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Blog 83846
 

Day1- 3 Post Op

I feel like everything is going to be Ok now that i have made it to day 3. Surgery day was a blur, I was groggy from the anesthesia and tender (sore muscles). I went in to the Hospital at 6 am for registration, they did my vitals, I put the lovely gown on, the doctor came and talked to me, then the anesthia doc came next. Before you know it they were wheeling me to the OR on a gurnery. They had me move over to the table then put the O2 mask on me then before you know it I was waking up in recovery. The pain was doable, remember to take advantage of your pain meds while you are still at hospital. I didnt at first and I let my pain get ahead of me. Once back under control post-op seemed very doable. Best advice is to get up and WALK WALK WALK. It helps with circulation, helps with gas, helps get back into the swing of things:) I was sleepy too it wore off by day 2. Lets see day 2 I was still in hospital. I got to go home at 2 pm. Day 2 seemed worse than day 1 pain wise for me. I just kept the walking up and pain meds of course. I made it, at one point I thought what the hell did i do?? That down moment didnt last long and I got through day two with my ice chips and liquid diet. Day 3 is going wonderfully. I feel stronger and was way more active and less sore today. This site has helped me out a ton as I have referred to the FAQ's several times over the past week or so. My journey is just beginning and I am excited for the new healthy me for 2010! Have a wonderful journey and good luck to all of my fellow bandsters too. We can do this:biggrin:
I-am-Denise

I-am-Denise

4
Blog 69691
 

Keys to Weight Loss and Maintenance

Maintenance scares me. I'm getting a fill to help me maintain. I'm to the point where I just need a tweak. But I can eat too much, especially at night. I'm working on my issues. I don't journal my food, being ADHD makes me go crazy trying to keep track of details, it just makes me want to eat, so I journal my food-related issues on lapbandtalk and on my blog. I frequently focus on my ADHD, my codependancy, my arthritis related pain, etc.   I also work on my mental state by focusing on the good things in my life. Philippians 4:8 says, Finally brothers(and sisters), whatever is true, , whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Change your thoughts, change your brain, change your life.   I'm working on creating that paradigm shift inside my brain to help turn off the emotional cravings for food.   I rely on God to fill the spiritual hunger, particularly through staying involved in my church, especially the music (praise) ministry, which for me is a whole body, mind, and spirit experience.   The exercise I'm getting and the high protein diet are actually very good for the ADHD. And I'm an Alanon veteran who knows the value of letting go and letting God deal with the dysfunctional people in my life. I still work the 12 steps when it comes to wanting to control people and places and things. That helps.   I'm practicing contentment, being content in all my circumstances, good and bad, knowing that I can do all things through him who strengthens me. That's from Phillipians 4: 11-14.   I'm also practicing balance, which is part of contentment. I don't want to get addicted to continued weight loss, or to exercise, or to work, or to church, or to people, or to anything. Maintaining balance helps me maintain balance in my food.   I try to do what I'm good at and put my focus there instead of on trying to be good at things I'll never be good at. As an ADHD person, I have others who keep me organized. I try not to let anyone guilt me into doing things I'm not good at or that will knock me out of balance.   What I do well, I make myself better at. What I'm good at is teaching. What I'm good at is building relationships with children that make them want to learn. I help them experience success and then make that snowball. I observe their learning style and find the blocks as well as the strengths and then I experiment with methods and materials that I think might help until I find what does.   I pour all my energy and love into what is an incredibly rewarding job, working with academically at-risk students from one of the communities with the highest rates of murder in the city of Chicago.   For relaxation and fun, I play with and take care of my grandchildren who always make me laugh.   These things helped me lose the weight. They should help me maintain.   Cheri
ifyourstomachoffendsyou

ifyourstomachoffendsyou

1
Blog 82394
 

1st meeting with Dr. made BMI goal

:thumbup: Went to meet Dr. Scott on Tuesday, made 41 BMI, thank Goodness. Now I have to complete Psych Eval (scheduled in 2 weeks) and compile all of my medical records showing all of my medically supervised weight loss attempts and send to doctors office. Feeling optimistic
losethemess

losethemess

1
Blog 80886
 

first fill!

