Hi there,

I am new and on the fast track here...just decided this week to go ahead with surgery, and already have first appt. next week and tentative surgery date for next month. I will have MANY questions, but in the meantime I thought I would introduce myself by repeating the "story" I wrote for my profile, below......

I am have read enough of others' stories to see that mine falls right in line....I always struggled with my weight but was able to maintain a reasonable size (from 140-160 lbs) with diet and excercise until I had my first child at age 29. I gained 60 lbs with that pregnancy and was never able to lose most of it no matter what I did. Three more pregnancies and babies followed....and more weight. I am now at an all time high, 231, which gives me a BMI of 40.

Now, that first baby is 12 years old. I have been dieting, exercising, and repeating the cycle of failure over and over and over again for twelve long, hard years. I finally realized I simply cannot do this anymore: it is not working. I lose 10 lbs only to gain back 20. I am missing so much from my former, healthier, thinner life -- like running longer distances -- that I used to do and now just cannot do. It makes me tremendously sad.

So, I just made the call to a Dr. in Denver and have my first appointment next week, during which I will do all of the psych and nutrition testing (I am not even sure what all - pretty much everything I need!) I should have a surgery date in September - just a month away! So fast! I am paying myself (my insurance has a blanket exclusion for WLS), so things are able to move rapidly. I am just excited beyond belief. I have much to learn in the next month, and hope to gain from the wisdom shared here.

Edited August 2, 200917 yr by coloradomom
spelling

Hey Colorado,

Your story is very similar to mine as well except you you have 17 more years of experience. I am 25, I have 2 little girls and am hoping my surgery will be next month. I have gone through ALL the appointments, insurance and evals necesarry and am meeting with the Surgeon next week for my pre-op consultation. I'm so excited yet nervous.

I always thought I was chubby so I started dieting, binge exercising when I was 10. Little did I know that 14 years of this would be what messes my metabolism up and get to where I am today. (My resting metabolic rate should be at 1785 cals a day but it is at 800 cals a day) I fought with weight up and down for years ranging from 115 up to 175 until I had my first daughter. From there i gained 35 lbs that took me to 210. I worked out like a mad woman and dieted again and yet for some reason I couldn't lose a pound!! At 2 weeks old my daughter was hospitalized for a disease called Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis amongst other things and we were fighting to keep her alive for almost 2 1/2 years. In the middle of that all my brother passed away in a car accident, my husband is in the military and that job took its toll as well. So needless to say on top of trying to lose my baby weight the depression didn't help. After my second baby (Dec. 08) the weight just added on top of the previous weight. I finally decided I needed to find something that could help me get to my normal self. I need to feel good about myself to be able to better cope with all the stresses that continue. I so miss being able to run my heart out without all the pain and having to start and stop. So I am at 214 now and am so anxious to get this show on the road!! I promised myself that I wasn't going to end up like my parents and many of my aunts. I want a full life of quality!

My aunt had surgery in March (She is 32 or so) and has lost like 60 lbs. Here are some things my aunt told me.

Food..When I did the pre-opp diet I did juice plus complete shakes.. there were the best and gave me more energy then the ungery stuff. Currently I am on the regular diet I have been able to handle more meats then I thought, and I crave veggies.. I have surprised my self that I don't crave breads like I thought I would.. But I have to say that is the biggest thing that I miss.

I have had s little bit of watermelon and some strawberries. It is summer gotta have some.. But it was in small amounts and only 3 times in the past 3 months.

Amounts I am up to a full 1/4 cup of food.. I had a hard time doing the measuring thing.. I am sure I should more then I do.. but If I give my self a little more and then leave some on my plate it gives me a good feeling.. I use small plates and small silverware

I got mine in the baby isle. I also got the 4 oz cups with lids and use those for my finger foods and Snacks that I can carry in my purse.

Types

Currently I am eating, chicken, turkey, tuna and some pork.. (chicken and pork has to be boiled and cooked really well and then I have to chew chew chew.. I have done grounds hamberger and grounds turkey mixxed together with turkey being more then the beef and I was able to handle that... If you don't it hurts like HELL...I do green Beans, cooked carrotts, kidney beans, white beans, black beans,

Throwing Up

I have only thrown up twice and each time was I drank to soon after eating and the Water got stuck and I had to let it come back up... so wait your full 20 mins to 30 mins before you drink.

Port.. Yes you can feel it and as I loose weight I am feeling it even more.

And if I turn wrong or lay on it wrong it tugs and pulls and hurts sooooo bad.

does it hurt

Over all, the first week is the hardest.. having only water, broth and Jello to eat is a killer.. Oh my gosh the brain hunger is intense.. I lost 16 pounds in the first 4 days after surgery..The pain only comes into play when I bent down and it pulled my port on my muscles when it was still trying to heal.. Don't do to much, it will kickyou in the butt for sure.. Been there done that.that can continue to help you in your learning process.

I know that if you can learn to chew chew chew and eat small small small amounts then the post op process isn't as painful. My goal is to not have to experience the pain of eating to fast, too much or not chew enough.

Good luck. I'll keep my fingers crossed for the both of us getting our surgeries next month.!

Take Care

Height: 5'4"

Current weight: 214

Goal weight: 115-125

LB process start date: June 8th

Surgeon Pre- Op Consultation: Aug. 28th

Surgery: To be announced!

NO Pain No Gain!

Edited August 22, 200917 yr by FunFab&Ready2BFit

FunFab,

Thank you so much for your thoughtful response and all the tips. Really helpful! I need to write all this down somewhere.

Oh how I wish I had done this in my 20s. I wasted so much time and energy and emotional well being on trying to control my weight. You are really smart for tackling this early on.

My surgery is now just 10 days away. The thought of being healthy and able to do all the things I used to do is just the best. I know it will be a LOT of work to learn how to work with the band, but compared with the anguish of dieting and failing over and over, I am ready for the challenge, to say the least.

Good luck to you, I hope you get your surgery date soon!

YEAH! Good luck. That is coming up so fast! I agree, I didn't want to waste anymore of my life on being over weight so I am so excited to be able to have the capacity to do it now! So did you have to have a consultation with your surgeon before Surgery? If you did how long was it from that appointment that you had to wait for your surgery?

Good luck! Keep me posted on how your doing.

Is our goal wt set by us or the surgeon? I am 5 ft and suppose to weigh 98-115. I think I totally passed that wt growing up. I've always been heavy. How do I know what is "healthy" for me?

Usually the docotrs have a chart they go off of to give you a guideline but from my experience it is really what you feel your best at and healthiest. My ideal from the chart is 108-145 and I always stayed on the higher end of the scale. I would like to see how low I can get but I looked pretty healthy at 145 so we'll see. For you I'd just go off of how you feel and look in your clothes. Not the scale. Good Luck.