Yvette1026

So today is my 1 month post-op and I also received my first fill, and let me tell ya, it came RIGHT ON TIME! So the first fill was easy, lay back, pillow under your back, cross your arms, do a lil' crunch, relax and done. The weird part was when she took all of my fluid out to make sure how much I had in me, then added a cc to it.. I could feel it "flush" through my body/band, what I imagine those lil' canisters at the bank would feel like as they get fed through those air tubes. It didn't hurt, it was just a weird sensation. Moving on to better news... So the other day I had my first non-scale victory (NSV - yeah I'm learning the lingo lol) on a whim I decided to try on my ever so expensive seven jeans that I bought 4 years ago, when Lane Bryant first started selling them. Yes the ones Kimberly Locke modeled with the rhinestones and crystals and tears on them.. Yes those ever so fabulous, expensive and I'm glad they're still in style ones. Let me say when I bought them in 2005 I was at the smallest I had been in YEARS or almost like ever. When I tried the jeans on I had to POUR myself into them, do the tight jean jump up and down, wiggle and finish with a deep breath in to button them. But I got them to fit, they were tight but they fit, and I figured I would keep working out and they would fit better. They were cut VERY small... I was an 18 or 20 in other jeans but in these jeans I had to buy a 24. The sales girls just smiled and said yeah they're cut REALLY small, be lucky you can fit into them, most people can't. I wore them once, I got "stuck" in them and had to have my brother free me with a pair of pliers as he carefully jimmied the zipper down so I could get out of them. So back to my "on a whim" moment. So I decide to try the jeans on, as I do every couple of months, in hopes that one time, just one time they'll magically fit. The last time I tried them on they were about 6 inches from buttoning. Hmmm maybe if I wear a long shirt, some rubber bands or my big 80's belt I can pull them off... Yvette you BETTER not walk out of the house in jeans you can't button.. sigh.. the years go by the gap grew from an inch or two to the most recent of 6 inches from closing.. So I decide to check my progress and put the jeans on....THEY FIT... OMFREAKINGOSH!!! THEY FIT!!! and not just FIT but FIT COMFORTABLY!!!! I have been wearing them pretty much every day since I tried them on on Saturday night. Ok so it's only Monday, doesn't matter... they FIT and I'm wearing them to get my money worth! lol But all of that being said brings me to what I was told at my appointment today....Drum roll please... Waist is down 7 inches since surgery one month ago! Weight is down 22.7lbs since surgery one month ago. I've lost 12% of my 66% of "extra weight" and am 90lbs from my doctor's goal for me. My BMI is now in the 40's high 40's but still 40's! My doctor says my progress puts me at the 3-4 month post-op mark, and this was done in a month. She was VERY happy for me, and I was VERY happy as well as I fastened my fabulous jeans after my fill lol I came home and had some soup, then a couple of ours later some applesauce.... about half way through the applesauce I felt I had had "too much" so I know the fill worked...YAY!!! I'm SO glad, because after eating 2 big tortillas yesterday (bean & cheese burrito and a quesadilla - took me 3 hours or so but I ate it) and the mini loafs of bread that come from the cheesecake factory a couple of days before I was starting to feel like I felt before surgery, so this fill definitely came right on time.. I'll see how this one goes, I think she could have put in another CC, but I'll go back in on the 8th and get another one, I honestly think that will put me in my sweet spot...we'll see. Either way I'm feeling great and I'm loving life. This is THE BEST THING I could have ever done for myself!

LMAO I have NO WORDS lol... and you know I'm off to google the "s" shape.. because I had an experience, I looked in like "What in the world??!!? Is this what poop looks like on sesame street?"

Red meat and me will never part, but I totally understand and agree with where you're coming from. I'm not sure how I lived without agave nectar before? I'm not sure how I lived without fage yogurt and healthy snacks before. I honestly am in awe EVERY day over how great I feel. I feel fantastic, and I"m SO glad you are too!

And all of that aside..CONGRATULATIONS!!!