I had my first fill yesterday and I found out that I pulled a muscle behind my port. Thats why it hurts and pinches when I move.   I have to "take it easy"   Thats lame bc I am so bored and Brian is a terrible house keeper!!!:thumbup:
HiMow

HiMow

1
Blog 82069
 

Wow

I AM EXACTLY NINE DAYS POST OP AND I WENT TO THE DR TODAY I HAVE LOST 20 POUNDS:thumbup:. MY BMI WENT FROM 49 TO 46 AND THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING I JUST THANK GOD FOR GIVING THE BEST BARIATRIC SURGEON IN THE WORLD:biggrin:. DR FRIEDMAN. SO I GO FOR MY FIRST FILL ON FEBUARY 18TH AND I HOPE TO BE DOWN 25 MORE POUNDS. WELL I GOT TO RUN...LITERALLY.:thumbup:
losingitjania

losingitjania

1
Blog 66176
 

4th Fill

Well I had my 4th fill yesterday. I now have 6 cc's in an 11 cc band. Hoping for the sweet spot. Still losing weight though so all is good. Workin with the band!!!!!
questions09

questions09

2
Blog 57021
 

Flipped Port

Hey everyone went for my fill Oct 15th. Under fluro as only Dr. Goldstein will do. the needle wouldn't go in. Dr. said my port must be flipped. Went in to repostion my port on Nov 23rd. Went well I was in and out of surgery felt like 25 minutes. Now to lose the 6 pounds I gained. Finally got permission to exercise again. Wish me luck back on the track and hoping to lose 50 more pounds.:thumbup:
rorochef

rorochef

6
Blog 54541
 

When it rains it pours... and I don't mean weather.

Well, for all those in So Cal, you know the weather is terrible outside. Pouring rain brings sadness to this bandster.   In June 2009, I began to have chest pains and complications. Dr. Feiz assumed it was due to the band being too tight. I was shocked to hear that because I felt like I was lacking in restriction. Well, my band was completely unfilled to see if that resolved it. It seemed to do the job initially, but I would still get the pains occasionally; so it was determined to be gas pains from me swallowing so much air (I never got the hang of drinking/eating without doing that. So, now it’s January 2010 and my doctor felt it was okay for me to get refilled after my endoscopy came back clean. While getting my first fill in 6 months, it caused bad pain in my chest. So, we tried to pull the fluid back out and realized my band has a leak. To verify, the doc put in 10cc and was only able to get out 6ccs. So, my band or something has gone bad and I need to go in for surgery once again to see if the band is bad. When in there, we’ll determine that we’ll either replace the band or just completely remove it.   I guess in a week or two, I’ll either be a born-again bandster, or a former bandster :-(     I really hope my band can be replace and I'm back on track like I was when I first got the band because back then I was rocking it!
MrRiceGuy

MrRiceGuy

4
Minnesotalady's Journal
 

feeling so much energy today :)

Must be the exercising that i am doing, I have so much energy today it is unbelievable! I exercised again today for 60 minutes. This is good for me considering I could not get myself off of the couch just a week ago! I give myself a BIG pat on the back. I guess I want this more than I thought. :thumbup:
Minnesotalady

Minnesotalady

3
Blog 82913
 

3 weeks post op

Well yesterday was 3 weeks for me. I have to say I feel great. I think the instructions from my doc are easy to follow. I feel really full most of the time. My first fill is tomorrow - yippeee. I am excited to she how I progress. I have been losing slow and steady really since I my pre-op appointment. I am down 25 lbs since thanksgiving!:thumbup:
tripcrazy

tripcrazy

1
Blog 83203
 

14 days post-op first time throwing up

I was finally having an ok morning... had yogurt and v8 for b'fast... no snacks(not that i didn't want them), and went to lunch with a co-worker. Ordered beans and shredded chicken with pico in a bowl... took a few bites and had to run to the restroom... first time throwing up, I could clearly see (in the bowl) why It happened... I didn't chew well at all. I'm empty again now and sipping water. I am afraid to eat again. How long should I wait, or should I just do pudding and stuff the rest of the day?
candeta

candeta

1
Blog 1118
 

Long Week

OK, so this week has just been one of those long long weeks...nothing has tasted right, felt right, I guess I've just been in a funk. Tomorrow is weigh in day. I don't know what the scale will say, but my clothes are literally falling off of me (yay!!) Stay tuned :001_tt2:
Shontel

Shontel

2
Blog 70706
 

Almost 20...wow!

