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Lapband LaLa
 

Week 40...I Got A New Attitude & New Pics Too!

What a wonderful ride this week has been! On Tuesday we had a great performance and I got a few new pics of me singing!   Then I had a whole new photo shoot! I have never felt so beautiful in all my damn life. For once I felt like the person I always wanted to emerge. She is here....oh yes she is!   I had a wonderful photographer and she made me so comfortable in front of the camera.   What a wonderful new life this is.   I turn 40 this week! I feel better than I did when I was 20!   I am going to have a party on Friday with all my girlfriends. We are going to take a Salsa class and then dance the night away and I am going to make a poster of all my new photos so share with everyone!   Happy Birthday To Me!   Come share in my joy! http://www.lapbandtalk.com/members/57955-albums5264.html     Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?:redface:   Surgery Date: May 21, 2009 Starting Weight: 280lbs Dr. Michael Metz - St. Luke's Hospital Denver, CO:thumbup: Follow my progress thru photos: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/members/5...lbums3475.html
Lapband LaLa

Lapband LaLa

9
Blog 81481
 

Saturday

It has been eight days since my surgery and i am healing right along. Maybe I'm feeling a little too good? Movement is good, I hiked about 3 miles in the snow today. It was awesome. I still have intense pain in my upper left shoulder after I eat. Weird. It does not go away. sharp and throbbing. I really hope that sensation goes away soon. As far as food goes... I am not following the regulations. yikes... i am already back to eating solid foods but chewing them much much more. I am still not eating very much and i have lost 10 lbs. Morning Protein shake smoothie with almond butter, milk and banana Lunch Soup, cottage cheese Dinner A real dinner. thai food rice noodles with chicken and veggies sushi rolls. Only my portion is an eighth of what it use to be. I have called in to the Abq office to meet with Dr. Smith near the end of the month. I'm thinking next week or so to get my first fill. Adding more movement into my daily routine will be vital in jump starting my continued loss. I dont think eating solid foods so early is super bad for me. ?? I'm just not a caned foods kind of person. Although i was thinking about trying my hand at making homemade broccoli soup. been craving that stuff lately. Must need the iron. I do take my vitamins but nothing beats the real thing. All and all i am feeling pretty good. But also keeping a close eye on myself. Well here's to looking great and feeling good now! Manifesting my own reality, full of joy and adventure.:redface:
Jadeite

Jadeite

4
Blog 77170
 

2nd fill and metabolic testing

So I got my second fill last Wed. So far I can't really keep anything down but liquids. I did manage to get some chicken noodle soup down...barely. I am going to give it a few days cuz I don't really want to have an unfill. On Friday I went in and had an REE done which is a basal metabolic test. To everyone's surprise as well and mine my metabolism is in the normal range...actually a little bit above normal. I know this is good and I should be happy about it but it is really hard for me to wrap my brain around it. Basically they told me I am not eating enough calories. I have been trying to stay between 800-1200. Days I am bad I eat 1300. They want me at at least 1800 everyday. More if I work out more than normal. According to the REE my body burns 2174 cals a day to just live. An extra 651 for daily activities and 250 for 30 min of aerobic activity(I usually do an hour to an hour and a half a day). So basically I am burning ~3000 cals a day. They dietician who takes the body pump class that I teach patted me on my leg and said this is fantastic...it is because you have so much muscle. Ok, with all that said I need some advice.   1. Has anyone else had metabolic testing? 2. How do you think I should get in 1800 cals? I don't think I can get that in with only 3 meals a day. Should I add in snacks or do 4 or 5 smaller meals? Or add extra protein shakes? Thanks in advance for any suggestions :thumbup:and sorry this is so long.
sunflower80

sunflower80

1
Blog 50043
 

a bad day

tired. sleeping like shit. cant really get comfortable. easily annoyed by pretty much everything. animals making me crazy. stressed.   i feel like my life has been turned upside down by this whole thing. i didnt realize i was going to be so stressed out by it. i cant focus on anything lately. i can barely think, probably due to the lack of carbohydrates. ive been forgetting protein shakes. i missed one yesterday...and one today but ill play catch-up for todays shake. 5 days left. im nervous and having second thoughts but thats pretty normal before surgery or so im told.   i just feel like crap. also, i want food. *grumps* :redface:
harliquinn

harliquinn

4
Blog 85392
 

New

I had every thing done just waiting for my insurance approval and my surgery date...im excited and nervous!!:redface:
trisha lynne