WOW still using mammy dolls in this day and age? what were they trying to give you "inspiration" for? to not be fat? Not be black? what??? what bike company is this???

Really? That's good to know about the bread, because I was becoming a bit concerned. I have NO problem eating different types of food and I haven't experienced any sliming or PB'ing, since my 1 week post-op McMuffin getting stuck issue; which was COMPLETELY my fault. But other than that I can eat anything set in front of me, just MUCH smaller portions. As for the bread last night, No I wasn't hungry, it was completely head hunger because I knew the girl put the bread in the bag, even though I said I didn't want it, and I knew it was in the kitchen and still hot. I'm also a hormonal eater, so for example this past monday I wanted french fries and a cheeseburger. Which I ate. Well mostly.. I ate a small fry, then just the patties and cheese of the burger. But I later (2 or more hours later) ate the bun (I was alone in a car driving from state to state) instead of stopping to get something else. I know why I was craving the red meat, I do it every month about two weeks before I get my period; and being an O- blood type, my body naturally craves red meat. It seems I can eat more at different times of the day for example on the same monday, I ate an orange and 1/2 of an apple and it was WAYYYYYYY too much. But a few hours later I was able to eat the fries and burger patties. I'm still getting the hang of this thing but I'm SO glad to say that I can eat regular food with no issue, I'm healing nicely and my scars are almost non-existent!

Good post! Glad she redeemed herself and funny I have the same thing going on, everyone around me is trying to lose weight through me, which I find funny yet flattering.

Exactly...and try the sleepy time tea, or xanax.. just sayin' lol they have the same effect on me.

Let me start by saying I love my band and the results. At 3 days shy of being 1 month post-op, I think my band and I have now become "one". I no longer "feel" it or feel concisious of it. I've won the mental battle and it's been great. I feel great. I constantly find myself looking at food going "Wow that's too much." so portion control isn't really an issue. I have found though that I need to stick with what works for me. My church has been on a spiritual fast of fruits and veggies. I felt like I was actually gaining weight, and started to see some weight come back in my face. I believe this was because I wasn't getting enough calories to burn or protein. So while I'm still sticking to the fast as much as possible, I've realized that I REALLY need to do what's right for me. If that means 3 days fasting, 2 days eating, or whatever it is I need to do to complete it I will. Also now that I'm back on a full schedule of traveling with my clients I've realized how difficult it can be to constantly eat out and stay not only on the fast, but within band friendly foods. I was working and traveling with clients from Monday straight through til the following Monday. That was ALOT of eating out. ALOT of Cheesecake Factory, Houston's, Bing Crosby's etc.. Lots and lots of lil' eateries between AZ, Cali and everywhere else we went. I managed to do well at all of them, and oddly enough, nobody ever noticed or mentioned that I never finished a meal and always had left overs. Since I was eating salad mostly, it was easy to explain not taking them back with me. But some foods not so easy, people look at you crazy like "why aren't you eating that?!?!!??!" Or why are you skipping dessert..etc... Or my personal favorite because I used to think the same way... "How do you come to the cheesecake factory and NOT get cheesecake?!??!?!?" lol funny how your outlook and priorities change. In other news: I am READY for my fill on Monday. I don't think I need much of one, as I'm still full off small amounts but I ate bread last night, no problem. I had my initial "full feeling" after eating... waited a lil' while and the bread and butter was CALLING me. Hot crispy on the outside, soft on the inside sourdough and soft butter... I slowly and carefully ate 3 small slices over the course of about an hour (i was at home) but after eating an hour before hand, that's not something I should have been able to do.. so I would definitely say it's time for a fill, and for me, it's coming right on schedule! Other than that I'm off to verizon for a new phone, since I managed to break mine in half.. then I'll be back to catch up on the blogs. Looks like some of you have been BUSY while I was away.