Wow. It's 1/21 and I'm at 19.1, which lowered my BMI from 43.7 to 40. Remarkable. I definitely want to keep the momentum going.   I spoke with my nutritionist yesterday because I was concerned I wasn't getting enough calories. I was averaging somewhere between 300-500 daily, which is about 1/3 of most diets I've been on. When I started feeling light headed, I decided it was time to call her. She assured me that while I need to continue to consume protein in between meals to ensure I get the 70 grams daily, my fat stores would provide ample calories for my body.   She also said I might be dehydrated, and I think she's probably right, so I'm trying to step up the water consumption. I asked her about my oft-present burps that feel like bubbles in my chest, and she said I was probably drinking too fast (gulping or swallowing vs. sipping) and as I adjusted they would go away.   Because I told her I was almost at 20 lbs, she said that the next time I was in the market to go look at a 20 lb bag of cat/dog food. I did. It's really remarkable. I guess my question is...where does it all go? I'm not having BMs, so...am I peeing out nearly 20 lbs, or is it just evaporating into thin air? Weird. But cool.   Itchy stitches. Bubble burps. Missing food. Yesterday I got my son McNuggets (I know, yuck, but we had an appointment to make and he was hungry) and they put fries in with our order by mistake. That smell almost undid me. Almost. It's all still worth it. TJ's has some terrific organic broths and creamy low-cal, low-fat soups.   I've started reading Dr. Vuong's (sp?) book about getting the most from your band. It's simplistic and straightforward, which is just what I need right now. It's about maximizing your success. I also got a cookbook about eating after weight loss surgery that looks pretty good. Just gearing up for the days when I can cook. I recommend both.   Ah, to dream.:thumbup: In November I started stacking my 1X clothes to put them away because they didn't fit and I was starting to venture into size 22s and almost 3Xs. But at the rate I'm going, maybe those should be flipped.   I found an old bottom of some cutesy little pajama shorts I wore when I was in my 20s. They were my (only) sexy little pjs. Looking at it, I could not believe I ever fit into them. They are a size medium but look tiny to me. I am saving them. Soon I will be looking through clothes stored in the attic for...hmm...(geez, when did I last wear those? There are probably sizes 8-14 there)...8 years? 9 years? Whew.   Come on, big 20!!!
Wordsmyth

Wordsmyth

1
Blog 77798
 

Not Enough and Now Too Much!

I had my fourth fill yesterday. Before the fill, I was STARVING! Even with eating my protein I was still hungry. I could not stick to only 4 ounces 3 times a day. Luckily, I was still eating healthy so I managed to lose 3 more pounds (39 lbs, 7 weeks post-op) so I am happy about that! Yesterday I had 1cc put in. I immediately felt tight, but thought it would still be okay, considering how not restricted I felt the week prior. About an hour after the fill, I started having HORRIBLE acid reflux. I can drink just fine, but find myself taking very small sips. I am not hungry, so a plus there. However, not being able to sleep all night because of the reflux was not pleasant, especially since I am at work now. Needless to say, the nurse agrees that I am now too tight and need to go for a bit of a deflation today. I am hoping that this gives me some relief, but still have some good restriction. I just find it funny how finicky my band really must be. I never thought I would get tight enough, and now find myself too tight! :thumbup: Oh well, still would have done it all over again!
laughnleo

laughnleo

1
My Journey
 

01/21/10: And here we are...again...