trisha lynne

3
Blog 85600
 

I'm getting closer

Hello, I'm getting banded 03-12-10 @ 8:00 am. I will start my liquid diet 02-26-10. Yahoo, can't hardly wait...:frown:   It's been really nice being able to read everyone else's experiences. I'm still very nervous about surgery.:eek: I've had surgeries before and I think that's what makes me nervous. :w00t:   I'm so looking forward to losing the weight. It seems like every new year that goes by I have gained another 10-20 lbs. :redface: and after a while, well, you know.....it's hard to lose and when I do lose some, about three - four months later, I gain it back, plus some.:mad2:   I must say, it's very encouraging seeing everyone's success stories. :thumbup: It's also very scary when I read horror stories that people have encountered.   I go for testing this Friday. Wish me luck.:thumbup:
tsmrdh

tsmrdh

1
Blog 85631
 

Eleven Days Later...

:tongue2:So things are getting back to normal. I'm moving quicker, no gas pain in my shoulder. I have more energy and most importantly... I'm happy.   For a bit there, with all the discomfort and the fact that I expected a bit more weight loss, I was questioning whether or not I made the right choice, but today seems bright and I have no regrets. I am so glad I joined this forum. I love knowing how others are doing and having people give me feedback - this is definitely one of those things that you need to live to understand. :frown:   I am starting to get hungry (and that's hard, but hey that's part of life - anybodies) and today I bit the big one, four days sooner than I was supposed to, I had some oatmeal. It went down well and I have no regrets. I made a choice and I'm okay with that. :redface:   I will try to stick with the liquid diet until then (but if I don't, I will try to forgive myself).
Lynn2988

Lynn2988

1
Blog 61341
 

So About That Tiger Woods Apology?

I wish they would take it off the air and just let him talk to his wife (assuming she is still talking to him)…I could not resist the head line. But…it did get me to thinking…that I do owe a great of thanks to my wife and sons who have been very supportive of my LapBand process. I have read so many posts of people who are ostracized or belittled for seeking or having the LapBand done. It continues to amaze me how much grief others have to go through just to help themselves. Undoubtedly, there are thousands of different reasons, fears, jealousies and circumstances the lead to the comments made by family and friends of those who don’t understand. All I can say is sometimes you have to make choices on your own and live by your convictions. Best of luck to those that don’t get all the support you deserve, it will be with it in the end.   Now back to CNNs biggest news story and debate about the credibility of Tiger’s apology, was he sincere enough…was it better than when Kobe apologized. I think the marriage is shot…Tiger give it up, go back to being the best golfer in the world, keep your head down, be the best father you can be to your kids and stop whining to the globe. The world and endorsement folks will forgive and forget for the most part if Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Bill Clinton, Alex Rodriguez and others are any example. Welcome the world of mere mortals.
Cingulus

Cingulus

3
Blog 82010
 

Mini victory!

I hit 34 pounds yesterday so now I only have 100 to lose! I know it sounds horrible but I'm so excited I've only got 100 left to get to goal:drool:, it sounds so much better than 134!   Woohoo!!
SoccerMomma73

SoccerMomma73

4
Blog 85870
 

Atkins Diet-Day 6

I have successfully completed 5 days on an extremely strict Atkins diet to lose the pre-op weight. On Monday i weighed 219. This morning i was surprised to see 216.5 on the scale. I guess its working. Only 4 more pounds to go!   I will be honest... these past 5 days has been all about food. I have been really hungry, tracking everything i eat on Sparkpeople.com and working out (only twice). I am guessing this is what its going to be like with the band as well. I have been trying to practice not drinking while eating but this diet is way to salty for me to be successful at that. I am worried about the drinking part when it comes down to me having to do it. I will, because i know its the right way to lose the most weight, but its going to be hard.   I went to do all my testing yesterday at the hospital. Blood work, X-Rays, EKG, Ultrasound to look t my organs. Took 3 hours and i couldn't eat. I was already hungry going to bed the night before, woke up with hunger pains and just about passed out doing the EKG and drinking the barium. At least that part is over, one step closer to surgery, which i still don't even have a date yet. When do you get a date?? I haven't met with the nutritionist yet. Thats March 1st. Maybe then?   I really can't wait to get this procedure done and over with. What a long road to lead up to it. I know it will be all worth it. I am so impressed by all the blogs I have been reading and all the success! Good work bandsters! Can't weight to join you! :redface:
Jilly29

Jilly29

3
Blog 86158
 

Worried, but am waiting for lap-band surgery..

