Cyndie B

Hey guys! Just thought I would share my 5 month before an after pics with everybody. I got surgery 2/28/12 weighing 235 and I weighed myself this morning at 192.5! So I treated myself to shopping and tried on not a 2X or even 1X a frigen XL bathing suit.. Are you kidding me?? I hope this helps someone who's considering getting this surgery because it was the best decision I ever made (tough and frustrating at times yet still the best) I have a whiiiles to go till I'm at goal 130lbs but this is the movitation I need. I feel good, i actually sleep since my sleep apea is GONE and whenever I need support come right to this website. Love my band!
Xoxo

Thanks everyone for your posts...I never thought about the addiction aspect. Alcoholism runs in my family so you would think I would be more careful. This surgery has taught me a lot about myself and I'm still learning. I am going to be more careful and smart in my decisions about drinking - thanks again!

Rebecca - You weight loss is wonderful and I'm sure you feel fantastic but be careful with losing too much weight too fast...there are many studies done that indicate if you lose too fast, it can hamper your ability to maintain once you reach your goal weight. I lost very fast in the beginning and wasn't taking in enough Protein and two things happened to me: I lost a ton of hair (because of the rapid weight loss and not enough protein) and I am now very flabby. Make sure you are doing your exercising while losing weight...now I am playing catch up with my flabbiness (trying to do arm, abs and thigh exercises like a mad woman) and trying to get my hair to grow back! Anyway, it also sounds like you are not getting enough Protein and that is not good. I would suggest incorporating Protein shakes because eating potato Soup does not take care of your protein intake. The eggs and cheese are good sources of protein. I don't want to be a Debbie Downer and I hope that I don't sound that way but I have a couple more months experience and trust me I love when the scale moves but it's much better to do it in slow steps...
Keep up the good work!

I had a fill last Thursday and I really only wanted .4 cc's but the doctor said that if I got .7 cc's I would be in the green zone at 6.1 cc's. I understood what she was saying and it made sense so I agreed but since the fill I can only eat small bites of Protein but not enough for my daily allotment. It's rediculous...I guess I will just start back up on the Protein shakes. What's really strange is I start getting this horrible pain in my left shoulder when I have ate too much or too fast...literally two bites of ground up meat loaf. I am not sure what to do at this point...one part of me says this will help me lose weight quicker but at what cost to my health? I will have to evaluate in the next couple of days how I'm feeling.
My advice to you would be to get another unfill. Life is too short to be miserable and like you said you don't want to lose the weight this way. Maybe they can take out 1 cc so you will start feeling better.

The low carb way of eating works best for me, too. I eat protien and veggies. I also eat almonds as a snack. I have an egg and a couple of pieces of bacon for Breakfast, lunch meat and cheese for lunch, and then chicken or fish and veggies for dinner. No bread, potatoes, rice, no fast food, no sweet drinks, no Desserts. I am feeling great! And I can't forget the low carb margarita mix...1 carb!

Hi Everyone! I went shopping today and was able to fit into XL tops and size 14 pants...although I had to bump up a size for jeans to a 16...but the best thing is I did not have to go to the plus size section. It was so awesome and I couldn't believe it was my butt in the pants I tried on...lol...I am 7 weeks post op and I have had one fill. I am still feeling restriction but not as much as before. I have been exercising on the treadmill 4 to 5 times a week. I am looking forward to my next fill and maybe instead of buying new clothes I will be heading to the consignment store.

Hi Everyone! I went shopping today and was able to fit into XL tops and size 14 pants...although I had to bump up a size for jeans to a 16...but the best thing is I did not have to go to the plus size section. It was so awesome and I couldn't believe it was my butt in the pants I tried on...lol...I am 7 weeks post op and I have had one fill. I am still feeling restriction but not as much as before. I have been exercising on the treadmill 4 to 5 times a week. I am looking forward to my next fill and maybe instead of buying new clothes I will be heading to the consignment store.

Hi Everyone! I went shopping today and was able to fit into XL tops and size 14 pants...although I had to bump up a size for jeans to a 16...but the best thing is I did not have to go to the plus size section. It was so awesome and I couldn't believe it was my butt in the pants I tried on...lol...I am 7 weeks post op and I have had one fill. I am still feeling restriction but not as much as before. I have been exercising on the treadmill 4 to 5 times a week. I am looking forward to my next fill and maybe instead of buying new clothes I will be heading to the consignment store.

Hi Everyone! I went shopping today and was able to fit into XL tops and size 14 pants...although I had to bump up a size for jeans to a 16...but the best thing is I did not have to go to the plus size section. It was so awesome and I couldn't believe it was my butt in the pants I tried on...lol...I am 7 weeks post op and I have had one fill. I am still feeling restriction but not as much as before. I have been exercising on the treadmill 4 to 5 times a week. I am looking forward to my next fill and maybe instead of buying new clothes I will be heading to the consignment store.

