thetig

Hey BG, I have been following your progress and I must say that I have been worried about you not getting your protein. Very Glad to hear that you have taken things into your own hands and have started a little food into your diet! I ate baby food during my mushie faze! hehe. I bet you are down a lot in inches with only the liquids for so very long! That is good!

Well here's to you for a very Happy Mother's Day and happy planting. I love to plant also! Here in So Cal I can plant all year long! The Tig

I just want to say that I am so very very lucky to have the Doctor that I do here in So. California! His name is Michael Feiz and he loves what he does and be believes in each one of us that he does surgery on. It does not make any difference what type of bariatric surgery you have he is your greatest Cheerleader!

I have read so many blogs and comments on all the different ways that Doctors have each one of us do before and after surgery, I am not sure why some LBers have to go on liquid diets 6 weeks or more before surgery and I am really not sure why other Doctors keep certain people on only Liquids for who knows how long after LB. I really hope that for those after LB who still are not taking in at least 60 mg of protein a day and are only on clear liquids that your body does not starve itself and go into the starvation mode which will cause you to not loose any weight or inches. When I spoke to my nutritionist, she really pushed the fact that after one week of PO or less I needed to get those protein shakes in me regularly it was really important to my weight loss.

I was able to start eating mushies after 8 days PO then I was able to start eating food as I could tolerate but eating very slowly. I am very in touch with my body and I was able to tell after 3 weeks that I needed an adjustment. No problem I had one and now after six weeks PO I have had my second adjustment because again I was able to eat more then I should. My Doc told me that I would more then likely be back in another 3 weeks for the third adjustment and this is how it will be until I get to the place where I am not eating more then I should be. I have tried drinking a soda and I really did not like the feeling it gave me so back to Ice Tea for my caffeine! I always eat protein first if I am full then nothing more will pass my lips. I have allowed myself to have a glass or two of wine a couple of times and one of those times I drank the whole bottle, but I am not making a habit of that because I do realize that those are truly empty calories which I do not need. I do have to walk more and I am going to start that today. My Doc again says to not focus on the pounds gone, focus on the inches lost and the way my clothes are starting to just fall off me! I LIKE IT!

Here is to all of our success! No Failures!

Here Here! This is a great Blog to read today! I agree 1 million percent! This LB for me is a new way of living and I am loving it!

I love the changes in my diet and I love the CHANGES in ME! thetig

Hi There, Do not give up! Keep up with the water and the protein shakes. Not sure why you can not have broth. That really was good to have. Also the Gas!!!!!! I feel like I am the QUEEN on the Free Air! I was banded on March 26th and I am still having a bit of trouble with the free air! It seems to start up in the shoulder or back, I just walked as much as I could tolerate and it got better and better, even six weeks later there is a little bit way down in my pelvic area but it is almost gone now. People try gas x but they all forget that this air is not in your intestine it is Free Air just floating anywhere it wants. It will go away! Call you Docs office about the liquids bet they will let you have broth! Good Luck, thetig

Well, five weeks have passed by so very very fast but here I am and so far so good.

I see by many of the total of pounds lost on different people that we all start counting from different starts, so I would just like for everyone to know that I am only using my weight loss from two days before surgery when I started my liquids only diet. My Doctor does not believe in all of the pre Liquid or pre anything diet. He even does not believe in checking your weight. It is all about getting healthy and eating small portions and eating slowly!

At my highest weight 16 months ago I weighed 263. I started So. Beach in January of 08 and I did pretty well with it until August of 08, I slacked off a bit but I kept off about 20 pounds. I decided to do the Lap Band in December of 08 and from that moment right up until my two days before surgery I tasted everything and drank everything I wanted and only gained 10 pounds. (I did this so that there would be nothing for me to really want from Head Hunger) Not bad, so having said all of that since my banding I have lost 25 pounds and in total I have lost 34 pounds. I now weigh 229 but I have seen 228 a day ago but that pound came back. As my doctor says that is the problem with weighing yourself all of the time. You really never get a perfect weight cuz every day, every minute you weigh a little different, you have to go by how your clothes fit to really know that you are loosing. Or getting the compliments on how different you start to look. Having lost 30 Plus pounds it still is hard to notice because I was so chubby but from here on in it will be showing I am sure.

