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I'll make my own luck
 

I think I'll always be fat.

I think I'll always be fat.   I'm actually okay with that.   I was near 500lbs when I started this journey. My physical ability was nearly non-existent. Had I not had my sleeve, I would probably need motorized cars at stores at this point.   I've lost over 150lbs. My lowest weight was 317 at 2 years post op, and then.... I got pregnant!   See, life changed completely after my sleeve.   I had been perpetually single for 5+ years during the prime of my life - late 20s - early 30s. I got sleeved, after months of depression thinking my life would never be what I wanted if I didn't lose weight. I wanted a good man. I wanted children. I had no confidence in myself that I could have that because I was fat. I see now how really sad that is, and how hard I was on myself.   So, I started dating (a LOT, embarrassing to think about, actually) and eventually got set up on a blind date with G and the rest... is history. Except that his past is complicated and not quite in his past completely - and now we live together, have 50/50 custody of his 7 year old daughter and I JUST HAD MY FIRST BABY in May. More on that, later. It's really quite incredible how life has changed!   My body is a wreck. I already had loose skin so I didn't even look pregnant during my pregnancy... not even THE DAY I gave birth to a 9 lb baby boy! But I reread my entry from right after surgery and the same has held true - I'm so amazed and impressed with what my body can do. I survived being severely obese, I survived high blood pressure, surgery, gestating a baby, having a c-section - and I feel great (for a 35 year old FTM of a newborn).   I'm still working on turning over a leaf I started turning when I had surgery. Nearly 2 1/2 years have gone by and I still have a long way to go if I ever want to be on that "Overweight" BMI category. But I don't care. I'm working on losing weight after having a baby with the same attitude as post-op. I want my life to be better. Now my goal is a little different: I want to be the best mom and play with my baby. *who just woke up!*   No one is perfect. Some bodies are bigger than others. I'm okay with being the best I can be, whatever that may be.   Back on the ride to get my body moving again! Pregnancy is hard, but that's no longer an excuse. My baby is going to have me running after him soon enough, I'd better prepare for that! Let's see just how far I can go for my son.
makemyownluck

makemyownluck

2
Kelsey Marie's Blog
 

Week 2 Measurements

So here are my second week of measurements, 3 days post-op. Already seeing amazing changes!   Weight: 247 lbs Waistline: 42" Bust: 48" Hips: 49" Neck: 15" Wrist: 7.25" Bicep: 16" Forearm: 12" Thigh: 31" Calf: 18.5"   Weight Loss: -8 lbs Total Inches Lost: -6.25 BMI Reduced: -1.2   I'm really excited to see what the results will be next week!
Kelsey Marie

Kelsey Marie

0
Gastric Sleeve Surgery - An Unexpected Journey
 

5 Tips to Cool Down Quickly After a Hot Workout

5 Steps to Cool Down Quickly After a Hot Workout . 1) Pre-cool before the workout To pre-cool, begin hydrating at least two hours before your workout with cold drinks, sit in an air-conditioned room, or have some cooling packs on hand.   2) Stretch it out post-workout Walk and stretch for at least ten minutes until your heart rate slows down.   3) Take a hot-and-cold shower A Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport study found that athletes who alternated soaking in hot and cold water after exercising experienced a significant reduction in their heart rate and blood lactate levels.   4) Smooth on skin-cooling lotion After a shower, hydrate your skin with a lotion that contains cooling properties like menthol.   5) Drink peppermint tea—hot or cold Research shows that in dry, hot climates, having a hot drink actually helps us cool off, since the heat from the drink triggers a sweating response.     read the entire article: http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/wellbeing/fitness/5-steps-to-cool-down-quickly-after-a-hot-workout.php
joatsaint

joatsaint

0
xlawman's Blog
 

Type 2 Diabetic

Hello Everyone, I am knew at this but will do my best to keep it simple. I am 65 years young. I have been a type 2 diabetic for over 30 years. I had a lapband put in 2005. My biggest weight was 310lbs. I went down to 200 but now back up to 230. I had the lapband removed because I felt I had lost all could with it. Now I am having the sleeve put in on Sept. 18th 2015. As expected I am a little nervous about having the operation. But also excited to move into a new journey in my life. I would like to get down to 180lbs, which is what I should be at being 5 feet 8 inches. The main reason I am doing this is do get off all my medications that I take for my diabetes. Has anyone stoped taking their meds for diabetes? If so, how long was it after the surgery did this take place? Any information about this would be deeply appreciated. Also any tips on what to eat to keep my sugar levels on track. Thanks for your time and inmput. Joe
xlawman

xlawman

0
Kelsey Marie's Blog
 

Before Surgery Measurements

With my surgery being on Thursday, I decided I'd write out all of my measurements so that way I can track how far I come every month after the surgery.   Current Weight: 254 lbs Waistline: 42.5" Bust: 48.5" Hips: 50.5" Neck: 16" Wrist: 7.25" Bicep: 16" Forearm: 12.75" Thigh: 31.5" Calf: 18.75"   I am able to keep these measurements with me on my phone thanks to the app "BodyShot." I know it's available for iOS, I'm not sure about Android. But it's an app I've used in the past, and I love it! You get to select what measurements you want to keep, and you take a picture of yourself so you can see physical progress, and also the inches coming off (which you can't always see).   Other than that, I'm killing this all liquid diet! But I'll be happy in 5 weeks when I can start introducing solid foods into my system again.   Can't wait until Thursday!
Kelsey Marie

Kelsey Marie

0
Traci's Blog
 

90 lbs to go...