Hi, I am waiting for surgery. I have meetings in march 2010. Then I hope to see Dr. John Baker and he sets me an appointment for surgery. I really don't know how anything works.. I am very excited about the lap-band® surgery. I want to start living again. My weight is 390, I know thats really bad. I want so much to run with my grandkids and walk in the park with them. I want to see my grandkids children and get off of a lot of meds I have to take now.. So many things I want to do , just simple things that I haven't done in a very long time.. Please someone let me know how this surgery process works.. I look foward to hearing for you... Thanks:confused:
sharon_57

sharon_57

1
Blog 85448
 

Nutrition Meeting

I have my own nutritionist who I've been working with for a while, but I was required to meet with a nutritionist affliated with the hospital. Guess I expected more from the meeting. I wasn't weighed or asked how the Medifast was going. The nutritionist was a recent grad with little personality. The only way I caught her name was by her ID tag. She acted bored and as if she was dealing with an idiot. Let me guess - if you're fat, you're probably a dunce. She had all her required checklists all lined up in a rack and was whipping them out like a well-oiled machine. We went through the same questions I answered before my first visit with the surgeon, and during my psych consult. She read the Post-Surgical diet to me and told me to call if I had any problems. Meanwhile her phone line rang and rang. Methinks I'll be calling my own nutritionist.:redface:
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

1
Blog 85448
 

The (No) Sleep Lab

Checked in at 7pm and immediately had to get into my PJ's. Thought it odd until the whole wiring process began - took almost an hour. Nice room - set up like a hotel with a half bath, but way too warm for me. And since I usually go to bed between 11:30 and 1:00am, 10:30pm was tough.   Barely slept - too warm, two fans going was unbelievably loud - sort of felt like a hot summer night when the A/C has died and you dooze at most. I'm punchy now and ready for bed - it's only 7pm!
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

1
Blog 85448
 

Cardiologist

Spent five hours yesterday at the cardiologist. Had a nuclear stress test. They inject a radioactive isotope wait and hour, do some films(like a mini-CT), hook you up to the EKG/Treadmill, bring you to a target heart rate and then have you sit for another hour before doing a second set of films. Then I had an echocardiogram - mostly because I've had chemotherapy and it can damage the heart. No word yet from the doctor but the tech said that if they'd seen anything they'd have had me stay so...no news is good news.
RavenClaw779

RavenClaw779

1
Blog 76546
 

At a stand still...

I went to the doctor to get a fill, and she wouldn't do it.. I've been maintaining the same weight for the past 2 visits. I'm at a stand still. She was tell me about shrinking my stomach. By going on a liquid diet for 2 days... By doing that, your stomach will get smaller. Did anyone here about that?..... I want to do it but I want to hear from other people that have done it.... Does it work..
AppleG

AppleG

3
Blog 78235
 

Life is a Highway, and it's going my way!!

So many people will say that lapband surgery is the easy way out but there really is nothing easy about this process. I was banded on Oct 23, 2009 and I have thus far lost a total of 67lbs. Let me tell you what I had to do to get there. So before I had my surgery I was a whopping 304lbs. YIKES. Figure it out as to how much I weigh now. :redface: I have about 87lbs to go. Anyway in 2001 I had open heart surgery for an Aortic Anuerysm and a valve replacement. Since a porcine valve (Pigs valve..no bacon jokes please) was used I will need to have the surgery again in another couple of years because unfortunately they don't last more then 10 years. Why did I have that kind of valve put in? Because I was young and didn't fancy the idea of taking a blood thinner for the rest of my life. So I have been following a Cardiologist. Anyway for years I have been battleing a weight problem. I have tried every diet that you can think of. And I have actually lost weight. Only to gain it back again by hitting a major sink hole on the highway. One day at a check up my Cardiologist told me that it was time to start thinking about my surgery again. Then told me that if I didn't really think about losing weight I could possibly die on the table or run the risk of several infections. So I think that was the day that I really woke up and said, "Hey you need to do something about this." So I started doing research. And after attending a Bariatric Weightloss Seminar and 6 months of nutrional visits along with other types of doctor visits I finally had my surgery. So now I am down 67lbs and EXERCISING!! But along with that weight loss comes endless calorie counting, vitamin intake, making sure you chew your food so it doesn't get stuck. And lots of will power. People think once you get that lapband in you aren't gong to be hungry. BULL CRAP. You are hungry and the thing is it does take alot of will power because you can keep eating. You have to teach yourself the difference between head hunger and real hunger. You can't let food control you. The band is a tool. It's not a get thin quick type of deal. It does require alot of work. And you can eat pretty much anything in moderation. I don't do bread, pasta or beef. They don't agree with me. So here I am riding the Highway of Life without hitting the pot holes anymore. Oh I do hit those speed bumps once and awhile. I'm only human. I have to 'cheat' once and awhile. But unlike before I know how to control myself. And I know that if I want to be healthy and stay alive, this is the end of the road for me. I have to be serious. This is probably the best thing that I have ever done for myself. I have NO regrets and if I had it to do over again, I would.
Astrasmom