My Bandster Hell is still the "FREE AIR" floating around inside of me. It has settled down in my right hip area and sometimes it doubles me over in pain. I am having acupuncture once a week and just starting to take Tylenol every day and it seems to be helping. This part of the healing is really not fun but......you can make it thru! I am looking forward to the day when there is no "Free Air" inside! That is funny I guess the reason it stays so long is because it is "FREE", HaHa. Other then the air there have been no problems. I am feeling the need for another fill so I will be calling my Doc on Monday to schedule one hopefully for Wednesday! I eat only protein and try to keep the Carbs at a minimum. I have the Protein first and then go back and make Vegies if I want them but so far the Protein fills me up. I unlike so many am really never hungry, I eat because I know I have to to lose.

Hey, guess what I can feel my hip bone again! I forgot it was there! :wink:

Hey Julie Ann, Great Blog! You are an inspiration to me and I am just a newbie here in Bandyland. You are so very very right when we make a "Oppsidoodle" we must do just one band day at a time! I too have a goal of being down 50 pounds by my B-day in July! I will be seeing you in Onederland! Keep On Blogging and loosing! Oh also from experience, Most Docs are just jerks! your friend! Cheryl

Boy that was interesting how you get a fill. I was really surprised on how Dr. Feiz takes his time and makes it so your fill is just at a really good tightness. This Doctor really cares for all his patients. I felt no pain or discomfort. I had this done on Wednesday and I am still not really feeling super full but I have yet to feel really hungry either. I am very careful as to what I eat size wise and I am having trouble with the liquid intake. I must drink more. I am glad to have the fill! I can go back in another 4 weeks if I feel the need. I am now down 22 pounds. I am happy!

Hi There WDW! I am glad to see that there are other people out there who are tired of all the negative aspects of being Banded! This was the best choice that I have made in my walk of being way to chubby! Maybe we should all get together and start a new Thread on the Positive Side of being Banded! That is a good idea! Have you been banded yet? If so how are you doing? If not when is your date? C

I am hoping that if anyone reads my blog that you will see that this is really not hard at all. I see all sorts of blogs that really scare you to death and you have to wonder as I did if I was going to be doing the right thing. Well, I am here to tell you that You are going to be or have already done the right thing!

Being banded is great! I know what I can and can't eat and I do not even try to overeat! Why, then are we seeing so many blogs of people that are not succeeding! I want to make this work and my band wants to work with me!

I am 17 days PO and I was not on any pre op diet and I have lost 17 pounds to date! I have been on mushies and real food since day 9. Very very slowly have I added back foods and not all of my food is back yet. Weight loss has slowed down a little bit since adding but I am sure that is to be expected. I ALWAYS MEASURE out my food and I always eat my protein first! If I am full after the 3-4 oz of protein I stop and do not eat anything more. I have been remiss in walking this week so I will get that going today!

Please ask questions!

Remember! PROTEIN PLUS WALKING EQUALS FAT LOSS!

Happy Easter!

Hey There, Jenn30, I am 7 days PO and I have not had any trouble at all except for the gas, and even that has not been so bad! I am going to start on my treadmill today very slowly. No Pain Meds for me either. My swelling is down considerably as of yesterday. My belly button looks like a belly button again. The area above where my port is is still a little tender and swollen but not much! All the best to you! Cheryl

Hey Bio Teach! Don't give up yet, has anyone said to go back on your liquid diet again with only the protein shakes, water, broth and juice? Just might give you the kick start that you need to get a handle back on this journey. Remember also that the band is just a tool, it is not magic and it by itself will not make us loose the weight. We still have to work at it everyday just like before. We still have to give up our favorite foods just like before and we have to start an exercise program just like we have never wanted to do in the past. A friend of mine who has been truly successful with the LB told me she has totally stayed with the couple of cups of food allowed at each meal and it has been really hard for her but she has lost over 100 pounds now. Sure our head will tell us anything we want to hear but our stomach is very quite and if we do not listen we will not hear that we are full and we should stop eating. So limit yourself to small portions, exercise by taking a walk for 30 mins three days a week, keep your protein up and your carbs down! THIS WILL WORK IF YOU WORK WITH IT! Remember it is all about us, we can do this! This is a good talk to myself also, Cheryl