Let me start by saying I love my band and the results. At 3 days shy of being 1 month post-op, I think my band and I have now become "one". I no longer "feel" it or feel concisious of it. I've won the mental battle and it's been great. I feel great. I constantly find myself looking at food going "Wow that's too much." so portion control isn't really an issue. I have found though that I need to stick with what works for me. My church has been on a spiritual fast of fruits and veggies. I felt like I was actually gaining weight, and started to see some weight come back in my face. I believe this was because I wasn't getting enough calories to burn or protein. So while I'm still sticking to the fast as much as possible, I've realized that I REALLY need to do what's right for me. If that means 3 days fasting, 2 days eating, or whatever it is I need to do to complete it I will. Also now that I'm back on a full schedule of traveling with my clients I've realized how difficult it can be to constantly eat out and stay not only on the fast, but within band friendly foods. I was working and traveling with clients from Monday straight through til the following Monday. That was ALOT of eating out. ALOT of Cheesecake Factory, Houston's, Bing Crosby's etc.. Lots and lots of lil' eateries between AZ, Cali and everywhere else we went. I managed to do well at all of them, and oddly enough, nobody ever noticed or mentioned that I never finished a meal and always had left overs. Since I was eating salad mostly, it was easy to explain not taking them back with me. But some foods not so easy, people look at you crazy like "why aren't you eating that?!?!!??!" Or why are you skipping dessert..etc... Or my personal favorite because I used to think the same way... "How do you come to the cheesecake factory and NOT get cheesecake?!??!?!?" lol funny how your outlook and priorities change. In other news: I am READY for my fill on Monday. I don't think I need much of one, as I'm still full off small amounts but I ate bread last night, no problem. I had my initial "full feeling" after eating... waited a lil' while and the bread and butter was CALLING me. Hot crispy on the outside, soft on the inside sourdough and soft butter... I slowly and carefully ate 3 small slices over the course of about an hour (i was at home) but after eating an hour before hand, that's not something I should have been able to do.. so I would definitely say it's time for a fill, and for me, it's coming right on schedule! Other than that I'm off to verizon for a new phone, since I managed to break mine in half.. then I'll be back to catch up on the blogs. Looks like some of you have been BUSY while I was away.

Sorry been traveling and MIA from the board.. I went to Cheesecake Factory for lunch...and I had these again for dinner last night and breakfast...(half last night, half this morning) I'm kinda over them now.. I've had cheesecake factory 5 out of the last 10 days... my clients love it.

Not that I condone violence but this made me giggle out loud lol

I had a similar victory a week after surgery, then 2 two weeks.. I'm taking weekly pics to capture the differences.. taking the pics straight on instead of the classic "up angle" pose lol.. No more is it necessary.. today is my day to take pics again.. so I'll take some later.

Omgoodness now? Is it foodgasmic? I'll have to check it out!

1.) How much is the prize? LOL 2.) I disagree with those above... because as we all know it IS possible to gain weight with the band if you're not mindful of what you eat. We may be banded, but banded for different reasons. I'm hungrier with my band than I was without it and it's because it reminds me to eat. I didn't get fat by "over eating" as most people do, I got fat by not eating all day then eating one big meal late at night. Constantly keeping my body is starvation mode, so it stored fat instead of losing (even if my calorie intake was lower than I should have had in a day) So I disagree that you "won't be as hungry as them" because I experience the opposite. Also you do have to work out and do all of those things and ideally you'll lose 2lbs a week. The average person can do the same, eating larger portions. So carry on, enter the contest and split the prize money with me lol :tt1:

