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derbygirl

LAP-BAND Patients
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Posts posted by derbygirl

  4. Posted

    I was ready, albeit nervous.

    But my mother, who was elated I was having the surgery and kept bugging me to have it before I even seriously considered it, was my caretaker for the day. And, she told me afterward that when she walked in and saw me in that gown with IVs that she wanted nothing more than to grab me and get me the heck outta there. That was probably exactly what your wife was going through the first time.

    I actually had to go back and edit this post because I didn't read far enough to see that you'd gone ahead with the surgery.

    CONGRATUATIONS!!! :confused:

  5. Posted

    Hi...me again...I wanted to pass along the name of a book that I read prior to surgery and I found it not only informative, but also fun to read. It's called "The Real Skinny on Weight Loss Surgery" by Julie M. Janeway, Karen J. Sparks and Dr. Randal S. Baker.

    Janeway and Sparks both had bypass, but they discuss both procedures in detail and their own personal journies. And they're pretty funny.

    I actually have been meaning to re-read it since the surgery because there is so much information thrown at you once you meet the surgeon that it's hard to remember everything.

    Good luck with your decision. :)

  6. Posted

    How old are you? Have you recently moved? Did you notice it before it got cold?

    I developed dry skin a few years ago--mainly in the winter months. Never had it when I was younger.

    I watched a news segment on dry, itchy skin just a month or so ago. They said it's more common in the winter and that people shouldn't take as many showers to help the situation.

    Well, I'm not going to stop showering, but I can tell you that Cortaid makes a hand lotion that's medicated. You can get it over-the-counter. It works really fast.

    Oh, but my point is that it's probably not related to the lapband.

  7. Posted

    Research both options. There are good and bad with both procedures. I, personally, chose lapband due the lower fatality rate, but also because of finances. My insurance did not cover EITHER procedure and the bypass is considerably more.

    So far I've been very satisfied, and I can tell you that is what most people here are going to say. Those who've had a rough journey aren't going to frequent this type of board, although we all have our ups and downs.

    Bottom line: Only you can decide. If you really can't decide, ask your family doctor which route he/she thinks you should take.

  8. Posted

    When I had my second fill, I noticed a big difference for about a week, then things seemed to loosen up. Until then, I could not eat carbs without a little bit of pain.

    I've heard that eating too fast can make you sick. Also, you may need to chew more thoroughly.

    I have leveled off to losing about 10-15 pounds a month, and for some weird reason it always happens in about a week. For weeks I won't lose a thing, and then one day I'm down 3 and the next day 2 and etc. It's weird. But it's made me a little less obsessed about weighing, which is good. Anyway, maybe that's what your body is doing, so don't fret about not losing a pound every couple of days like you might have in the beginning.

    I don't burp or hiccup like some people talk about. That is often a sign that you're full, but my doc only allows me to eat about 1/2 cup of food per meal, so I never reach that level of fullness.

    I eat whatever I want, pretty much...just not the same volume as before. My doc recommends low fat, high Protein...and I do make an effort to reach my daily Protein goal, but I figure until my weight-loss slows, I'm not going to stay away from carbs. In fact, sometimes it seems that eating carbs causes me to lose more. Perhaps it's the increase in calories/metabolism. I dunno.

    Anyway, you're doing great! Give that fill a few more days and you'll be back to your old self again. Just take it slow for a few more days.

    :biggrin1:

  13. Posted

    Just toss it. It does sound really annoying, but it's good practice for you to be around the temptation.

    Sabotage is something we're all going to encounter on this journey. It amazes me that people who love me want me to be unhealthy because it makes them feel better about themselves.

  14. Posted

    I wanted to do the same thing but insurance regarded it as WLS as well. It was either the band or the apron so I went with the band (June 8). I'll take care of the apron later now.....I found a cosmetic surgery place in Toronto that will do a Tummy Tuck (small apron removal included) starting at $5,000....by the time I reach goal I should be able to afford this....However, I would really like to have my turkey neck removed first....LOL.....which will it be? gobble, gobble, gobble :canada:

    Carol

    Carol, I had never read your signature line before, and I nearly busted out laughing in the middle of my office here.

