thatswhatdefinesme

Thanks for all the positive comments. Yesterday my Dr. had to remove 1/2 of the most recent fill that he gave me. I'm not sure, but I think he had to take .5 cc's out. I tried working through it for almost a week, but it was just too tight. Today was great, and for the first time in a couple weeks I was able to eat a cup of food for lunch. Anyways, I want to congratulate the two of you that will be having surgery in June. I can't wait to hear about all your success.

So it’s nearing the end of April and I’m officially down 70 lbs. I’m proud of this because I know how much effort I’ve put forth in this process. However, my goal was to be down 100 lbs by my band anniversary on July 7th. It doesn’t look like I’ll reach that goal, so I’m going to reset my goal and hope to be down 80 lbs by then. That means that I’ll only have 30 more lbs to lose until I reach my goal weight, and I plan on giving myself another 6-9 months to reach that goal.

So I called the clinic yesterday because for the first time I had pressure in my chest when trying to drink liquids (mainly coffee with some milk). This really concerned me, which I’m sure any of us fellow Lap Bander’s would have been alarmed. I had a pretty strong fill two weeks ago, and I knew that my band was substantially tighter than before but I would have never imagined it would be that snug. So they told me more than likely there was a lot of swelling from the dinner I had the prior night. So here are my directions for the next 2-3 days:

2-3 ounces of liquid only wait 30 minutes before repeating. Do not ingest additional if you have chest discomfort- wait until the discomfort subsides. Make sure that you are sipping.

Do not go over 6 ounces within an hour.

Allow yourself to sip only. The following liquids only for today:

plain water, warm broth- no chunks, skim milk only

Tomorrow, same above but try for 3- 4 ounces. wait 30 to 45 minutes.

Same as today.

Sunday- let's try to add some Atkins shakes- only 4 ounces at a time. Drain soups so you can have the broth only but make sure that you measure- no more than 4 ounces. You can still have the above.

Call or email on Monday....depending on how you are feeling with the liquids, we will have Laura progress you to five shakes per day before adding in softs.

:confused: Take care and I appreciate your willingness to attempt to work through it so we can access if it is a tight band versus some swelling.

So let’s just say that last night’s Girls Night Out wasn’t nearly as much fun as it could have been. I decided that since I wouldn’t be able to eat, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to drink (even one delicious glass of wine). So it’s looking like I’ll just try my best to do my part, and hope that my band isn’t too tight because I really don’t want to have to get an unfill (though I also know that this can be part of the whole process).

Changes since the Lap Band:

*That I will do everything in my power to never settle again

*An understanding that if I do my part, the band will do its part and together I can keep the excess weight off for the long term

*That I can cope and soothe myself without food

*That Zumba is a super fun high energy exercise class

*That it feels great to have so much energy

*That I can complete a 5K Race

*That yoga is not only challenging but also very relaxing

*That I truly enjoy cooking. Veggies are so yummy!

*That I’m a truly beautiful person on the inside out

*That my dog Adrie is now a much happier pup, because we go for walks and hikes almost every day

*I actually enjoy shopping for clothes

That's great! I'm 7 months post op and down 60 lbs. I love my band too!

How many fills have you had so far? I had my surgery just three months ago. This month I'm down maybe 5 lbs, which I'm grateful for but my weight loss is stalling too.

Congrats! I'm down to 205 and I can't wait to be under 200 lbs.

When I read your story I felt like it was my story. You're going to make it through this crazy liver shrinking process. The surgery itself is a relatively easy process, there is little to minimial pain. This tool you're about to give yourself is such a gift, and you should feel hopeful. More than that you should feel flippin excited because your life is getting ready to change for the better! Good luck!

So last Monday (not yesterday) I had my third fill. I didn’t notice much of a difference in the amount that I can eat until this past weekend. On Sunday I actually got sick for the first time since my surgery (I was testing the waters and trying to “taste” something I know that I shouldn’t have and them bam it’s coming right back up). It’s such a relief for it to come back up though; it’s much too painful when it’s just stuck. Warning: take your time, chew slowly, and eat the kind of foods that truly agree with the band.

So today in a matter of fifteen minutes I had four compliments. Yep that’s right boys and girls. I had FOUR compliments. The first came from a female co-worker who said, “Erica you’re getting really curvy and looking really nice!” The second came from a really cute guy at work who told me that I looked really good today (on my way to the restroom). I come out of the restroom and another female co-worker tells me that I’m looking good and she can tell I’ve lost quite a bit of weight. Then I head to my desk and the fourth compliment comes from a friend at work who said, “I noticed you today and your ass is getting so skinny!”