3 weeks post-op today, I feel great, I LOVE my band :thumbup: I went to lunch with a friend yesterday who's on the spiritual fast with me. We decided to do appetizers and salads. I got the greek salad no olives or cheese. He got a ceasar salad and zuccini. Then I found on the menu what seemed like an "interesting" appetizer... Sweet corn tamale cakes. OMGOSH delicious! Like UNBELIEVABLY delicious. And as I quickly found out, may or may not be considered band friendly lol. They're mushie so they're easy to go down. However, they're corn meal/masa so I'm not sure if what I experienced was them bloating in my stomach or just all that my stoma would allow. I'm going to go with the latter because corn meal doesn't tend to "bloat". I ate 1 and 1/2 of the cakes (shared) with the salsa, avocado and sauce toppings and I was DONE.. Like DONE DONE... I didn't even touch the greek salad. I had 2 bites left when I got that "full" feeling but I admit, old habits to finish it came up only because it tastes SO good. Sigh.. it's a battle being banded when you're a foodie, but I'm learning and recognizing more and more every day. So me being me, am on a mission to make a healthier version of them, replacing sugar with agave nectar, butter with, I'm not sure yet because well I LIKE butter lol... but it's not on my fast. The sauces I can do... well except the one with mayo, I gotta find a way around that one.. maybe use vegan soy mayo and see how it turns out.

3 weeks post-op today, I feel great, I LOVE my band I went to lunch with a friend yesterday who's on the spiritual fast with me. We decided to do appetizers and salads. I got the greek salad no olives or cheese. He got a ceasar salad and zuccini. Then I found on the menu what seemed like an "interesting" appetizer... Sweet corn tamale cakes. OMGOSH delicious! Like UNBELIEVABLY delicious. And as I quickly found out, may or may not be considered band friendly lol. They're mushie so they're easy to go down. However, they're corn meal/masa so I'm not sure if what I experienced was them bloating in my stomach or just all that my stoma would allow. I'm going to go with the latter because corn meal doesn't tend to "bloat". I ate 1 and 1/2 of the cakes (shared) with the salsa, avocado and sauce toppings and I was DONE.. Like DONE DONE... I didn't even touch the greek salad. I had 2 bites left when I got that "full" feeling but I admit, old habits to finish it came up only because it tastes SO good. Sigh.. it's a battle being banded when you're a foodie, but I'm learning and recognizing more and more every day. So me being me, am on a mission to make a healthier version of them, replacing sugar with agave nectar, butter with, I'm not sure yet because well I LIKE butter lol... but it's not on my fast. The sauces I can do... well except the one with mayo, I gotta find a way around that one.. maybe use vegan soy mayo and see how it turns out.

It may be head hunger... it may also be that you're not eating in the proper order, or getting enough protein. Without knowing what you're eating it's really hard to say or give any advice.

It more than likely WILL slow down, remember with the band the ideal weightloss is 2-3 lbs a week. The initial weightloss is great, like a jumpstart to get us going (I did 42lbs in my first month, including my pre-op diet) today I'm 3 weeks post-op, I'll weigh myself later, but on Tuesday I was 42lbs down. No need to rush back to scale for me lol.

My approval process was 6 months (Aetna Insurance requirement). And yes I lost 32lbs before surgery (3 week pre-op diet) and another 10lbs in the first 2.5 weeks post-op. I probably would have lost more if i followed the liquid diet, etc.. But I ate mushies on the 3rd day, and had cake a week later, etc.. Which as I later found out, is fine with my surgeon. Today is my 3 week post-op, I haven't weighed myself yet, I don't obsess over the scale. People's reaction is enough for me. Everybody who sees me is like "OMGOODNESS, you look smaller every time I see you" (they dont' know I had the surgery) For example, my Pastor's who hadn't seen me in a month (they're based in ATL and travel to PHX) were amazed, they were like you don't look like the same person. LOL lil' extreme but I guess there's a big difference between 1.5 chins and 3 LOL... I would definitely encourage you to get the band, I LOVE mine.

Yes ma'am it's in my blog, previous entry.

