Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

carlab51

LAP-BAND Patients
  • Content Count

    93
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by carlab51


  1. I am extremely happy with my decision to be sleeved. Honestly since last August I had been losing extremely slow, but for the new year I took a good hard look at what I was eating. I am using the Lose It! app on my smartphone and am staying under the recommended calories and I am happy to report that for the first time in a long time my New Year's Resolution is paying off and I am once again thrilled with the results of being sleeved. I have lost over 100 pounds, but since I am short I still have at least 100 to go but I feel normal again instead of like the fat lady at a freak side show. This has been an amazing ride and I can't wait to see where else it will take me. Now for a small rant... I actually had someone ask me how my skin looks. Uh, none of your business is what I wanted to say, but I just smiled, knowing that at 53 I probably look a lot better than Miss Rude Question Asker does at 75. B) I know shame on me.


  2. Hi! You all are doing so well!! For those of you who remember me, I wanted to give you an update. I finished chemotherapy in November, and was able to have vsg Feb. 18. My surgery was unusally painful and the doc suspected that it was because of the lung surgery I had not so long before. I am currently cancer free, losing weight and feeling awesome. I've missed you all.


  3. Shortness of breath. Swelling pain and redness to the calves. That's some of them.

    I had blood clots travel to my lungs last October after a lung lobectomy. I was also going through chemotherapy which can also contribute to clots. It got to the point that my calf was hurting pretty bad but because my leg was not warm everyone/doctors included said it was nothing. I going very short of breath one day and I am very lucky to live to tell the tale. I had an IVC filter put in before my sleeve on the Feb 18th and have done very well. My heart's breaks for his family.


  4. I did my pre-op last week and found out yesterday that I have a spot on my lung. Grrr. I am getting a CT scan this afternoon. I really think it is going to be nothing but I am not going to lie, I am a little unnerved but this. Surgery IS one week from tomorrow! :)

    I had the CT scan and because I work in a hospital the Chief of Radiology called me right away. I have a 1-1/4" mass in my upper left lung. Lymph nodes are not affected. I have a PET Scan on Friday. My last surgeon visit on Friday was cancelled. This all feels unreal. I can speculate so many things but that is not healthy. I am still hoping surgery is next week, but I feel like it is slipping away. I know if it is, it will only be a temporary delay. I'll let you all know the results from Friday and soon as I can.


  5. QOTD - When did I decide to have WLS? It's kind of a long story but you asked. I am turning 52 on Aug 23rd. I first became aware that I was overweight at 8 yrs old, by the time I entered college I was 100 pounds overweight. When you are under 5 feet, it is not hard to do. I reached 200 pounds overweight about 5 years ago, and Christmas 2011 I peaked at 350 pounds. 350 pounds! I am less than 5 feet tall and weighed over two and a half times my ideal weight! During these years of struggle I had also tried many diets, and my most successful attempt was a liquid diet that lasted 10 months. I lost 130 pounds but I gained it back quicker than I lost it. I had been considering WLS for a long time but I was scared of the surgery, after all I had lost 130 pounds before, I could do it again. Bypass as you know has many long term issues so I never seriously considered it, plus my insurance did not cover it and I had no means to get financing. Last year I started working for a hospital where the benefits are awesome. I consulted a surgeon last year, but when I told him I wanted the sleeve, he said the RNY was what I needed. When I stepped out of the exam room, his nurse said she could "fast-track" me and I could have the surgery in 2 weeks. This scared the wits out of me!! I did not make another appointment, but told them I would call but I could not get out of there fast enough and no I didn't go back. Fast forward a year, on a friends recommendation I went to a new surgeon, who was just amazing and really took time with me. He agrees that the sleeve is the best procedure for me. The real reason is that aside from the fact that I am as big as a barn, both my parents died at the "young" age of 74 of heart related problems. 74... that means that if I don't do something fast, I will be lucky if I have 20 years left on this earth. My children are 20 and 23. I want to grow old to see their children and to be the best friend to my daughter that my mom was to me. August 2nd can't get here fast enough!!