Day Three......I slept better last night. I found that in my sleep I had turned onto my side I hope that is not a bad thing I just can't stay on my back and my butt is very sore. Protein shake is good! I am crushing my normal pills up and mixing them in 2 tsp of applesauce it is really good to have something a little solid in my mouth. No problems with the bad either. I tried Cream of Chicken Soup today, yummy! This is the kind you mix with water not milk. I had a 1/2 cup for lunch then a whole cup for dinner. I felt really full. Still no pain at all. By the way I went to the market with DH Sunday also it was not problem. I came home put the groceries away and then I was pooped so I sat and watched movies the rest of the day.

Well here it is day four, DH is back to work so I am on my own which I really do not mind at all. I have lost over 10 pounds already but who wouldn't when you have not had anything to eat! LOL. My incisions are starting to itch this is good. Oh by the way I forgot to tell you that I am glued not stitched up. No dressing at all I was showering already on Day one home from Hospital, just no washing of the tummy area! Today the shoulder, back gas is still there. I have to say that I do believe that this is the worse part of this whole experience and have been told it will last for at least a week.

I am not sure if Dr. Michael Feiz is just magical or what, but I have not had any problems thru this surgical & PO time at all. It is quite amazing. I will not be seeing him this week since I am doing so well, my first appointment will be April 14th unless I feel I need to see him before then. I think I will call to see if I might be able to start mushies at the end of this week.

Please if you have any questions to anyone who reads this blog please contact me. We are all here to share our experiences with each other and to help if we can! I hope all of you will do as well as I have! Cheryl

I was home by 10:30 am Friday. It was good to be there. No problems with the ride home, still NO PAIN! First Day PO you really just feel tired and beat it was hard to get down the liquids not from the LB stand point just because you forget. I did start my walking around the back yard right away! It felt really good to be off my back and on my feet then it happened the biggest and longest FART I could imagine!!!!! boy did that feel good! hehehe! From that moment on I have been a little tooting fool! I still have the same Gas in the left shoulder and back and now it feels as though it is across my sternum area. It is very uncomfortable! I got down a protein shake and I felt less shaky, I am still going out and walking every chance I remember this really helps and I am drinking all that I can every hour. I used a lot of Tylenol the first and second days PO. I do feel as though someone has been on the inside of me having a boxing match, it is not pain but extreme soreness all over. I slept much better Saturday night.

Well, here I am getting myself ready for tomorrow. Pain meds, check, copy of living trust, check, All jewelry off, check, copy of ID and Insurance card, check, Shower and wash my hair, check. There must be something that I am forgetting. Oh Well!

The hardest part of this so far is not knowing how I will feel after the procedure! I am sure hoping that I will be a lucky one and not have any complications. Only 24 hours will tell the tale! LOL!

I hope that my LB Buddy LighterLoad did well today! And I hope I will hear from her in the next few days. I am not afraid at all, what I am is ready to have this done and get on with life. I am so looking forward to the weight coming off! This is going to be really GOOD!

Here is to a good surgery tomorrow! I will write more just as soon as I can.

This last week before banding is a busy one. I had to get the Taxes finished and spend an afternoon with DH at the accountant. I have to get my work to a place where someone else can take over for me at the office which will probably never happen, LOL. I also had to have now Pre op blood work done and of course the H&P which again the girls at my Cardiologist office made happen for me. I should be able to pick up everything on Monday and fax to Rebecca at Dr.Feiz's office.

I was wondering in past blogs about the begining of the liquid diet, well now I know. It all starts on Tuesday. Two full days of liquids before surgery. I will have to be at Cedars at 10:45 on Thursday and my surgery if on time will be at 12:45. Then a 24 hour stay at the hospital and Home Sweet Home, back to peace and quite. If this is anything like my Hysterectomy I will be uncomfortable for a few days and a bit sore but then back to it in a week. Walking was the key for me to get thru all of this. Hope it works this time.

Well,Dear Blog, next time you hear from me I will be BANDED!

I spoke with Dr. Feiz's office yesterday and I now have a date! It will be on March 26th. No special diet before hand just have to see one more doctor for pre op blood work to be taken this Monday. I will be having my surgery at Cedars Sinai in LA. I will have to stay there for 24 hours. That should not be so bad. My DH will take me and stay till surgery is over then come back to get me the next day.