Yeah pain meds are your friend the first day and 1/2... I was banded on a friday, took the lortab friday and part of saturday then switched to liquid tylenol til sunday. I was completely off pain meds by sunday afternoon. The extra weight is from the iv fluids and swelling.. you'll lose it relatively quick. Shocked your dr's didn't tell you "don't weigh yourself" like mine did lol.. I didn't weigh myself at all until my post-op appointment yesterday, but funny I "knew" and had been saying.. I lost 42lbs.. I lost 42lbs and that's EXACTLY what I had lost.. amazing! lol

So I had my "official" 2 week post-op check up and I'm down 42lbs. I was just "sure" I'd hit the 50lbs mark but I'll take 42lbs. This puts me in the 200's a number I haven't seen in ages...I think high school, well and most of 2006. I was in the 200's then that cruise did me in and the scale has been climbing since. But I'm in the 200's and for me is a BIG deal, not as big a deal as the 100's will be but still a huge deal! I have noticed that my restriction is becoming less. I have 3 cc's in my band currently (put in day of surgery) but I still get very full, off of not much at all. 2 scrambled eggs or 1 packet of oatmeal still sustains me. Still on the protein shakes, still coming up with crazy new recipes for them like my "apple pie" one I made last night. But regardless of what I eat, I'm at that 42lbs mark, but my dr says it's right on track because that means I'm losing about 2lbs a week now which is what I'm supposed to be losing. I took my steri-strips off today and I have almost NO scaring. Dr. Nirmul did a good job. the 3 small incisions are invisible, 1 is completely invisible, I'm not even sure they cut there, the one under my breasts is almost invisible and the one on my right side looks like a small healing cat scratch. The port incision is healing nicely and is pink, but will heal quite nicely. I'm very pleased. I've been distracted for about an hour or two from writing this so I totally forgot what else I was going to add.. so I guess this is a good of place as any to stop... Oh and in other news, my love interest is coming home EARLY. He wasn't supposed to be home til oct, and I thought I would shock him with the new me... but he'll be home in a matter of weeks, probably just in time for valentine's day. We'll see how it goes. I'm in faith that it will be excellent and he'll just go through this change with me. :thumbup:

So I had my "official" 2 week post-op check up and I'm down 42lbs. I was just "sure" I'd hit the 50lbs mark but I'll take 42lbs. This puts me in the 200's a number I haven't seen in ages...I think high school, well and most of 2006. I was in the 200's then that cruise did me in and the scale has been climbing since. But I'm in the 200's and for me is a BIG deal, not as big a deal as the 100's will be but still a huge deal! I have noticed that my restriction is becoming less. I have 3 cc's in my band currently (put in day of surgery) but I still get very full, off of not much at all. 2 scrambled eggs or 1 packet of oatmeal still sustains me. Still on the protein shakes, still coming up with crazy new recipes for them like my "apple pie" one I made last night. But regardless of what I eat, I'm at that 42lbs mark, but my dr says it's right on track because that means I'm losing about 2lbs a week now which is what I'm supposed to be losing. I took my steri-strips off today and I have almost NO scaring. Dr. Nirmul did a good job. the 3 small incisions are invisible, 1 is completely invisible, I'm not even sure they cut there, the one under my breasts is almost invisible and the one on my right side looks like a small healing cat scratch. The port incision is healing nicely and is pink, but will heal quite nicely. I'm very pleased. I've been distracted for about an hour or two from writing this so I totally forgot what else I was going to add.. so I guess this is a good of place as any to stop... Oh and in other news, my love interest is coming home EARLY. He wasn't supposed to be home til oct, and I thought I would shock him with the new me... but he'll be home in a matter of weeks, probably just in time for valentine's day. We'll see how it goes. I'm in faith that it will be excellent and he'll just go through this change with me.

Ok so it's wishful thinking, but in my quest to find non-dairy smoothies I came up with this one last night... Took a lil' more agave nectar than I would have liked to use but it was good tasting. Not my strawberry shake smoothie good, but still good. So here we go.. ICE- lots of it (juice only smoothies require more ice than dairy ones) I did 1/2 of the blender, but you could do less and just pour over ice. 1 serving of organic applesauce (unsweetened) I just dumped a serving single cup in there. 2 scoops of vanilla designer whey protein powder (the ala mode lol) 8oz -10 oz of healthy balance apple juice 1 tablespoon (ok it was probably more like 1.5 but I don't measure anything) of agave nectar. Blend....scrape down sides, blend...and serve. Enjoy