    :biggrin1:

    Could you please give me any more information you have about the place in Toronto. I always hear about LB patients going to Mexico, but never Canada. Anyone here have the actual LB sugery done in Canada?

  15. Posted

    Argh...the supporters. That's the thing. You CAN'T COUNT ON THEM to be supportive!! I remember before surgery the counselor asked me who would be there to support me through my weight-loss journey. My answer was basically NOBODY.

    I have lost significant amounts of weight in the past and been abandoned by jealous friends and even family members. It drove me back to eating every time. And then, guess what? When I regained, those people wanted to be my friend again.

    That's when I realized that MY ROLE was "The Fat Girl". Everyone was apparently gaging their own bodies and self-worth by comparing themselves to me. So when I lost weight, they suddenly felt bad about themselves and being around me wasn't as fun for them due to their insecurities.

    As tough as it is to swallow, you (and everyone else here) probably has a friend or two that honestly prefers that you don't lose another pound. It's not their fault--they're not bad people. They just have issues, like everyone does.

    Of course, it could be that you lost this friend because of some other reason. But my point is that you are doing this ALONE. It's YOUR JOURNEY. Try not to lean on others for support because they may not always be there.

  23. Posted

    Eating out occasionally isn't going to hurt you. Arby's is a good choice, in my opinion. Jack in the Box has a chicken fajita pita with only 9 grams of fat (even a little less if you don't eat the actual pita bread). But most of the time, you need to make time for yourself and pack something to take with you.

    I am a commuter, so I totally understand how it's easier to eat on the go.

    Here are some things that work for me:

    First, watch SuperSize Me (again if you've already seen it). It's disgusting and will turn you off to eating fast food. If you're having cravings for fast food, you need to cut your carbs and add more Protein to your diet. I used to eat FF 5X a week or more. It's a hard habit to kick. But Protein does the trick.

    Like someone else said, I have to make myself go to the grocery store on the weekend. No excuses allowed.

    I make a homemade cocoa for the road every morning. You can buy coffee-to-go cups at the grocery store for a couple of bucks. They're disposable and have sippy lids (like Starbucks). You can fit almost a cup and a half of milk in one of those cups. Add a little unsweetened cocoa and enough Sweet and Low to make it good. I use 4 packets. This, depending on your brand of milk, has anywhere between 12-16 grams of protein. Generally this fills me up for a couple of hours. I get up at 6, but I never eat Breakfast until about 10 because of the cocoa.

    Someone on another thread mentioned some scrambled egg patties they sell in the frozen section. You could try those for Breakfast with a little cheese if you have access to a microwave. If not, just pack some lunch meat, cheese and a whole-grain WASA cracker. TAKE THE TIME to bag it up the night before so you just grab-and-go in the morning. Preparation is the key here.

    Someone above mentioned salmon cups and wheat thins, which is also a great option. They sell tuna cups as well.

    Lots of times, I make divide dinner leftovers up into small containers to take to work with me. Take the time to roast a turkey breast on a Sunday...add about a tablesppon of stuffing and a little cranberry...and wah-lah...you've got a better lunch than almost anyone else in your office. Those rotissaire chickens at the deli are yummy, too, if you don't want to roast a turkey.

    Try substituting lunch with a protein-packed smoothie from smoothie King. I think TCBY makes some, too, if you ask.

    The bottom line is that where there is a will, there is a way. You have to decide for yourself how successful you're going to be in this venture.

    If you want maximum results, make the changes you need to make. You just have to put yourself FIRST.

  25. Posted

    Don't worry. If you've read this site, you're prepared. I had everything I could possibly need thanks to this board!

    I didn't want to eat at all for about a week. I forced myself to eat in the beginning.

    After a week and a half or so, I was hungry again....but it's very different. I'm a compulsive eater/head hunger person, too. You'll be fine.

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