A couple weeks ago, I posted a blog entry about the changes in my abilities, since I started working with my trainer a year ago: "I may not be there yet, but I am closer than I was yesterday". In this write up, I posted a video of me deadlifting 135 lbs, to commemorate about how much weight I had lost at that point (about 130-ish pounds). The amazing realization I had during this session was just how much more power and endurance I have. In addition to the weightlifting, I was able to do a full pull-up (with the assistance of bands), and blew away my stats on my original assessment (4 times faster than I was the year prior).   This really was a renewal to my commitment to get down to my goal range. My doctor told me I should aim for 150-170 lbs. I'm within 70-90 lbs of that goal. I had been slacking off a bit. Sure, I was exercising, but not enough to really help me to lose much weight. My goal for my 1 year follow-up with my surgeon (which is in a couple weeks), is to be under 200 lbs. I'm still 40 lbs off from that. .... But, rather than bumming on my lack of progress, I've put together a redemption plan. My body needs more intense exercise than what I'm giving it, so, starting this week, I will be back at the gym with my trainer 3-4 days a week.
I am going to be practicing with the local roller derby team. I will start out skating 1 day a week, but once I'm comfortable on my skates again (per their criteria), I will be skating 3 days a week with the team. In the meantime, I'll try to get to the open skate at the rink as often as I can fit into my schedule
I've registered to play as a substitute for a local soccer league
I will continue walking/biking with my dog as weather permits.
  I have a goal to be back on track by the 1.5 year follow-up with the doctor. If I target the 12 lbs/month goal that my trainer wants me to focus on, I should reach my goal in 7.5 months. We'll see how it goes.   I still have shorter-term goals that I am working towards: Getting down to 220 lbs, so that I can jump out of an airplane
Snowboarding once winter hits
Getting on the roller derby team (not just practicing with them)
Completing a Warrior Dash
Hiking the San Pedro Volcano in Guatemala (plan on doing over the winter holidays)
  The things that I accomplished this summer: Taking dancing lessons
Played soccer for the first time in a decade
Went on all of the roller coasters at Cedar Point, including the ones I couldn't ride the last time I was there in 2007
Established a 5k walking route at work that I do on my lunch hour
Biked through most of the local rivertrail with my dog. The furthest I have traveled with him is 12 miles. The furthest I have biked on my own is about 18 miles.
Went to a water park that had a surf/wave machine, and actually rode the waves (on the body board). I flew off the surfboard pretty quickly, decided I need to work on that one more.
Went to derby practice, and skated for 2 hours. Last summer when I tried to skate, I went around that rink three times and it was too much for me. I was holding onto the wall, and completely unbalanced.
Trace Lynne

Trace Lynne

2
Welcome to my journey toward being able to walk again!
 

June & July 2015 visits

Hi Everyone I saw the WLS surgeon and his staff for the first time on June 17th 2015. They all seemed to be very nice and attentive. I was the only patient there which was good as my scooter took up most of their narrow hallway. There was no way I was able to get it into the examining room so after they weighed me I had to wall across the narrow hallway to the room. Adrienne asked me for all my paper work which I had to fill out from their online site. She took the names of all my meds and my medical story. She told me I had to follow a six month supervised diet and get a whole bunch of tests done before they could even send in the paper work for approval. The Dr came in and explained the surgery to me (which I already knew about because of all the research and the reading of Alex's sleeve surgery book.) gave me his blue book that explained everything and said I would have to see the NUT and that Adrienne would schedule that for me. I told him about Nutrisystem and the hernia and other medical problems I had. He told me to stay with Nutrisystem for this first month and to keep a food diary. He wanted a Catscan of the lower part of the body to see where the hernia is and he would see me again July 22nd. I did see the NUT on June 29th. Why I have no idea, as what she had to say to me was exactly what I had read in the blue book. So as far as I am concerned it was a wasted 3 1/2 hours of my time.   On July 22nd I was weighed in again by Adrienne. I had lost 10 pounds. Again I was the only patient there. I asked her to look into why I was being charged $250.00 for the NUT when I was under the impression she was part of the Dr's staff. She said she would. I also gave her all the copies of the NS bills for the food I had gotten from them over the last year. Also gave her the Catscan results. The Dr came in and was happy I had lost the 10 pounds, looked at the food diary and said I should get off of NS. I told him I had at least another month's worth of food I still had to use up as I was not about to throw away that money. He said don't order any more and try to eat protein first then vegs, then fruits and carbs last. He told me I had an umbilical hernia and a porcelain gallbladder. He would take out the gallbladder if and when I had the WLS. As for the hernia he wants to leave it in as he said it could come back again if he removed it. He would rather wait until I have lost weight to take it out. Besides he thinks that taking out three things might be too much time in surgery for me. I am a bit concerned as the hernia I believe is located in the area directly above my belly button which is one of the locations for an incision. I will need to discuss this with him in more detail when I see him again Aug 24th. He told me I only had 4 more visits with him as the first visit counts toward the 6 months supervised diet. That also sounded odd to me and will have to discuss that with him a well.   I will post again after the 3rd visit on Aug 24th. Have a Happy and Healthy life till then.
ssflbelle

ssflbelle

0
Lisa Under Construction
 

What do you do when old dreams fade?

