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Finally Saying Hi!



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I've been lurking around reading everyone's posts since before I had my surgery, so I figured it's about time to finally introduce myself and tell my story!

So, I'm Tara, a 33 year old woman who recently married my love who I've lived with for over 12 years. I think that was the defining day for me. We had planned on getting married for years and years, but finally decided to just go to the court house with a couple of family members and do the deed. I couldn't even stand to have people take pictures of me/us that day. I know everyone wanted them, and I should have as well, but at almost 320 pounds I just couldn't stomach the idea. Of course, that's only one of a laundry list of things I face on a daily basis being this size. Struggling to physically keep up at work, with my husband, with my own body, heath problems, missing out on life in general...I could go on for days.

I've been talking about having this procedure since I was in my early 20s, and then everything suddenly happened so fast! A lot of days I'm still trying to wrap my brain around it all. On June 24th I had my initial consultation with my lap band surgeon. It took only a month to get insurance approval, do preop things, a week of the dreaded liquid diet, etc. One month to the day later, on July 24th, I got my band! I had a small problem early on, too much Fluid was left in when they tested the band during surgery, so I had extreme pain anytime I tried to take even a small sip of Water. Hitting a weekend and surgeon vacations, I ended up like that for 7 days before I could get in to have it unfilled. He got about 1cc of Fluid plus air out. IMMEDIATE RELIEF! I just had my first fill a few days ago, and he put 2cc back in and it feels great. I can drink without problems and my hunger is managed well for now.

Since the day of my initial consultation with the surgeon, I have lost 34 pounds. :) WOO HOO! I think I've FINALLY found a tool that works for me!!!

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Welcome to the club

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Congrats on your wedding and weightloss! You are on the way girl!!Welcome aboard!

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Congrats and welcome!

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So exciting......I am pre-band and love reading stories like yours. Congratulations on everything -- won't it be wonderful to show up for all the future happiness with good health!

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
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    • KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
      · 0 replies
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    • bellaamey

      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
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