maggs79

Well, I've lost 70 pounds...about 30-35 from my goal...but that is going to have to wait. Just found out that we are expecting our first baby!! I'm only a little over 6 weeks along, but feeling awesome so far. Another cool thing...my GP says I'm not high risk! I have perfect blood pressure and great pulse...something I never would have had without the surgery. Anyway, a lot can still happen (go wrong) so I'm not telling EVERYONE yet, but yeah. I consider that a success.. Would have been a lot harder trying to conceive before I lost the weight. This was only our second try. For now, just praying for a healthy baby...first ultrasound in two 1/2 weeks...I can hardly wait! I am totally a bag of nerves...I just need to see that things are progressing as they should.. Then I can breathe a bit!! Hope everyone on here is doing well. Blessings, all! Maggs

Well, I hoped I'd have a MEGA success story about some ridiculous weight loss, but I have lost about 40 pounds in 10 months. (I had to stop myself from saying "only" 40 pounds. 40 pounds is still great, right?) I AM down 4 pants sizes...I think it's because I work out fairly regularly. I have to tell myself that that is why my weight hasn't shifted as quickly as I'd like...muscle weighs more than fat. And I've been doing a lot of weight training to build those muscles. I can at least SEE a difference. Even on a month to month basis for the most part. I have an appointment tomorrow for a fill...I had .5cc removed from the band 2 months ago. I think I might only have .25cc put in tomorrow and see how that goes for me. Kinda dreading the appointment, to be honest. I've only lost a couple of pounds since that last appointment. Yuck. But I'm trying to figure out this whole thing. Even 10 months on, I'm still learning every single day! Today I bought a Fitbit from Best Buy to track my activity and sleep, etc. I hope it works for me. If it does, I will sing its praises on here for sure. Let you know in a month or so! Anyway, GOOD LUCK to everyone who is about to be banded. I do not regret it one bit! I just wish I was a fast loser...but a loser is a loser! Ha! Who'd have thought I would WANT to be a "loser?" Blessings all! xo ~M

Have you thought about an unfill?? I had to have a bit taken out a couple months ago because I wasn't losing anything and everything was getting stuck. You might actually see more of a weightloss if you can eat MORE. Your body needs the fuel or it goes into starvation mode. I find I lose more weight if I eat a few more (healthy) calories. But I am still frustrated with food sticking sometimes. It's weird... PLEASE--stay in touch!! Add me!

Ahh, there we are! I had lost the group and couldn't figure out how to find it again! I am down (since surgery day) 40 pounds and down (since pre-op) 56 pounds. It's a start! I had to have an unfill a couple weeks ago because I was having a hard time keeping much down and wasn't getting enough calories...which made me not lose anything for about a month or so. But since my unfill 2 weeks ago, I am down 4 and a half pounds! So I think it was the right decision. How is everyone else doing?? And add me on Facebook if you want! Maggie Hitchinson is my full name.

I am going to follow your blog! You are such an inspiration for me! My goal is to get to One-derland by my birthday (May 26) and I have about 15 pounds to go (as of this morning.) So, we will see!!

Well, it looks like the .5cc unfill and stepping it up at the gym this week has helped to let me see some more results! Since the 9th of February, I have lost 4 pounds...not bad for just over a week! I'm extremely happy with that. I have also forced myself to go to the gym everyday this week so far and plan to go back for a 5th time tonight. My workout plan that I have set up on AnytimeHealth.com gives me Saturday and Sunday off from the gym...but I might go on Saturday evening anyway. I need a new addiction...maybe working out can replace all that junky food that I still tend to miss sometimes. Oh, I have an INCREDIBLY good recipe for a super healthy meal if you're interested! Spaghetti squash! I know, I was like, what the heck is spaghetti squash! It's completely vegetarian, though you can add any meat that you like. (I just was too lazy to cook some meat with it. Ha!) I made mine with zucchini, red peppers and mushrooms, but you can use any veggies you'd like. Cut the Squash in half, scoop out the guts to throw them away and drizzle the squash with olive oil and pinch some rosemary or thyme or basil---whatever spices you like. Put it in a microwaveable dish with 1/4 inch of water in it flat side down and cook for 10 minutes. While that is cooking, saute your veggies in olive oil, a little salt and pepper (I use salt substitute so it has zero sodium), and some lemon juice. When the squash is done cooking, take it out and fork out the insides. It will look like short spaghetti noodles. Take the insides and put the in a bowl. (You may be cooking the other half of the squash while your doing this.) Add the veggies to the squash with another squirt of lemon juice. Stir and serve!! If you add meat, add that at this time as well. You can also try it with spaghetti sauce, but that will add more calories and sodium. Though tomatoes are a good addition! Ok, that's it. Don't expect me to share too many recipes...I'm just starting to experiment with healthier foods. I hope to report more weightloss soon! I'm trying to kick my butt in gear a bit more!! I wish I had a workout partner...but I suppose that at the end of the day, I need to do this for me and no one else. Meh. Blessings all! Maggs