"So we will pick these flowers for the reception tables."   That picture and quote comes to my frame of mind when I think back to March 2012 in Michael's Craft Store looking for fake flowers for my wedding the following November 3, 2012. I had been with the guy for seven years unaware that he wasn't wanting the same things and was hanging on by a thread.   I went from almost getting married to not even being able to whisper it or really think of it when it came to stepping on egg shells around his fragile state.   Then the past three years shouldn't have happened. I should have left when he doubted if he loved me! I just believed him and I after our eyes met and we found each-other inseparable so many years ago that we were soul-mates, that he was the 'one.'   Its funny how one moment your flying on air and the next you come crashing to the ground. This happened to me this morning when he closed that iron door for good, locking it and throwing away the key.   There are things I want out of life and things I don't want!   I want to fall in love again! I want to meet the True Soulmate. What can I say I'm a hopeless romantic!   I want to think I will be back down the road with my Sis in Law picking out new arrangements for a different venue to my future dream guy.   Right now those dreams have faded, whoosh! Turned to dust!   So I thought about this one quote i read a long time ago.   "Sometimes things have to fall apart so better things can come together."   I won't settle.   I won't give up on new dreams and aspirations.   For now I have myself and that is enough. When he comes he comes!   Lisa
limichelle34

limichelle34

1
Gastric Sleeve Surgery - An Unexpected Journey
 

Weight loss surgery: To Tell or Not to Tell?

Weight loss surgery: To Tell or Not to Tell?   I find it interesting that we are so conditioned by the weight loss industry that we feel NOT disclosing weight loss surgery is being deceptive. Like we are hiding a fault within us. That there’s something wrong with us and YOU need to know about it so you can decide whether you want to know me or not.   We don’t feel the same way about other non-communicable diseases. On your first date, job interview, or social gathering, did you make a point of announcing that you had Lasik eye surgery? Chemo therapy? A heart/lung transplant? So everyone could decide if you were good enough to be part of the group.   Not being up front about WLS does not rank as high as not disclosing to your date that you used to be a dude before the sex change. :-p   It’s not the same. Not telling anyone that you had weight loss surgery is not going to impact/change their life in the slightest… unless they might benefit from it. But I would not ever suggest to them that they need weight loss surgery. I would not have taken the suggestion as being helpful. :-P   You would think that with all the societal pressure to be young thin and beautiful, people wouldn’t care how you achieved it. And would even congratulate you for doing what you had to do to take control of your life. But I guess there will always be those that will make comments or criticize us because they don’t understand, think we’re taking the easy way out, fear of losing us or are afraid of seeing us succeed.
joatsaint

joatsaint

0
Lisa Under Construction
 

Fly Butterfly, On Broken wings you must still try!

I wrote a Poem a long time ago when I was twenty on the back of a water coloring painting of mine. I was told in class at the local Community College to read it out loud. So I did and the next thing I knew somebody in the class was wanting to send it to her Publisher friend. So it was published for free in a small community magazine. The poem at the time was bleak however hopeful about a butterfly with broken wings who does begin to fly. The poem came to me at a time of life adjustment, I had just lost a good new friendship to a girl due to a misunderstanding and my best friends went off to college in a different State. So one night I wrote from the bottom of my aching heart and there manifested a poem and later a fixation on butterflies. I started to research Butterflies and they soon became a metaphor for life. The ugly caterpillar is in it's cocoon for awhile not knowing if it will make it. It then breaks out as a strong insect with beautiful wings. The Miracle of life! So every once in awhile that poem in different times in my life it creeps in and burrows into my mind. "You have to, in order to survive." Is the last sentence to the poem.   It has hit home for a long time now since I put on the weight and now that I'm embarking on this weight loss journey. I feel someways I'm in the cocoon and waiting for my beautiful wings to take flight. I know I will get there because like the poem has a happy ending of success. I will have mine!
limichelle34

