So it's been almost 6 weeks since my initial consultation, and therefore almost 4 weeks from my surgery. Yes, I pulled the trigger VERY fast, and self pay. I can be impulsive sometimes... :smile2:

Weight is coming off nicely, although I can say with some certainty that it is 100% willpower at this point. I haven't felt anything that I would call a restriction. My plan is to go full bore, old style, self denial, willpower and some exercise until the fills get me to my sweet spot. Probably a dumb idea, but I am impatient...

My first fill is this Thursday. I have a morbid fear of puking, so I will not be pushing for a big fill. Ease me into the green zone please. I never want to say "oops, that was too much fill!" :crying:

I like interim goals, so I set a goal for myself of being under 260 by the first fill. I am at 261, and headed to the gym. In the bag!

Other goal was under 250 before my kid's start school in mid-August. I like my odds! I have one of those old fashioned scales with the big chunk of Iron that you put on 200, 250, 300, etc., and moving it from the 250 notch to the 200 notch will be awesome!

Somewhere in between these two goal I will pass the half way mark between my starting weight and my goal. Never thought I would do that in two months, but I think I will. Something tells me that the 2nd half will take WAY longer... But that's OK. Next goal after that is under 240, which would make my BMI be under 30, and therefore remove me from the "obese" category...

Found a way to help justify part of the cost of this surgery... I live in Houston, and it's hot here. Real hot! I find that already I am much more tolerant of the heat, and can turn the A/C up in my house. That is saving us real money. Never gets very cold here, so winter heating costs are not an issue...

Not to mention the reduced food bills. 800-1000 calories a day from the Whole Foods store just doesn't cost that much...

Otherwise, recovery from surgery is basically complete. I have a fairly hairy body, and they shaved my stomach big time. It's about half grown back, still looks kind of stupid. I think 4 of the 5 scars will be basically undetectable. The one just above my belly button I think will show somewhat. It's "dimpled", too. Wonder if this is permanent? My 5 year old calls it my "extra belly button"...

I have what feels like a small bit of "stitching" left in one incision area. Feels like 10 lb. monofilament fishing line. I'll ask the doc on Thursday about it... Thought the sutures were supposed to dissolve???

Anyway, that's my update. Thanks for listening... Go back to your business... Good luck to you...

:confused_smile:

Edited July 15, 200818 yr by gigem

Good job with making your first goal! Great idea to create small goals to work on instead of just focusing on the end goal.

Hey, gig 'em....Great job. On the restriction thing, you are absolutely dead on. It takes a while before you get real restriction (and it is best to go slow). You're relying on willpower right now for a bit, but that will gradually change. On the suture thing, I had a bit of suture sticking out from my incision. It will eventually dissolve, just be patient (or at least, mine did).

Hey, congrats on all the success! I get my first fill next week. I have lost 28LBS since surgery date, 6/18/2008! YAY! I went out and bought some new clothes, I have been wearing and then washing the same pair of pants and same three shirts for about 3 months, now I can open my closet up, get out the pants I used to wear 2 years ago and they fit and are loose! Its like I have all new clothes!!! I went from a 46 - to almost a 42!! I know it will slow down, but I am so happy! I am looking better. My skin is acutally looking better, my psoriasis is better, and I am feeling much more confident! I have felt restriction though, the first two weeks after surgery it has been willpower, then all the sudden, I almost had a PB? on taco meat, it hurt bad! My parents kept trying to talk to me, I couldn't speak. I turned around and grunted, "I AM IN PAIN, HUSH!!!!!" LOL Then the other morning while standing in line for the new iphone, i KNOW I KNOW, I AM A GEEK, I bought a white castle sauage hamberger with egg. I had another "stuck" feeling and tears came out my eyes! I learned my lesson, smal bites, eat SLOWLY. That pain is awful!!!!

OH AND I QUIT SMOKING ON JULY 3RD!!!! SO now I dont eat much or smoke, LOL I have SO MUCH FREE TIME!! I used to lie on the couch pre-band and eat like a horse and get SUPER THANKSGIVING FULL, and not move all night, I was embaressed to go anywhere, and have no energy to go anyways. I would just watch tv after dinner and smoke all night.

Now I get up and go for walks, bike rides, motorcycle rides, and work on all kinds of projects! The band so far is chaging my life!!!

In the words of Howard Dean: whoooooohahahahhawooooooohahahahhyeeehawwwwww!!!!! LOL gotta love him.

And one of the dumbest things I ever did...3 days after surgery I decided to eat a peanut butter pretzel. WHOA! Think of knife directly into the stomach. Don't know what made me think I could do that. Maybe just many years of bad eating behavior.

OH AND I QUIT SMOKING ON JULY 3RD!!!!

Freakin' awesome! Think how good you are gonna feel in a year, at your goal weight and not smoking. Outstanding!