I decided to get some fluid taken out of my band today. Just a 1/2 cc. The stress of the last 4-6 weeks has worked against me with losing weight. I didn't lose a single pound since my last visit. Ok, well, I actually gained 4 or 5 pounds over Christmas, lost all that right away when I got back from vacation because I was sick! Then gained 3 and lost those too. But now I'm stuck where I was before my last fill...and I've been STUCK literally as well. Even throwing up sometimes. It's worst in the morning, but it can happen at any time. I think taking some fluid out of the band was the best plan I could have. Now, to see if it will work! I have been working out about 3 times a week at the gym. I really need to ramp that up as well, but this week has been rough. It's negative 7 degrees outside with a windchill of negative 25. I don't feel like getting out of my PJ's except to go to work...and that takes some convincing. Plus, an old colleague is in town and we've been hanging out in the evenings. Soo, no gym so far this week...but Saturday evening for sure, if not sooner! I will hopefully find out soon if this unfill has helped. I am close to what I was when I lost 9 pounds back in October. I hope this lets me move forward with my weight loss...another 20 pounds by May 26th (my birthday) is my goal...to bring into ONE-derland!!

Yes, I actually talked to my PA this morning about this. She said to start the day with very soft food or even a protein shake. And it IS kinda normal...or at least not unheard of.

I'm not sure how much is in there, to be honest. When I go to the doc on Wednesday, I might have a little taken out. from October to November, I lost NINE pounds. So I think I did better with less fluid in the band. Since being banded in June (excluding the pre-op diet) I have lost just shy of 40 pounds. I'm a slow loser. But at least I have lost this much! My goal is to lose 20 more pounds by my birthday. (May 26) I hope I can do it!

Thank you for the prayers! And I do think an unfill is the best idea at this point.

I haven't posted in a long time...first, I was busy with the crazy holiday season at work. Then I went to England for Christmas. I actually got a fill the day before I was flying overseas! Not recommended, by the way! I hardly ate anything before I got on the plane and not quite half the (awful) meal on the plane. Mainly drank water the whole time. But it wasn't until after I landed that I really felt the restriction! I got to my in-laws' house and my husband's mom had prepared this huge meal! Ugh!! Roast chicken, veggies, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes...I ate some of the chicken and some of the veggies...and then had to throw up! It was awful. I was so tight from the pressure on the plane, I guess. It was just that one day, but wow...rough at first! Well, I lie...it was rough food-wise the whole time! His mom cooks the most rich food you can imagine!! And even though my portions were smaller, it was packed full of fat (I'm sure) and carbs and generally good-tastin' stuff! Ha! I gained about 4 pounds in the 2 weeks I was there! When I got home, though, I had the WORST cold/flu I've ever had and lost it all in 3 days. On the 3rd day after I got home, I got a text message from my husband's mom saying Mark (my husband) was in the hospital with a chest infection. (He still lives there because we are waiting for his greencard.) So I called the hospital the next morning to find out how he was. He had taken a BIG turn for the worse and was in the ICU, sedated and ventilated. They advised me to come over as quickly as I could. So I booked a ticket BACK to England and flew out the next afternoon. Crazy. I was so sick, coughing, sniffling and trying not to eat much (because of my last experience) all at 36,000 feet above the Atlantic. It was hard trip! But it was harder once I got there. Mark's mom was in tears when she saw me. We drove straight to the hospital where he had been sedated for 3 days at that point. Tests found he had swine flu of all things! He had cancer a few years ago and now has a lot of lung problems. Anytime he gets an infection or virus, it sits in his lungs and he can't clear it. So it developed into pneumonia. Now, nearly 4 weeks after getting the initial call that he was in the hospital, he is STILL in ICU over there. I came back after about 10 days over there. But there were a few times while I was there that we were very close to losing him. He developed other infections while they were trying to clear the H1N1. He had to go on dialysis because his kidneys were failing. His heart rate was 125bpm and his temp was 104. We watched other patients in the ward DIE of this while I was there. SO hard! Thank God he started to improve a little bit before I left. He's had a few bad days since, but more ok, than bad. They had to do a trach and they finally stopped his sedation a couple days ago. Now it's a matter of his waking up...though he it still on a ventilator. So...between the stress, the trips back and forth to England and super rich food over there, I haven't lost a flippin' pound since my fill in December! Well, I did gain 4, lost 4, gained 3, lost 3...now I'm stuck. And I am frustrated. But I am also finding that I'm literally getting "stuck" a bit too often. So, I might not get a fill on Wednesday when I go in...or I might even have a slight UNfill...ugh. It's just been a really crappy month. And I am mad at myself for eating "junk." Even though I HAVE been going to the gym every other day. I am still not losing much. And I'm still worried about Mark. Oh sheesh...sorry to ramble on and on... ~ Maggs P.S. Attached is a photo of me, Mark and our niece, Freya from our trip up to Scotland right after Christmas.