limichelle34

0
Gastric Sleeve Surgery - An Unexpected Journey
 

Book Review - Alex Brecher's The BIG Book on Bariatric Surgery

Book Review - Alex Brecher's The BIG Book on Bariatric Surgery by joatsaint   I just recently bought Alex Brecher's book - The BIG Book on Bariatric Surgery. You maybe asking, "Randy (by the way, my real name is Randy), you're almost 3 years post-op, why are you still reading weight loss surgery success books?" Go ahead, ask me... I'll wait. :-)   (insert the theme song from Jeopardy)......   Okay, here's the answer. Years ago, I was listening to and still listen to a great motivational speaker - Zig Zigglar. He said champions never stop training and learning. Even after Micheal Jordan was at the pinnacle of his success, he still trained like he was a rookie. Even though the workouts were grueling and he didn't like it, he still met with a trainer that pushed him to his limits on every workout.   Champions in any area, read and reread articles, books, listen to audio books, and watch video on being a success in their field. I know I don't know everything there is to know about successful WLS. And by continually reading, I remind myself (I have the attention span of a gnat!) of the things I need to do to maintain my WLS success. Sometimes it's just a reminder and sometimes I learn something new that I can apply to my life.   So, on to Alex Brecher's book - The BIG Book on Bariatric Surgery: Living Your Best Life After Weight Loss Surgery   My favorite quote from the book: "From recovering from surgery to losing the extra pounds to keeping them off, weight loss surgery is a part of your life forever. The path to losing weight and keeping it off can be challenging at times, but the rewards can be worth the investment many times over."   You need to know up front, this book is not about choosing the right weight loss surgery for you. It’s great resource if you want to know what to expect life will be like after weight loss surgery.   I found the book well written and very informative. The book's style is such that it doesn't assume that you know everything already, and is easy to understand.   The most important part to me was the emphasis on the importance of lifestyle changes. Weight loss surgery is not a set and forget procedure. WLS success is a continuing process that requires active participation from the patient.   Alex doesn't pull any punches in describing how hard WLS can be. I know! Been there, done that! Had 80% of my stomach removed and I didnt' even get a T-shirt!   You don’t just wake up after surgery and are magically thin!   For months after my sleeve surgery, I had trouble steadily losing the weight. I'd have stalls and get discouraged, or worse, I'd gain a pound or two and freak out. So I especially like emphasis on taking a long-term view of the surgery and life. Alex reminds the reader that successful WLS is not all about the scale.   The book is a great resource for information about: discussing diet
exercise
mental toughness
success factors that contribute to the long term weight loss surgery success
setting goals
dealing with friends and family members who may or may not be supportive
eating right
setting realistic expectations for your weight loss goal
I walked away with new ideas on everyday things, like scheduling my meals and supplements, getting in enough protein without getting too bored with eating the same old things again and again, and making meals that both my friends will like and that I can eat – so I don’t have to worry about social events!   Overall, I found it full of useful/practical information and even some funny parts.   Well-written and easy to read, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend The BIG Book on Bariatric Surgery to anyone considering weight loss surgery, as well as to anyone who has had any type of bariatric surgery.   http://www.bariatricpal.com/page/books/recommended.html
joatsaint

joatsaint

0
Do you trust your partner?
 

Do you trust your partner?

Know the reason you do not trust them If you do not trust them, there must be some reason or the other that forces you to think that your partner is not trustworthy. Know the reason and then try to understand why that scenario developed. For example, if you feel that you cannot trust them because of lack of contact, know their part of the story and understand whether their part of the story is true or not. This will help you decide the fate of your relationship.   Calm down Don’t overreact. If you are worried about something, you should make it a point to calm down before you make a decision or perform an action against them. With anger or other negative thoughts in your mind, your actions and reactions will even be negative. So, it is important to make any decision only when you are calm, and there is no anger or any other negative thought in your mind.   Think about the good times Think about the good times you have shared with your partner. Surely, you have cherished many thoughts that can bring a smile on your face. Think about them and you will be able to trust them to some extent. Here, you can even have a look at gifts, cards, etc. they have given you or the ones you have given them.   Your past relationships even matter Well, your past relationships can help you understand whether your partners have been disloyal, or your actives have been the issue. For example, if you are too rude or you have always been clingy, your partners might be forced to distance themselves from you. In that case, you might be the troublemaker. If this is the issue, you should work on your actions so that you do not force your partner to move out of the relationship.   Time issues In most of the cases, it is often seen that a partner may be angry or sad because the other partner is unable to give them enough time. Here, you can be on either side of the issue and still feel that your partner is not trustworthy. So, if this is the case that is affecting your happy life, you should talk about it with your partner and make sure that the problem is sorted.   Let them know the reason If there is a related thought that is lingering in your mind and has been frustrating, you should make it a point to talk to your partner and let them know the reason. If they are on the wrong side (according to you), then you should let them know your thoughts. This will help them know that there is a problem in the relationship, and accordingly you can come up with a solution for it, along with them. This is even a common reason because of which relationships are affected. So, make sure that you let them know your thoughts and accordingly try to save your relationship.   Listen carefully and understand the problem If there is a genuine problem at their end, it is important to listen to it carefully and understand the problem. If you can understand the problem, you will be in a position to tackle necessary issues and save your relationship. Once you have heard their problem and have even understood it, you can go an extra mile to verify the facts if you want. However, a warning label is attached to these actions. If they come to know that you have doubted them even after understanding their problems, you can dent your relationship and then the ball will be in their court. It will be their decision to save or end the relationship.   Let little things go If you want to save the relationship, you should let little things go. For example, if you know that your partner loves you, but they have a bad habit of keeping things scattered; don’t shout and spoilt the mood every time. If you spoil the mood, you will be responsible for denting the relationship and taking it in the wrong direction. Learn to let little things go and you will be happy about saving the relationship. Remember, when someone is working hard to save the relationship, you should even let little things go and make an effort to be happy about being in a relationship with them. Together you can and you should try to save the relationship.   Concluding, if there has been an issue from your end, you should try to make sure that you get the problem solved and live a happy life. The best way to make them happy is to get a gift for them and let them know that they are special for you. Looking for a gift for them? Visit Target.com and you will find some of the best items available at the store for them. Target.com offers top quality items in their store and allows users to make the most of the opportunity by allowing shoppers to make the most of the discount offers available at the store and save money. With offers, you can save money, but to save even more, you should look for coupons for Target.com.   While shopping at Target.com, you should club offers with promo codes and make sure that you get the best price for the items you are planning to purchase.
Madeline Wallace