Talk about good karma. Granted today I was a little more dressed up than usual, but those compliments just made me feel great. It’s great to know that others are seeing the differences that I see. I guess that will just be more motivation to keep up the good work.

Just remember that in the long run this will all pay off. The worst part for me was the pre-op diet, and it all got easier from that point forward. You'll do great and you'll be grateful for all the weight that you'll lose before your surgery.

That's exactly what I was going to say. Fat free refried beans, with cheese on top. Yum.

I also love eating a baked potato with cottage cheese and broccoli. Yum.

Good luck!

I stepped on the scale this morning and it read 210. Now that is super exciting! My first goal was 199, my second 175, and my third is 150. I can't believe that the weight just keeps coming off. I feel so great and I can't wait to see what happens when even more weight comes. Not only are my clothes fitting me better, but I exercise even more and it has became so much easier.

Good luck! It definitely seems like you are doing this for all the right reasons. Try to fit in some time to go for a walk. It will clear your mind, and better support your body for this upcoming surgery. I just had my surgery two months ago and believe me when I tell you that the pain is minimal. You will be fine and eventually you're going to be so thankful that you took the time to take care of yourself.

Here’s a little update into my Lap Band World. On the day of my surgery I weighed 237 as of this morning I am down to 213. So in two months I’ve lost a total of 24 lbs, which I think is pretty phenomenal. I struggled with weight loss for about 2 and ½ weeks where the scale barely budged. I’m pretty sure I was snacking too much, and eating way too much cheese (which is supper yummy, but way to high in calories). One week ago on Monday I went in for my second fill. My appetite has been greatly reduced and I have really ramped up my exercise in the last couple weeks. I’m realizing more now than ever I truly do have to do my part if I want the weight to come off sooner rather than later.

I started trying to lose weight on June 11th which was when I went to my first Lap Band seminar. I consider that to be my true “starting point”. On that day I weighed 250 lbs, and now I’m down to 213. I can’t even begin to tell you how much better I feel in my clothing, and I’m actually excited now to go shopping (something that didn't used to be nearly as much fun).

So at this point in my life I’m so thankful for having decided to have this surgery. It has totally changed my life. I feel so much more confident and comfortable in all aspects of my life. I feel so much stronger and leaner. Those are great feelings to have and this journey is so worth it.

I have however noticed that other things in my life have been changing too. This has lead to quite a bit of confusion and challenges. I know that these issues and concerns were in my life before, but now I feel like they need to be addressed. I’m not so sure what my future holds, and that’s an exciting prospect but an equally terrifying one too. I can’t wait to see the final outcome.

Yesterday was my second fill. I think that I’m now at 3 ccs of saline in a band that holds around 11 cc’s. When they looked at my food journal I was eating roughly 6-8 ounces of food at one time. They are trying to get my adjustment down to where I will only be able to eat roughly 4 ounces of food. I’m still stuck on a liquid diet until tomorrow morning (I can’t wait for some oatmeal yum). My fill was pretty painless. The first injection went really well, but the second injection was a little trickier because my doctor was having a harder time getting the port to take my second injection. I got a little squirmy just because I was thinking too much about the whole process (I don’t know why I’m not even scared of needles). I’ve gotten used to eating the way I’m supposed to with the Band. I’ve adapted nicely and I’m rarely ever mourning the loss of the food that I can no longer eat. What I’m realizing though is that I have to find new ways to relieve the stress in my life. I feel so much better with the weight that I’ve lost so far (18 pounds since my surgery on July 7, and a total of 31 lost since June 11th).I’d prefer to hit a total of 33 pounds lost by September. That would be a total of 20 since my surgery, and 10 lbs lost per month is a great rate. Sure I’d love more, but that’s a completely respectable number too. I would just like to be fewer than 200 by the end of this year. I’m hoping that with more weight loss, I will find activity to be easier and more enticing. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

I’m also seeking different forms of exercise. Please tell me what you have tried and what you like. I’d like to try a variety of classes until I find something I really enjoy. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Congrats your weight loss is amazing. I started exercising last week. My weight loss jumped up to a loss of almost 3 lbs last week. I am feeling so much better about my weight, and I'm sure you feel the same way. How many fills have you had? How much did they fill you each time? Take care and have a lovely night!

