lovely creation

Good morning lapband family, I know that it has been a while since I posted but I have been really busy with the struggles of every day life....On Friday 5/15/09 I had my third fill and now I have 5cc in a 9cc band. As far as restriction goes I do have some but not as much as i would like. I have lost 60 pounds thus far and I have been working out like crazy at least 4 days at the gym. Because I have reached a plateau I had to change up my work out routine...I just started incorporating intervals into my work out routine, we will see if it works as good as they say it does, all I know is that I am sweating like crazy after wards.. well that's my update for now. I am scheduled to have another fill of .5cc's in 6 weeks, so talk to you all then unless i drop 20 pounds b4 then, then you will hear from me sooner lol

Today I went for my first fill and it was a breeze, no problem. All that I felt was a little pinch and in about 5 seconds it was all over. I was given some water to drink and it went down fine. i was placed on a twenty-four hour liquid diet so I am not sure of how much restriction I have at this point. I was told to come back in 3 weeks for another fill of about 2cc's. I have been very hungry lately and I was told that this would help tremendously. Wewill see, I will keep you all updated. Happy Friday......

General: WOW, I can not believe that it has been 5 weeks since I had my lap band surgery. Where has the time gone? I can really say this has been an unique experience and a challenge. Those people that say that bariatric surgery is the easy way out, they are clueless. I think it is more challenging because it forces you into accountability.

RECOVERY: Well, as far as my recovery goes, my incisions have completely closed and healed. The incision where my port is, is healed but there is a stitch about an inch long that is sticking out of my skin, my incision healed around it and there are no signs of infection so I decided to address this at my 6 week appointment next week.

DIET: The first two weeks after surgery was very awkward It was a time of "finding myself" or "feeling things out" I think I pretty much know how to listen to my body when it comes to eating. Head hunger -vs- the real thing. I currently feel no restriction at all and I am hungry often (thank God for the protein shakes they help a lot with this problem) but the sweet cravings are still there and stronger than ever.

FIRST FILL: Unfortunately I have to be 6 weeks post-op before I can get my first fill. I wonder why some people can get their fills as soon as 2 weeks after and I have to wait 6 weeks? I don't know. I am excited and nervous about my fill but I guess I will be OK after I experience the first fill. I hope I get a lot more restriction than I have now.

WEIGHT LOSS: So far I have lost 43 pounds about 24 of those I lost after surgery and about 19 before surgery. I also go to the gym at least 4 times a week. Friday I am going to try a new workout class, belly dancing (picture that) I will let you know how that goes) Well that is all for now, I will post more pictures next week on Thursday or Friday of me slowly deflating LOL, until then GOOD LOOSING!!!

Thanks a million. You are right sip sip sip and walk walk is all that i have been doing

WOW, THERE IS SO MUCH THAT HAPPENED I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START. I GUESS THE BEGINNING WOULD BE GOOD. MY MOM AND I LEFT FOR GAINESVILLE AROUND 4:30 IN THE MORNING ARRIVED AT SHANDS HOSPITAL ABOUT 6:15 IN THE MORNING (GO FIGURE, i AM LATE TO EVERYTHING) THEY CALLED US BACK AS A GROUP AT ABOUT 6:30, THERE WAS ABOUT SEVEN OF US GETTING BANDED AT THE SAME TIME. ALL OF THE PREPARATION FOR SURGERY WENT GOOD, THE NURSE STARTED AN I.V. ON ME AND SHE GOT IT ON THE FIRST TRY (YEAH GRACE) I AM A VERY HARD STICK, AND MY VEINS ARE VERY HARD TO FIND SO GRACE DID A SUPER JOB. SO EVERYTHING IS DONE AND NOW i AM READY TO GO BACK TO HAVE THE SURGERY, THIS IS WHERE THINGS GET KINDA UGLY BECAUSE ME BEING THE DRAMA QUEEN THAT i AM FREAKED OUT WHEN THE ANESTHETIST WAS HOLDING THE MASK OVER MY FACE. I KEPT TURNING MY HEAD TRYING TO MAKE HIM MOVE IT BECAUSE I FELT AS IF I WAS SUFFOCATING. THE NEXT THINGI KNEW i WAS WAKING UP IN THE RECOVERY ROOM FEELING SOMEONE SNATCH A TUBE FROM OUT OF MY NOSE. SO FINALLY AFTER ABOUT 5 HOURS I WAS OFF TO MY ROOM, I WAS IN MINIMAL PAIN I DID HAVE A MORPHINE PUMP THAT I COULD USE EVERY 6 MINUTES AND IT KEPT ME QUITE COMFORTABLE. SO NOW IT IS TIME TO TRY SOME LIQUIDS, OUCH IT FELT LIKE EVERY TIME I TOOK A SIP WHAT EVER I SWALLOWED WAS SITTING ON TOP OF A GAS BUBBLE, OH BOY DID I FEEL EXTREMELY BLOATED. THE DR SAID THAT WAS FROM THE GAS THAT THEY USED TO PUT ME OUT AND MY BODY WILL EVENTUALLY ABSORB IT, WELL IT HAS BEE 5 HOURS SINCE I LEFT THE HOSPITAL AND I STILL FEEL BLOATED!!!!! I DO NOT FEEL HUNGRY AT ALL, THIS IS THE LONGEST I HAVE EVER GONE WITH OUT FEELING HUNGRY. WELL I AM NOT GOING TO BORE YOU ALL WITH ALL THE DETAILS, JUST KNOW ALL WENT WELL AND THERE WAS NO ISSUES CONCERNING MY LIVER, IN FACT DOC SAID THAT MY LIVER LOOKED VERY HEALTHY AND WAS NOT FATTY AT ALL. THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY MOTHER WHO WAS THERE WITH ME DURING THE ENTIRE TIME AND THANKS TO MY DAD AND MY SPECIAL FRIEND JUDY FOR KEEPING MY CHILDREN WHILE I WAS AWAY