Madeline Wallace

0
nickelbv's Blog
 

No 3rd fill

I saw my doctor/Surgeon yesterday for my third visit after the lap band. I was supposed to have my 3rd fill but he decided against it because he was so happy with how I'm doing yay   On average I'm loosing ca 0,800 grams or 1.7 pounds a week and he said I was on the speed that her prefers the most. I'm so happy. I was so nervous since I wanted to loose more before my visit and usually when I'm on extreme diets, the weight goes down faster than this, but then again, I've never lasted more than 4 months on Extreme diets. Lap band is not a diet but a lifestyle, so I'm extremely happy   I had also been thinking that I didn't want another fill yet. I have had a few "stuck" episodes and I have problems eating when I wake up. I think that my band is balanced now and I know when, how and what I can eat.   I also talked about me eating to fast sometimes and that I am afraid of band slippage. He told me not to worry about that too much. The band was stuck where it is. But I should eat slowly and practice doing that. But that I wont damage anything. Even though I have a PB or I have a "stuck" episode, I shouldn't worry about damaging anything.   I also talked to him about me going abroad on a plane and what I should do, that I was worried I would gain weight. He told me to relax and he would see me again after the trip because he doesn't want to make any changes before the trip, in case I feel bad after it. He also told me not to eat on the plane, only fluids. It's a 4 hour flight so I think I will be able to manage but good to know though.   Today at work we had pork for lunch. I felt it a bit dry after the first bite and it felt like it wasn't going through very well. I stopped eating the pork and ate the potato, veggies and some cottage cheese. I never threw out food before the lap band. I always finished everything on my plate. So this is a very new thing, not finishing everything on my plate. I'm becoming a food snob! haha, yes I my stomach is not a trash can anymore. Only gets A+ food   Happy girl today
lapband78

lapband78

0
CocoBelle's VSG Journey
 

Surgery Date and Big hello!

hello!   So for anyone who reads this. I finally have a surgery date of Sept 1, 2015. I am having my surgery at Nord Bariatric Clinic in Lithuania. I live in the UK, and having it done here was out of the question. My main reason for this blog is to serve as a resource for others who are interested in this clinic. I had such a hard time finding others who had my surgeon. So hopefully this is one more resource for someone else!   So my doctor is Professor Almantas Maleckas. He is based in Lithuania. So far my experience with the clinic has been nothing but positive. The costumer service representative Jurate is amazing. She has been very responsive to every email and every little question.   I first started looking for someone to do this procedure at the beginning of May. I was looking to only have surgery in the UK, but once I realized that I would have to take out a loan just to pay for it, I began looking in Europe. It is half the price of having it here, yet it seems the level of care is the same.   I was not merely looking for a cheap surgery, I was looking for someone less expensive yet very qualified. And it seems Dr. Maleckas is exactly what I had in mind. Its not as convenient as having the surgery in Belgium which was my other option. For anyone looking for a surgeon in Belgium, I have one I could recommend. I did the research and have found loads of people who are happy with their results.   I settled with Nord Bariatric because I had already been in contact with them and I really was impressed with there level of attention to me.   I was not given a specific pre-op diet, I was merely told to lose 10kgs. Which in two months, would require a pretty strict diet! With that, I am doing two Protein Shakes for Breakfast and lunch, with a low carb meal for dinner. In the past 7 days I have lost about 3 pounds, so I can not complain. I still have about 11 pounds to go. Wish me luck!   Does anyone have any experiences with this surgeon! Any advice? Or are you in Hull/ East Riding area???
CocoBelle