What a wonderful post. I couldn't agree with you more. At my work the next health issue that we are going to tackle is obesity. Having been just banded on July 7th I realize now more than ever the psychological issues that came from a food addicition. My weight loss journey is so much more than just a surgery. It's a lifelong learning process, and I feel so thankful to be on this journey.

Come back! :thumbup:

My second fill will be on Monday. I'll have to keep reading your blog to see how you're doing. My doctors office goes slowly too. I haven't gotten sick yet, but I can feel it when I eat too much or too quickly. I hope this fill speeds up your weight loss. :thumbup:

What a funny post. I loved reading it!

My weight loss has stalled the last couple weeks. I know that I haven't hit my sweet spot yet, but I love the fact that such a little amount of food (a cup of food or so) keeps me full. Today was the first time I've let the thought of food consume my mind. I’m not sure if it’s because I have a lot of stress going on right now. I’m working on my Masters Degree and school just started back up today. Plus I work full-time in HR and I have a huge event coming up within the next couple weeks. I am happy that I’m staying busy but it just gets to be a little too overwhelming. I noticed that the thought of food has started creeping back in my mind. I’m great during the day (too busy) but at night I want to eat more than a cup or so of food. I have a couple of friends who have had weight loss surgery (one who has the Lap Band) but all of them are at their ideal weights. They’ve been through what I’ve been through but they aren’t going through it while I am. That makes a big difference. Your brain kind of forgets the struggle. So I need to find other healthy alternatives to the stress that is making me want to eat. On Monday I have my second fill. Maybe some more restriction will help with the weight loss. I just need to concentrate on the right way to live a healthier life.

Congrats I'm 7 weeks post op so I can totally relate. I hope your first fill goes well. It isn't painful at all.

Congrats! I'll be shouting from the roof tops when I'm in your shoes.

I've only had one fill so I haven't experienced any of this (at least not yet). I would still give it some time (maybe another week or so) before I rushed out to get an unfill, especially considering you aren't PBing or sliming.

Good luck! I know that most of your friends have your best interests at heart, but you're the one that needs to be the expert. Learn all you can about this procedure. Ask yourself why you think this procedure will help you in long term weight loss? Are you committed to doing this? List your strengths and weaknesses, and identify why you are at the weight that you're at now.

I knew this procedure was going to work for me because gastric bypass had too many risks involved, because I knew that I didn't become 250 pounds overnight and even if I lost just one pound a week I was going to change my life. You can do this. I repeat you can do this!!! I'm already learning so much about my body, and my mind. I am so much stronger than I ever thought I could be, and this experience will be great (success or failure) I'm one step ahead than I was before this surgery.

You will be hungry, but you'll become satisifed with so much less. There will be times when you will not lose weight, because our bodies at some point are going to put a (hopefully short term) road block. You may have complications, but there is so much you can do now to prepare yourself for this surgery. Start running towards it like this is a marathon. Stop eating less now, start exercising, and start preparing your mind for one great adventure. You can do it!

I didn't see my doctor until four weeks after surgery (I saw my dietician two weeks post op). My strips took about two weeks to come off, but the strips over my port incision took longer. I would cut off the pieces that were rolling up and back, just a little at a time.

My First Fill

So today was my first. It came by very quickly considering I just had my surgery on July 7th. He had to remove two staples that were sticking out of my incisions. Doc seemed to be a bit embarrassed by them, I was just glad that they were taken out. No one enjoys getting that caught on their shirt. The whole process was quite painless and I didn’t have any problems drinking the water they gave me. The only downside is that I’m on water the rest of the day, tomorrow I can my protein shakes. I can’t wait for Wednesday when I’m back to soft foods. My poor belly has been growling all day, but it’s just part of the process.

So I’ve lost a bit of weight. I’m really getting along nicely and I’m thankful that this has been a pretty smooth process thus far. No more emotional eating, I can hear my belly growl when it wants food, I don’t feel like a stuffed sausage in all my clothes. I’m down to 223 lbs. That means I’m down 27 lbs since my heaviest and down 14 since my surgery. Not bad numbers, but more than that I feel so much better. I feel pretty good and I can’t wait to see how’ll I’ll feel with another 20 lbs lost. It’s such an exciting process.