fat, or skinny, or keep the insensitive comments to yourself. Some of you may wonder why I'm posting this, honestly I'm just tired of the comments from people that are supposed to love me the most. Not to mention, the fact that they seem to forget that they made just the opposite of their comments to me for many years. Literally, I was 185 when I graduated high school, 237 pounds the day I delivered Caysen in June 1998, so of course, I'm not going to look the same 15 years later, and 140 pounds smaller from my heaviest weight.   I started the weight loss surgery journey at 270 pounds, and today I'm weighing 130 pounds. I've literally lost another human being or a little more than half of my former self. I'm not bragging or gloating by any means. I am damn proud of my success, and I am not ashamed of my choice to have weight loss surgery to use as a tool to get me to my goal weight, and help me maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle. No one can honestly know the struggles of obesity until they have been there. No one can tell me that I made the wrong choice, and no one will bring me down. I haven't ever felt this amazing in my life. I can run around the backyard with Lil C, I can work out for over an hour without my entire body aching, I can walk through the mall for hours without getting winded, I can wear normal size clothing, I can fit into a doctor's office chair without worrying about if I'm going to have trouble getting out of it. I can fit into a booth at a restaraunt without having to scoot the table over closer to John and Caysen. So, whether you like that I'm not fat anymore, or you're concerned about my health, I wish you would of cared about my health when I was morbidly obese instead of worrying about my pretty face.   If you have a friend or family member struggling with obesity, don't tell them it's easy to just workout and eat less, don't tell them they have a pretty face, tell them that you love them, and you want them to get healthy so you can have them in your life for as long as possible. Encourage them, educate them on good nutrition, be an example not an enabler, and above all support them if they choose to make the very life-changing decision to have weight loss surgery. When they lose weight, celebrate with them, when they struggle because believe me it's still a struggle even with surgery, encourage them, and reassure them that they can successful.   Just my thoughts for the day.
Tiffykins

Tiffykins

5
Blog 75574
 

Taste of Home! I am going to be featured in my Dr.s Booth!

:thumbup: I am getting a little freaked out tonight! It is raining cats and dogs here tonight and I have to be at my Dr.s Booth at Taste of Home, Healthy eating and living. I am the featured patient from the LapBand Surgery!!! My first appearance and I am not even at AFTER!!! Now what to wear, how will I do my hair, hope I don't get wet and the mascara runs, OMG I am so darn nervous! I should do fine, cause I will just be myself, that is all I can be. But less of myself. Oh I can and DO tell everyone about my surgery, but not with my Dr. standing there with me, Oh well, guess he will get to know me a little better. The Hospital where I had my surgery is sponsoring the booth! Pray for me please, tomorrow Tuesday at 4:30 PM!!:rolleyes2:
janetsjourneytoslim

janetsjourneytoslim

3

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!

×