  6. H everyone!

    I got my results back from my ekg and while every other test has had GREAT results...... The nurse called and told me that i have a bundle blockage in my heart. I have never had any heart problems or high BP. She told me that it could be nothing but i cant be put on anesthesia until they knew for sure.

    Anyway Im freaking out!! Im scheduled for Aug10th and i was mentally preparing for change. No food funrals just lowering my carbs and walking

    Charm -- I am sorry to hear about your news. You'll be in my thoughts. What are they going to do next? Please keep us posted.


  7. Wow that is a tough question. I am thinking a girlfriends cruise will be a must. On a more personal note I have been telling myself for several years that I want to climb my mountain and gain control over all my issues that have held me back for so long. So a symbol would be to successfully climb Mt Leconte. There is a primitive lodge at the top so you can spend the night. But the only way to get to the too is to scale the mountain.

    I work with 2 girls that were sleeved a few weeks ago and we are talking about a cruise next summer. My husband will never go for it but he'll get over it... eventually. :):D:):D:)


  8. QOTD: Do you have any major award planned for yourself along the way down the scale or at the end?

    There are so many rewards I have planned and quite honestly even the small ones, like sitting in a booth, seem huge right now. I do know that one of my major rewards will mostly definitely include a plane trip, sitting skinny in the center seat, and horseback riding. I have a feeling that if... no scratch that.. WHEN I reach my goal of losing 200 pounds, a full body lift and tuck will be a MUST and not so much a reward. 18 days till my new life begins! Wow, that is hard to believe. I have been at least 100 pounds or more overweight for 30 years... 30 YEARS! I honestly feel like I have been given a pardon from my life sentence of misery. Oh happy day! :D


  9. You know how they always say that it takes a while for your head to catch up with your body? I just had to laugh at myself today. I bought a dress last week for my first goal size. I have already lost 25 but don't feel like it has made that much difference. So, I took the dress out today to see how tight it is and you guessed it... it fit! Oh well, guess I will HAVE to shop some more. :P


  10. I am doing the same thing and so glad I did. It has given me a chance to get ready mentally. The first couple of days were really hard, but it was my choice and I could have a bit to eat if I really needed it to chase away the hungrys. I am ready mentally and physically and I would recommend doing that to everyone. Not to mention the benefit of losing a few extra pounds, which is ALWAYS a good thing, right Martha?!


  11. All I'm going to say is, as a nurse who has taken care of plenty of bypass patients, I'd rather die of morbid obesity than have a bypass. That's what I think of the surgery and it's track record of complications.

    I have personal knowledge of this to be true as well. The first surgeon I saw tried to do the same thing to me and I walked out of his office so scared that it took me a year to even think about considering surgery again. I had a sweet doctor at work approach me and had a very frank talk with me about the sleeve. I am confident I am making the right decision and am very excited to be nearing the end of the process necessary to be approved by my insurance carrier. The thought of bringing this nearly life long misery to and end has me excited beyond words! Don't let anyone talk you into something that you are not 100% ready or willing to do. I am so glad I didn't.


  12. After reading the boards for a while, I know I'm one of the heavyweight sleevers to be. I need to lose about 200 lbs.

    Any other July peeps in the same boat?

    That would be me! I don't have a date yet, but I am pretty sure it will be July. We are going to do awesome! I try to keep my goals realistic and right now am just focusing on the first 100. At the same time I have so much excitement about the things I will be able to do at that point, that I practically have happy feet!!


  13. You are not alone. I have had so many experiences just like yours. God sent you a sweet angel to sit with you. That is so awesome how you were treated on the way home. It is easy for me to say don't be humiliated, lots of people have been there, but I know from experience it doesn't matter. Soon we will be the sympathetic sweet angels, tiny enough to help someone in the seat next to us. Good luck! You are gonna do great!

PatchAid Vitamin Patches

×