I was called by a nurse from BX saying that she would like to keep track of my progress and because she is a nurse, would be able to answer any questions or frustrations that I might have going thru this post op time. I do not have to do this but I said that I would. It does not cost me anything so I will see how it goes.

In reading other blogs I feel really lucky that it has only taken me two months from start to surgery! I am so ready for Bandyland!

I am so excited!!!!!!!!

Hi Doodlebug, I started on the journey in January. I still do not have my DOS but I am hoping it will be soon. I do not have to go on a pre op diet. I guess different Docs different ideas. I hope we can be friends. Cheryl

"The Waiting Is The Hardest Part", Great words by Tom Petty and how true they are. This week has been full of Echos, Chest Xray, Fasting blood work, EKG and the most precious "Letter of Clearance" from my Cardiologist. I am really amazed as to how fast you get the results from all the test but now I have to wait for Blue Cross to fininsh their part so that I can be approved for the Band! I am so very very ready for all of this to happen. I read other blogs and find out the weight loss of these bandsters and I just want to be a part of them. I am still pretty much eating whatever I want but I must say I am really getting tired of it. I know that a lot of you might think that I am crazy of getting tired of eating, but I am. I am really use to being on a "Diet" all the time this seems weird to me. I have not gone totally off the boards with the food just eating like a normal person, but since I had been on a strict South Beach for a year and had lost 32 pounds by eating nothing really I have now gained back 16 of those pounds and I am feeling gross again. I have my protein shake powder with different flavorings as well as different broths and of course my favorite the sugar free popsicle all ready for the banding.

In the mean time I have found a great new business to be a part of. I have just started but the potential for making money in this economy is really great. I will keep my blog posted on my progress with this as well as my weight. Until the next entry......when I am hoping for my A Okay for Surgery!!!!!!

First of all I feel bad because I have not been writing down my thoughts but then not a whole lot has happened........

I had the endoscopy a week and a half ago. That was fun! The Doctor was very good and fast. The procedure went well and it only took about 45 minutes. I stayed home the rest of the day from work and I am glad that I did. Had a sore throat for a couple of days after and then back to normal...... I called my surgeons office that same day due to the fact that Blue Cross had denied my procedure because of the facility not being a proper gastric bypass and lap band facility. Well, this was an easy fix now I have an appointment with Dr. Michael Feiz and then I will be able to go to Cedars for the procedure and this will all be good per Nicole. Okay......not a problem for me. I made the appointment with Dr. Feiz and found him to be a really nice guy. I liked him right away. He decided since I had taken phenfen so long ago that I should have an Echo of my heart done and because of the heartburn that I have been having he said that if I should have a hernia he would remove it at the same time as my procedure. No problem. I got back to my office around noon was in luck because I was able to get the echo done right then and I was able to get the report from my Endoscopy. Heart was in real good strong health and the endoscopy found that I have a hiatal hernia. Seems like Dr. Feiz just new that was going to be there, too funny.

Well, in the morning I will be having my yearly blood work done and a chest xray along with a visit with my cardiologist. I will then need a letter from him for clearance for my surgery and all will be faxed off to Blue Cross and then I will be approved and my date will be set. I am so ready for this......

I have been eating everything that I want to taste and I am so very tired of all the carbs. I am ready for the protein and veggies to be back in my life and all my fat to melt away! This will be very very good!

Well, here I am in week three after first appointment with the Surgeon. I had my appointment with the GI Doc on Thursday and I am all signed up for the Endoscopy on the 18th. Does not sound like it will be very difficult but I do need to take a whole day off work. Not a problem. The procedure will start at 7:30 am and I should be back home by noon. Pre op is easy nothing to eat or drink after midnight then I will be on clear liquids the rest of the day. I just might start my pre op diet before LB surgery then also. I will have to see when my surgery date is. I have been told that it will be very soon after endoscopy but how long is very soon. I will send Nicole an email as to the date of the endo and then I was told I will pay for the LB and the date will be chosen.