I did not get a fill this morning. I didn't think I needed one and that was confirmed! I've lost 9 lbs this past month! That's the best weight loss I have experienced in only a month thus far!! My PA was ecstatic!! Maybe even more excited than I am. Ha! I'm hoping I'm in the green zone for a while and continue to shed the weight. I'm sure I could have lost even more had I actually gone to the gym as much as I probably COULD have. (Ok, my gym is 24 hours...I seriously have no excuse! LOL) But I have been TRYING to go more regularly. Work is just exhausting me! Anyway, I still feel pretty tight in the mornings, so breakfast is the most difficult meal to get down, but the rest of the day I normally eat around a cup or so of food...pretty good over all. This morning after my appointment I had half a souffle from Panera (that's all I could eat!) and a fruit cup. I'm sitting in Panera right now, watching the clock for 30 minutes so I can drink my coffee! :smile: Not drinking with meals is sometimes still a challenge as well. But I am DETERMINED to overcome all these challenges! Anyway, that was my quicky update of the day. I'll try to blog a bit more often like I did when I first got the band. Work keeps me going all day! But I enjoy reading all the blogs on here and I SHOULD contribute more often. :redface: Hope you are all well!! xo Maggs

Tomorrow is my 4th fill...but to be honest, I'm not sure I need one! I've lost about 8 pounds (I think) since my last fill a month ago. I'm happy with that! At least the numbers are going DOWN!! Obviously I'd like to lose 100 lbs over night, but that's just not going to happen! Ha!! I've had quite a bit of trouble at first with my last 2 fills. I had a hard time keeping things down and a lot of pain eating solids for the first meal of the day. But I've gotten used to eating slower and taking smaller bites and STOPPING when I'm full. (That last bit is sometimes the hardest when I'm out with friends!) I have also found that if I don't eat very much in a day, I won't lose very much that day. I have to have a decent amount of calories or my body goes into starvation mode or something. Weird thing. So, 5 months with the band and I'm still learning. Eventually I'll get it figured out, I'm sure. I have been going to the gym when I can, but we're extra busy at the studio now with everyone wanting holiday portraits, so my ME time is somewhat limited until January. I tell myself that I'm doing a LOT of extra running around at work, so that will help a bit. And there's little time for snacking! Ha! Planning my trip to England for Christmas. I'm interested to see how that goes, food-wise. I'll just eat what I know I can eat--no matter how much his mother tries to put on my plate! :bored: I will let you know if I get any extra in my band tomorrow...but I might be getting to a good place with it! Yay! :thumbup: Blessings, Maggs xo

What kind of snacks are you keeping in your purse?? I really need to do that. I work in a mall and mall food is just so terrible! And I'm getting tired of the kids meals from Chipotle! Ha!!

It really depends how much you're filled with, but you SHOULD feel some restriction within a couple days. I have had 3 fills so far and I can tell you that for me, day TWO after the fill I feel more restriction than the day I actually get the fill. Weird. Anyway, stay in touch!!! Add me!