The thing I love about myself is that when I get down and grumpy and irritated and miserable - it doesn't last long!   Yay! I'm back!   It's always a tiny little teensy eensy thing that makes me go "what was I so bothered about?"   It's this kind of perpetual circle. I want out of the bad mood so badly that I'm running in circles - and getting irritated accordingly - to get out of the bad mood - which just exacerbates my bad mood. And then something eensy teensy happens and I'm fine.   Hopefully this blog won't read like me last two. What I do have to say about the last two, though, is that to me, it's part of what this process is like - for those that have to go through the danged program. Those feelings are real and I've read them elsewhere and it's better to be aware than to be surprised when the irritable grumpiness happens. I could have kept it all to myself and I would have gotten over it all just like I have with letting it out. Letting it out didn't make me feel better and it didn't make me feel worse. The people who piped up and said "dude, we're here for you", well, that helped, but me typing out how stupid I was thinking, that didn't make me feel better or worse. But if someone reads it and says to themselves, "that's how I feel" - well then the work of the blog is done.   Anywho.   I had my annual well woman exam this morning. And this doc is something special. I think he suffers worse PMS than I ever have. Sooooo moody and if you catch him on the wrong day, man, hold your head in your hands cause if you don't, you may lose it.   Today was a good day.   The last time I saw this doc was in November when I approached him to ask for his endorsement for this surgery. He was not so very kind in saying his opinions on my weight gain were that I was basically stupid. It was a less than fulfilling meeting but at the end of the day, he did give me his endorsement and I figured "whatever".   His endorsement meaning a Letter of Medical Necessity.   Today, though...wow.   I didn't know who I was going to meet today.   I've now seen this guy 4 times and I've had 2 wonderful appts and 2 nail-scraping-on-chalkboard appts. I have always loved the office staff there, though, and, in anticipation of having to switch to a new doc in the same office when my hubby and I get pregnant, I've dealt with it.   Anywho. Today.   FABULOUS GUY!   He was chatty, he was sweet, he was positive, he was upbeat, he was in a great mood and even complimentary!   Started with - how was your New Year.   I'm thinking, ok...   Asked if I had questions. I asked his input on actually getting pregnant after being banded. I hear 2 years before we start trying and I don't know that I buy that, personally, especially when considering my case.   Not saying I want to get banded and then immediately start trying to get pregnant.   What I think is that if I focus this year on losing weight, that going into 2011 we should be in a good place for starting to try. If I can lose even just 66 pounds this year, I'll be at a normal BMI. If I can get banded in Feb or March, as has been discussed, then that seems doable. Say it was the end of Feb - that gives me 10 months to lose 66 pounds which means an average of 6.6 pounds a month. Seems to me that most do better than that when they try...and I'll certainly be trying.   So we had a conversation about that. And he thought it was all very doable and reasonable. If I were heavier then it might be more important to focus on two years. But I'm not heavier. And I am older, too. For a first pregnancy anyway.   And then he really surprised me. He complimented me. Said "you are doing well already!"   What? YOU are saying something NICE to ME?   Who ARE you?   In a moment I wish I could undo - he said he wants me to do my baseline mammogram this year. This summer. Really? Am I there already?   But then the whole thing got eery. He got cute. He says, as we are saying our good byes....   "I can't wait to see you next year and I hope to see less of you." Noticing that he was possibly sticking his foot in his mouth he says - "well not less frequently, just less person". Noticing he was still possibly sticking his foot in his mouth he started to stammer. And I'm just smiling cause I know what he means and I know where he's coming from and it's really cute and not bugging me and I even thought it was funny - and right on the dot. So I Iet him off the hook and said "I know what you mean and it sounds great to me, too!" He smiled and shook my hand and said he couldn't wait to see me next year - keep up the good work.   Really? 10 pounds is good work? 10 pounds in 4 months?   I guess it's something. But it's not a lot...   I have to chuckle - cause it is a lot when I consider how I've done it. Given the program and it's design, it's been half-hearted and half-arsed.   Sigh. I really can't wait to just let myself go and TRY!   Anywho.   Who knows if I will get banded. Who knows if this is all for nothing or all for something. But somehow, this appt gave me a warm fuzzy feeling and now I just feel better.   Add to that - the cold is still on the retreat and I feel ~95% finally. Still a bit of a stuffed up nose - but nothing I can't start to attribute to allergies.   Speaking of which, I think I'll go get some decongestants...
ldswims

ldswims

3
How I lost 100lbs
 

$63,468.64

The price tag on my surgery. Nevermind the $800 for my first fill...That my insurance doesn't seem to be covering all of.. Question though. If it's $150 for a fill with no insurance, how is it $800+ with insurance and I'm responsible for $186 of it. HUH WHAT??? :blink: :thumbup:   I think I'm going to have to have a conversation with their billing department because one of these things is not like the other.   Or how do you get the surgery cash for 15K yet my insurance is being charge $63,468.64???? How does that add up? I guess I should be ok with it and grateful it's going to my insurance and not me but REALLY?!??!! $63,468.64??!??!?!
Yvette1026

Yvette1026

7
LoseIt!'s Blog
 

Day #9 - Liquid Diet

I defnintely got over my hump from yesterday, so YAY!! I'm so glad that I have stuck to it.   Since I have always been entertained by BG's poop stories, I have one of my own. Everything has been "regular" since starting my liquid diet. That is, until this morning. Whoa. Liquid in...liquid out. Blast off. Holy moly. Ahem. Anyway, I guess I have this to look forward to for the next few days. Fun times! Note to self: no quick toots in the file room! Not that I ever do that sort of thing. :thumbup:   I got my blood work today, so another things down. Just have to get my allergy shot today and go by the pharmacy for my post op meds.   Wow...it is really coming quickly! But I still have 5 more days of liquid, so it is okay that it is.   Have a super duper day!
LoseIt!