I am so ready. I have been eating all of my favorite foods knowing that I will not be eating them for maybe ever. That is okay at least I will have the memory of the taste. I have to say that I have felt really crummy since I started on this EAT! I was so use to eating on South Beach, truth be known I like the Beach best! Feels good not having all of those CARBS in my system. I am also a every day wine drinker ( one bottle by myself a day, not bragging just stating) and guess what, it has not been very hard slowing that down either in fact I have stopped altogether now. I am drinking a form of crystal lite in water instead.

I was told by the GI doc that not every one up chucks with the LB, he was saying that even spicy foods would not be a problem (I love my Salsa) so I am not going to go into this thinking that life is going to be throwing up all the time. That is good!

I was reading another blog on LBT this week where she was talking about the wrinkles that will suddenly appear since we are not of the youngest of years. I talked to a few people and I think that if I am able to do my 30 mins three times a week walking and then work up to free weights the skin will not sag as much because I will be keeping my muscles going and getting rid of fat only. This is going to be my goal. The only part of me that I am really concerned about are my boobies. They have gotten huge due to my Norwegian and German heritage! They will more then likely sag a lot :scared2:

but maybe then the insurance will pay for a boobie reduction! I never did have small ones though. LOL.

Well, I guess I am done for this week. I will write more next Saturday. Not much will be happening this week. I really like having a place where I can write my thoughts. Thanks for being here LBT! Cheryl

Thanks for the encouragement!

:thumbup:Well, a week has now passed since my first appointment with Dr. Nazarian. Nicole has been great with information and keeping in touch with me. I have spoken to the Nutritionist, she was really great, and I have made my appointment for my visit for the Endoscopy for next week. As soon as I am able to have the Endoscopy and it shows normal I will be ready for surgery.

I am having a hard time sleeping at night wondering if I am making the right decision. The cost involved is a lot but I do realize that my health and welfare is worth more. I almost fell out of my chair when I heard about the cost with insurance. I new that the doctor I chose was a non participating doc so I knew then that Blue Cross would only go 50%. Not bad but....... $7,500.00 is going to be the total cost which will include 5 or more fills. I was hoping for around $4,000.00 , Oh Well! My DH is great and he said that if I really want to do this we will find a way to pay for it. It sure is great to have the support!

Looks like I will be banded the end of February or the first of March! I will be glad to have it done. I have a question that keeps going around and around in my mind: Is this just another one of my crazy ideas for loosing weight that will work for awhile and then Stop! Then I will be chubby again! I guess when you have tried all of the FADS for so many years this is a normal way to think! I just keep saying to myself, "Self, I Can Do This! I Can Be Thin Again and Stay That Way!" This will be a good thing. Cheryl :blushing:

Hi There, I just saw Dr. Nazarian from the same Center but in Pasadena. I did some research and they are all really good there at the Beverly Hills Center. Nicole is a great counselor. I have decided to go ahead with the surgery and I am now waiting for the okay from my insurance company. Just went for the visit this last Tuesday. Hey keep in touch! Cheryl

Well, here I go in the newest adventure in weight loss for me! Guess this will be the biggest step I have ever taken but I just can't be chubby any longer. It is really making me feel more and more like staying in the house and not participating in anything social. I alway think the the friends that have known me for a long time look at me and wonder why I have allowed myself to get this over weight. What they do not understand I never allowed it, it just happened. I guess we all can say that! Huh! LOL!

Enough pitty! I am on my way back to slender...... I like so many have a DH that feels I should be able to do this with just excerise and diet....been there done that and a lot more.....just does not work for me. So, after we talked about this non invasive procedure of the lap band he understands and is now behind me 100 percent. So is my family! This is a great help in getting over the jitters on is this really the right thing to do!

I am rambling........

So this is to document my newest journey with weight loss and I hope my long lasting journey with weight loss!

Tuesday Jan. 20, 2009, First Doctors Visit. Nice Dr. and I really liked the girls in the office.

Thursday Jan. 22, 2009, I was "Deemed psychologically Boring" by the psychologist! This made me really laugh!

Also on this date I looked into my own coverage with Anthem Blue Cross, and they are all for bariatric procedures, this should be good in getting my approval fast. Looks like my portion of the surgery will not be all that much which is good.

Next is a talk with the Nutritionist on Monday. I will write about that next week.

The Tig signing off for now!

C