Astrasmom

6
The Sweet Spot
 

2/19/10 Nutrition

On request, I started a series on my nutrition. First one is on my breakfast and second on vitamins/supplements/and meds.   Here: http://bandgroupiethesweetspot.blogspot.com/
Band_Groupie

Band_Groupie

1
Blog 40740
 

Getting in the groove.

Helpful to read posts about fbs (first bite syndrome). I definitely get this. I seem to be prone to gas bubbles which collect in the opening of my band. I think I may have a slight allergy to dairy which causes this.   In any case, today has gone well on the food front. Am working my way through a protein drink. Had lentil soup (well the broth, luckily it was brothy and not dense) and a bit of my dd's chicken nugget.   Really have to get the shakes down. Got really tired this afternoon. Sure it was from not enough protein. I will be able to have another tonight w/ air popped popcorn.   Already dropped 5lbs which is a huge relief. I can see the difference in my face. Will keep the momentum going.
Gildy

Gildy

1
Blog 61341
 

299?When One Pound Makes a Difference

I stepped on the scale today and for the first time since 1992, I saw a “2” in the first digit. Yes, it was only 299, but it started with a 2! If anyone is on the fence about getting the LapBand…let this blog be the reason you go forward with the process. Intellectually, I knew if I got the band, followed the rules this should happen. Hell we all know that, but experiencing it is just a tremendous relief… I did not do all of this for nothing. It is also a motivational driver for me. Emotionally, I can now tell myself. If you can make a “2” the first digit then you can make “1” the first digit. The other thing I was thinking about were benchmark/goals for my weight relative to my height, build and desired configuration. I am 5’ 8” tall and have always, even while being fat, an avid weight lifter so I am not going to be scrawny guy. The best target analog I could come up with was an NFL running back. Most of them are 5’ 7” – 6’ 1” and weight between 190 and 230 lbs. So here are my key targets for the journey:   • 1. Break 300 (I have not been under 300 since 1992)   • 2. Break 271 (The highest weight I weighed when I fought MMA competitively)   • 3. Break 225 (Average NFL running back weight at 5'10")   • 4. Hit 197 (My school wrestling weight)   You have to move from the 300s to the 200s to make the 100s. It was only open pound, but it helps me believe that I can really make it this time, I did not waste $17,000 of my own cash and the hope of the LapBand is not an illusion, but an attainable goal.
Cingulus

Cingulus

9
Blog 83423
 

One Week Post -Op

I am feeling really good. It only took me a half hour to get down an 8 ounce double milk protien shake. This is huge because it was taking like three hours and I was lucky to get in 48 ounces of liquid per day. I am hoping to be on track and getting in all 64 ounces of liquid today. I have been careful to track my amounts on a small index card just to be sure I am meeting minimums.   Yesterday I had a bit of a setback though, when I was making DH's lunch and mixing the tuna I didn't even think, just licked the fork before throwing it into the sink--not good because I was feeling all tight the rest of the afternoon and evening. Finally, at about 8 pm I was able to get 8 ounces of Unjury Chicken mixed in warm water down. I will definately not make that mistake again!   I am thinking of trying a short drive today--I am planning on returning to work on Monday and want to be prepared. I have only been taking one lortab in the evening to take the edge off the pain, so I think I will be ok giving it a try. I will be gald to get back to work, a bit more structure there so maybe I will do better with my food. I have my first post-op appointement on Tuesday. That will be a good way to ease back into work--work a day,off a day, work three days.   Yesterday my TV in the bedroom blew up. Seriously, the thing just made a loud pop and then went black. What a horrid smell. I am glad my DH was home so he could move it out of there. The running joke around here is that it killed itself. See I had fallen asleep and when I woke up Jerry Springer was on. Not only did my IQ drop, but my TV commited suicide!
patsal

patsal

2

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