I AM ON THE LOOSERS BENCH NOW!!!

Thanks BG, 10# is that all, lucky you. The anesthesiologist told me the normal risks , he said that he has to tell that to every one. I was really better off not knowing and I really do not like the part about a machine having to breathe for me while I am under. But I am sooo looking forward to doing this and getting it over.

Well yesterday was extremely busy, I had to drive :car:all the way to Gainesville from orlando, well it was not really all that bad. I had my pre-op visit today . I met with the dietitian, surgeon, anesthesiologist and the admissions people so it is really official because I have all of my admissions paperwork done for Monday. The surgeon is really nice and confident :scared2:, he really made me feel at ease. I expressed concerns about me not loosing the entire 30 pounds that they had initially requested but he did not seem to mind he said I lost 20# and he was fine with that but at my consult they made it seem like , don't loose thirty and no surgery :w00t: so I was relieved and mad at the same time cause I kinda felt tricked. Is thirty pounds the magic number that they tell every one? Well at least I am down about 20# pre op so I guess that's good and then I told him that I was concerned that my liver may be toooo fat and I might wake up not banded and he said that he has done numerous of bands and he has never met a liver that was to fat for him. :eek6: WHAT?!!! WHATS REALLY GOING ON? So all of this time I have been stressing over nonthing. Well, I did say that I work best under pressure. So after seeing the surgeon I was fine until I talked to the man who is gonna put me to sleep. Why did he have to tell me the risk associated with anesthesia and everything (step by step )what they were gonna have to do to put me to sleep? YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT AFTER I AM SLEEP?!!!) :crying: WOW!!! What you do not know wont hurt ya. So now I am back to square one I am a worry wart. But the other side of me says girl stop trippin you know you are going to do just fine, so I think I will listen to the other side. :sleep:

Hi yellowtopaz, my surgery is scheduled for Monday Feb. 9th Yhanks for the encouraging words.

Lovely Creation

bg thanks for the encouragement. What you said makes a lot of sense. I'm just nervous.

ok guys I am 6 days pre -op and I feel like I am loosing it ( And I aint talking about weight loss ) Lately when I go to sleep I have all of these weird crazy dreams. One night I had a dream that an alligator was trying to eat me, then I dreamed that I was in a flying elevator that was about to be set on fire, then I dreamed that I was in a plane crash. What's really going on. Maybe it is the fact that I am only consuming protein drinks during the day and a small meal without carbs at night or may be I am stressed out about the surgery. All my life I have been big on encouraging other people, telling them that they can make it and everything will be alright , but when it comes to myself OH BOY I loose it some times. I keep telling myself, "Girl this is gonna be a breeze , You have been exercising every day and you have had 3 c-sections so this should be a piece of cake." But for some reason that pep talk is not working at all. At one time I told my 12 yr old that maybe I should not do this but she said mommy you have no choice (from the mouth of a babe) and she is soooo very right.