It's been a LONG time! Well, a month at least. I'm settled into my place in Minneapolis, just got back from vacation in Disney World last night and have one more day of vacation to rest at home before going back to work on Friday. I got a second fill about 2 1/2 weeks ago. Haven't lost much weight since then, but I also was eating a lot of not-so-healthy foods while in Florida. At least I walked about 10 miles a day in the 90 degree heat! I can most certainly feel a difference in the amount of food I can eat. It has taken some getting used to, that's for sure. More than once I ate too fast and paid the price, but I've gotten the hang of it! Just have to make better choices now that vacation is over! Ha!! I'm down another pants size! I will get new pics soon...I actually have an appointment for a photography shoot in about 3 weeks! My sister, whom I have not seen in 2 years, is coming into town for a few days and we're getting pics together!! I cannot wait! :smile2: I've been volunteering at the theater here in Minneapolis. Got to see Wicked for free 4 times! Woo! I think I'm going to be a volunteer captain because I used to volunteer at the theater in Cincinnati as well. It's pretty fun and a great way to see shows without paying anything! I'm going to Target House in Memphis next Thursday to photograph the kids and their families at St. Jude's hospital. I'm looking forward to it, but nervous at the same time. I'm not sure how I'm going to handle it emotionally. I'm a very emotional being, especially when it comes to sick kids. I'm positive I'll be excusing myself to the restroom several times to cry. :frown: But it's all going to be worth it to be able to give these families the gift of portraits. That is something they will have no matter what. Well, I will try to get on here more often. :smile: How is everyone else doing out there?? xo ~ M

I called a LAP-BAND® doctor here that takes out of town patients and he has some BIG restrictions for post-op rules! Not like my doc. My surgery was June 14th and I had my first fill on July 19th. His requirement is no first fill for 8 weeks after surgery, so a second fill can't be for at least 90 days after the surgery date. That means the earliest I could get in would be the day before I'm supposed to go on vacation to Florida! They went on to say there is no way I could fly with any liquid in my band. I've never heard THAT before! In fact, my doc in Chicago said I could fly 24 hours after a fill. Who to believe...I think I'll believe the doctor that I KNOW and TRUST already. So, I called another place up here in the Minneapolis area. It's actually a bit closer to me anyway. They require a meeting with a dietician to assess where I am at this point, but I could get in this week! I scheduled an appointment for next Monday afternoon. We'll see what they say, but I already like how much more helpful they were than the other place. I would really hate to have to drive 6 or 7 hours back to Chicago for a fill at the end of the month, but I can not wait until OCTOBER for a second fill! Sheesh! I want to start losing more weight, for cryin' out loud. I've only lost about 5 pounds since my fill. (Right, "only" can be excluded, I know. At least the pounds are going DOWN, not up.) But I also haven't been able to work out at a gym with the move going on. I plan on joining the gym in the next week or so. Waiting for payday! :thumbup: So, loving Minnesota so far! Not looking forward to winter, but I'm prepared as much as I can be for it! Haha! How is everyone else doing out there?? ~ M

...to Minnesota, that is! In fact, the movers are here as we speak. They were supposed to be here yesterday...no tip for them! 3 nights of sleeping on the floor bites...just sayin'. So, lots of stress and having to eat out for the last 4 days (since my kitchen was packed up!) means I haven't lost any more weight! So I'm down 4 pounds since my first fill. I have to call the local doc today to try to get in for a second fill at the end of the month. On that note, I got my op report and fille report from my surgeon back in Chicago and it was a very interesting read!! Kinda weird how they described in detail everything they did during the surgery...pulling back the liver, cuting here or there...seems unreal! Good thing I'm not too squeamish about that kind of stuff! Ha! Oh, I also found out that since my first fill, I have 3cc in a 10cc band. Good to know! Ok, this was just an "I'm still alive, just busy!" blog. :smile: Now that I'm starting to settle in, I'll be able to get online more often. Blessings, all! xo ~ M :tt2:

I've had one fill, just this past Monday. And I've been pretty much on soft foods (besides 2 days of liquids following the fill) since then. Had some chicken and mashed potatoes last night with no problems. Though I was making sure to chew everything a LOT! So, this being said, I haven't felt much restriction. I am getting a bit hungry between meals and I don't like that! My doc did say, however, that if that is the case, to come back within two weeks for a bit more fill. I'm trying to establish if I'm actually hungry or bored. I'm so used to eating for boredom that it's sometimes hard to tell the difference. It's a paradigm shift, that's for sure! Oh, I have also learned what PB-ing is! Ha! For some strange reason, I'm glad to have found this out first hand. It tells me that the band IS working! I ate half a toasted Weight Watchers pita with fat free butter and got stuck-ish. Maybe I ate too fast or swallowed a bite too big. But the stuck feeling didn't last too long, at least! Sipped some Papaya juice. Not sure that really helped, but a little burp and it was over. Though I am not eating again till dinner! Ha!! I have lost 3 pounds since Monday! K, that's not like a size down or something, but I'm celebrating the small things. Hopefully one day I'll BE a small thing! xo