CocoBelle

0
nickelbv's Blog
 

Thoughts

I spend a LOT of time to think about my new life.   I crossed the big 20 pounds weight loss since the Lap band surgery yay. Very happy about that. And I got my third fill on August 5th. I'm going to talk to my doctor about the edema problem I had. I don't know if I want to or can experience it again. Maybe he will give me some meds for that in case it happens again. I stole a tablet from my mom. I hope he won't see it as an excuse to loose weight faster or something. I guess he's heard it all.. oh dear.   Anyway, last night when I just turned of the lights in bed, I was thinking about what's going on and the best feeling is to feel good when going to bed. Not full and not hungry, just good. That did not happen before. I was usually hungry or just stuffed my mouth with something and was full. It feels nice to yeah feel good haha.   I've also spent some time reading messageboards from all over the internet about WLS questions. Where people ask questions and explain they are not ready about this and that change. I can tell you that a person that has a WLS surgery is someone who has tried it all! And most likely couldn't manage because they were not ready or it was too difficult. At least that was me. I'm a food addict or a foodaholic as I call it. Love eating.   But the Lap band has given me something that I didn't think it would do. I enjoy food a lot more now than before. I am now forced to eat slow, slooooooooow so yeah I get to enjoy the taste longer. I also don't bother eating food I don't like anymore. And at dinner when there are lots of stuff on the table, meat, veggies, potatoes, I have begun to pick the food I really like. We don't get to eat that much now, so why bother with food that we don't love??   But bred. I'm noticing how much I love bread. I didn't know that we shouldn't eat bread before the lap band and you can imagine the shock I had when I heard I couldn't !! I still haven't gotten over that. But I can have a tortilla and thin crusted pizza. I have no problem with that so I guess I can eat bread. BUT I don't want to open that can of worms because who knows what will happen after the next fill. Maybe I won't be able to eat any of it, no pizza (omg!) and no tortilla. But I'm glad I didn't know about the bread thing because I seriously don't know if I had gone through with the lap band.   But today I love my lap band and I hope I can keep it for the rest of my life
lapband78

lapband78

0
Kelsey Marie's Blog
 

Almost the End

Tonight at 6 I have my last appointment with my dietitian and then tomorrow morning, everything will be submitted to insurance. I'm not as worried as I was last week after speaking with some people here and the coordinator at the surgeons office. Now it's just feeling more surreal. After this, it's all out of my hands. Okay, so if I keep talking about that, I am going to freak out again.   This appointment is supposed to be going over any questions I have for the dietitian, so all month I've been putting together my list. I've asked her questions throughout the process, but these are ones that you don't think of when you're on the phone with them, you think of them when your brushing your teeth or driving to work or doing something completely not related to it and it just pops into your head and you have to hope you can remember it until you get to where you can write it down.   I have 17 questions for her. I think she'll be happy with that. Most should be easy answers too, I assume. She should also be proud of me, I've lost 10 pounds since our last conversation last month. Also, I've bought a few books from Amazon: The Emotional First Aid Kit: A Practical Guide to Life After Bariactric Surgery by Cynthia Alexander; Before & After: Living and Eating Well After Weight-Loss Surgery by Susan Maria Leach; Weight Loss Surgery Cookbook for Dummies; Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery: Over 140 Delicious Low-Fat High-Protein Recipes to Enjoy in the Weeks, Months, and Years After Surgery by Patt Levine; and The Bariatric Foodie Guide to the Perfect Protein Shakes Volume 1 by Nikki Massie.   I've read the intro to Before & After and it was amazing; I loved it. I definitely plan on reading it once I finish my current book (I can't read more than one book at a time, I get so confused). I also looked through the Perfect Protein Shakes book and those drinks were to die for! With that one, she doesn't include any calories or protein info or anything like that because she says it all depends on what mixes you personally use. But it goes through how if you like a thinner drinker or a thicker drink or if your drink is too tart or too sweet how to fix it. I mean, this woman is a shake goddess!!   I promise once I makes some shakes and recipes and read through the books more thoroughly, I'll let you know.   But I'm hoping my dietitian loves all this info, because Lord knows this last month I have seriously been trying and I am just praying that the insurance approves it!   Until next time!
Kelsey Marie

Kelsey Marie

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lucky1gg's Blog
 

3-month update

Yesterday marked 3 months since my band-to-sleeve revision. I feel good! I have lost 32lbs so far. I am starting to do some jogging on my walks and am determined to be a runner someday. I just think runners seem so free and I love that idea! My weight loss has not been easy.... slow and stall prone. I re-evaluate every day. I use Fitbit and myFitnessPal which have been helpful. Today, I was I reviewing my food journal and noticed that my carbs are too high. I am not a huge meat eater so my protein choices are typically cheese, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, beans and protein shakes. I posted on the forum today requesting ideas for better protein options and plan on shopping this evening!
lucky1gg

lucky1gg

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nickelbv's Blog
 

Edema

Ok I need to eat! I am so hungry!   But the food just gets stuck and doesn't go through.. some of it does but most of it doesn't.   So today I took one edema tablet to help with the edema. And omg, I'm constantly going to the bathroom! I counted 5 times within one hour! (and I'm at work haha)   I normally don't take water releasing tablets but now I just had to.   I am excited and nervous to see how my lunch will go. I'm going to eat something soft and see if it passes. If not, then I'm going to call my doctor to find out what might wrong.   But I'm almost sure it's edema, lots of extra fluid that makes everything tighter.   Crossing my fingers!   PS: So good to blog about this so that I can go back to this message and read about my experiences and remember not to eat smoked or salty food again!! never ever!!
lapband78

lapband78

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nickelbv's Blog
 

Stuck stuck stuck!