Well here goes, Friday night I went on a mad crazy binge and I had been doing sooo good for the past 3 weeks. I had to loose thirty pounds before my surgery and I lost 15 pounds already. but I still need to loose 15 more and I go and do something soo stupid. I could double kick myself!!! :Dancing_wub: Friday night I was sitting home minding my own bussiness when suddenly the pleasure center in my brain decided it wanted to be entertained by sweets, so instead of eating a sugar free choclate jello pudding like I usually do I get in my car drive to 7- eleven :car:and buy a big brownie, a pack of grand ma cookies and a 3 musketeers candy bar,:wink2: I know what you are thinking (that's ridicolous) :frown: And I agree because it is. I ate it all and then I was sick as a dog. Headache stomach ache just plain yucky. I used to be able to eat all that and more and not get sick because I am a true sugar/ chocolate addict. :thumbup: It also let me know that I am not completely over my sugar addiction. I really have to work hard at this to be sucessfull. But the good news is I am not craving sweets any more, usually the more sweets I eat the more that I want. But this time I really do not want them and I did not gain any weight that I can see from my binge. I am sure I would have lost more if not for that dreadful night. Well I immediately got back on the band wagon and started my workout routine and the correct eating habits.:ohmy: Hopefully this will be a mistake that I learned from and there wont be a confession partII

Another Lovely Creation

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I'm doing it!!!!! [Edit Post]

on January 16, 2009 2:48 pm

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I weighed myself 2 day, I lost 10 pounds and have 20 more to go. I have been doing water aerobics at the gym because of the knee pain. I am starting to feel better now , not as light headed. I can really do this, yes I really can

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Trying to hold on [Edit Post]

on January 15, 2009 2:34 pm

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I could kick my self that I waited until the last minute to try and loose weight for my surgery. My consult was on nov. 13 and at that time the doctor's assistant told me that they wanted me to loose 30 pounds before surgery, so what do I do? I start trying 30 days before my surgery. Oh boy am I catching it. I feel so light headed because I stopped eating sweets cold turkey. I usually perform better under pressure but this is alittle to much pressure. Well I have to do what I have to do. People please if your doctor tells you to loose weight before surgery do it as soon as he tells you, Do not wait until the last minute like I did.

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Lap Band Or Bypass? [Edit Post]

on January 14, 2009 10:15 am

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Hello I am looking for some input. With only a few weeks away from my surgery I am torn between the band and the bypass. I would like to know if there is any one out there that is/was 360+ pounds who has reached their ideal weight with the lap band. the doctor is telling me that statistically most people only loose up to 60% of their excess weight. But I do not want to be a statistic. I want to reach my ideal weight but I want to do it slow and not to fast.

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How tight is to tight? [Edit Post]

on January 13, 2009 9:45 pm

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Hello everyone, I just read a post about the disadvantages of having your band to

tight. I was not aware that a doctor would allow a persons band to be tighter than need be. I will not be banded until 2/9/09 and I have no idea when my first fill will be but when I do get a fill will it be my responsibility to tell the doctor that my

band is too tight or will the doctor automatically know? Can some one please explain and ease my troubled mind!!!

Another Lovely Creation

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I think that cook book is an excellent idea. I think you should not only limit it to just lap band but any type of weight loss surgery. It would surely help some one like me who is not good in the kitchen with or with out the band. when it comes to the kitchen I am clueless in being creative.

I could just kick myself.:tounge_smile: I had my consult on Nov 13 and I was told to loose thirty pounds before the surgery. It wasn't until 1/8/09 that I started to try and loose weight and my surgery date is 2/9/09. Although I work best under pressure this may be too much pressure.:thumbup: Don't be like me, if the doctor says loose weight please start immediately. So far I have lost 10 pounds in one week 20 more to go.

HELLO EVERYONE I AM TRYING TO DECIDE IF I SHOULD GO AHEAD WITH THE LAP BAND OR SWITCH TO THE GASTRIC BYPASS.:tounge_smile::confused3: IS THERE ANY ONE OUT THERE OR DOES ANYBODY KNOW OF ANY ONE THAT WAS EXTREMELY OVERWEIGHT LIKE 360 AND ABOVE WHO HAD THE LAP BAND PROCEDURE DONE AND REACHED THEIR IDEAL WEIGHT? THE DOCTORS KEEP TELLING ME THAT MOST PEOPLE ONLY LOOSE ABOUT 60% OF THEIR BODY WEIGHT. :thumbup: IWOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM SOME ONE WHO HAS BEAT THE ODDS.