I had my first fill yesterday! I wasn't too sure what to expect, but I was warned to not look! And that I would hear a "pop" noise at the needle went into the port. So, I stared at the wall and heard the pop, drank some barium and was out the door in a little under a minute! it did pinch a bit, but it wasn't too bad. I have no idea how many CC's he put in, but they did tell me that if I am not feeling much restirction, get hungry between meals or am not losing weight, to come back within 2 weeks for another fill! I thought that was different from what I've read on here...and I like it! So, if this doesn't work as well as I want it to at first, I'll have another visit to the clinic before I move to Minnesota in two weeks! I'm on liquids till tomorrow afternoon, so I'm thinking that's why I'm able to "eat" more than 4oz. Just taking my time drinking an 11oz protein shake. Last night, I hadn't eaten in like 8 or 9 hours and was SO hungry after the fill. So I had half a bowl of soup at Fridays and about 5 bites of mashed potatoes that I let get extra mushy before I swallowed. That satisfied my hunger, so I suppose that is some restriction. But I think I'll know more once I eat regular food. I know that all that was more than 4oz! I've lost 17 pounds total so far. Can't tell much from looking at me, though. But a couple pairs of my jeans are starting to get really loose! So that's a good sign! (And good excuse to go shopping! Ha!) Anyway, back to work! I'm just taking a quick break, but I hear a whining child in the camera room...better go see if she needs some help to photograph him! Blessings! xo ~ M

Well, I didn't win photographer of the year, but I was second runner up, so I received $2,500! Better than nothing!!! And I'm pretty proud to be number 3 in a company of over 15,000 photographers!! :rolleyes2: Very happy! Next year...$25,000!!! :bye: Tomorrow is my first fill! I'm driving back from Minnesota as we speak. Stopped somewhere in Wisconsin for the night. Probably have about 4 hours to go till I'm back in Chicago. Then two weeks to pack and move!! Busy busy! But I love every moment of it. How have you all been?? xo

So, this has been a productive week! I found a place to live in Minnesota, signed my lease on Tuesday and found a local gym! Called...wait for it.......the Gym. LOL Really original, eh? Hulk Hogan was apparently one of it's very first members in 1979! Crazy! Anyway, it's definitely in my budget--cheap in fact! So as soon as I move up here in 3 weeks, I'm joining! The owner gave me a tour and it's just such a down to earth place. He's also going to set me up for two workouts with a personal trainer! Sweetness! My first fill is this coming Monday! I cannot wait to have some restriction and start losing some weight! I really hope this band works for me. I still have a part of me that says it won't work. I know that I have to work for it too, but, well, ya know. I want to be bragging about some crazy weightloss in a few months! Wish me luck! Tomorrow begins our 3-day summer meeting for work! And I'm up for photographer of the year and the top prize of $25,000! I don't think I'll win it, BUT 2nd or 3rd place would be ok...still get a couple thousand with that! So, if you're the praying type, PRAY that I win! Heading to bed...it's going to be a long day tomorrow! xo

Well, I've been offline for a few days looking for a place to live in the Minneapolis area. And I found a really great place about 12 minutes from where I will be working! SO happy about that!! Right now I drive about 45 minutes to work. Bleh. Done with it! My first fill is a week from tomorrow!! I am excited! A bit nervous, but looking forward to some real restriction and (hopefully) seeing some weight come off. This weekend is D-DAY! It's the awards ceremony at work...I hope I win SOME money! Even 3rd place gets $2,500...that would be a tremendous help. But that $25,000 is still my ultimate dream!! *praying!* I'm up against some ridiculously awesome photographers, so we'll see! It's a tough one. I still have 3 more days scheduled up here to looks for a place! What on earth am I going to do with my time! I think I'll go out to some parks and take a walk or something. Maybe walk my friend's dog for her. :rolleyes2: Anyway, it's been a while, so I just wanted to post SOMETHING to let people know I'm still here! Blessings, all! xo