Since Wednesday (it's Monday today) I've had huge problem eating! Everything gets stuck!! (I'm hammering the keyboard)   It took me an hour to eat my scrambled eggs with mushrooms and sausage, very well chewed, for lunch. And the portion was just the size of a cup. It has never got stuck before today.   Tonight, I'm eating high quality meat, sauce, boiled veggies and omg it felt like I was having a heart attack! And it all came up again.   I'm going to take a LOT smaller bites and see if it helps, and chew chew chew.   I think it might be because I am having some edema right now and it might cause swelling where the band is. I was eating some smoked meat on Tuesday and leftovers on Wednesday. And then travelling this weekend, I haven't really gotten rid of the edema. So I guess that means smoked meat is of the table for me. I love it sooooo much, but NOT worth it!
lapband78

lapband78

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Welcome to my journey toward being able to walk again!
 

Hello Again

In 1990 I weighed about 320 pounds and was very active at that weight. I went bowling, swimming, played mini golf, pool, belly and ballroom danced. Each weekend I was doing something with the South Florida group called NAAFA. I met a man in that group who years later became my husband. But I am getting ahead of myself. Let's go back to 1990 as it was that Thanksgiving holiday I got hurt. I had attended a chili cook off/band competition with Sharon (a NAAFA friend) and I was physically hurt. A complete stranger who was drunk was running as fast as he could (why I do not know) and he tripped over one of the tent stakes and I was the unfortunate one that was in front of him. With both hands he used my back to stop him from falling and kept right on running. I had just stopped a minute before this happened to move the folding chair I was carrying with my right hand and at my side to the front of me. So I was standing still when he did this and the upper half of my body bent right over that folding chair. It knocked the wind out of me and my friend and those around me got the chair opened and sat me down. Asking was I ok. I said yes as I thought I was. We still had to continue through the park to get to my friends car and about 15 minutes into the drive. I told Sharon I felt a great deal of pain in my back. She immediately called her chiropractor and he said to get me immediately to his office.   Upon getting there before any x-rays or other tests he asked me to put my back up against the wall and told me you have Lordosis also known as swayback. (I later found out it is a condition in which the spine in the lower back has an excessive curvature. The spine naturally curves at the neck , upper back and lower back to help absorb shock and support the weight of the head. Lordosis occurs when the natural arch in the lower back, or lumbar region, curves more than normal. This can lead to excess pressure on the spine causing pain. People with Lordosis often have a visible arch in their lower backs. When looking at them from the side their lower backs form a defined "C" shape.) Once the Dr did some testing he discovered I had 2 herniated and 1 bulging disc. He set me up with months of chiropractic treatments and over the next 4 years I also had prolotheraphy, epidural injections and other treatments I can't even remember the names of, none of which helped.   From 1990 I progress from walking without any problems to walking with one cane, then 2 canes, then a walker with a seat. In 1994 my insurance paid for an electric mobility 3 wheel scooter. During these 4 year more and more depression set in because I was losing all the things I use to love to do because of the pain associated with the conditions I had. In 1995 weighing 420 pounds I did marry my boyfriend, despite being in the scooter. He didn't care as he loved this obese physically handicapped woman, or at least I thought he did. By 1998 I weighed in at 497 pounds, had to use a tow rope attached to my window frame to get me out of bed and into a rolling chair my husband made for me.   That was when I told him I had to get my life back and had to lose some weight. I wrote him a 3 page letter as to how he could help me and he flatly refused to do any of the things I asked of him. I tried to lose weight that year but with him bringing in all the foods I loved and me not having the will power to say no I only lost 20 pounds. Over the course of the next 7 years with Weight Watchers and various other diets I tried each New Year I did manage to lose 95 pounds. Oh yea I divorced that man in 2005. In that same year in October I lost my brother Oct 1st and my mother October 29th. In November I was hospitalized with Lymphedema and was out of work for about a month. I was weighed in a hospital bed and it registered 402 pounds. In December I lost my job of 18 years. I am surpised I didn't wind up in the mental ward with all that happened in 2005.   The New Year 2006 was approaching, I had gotten a nice severance pay from my lost job, so I decide to started NS at 402 In about a year I got to 308 and ran out of the severance pay money and was trying to get disability. I did get the disability but Medicare wouldn't kick in until 2008. I was told I could still do some work if able to and get the disability. I did manage to find a new job (12 hours a week) but it paid half of what I had been earning. Even with the disability pay and the work pay I still couldn't afford to continue with NS. By 2008 I was back up to 344. The Medicare advantage plan started and I looked into the lap band.   I had to have a Dr that was associated with a Medical Center of Excellence which meant a 1 1/2 hour trip one way down south. Turns out the Medicare advantage plan was willing to pay for the surgery but not the fills, so I didn't get the surgery. There was no way I was able to pay for fills. I had been on this site and others and read it takes many tries before you find what people were calling the sweet spot. In 2009, I was back at my old job of 18 years as the agency reopened and wanted me back. I told them my condition had gotten worse since 2005 and I could only work 2 days per week and they were fine with that arrangement. Once again I tried to lose weigh and lost maybe 20 pounds and each year gained them back   By June 2014, I gained back up to 390 pounds. I was not going over the 400 mark again. So at 58 years of age I went back to what worked before and that was Nutrisystem. But the program had changed and was not working as well as it had before. Within one year I only lost 38 pounds and felt that it should have been a lot more. In June 2015 at 352 pounds once again I decided to try for WLS with this new medical insurance I had gotten this year.   That leads me to where I am now and the next entry will start this journey to WLS as I have to follow a 6 month supervised diet. So surgery will probably not be until 2016, if the insurance approves it.   I am writing about this over a decade journey in hopes of providing some inspiration to at least 1 person who feels he or she can't do it because they have a BMI of over 50. When I started this long journey in 1999 my BMI was over 80.2 Now it is 56.8 and I am striving to have a normal BMI of 24 which puts my weight at 152 so I need to lose another 200 pounds. I hope you will join me in this journey to lose weight so I can walk again for more than 3 to 4 minutes. I am tired of this cocoon I am in and am ready to turn into the BUTTERFLY I know is deep inside me.   If you are reading this blog, please leave me some comments as I am on this journey alone. This group and a few other WLS groups on the internet know about my decision to lose weight. All my friends are obese and always state they would never have WLS so I can't share this journey with them. Thank you all for reading this. Have a Happy Healthy Day!!
ssflbelle