Hi Everyone! I went shopping today and was able to fit into XL tops and size 14 pants...although I had to bump up a size for jeans to a 16...but the best thing is I did not have to go to the plus size section. It was so awesome and I couldn't believe it was my butt in the pants I tried on...lol...I am 7 weeks post op and I have had one fill. I am still feeling restriction but not as much as before. I have been exercising on the treadmill 4 to 5 times a week. I am looking forward to my next fill and maybe instead of buying new clothes I will be heading to the consignment store.

Hi Everyone! I went shopping today and was able to fit into XL tops and size 14 pants...although I had to bump up a size for jeans to a 16...but the best thing is I did not have to go to the plus size section. It was so awesome and I couldn't believe it was my butt in the pants I tried on...lol...I am 7 weeks post op and I have had one fill. I am still feeling restriction but not as much as before. I have been exercising on the treadmill 4 to 5 times a week. I am looking forward to my next fill and maybe instead of buying new clothes I will be heading to the consignment store.

Hi Everyone! I went shopping today and was able to fit into XL tops and size 14 pants...although I had to bump up a size for jeans to a 16...but the best thing is I did not have to go to the plus size section. It was so awesome and I couldn't believe it was my butt in the pants I tried on...lol...I am 7 weeks post op and I have had one fill. I am still feeling restriction but not as much as before. I have been exercising on the treadmill 4 to 5 times a week. I am looking forward to my next fill and maybe instead of buying new clothes I will be heading to the consignment store.

Don't beat yourself up...you are human and we all have moments when we are not at our best...please don't regret what you did...it is the best thing you did! I can't really give you any advice other than to hang in there and tell your doctor what you are experiencing. I had such a desire to chew something so I ate about three nibbles of a saltine cracker...I'm 5 days post op...lol...how stupid was that? Anyway...don't give up!

I went to the location in Houston as well. My doctor is Dr. Hollis. I have been watching your posts...I'm glad to hear that you are doing well. I have been eating soft foods and it's going well; however, I had a protien shake today (the Gladiator from Smoothie King) and I guess I drank it too fast and thought I was going to die I felt so full. I walked on my treadmill and let out lots of burps and felt better. It's really hard to get used to what is enough and when to stop. I haven't lost anything in 3 days so I'm a little discouraged but hopefully I will soon...I'm doing all the right things, exercising, etc. so we will see. Let me know if you have any questions as I'm a little bit ahead of you...take care and enjoy your popsicles!

I walked and took pain meds...but there are two different types of gas...the one that they put inside you to blow up your stomach to do the surgery and then the intestinal gas pains which I still have and I am 13 days post op. I take Gas-X and let it out whichever way I can...but it gets better each day...hang in there!

I was banded yesterday...Feb 1...am I the first to represent the February bandsters? Make sure you take a pillow for the drive home...it holds your stomach for the drive. I woke up and my shoulders were killing me...the pain killers helped. I thought I would escape the gas but I wasn't that lucky...it kicked in today unfortunately. Now just walking and using gas-x. I would be interested to hear from y'all about how many incision sites you have...I have 3 plus a long one about an inch long...I guess I won't ever be wearing a bikini - lol...

I was banded yesterday...Feb 1...am I the first to represent the February bandsters? Make sure you take a pillow for the drive home...it holds your stomach for the drive. I woke up and my shoulders were killing me...the pain killers helped. I thought I would escape the gas but I wasn't that lucky...it kicked in today unfortunately. Now just walking and using gas-x. I would be interested to hear from y'all about how many incision sites you have...I have 3 plus a long one about an inch long...I guess I won't ever be wearing a bikini - lol...

I am doing Atkins...it's high protien and very low carbs/sugar. It also shrinks your liver. Here is a good article I found...
Pre-op liver reduction plan
Just because you are awaiting a surgical treatment for your morbid obesity, this is not an excuse to sit back and gorge out on as much food as you can! Any weight you can lose through dieting before your surgery is an advantage - it will make the surgery easier and will reduce the risks associated with it.
Some surgeons mandate a very restricted diet - one that is low in fat, sugar and carbohydrates - for one week prior to surgery and even if your surgeon doesn't ask you to follow this diet, doing so will increase your chances of your operation being completed laparoscopically because it will shrink your liver down in size. By following a strict diet, your body reduces its glycogen stores (glycogen is a form of sugar stored in the liver and muscles for energy). With each ounce of glycogen, the body stores 3–4 ounces of Water, so when you follow a very strict diet, especially one that is low in starch and sugar, your body loses its glycogen stores and some Water. The liver shrinks as it has less glycogen and water in it.