LoseIt!

4
I think I think too much!
 

Weght Loss, Dating, and my Attitude..lol

It's so funny how when people see me now they say, "Wow Gabz, you look great! I know you have a boyfriend?!?!" My reply is "Nope!" LOL! My body had changed tremendously, but not my ideals on love and relationships. I am still the same ole' Gabz. Hopefully Romantic. I've always been focused on music, art, spirituality, and family. Not so much have I been fixed on men, even though I do love a gorgeous smile with demples...and a 6 pk here and there (great abs good to look at, not so nice to lay against). I guess what I am saying is that people reaction to my weight loss was a little shocking. Almost like okay so now I'm smaller, I can get a man now, I can get married now. Well, I could have done that before. I had plenty of gentlemen callers (hahahaha) before my weightloss, plenty in which thought the procedure was not needed. Losing weight to get people to like you...BAD IDEA! Losing weight to improve your health, prolong your life, and fit back into your favorite size 10 jeans...GREAAT IDEA! I love to tell people that more has changed for me than my bra size (40 DD - 36 D). I'm happy with myself. I'm happy with where God had led me. It's not b/c I'm smaller, it b/c I feel like I took complete control. I feel like I took the initiative to turn it alllll around. So fellas, I still believe in getting to know someone inside out. I'm still Gabby and I still get a kick out of busting balls! MUAH! :001_tt2:
songbird

songbird

2
Blog 76207
 

Major milestone!

Hit a major milestone this morning, going under the big 3-0-0 at 297 lbs. As God is my wittness I will never be over 300 lbs again!!!! Thank you El Bandito! (El Bandito is the name of my band as Mr. Bandito has stolen my appetite away... and gladly I might add!) :thumbup:
season4change

season4change

10
Blog 82362
 

Eating in College and More Support!

Well as I have personally never known anybody my age or in college who was banded I really didn't know how that would effect my overall banding experience. I feel like there has already been some challenges in the short time I have been back to school.   I wish that I had informed the nurses at campus health previous to getting surgery because I spoke with them for the first time today and they were extremely helpful and supportive.   The nurses on staff are helping me set up an appointment with themselves and the dining services nutritionist to make certain that the dining hall starts serving things that I specifically need to eat.   I am SOOO grateful to them for this because I have been having a very difficult time the past week trying to eat anything that is offered in the cafeteria. I have been mostly buying my own food and preparing it which was a waste of the meal plan that I am being forced to keep paying $2000 a semester for. Now that this issue is being dealt with I am relieve beyond belief. I guess we will see how the situations pans out.   It was also nice having the nursing staff on campus know about my band because they were extremely supportive and I find that nice to have support form a medical perspective while I am away at school. Both women were genuinely interested in the surgery and my personal experience, neither of them knowing exactly how the band works perviously. I was glad I went to visit them today and they encouraged me to stop by often and let them know my progress or just chat.   So overall today was mostly good heres hoping tomorrow is even better.
Mary Ash

Mary Ash

4
Blog 80730
 

D_day

Well I did it. I am now banded. A brand new chance to feel and look better. A better brand new me. Arrived at the hospital at 7:30 am for a 9:30 surgery. I was very sad b/c my grandaughter had to go to Duke for a check up b/c of a cough.. there was a chance she would have to be admitted. I started crying before I went in and cried until I was in the OR. Fortunately she did not have to stay . I stayed in pacu for 3 hrs which is a long time. Recieved 200 mcs of fentenyl for pain and everything under the son for nausea. Cramps were bad. Very sore tonight. Can void as usual, have had to cath self 2 times so far. Hopefully tommorow my bladder will start funcitoning again. Can't seem to get enough to drink. Very dry.
taybjb

taybjb

4
Blog 82397
 

New to lapband talk

:confused:Hello, I am new to Lap Band Talk. I had LAP-BAND® surgery on 12/28 and will not get a fill until Feb 10th. The problem is that right now I feel like I can eat a cow. I suppose this is bandster hell. I can eat at least a cup of food, maybe more. I was so worried that I would stretch my pouch that I read about and decided to try the 5 day pouch diet which is making me lose weight, but I am having a hard time sipping instead of gulping down the liquids. I am not enjoying this hunger at all. Does anyone have any suggestions. I am wondering how I am supposed to stick to half cup when I am hungry and it looks like more is going down!
cherylanne

cherylanne

6

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