ssflbelle

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Just another journey...
 

2 years just flown by

So here I am, just a little over 2 years out. To save you reader some time, I started out at 376 glorious pounds of depression and misery. I'm a very "outdoors" minded person. Love to dive, ride motorcycles, lake trips, you name it. Being almost 400 pounds, it took a huge toll on my ability to enjoy what I enjoyed (even if that statement sounds kind of stupid). I'll tell you, if you're considering this surgery as an option, quit considering it and DO IT! It has allowed me to have a life again. And to the people who will tell you "it’s the easy way out," they're so far out if line it’s not even funny. I cannot tell you how many times in the first year I said screw the rules and ate something I shouldn’t have, drank while eating and all the things they tell you not to do, and then spent a half hour or so in absolute misery as my "banana" stomach tried to cope with the crap that I stuffed in it. It ain't easy. The first 6 months is definitely the honeymoon stage. The weight will just fall off no matter what you do. After the first year, it becomes more difficult as the new stomach does stretch a little and it easier to begin to overeat again. My low weight was just about 200 pounds. Unfortunately, I have a very large frame and I looked ridiculous with the flabby skin crap everywhere. Now, this is unavoidable to some extent, and I'm cool with it. Better be healthier with some loose skin and unhealthy with it packed full of fat, right? So, for better or worse, I turned from food addict, to a gym rat. I've put just about 30 pound back on, most all had been muscle since my arms, chest and legs have filled out, but with definition. Now the stomach? Lost cause, lol. Unless I do corrective surgery to remove it, it’s just my baggage I'll carry around in punishment for letting myself become an unhealthy person for the majority of my life. I just did my 2 year follow up, and my surgeon isn’t happy with my current weight, never mind that my BMI is down 25 freakin points. For the record, I hate BMI, I think it is a stupid algorithm made up for some reason I cannot figure out. They say I should be 175 pounds to be in a normal BMI, ppfft on that. To get there I'd have to starve myself. I suppose he's not happy because I imagine, they plug in all of the patients information to see how effective the surgery was, by my numbers, I didn’t do well. I couldn’t be happier with my results, so screw their charts.   I seem to be rambling.......     Anyway, if anyone is still here, thank you for taking time out of your day to read this, hopefully you get some entertainment, insight, or just a few minutes wasted from whatever you're supposed to be doing at work,   Sleeve on people!
easye256

easye256

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nickelbv's Blog
 

Lap band forgotten

Forgetting for a split second you have a lap band is the worst!   I was hungry I stuffed my mouth with food, chewed a little and swallowed and OMG!!! I take my lap band seriously and I am always trying to be careful and eat correctly.   This is NOT my proudest moment. The food got stuck, there was pain! like my upper body was going to explode! I was able to get rid of the food without throwing up by using the muscles (that I didn't know I had in there) and gagged a few times, but did not throw up.   It took about an hour, a painful hour!   Still worth it having the lap band.   Yesterday I went out to meet my family at a camping trip out in the country. We had some BBQ and while everyone stuffed their faces with food, I just ate a little. And I had enough food, not starving myself. Then I looked at them still eating (it took me about 20 minutes to finish my portion) and thought about how odd it is, not eating so much. I used to be the one who ate the most of all of them. And I realized that I used to be a slave to food. And how much of my time went about eating and thinking about food.   I'm having my third fill on Wednesday next week. I have to talk to my doctor about my trip overseas to the Mediterranean sea. I am somewhat nervous about it because you eat differently when travelling. It's going to be hot (Ice cream and cold drinks) and then unusual eating habits. The trip is going to last 2 weeks, I hope he can give me some good advice.
lapband78

lapband78

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Kat's Blog
 

July 24th 2015

Hello to all.... Well here I go. Not really sure what a blog is. Kinda like a journal? I just know that i'm 141 pounds lighter and am lovin it. .Im more out going, want to do more things, love shopping for clothes. I change my clothes 2 to 3 times a day. I wonder if this is normal or is it just me who has gone clothes crazy? But they only thing I hate is the pain in my back, neck,shoulder, hip,and leg pain is still there...Darn it...But hey , my joints arn't carrying all that extra weight. Have an awesome day....
ladypoohbear

ladypoohbear

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