Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!
$99 Yearly Supply Alert! 🌈 "1 per Day!" Bariatric Multivitamins

Blogs

LifetimeLoser's Blog
 

Realizations

Well, I have come to a new realization recently. What is it? I used to love to cook, but now I don't even care for it. I haven't cooked in about 3 weeks! What have I been eating? Well, yogurt, protein shakes, protein bars, protein pudding, healthwise hot chocolate, and things I buy from the market or restaurants. Pretty much anything ready to go! It does provide me the nutrition I need, but I am pretty sure I can't get all the nutrition my body needs from such things.   I have a disinterest in food. It has been this way for awhile now. I didn't realize that it was affecting other aspects of my life. I still get hungry. I still want to eat. My interest in eating something specific or when I think of something I want to eat...I just can't. I used to be able to pin point exactly what I was in the mood for before surgery. Now, I try to think about what I have a hankering for and NOTHING! I suppose this is a good thing.   I have been eating out a lot for the last few months. I couldn't really understand why I was doing this because I didn't crave this food. I just drummed it up to being super busy and never being home to cook meals. I am always on the go and never home so it just made sense to me. It finally dawned on me that even when I am home I don't want to cook. I just needed a little down time to actually think about such things.   I don't eat horrible. I get my protein, water, and calories in. I don't really eat any vegetables. Even when I do go out, I stay away from breads, pastas, etc and get something more protein based. I think I can do better though. That is my new goal to do better with this. I think I will drop faster if I eat more real food instead of the shakes, bars, and puddings. We shall see as I will be putting more effort into cooking actual food.
LifetimeLoser

LifetimeLoser

2
Johnny99's Blog
 

F. A.

Hi ya'll!     I'm fresh off a 4 day weekend and wanted to get you the up to the minute Johnny news. C'mon, be honest.... how many of you just can't wait for your fanatical fat fix? I thought so. This blog is like an auto race. Most of the spectators just come for the crashes. At the very least, I am a cheap version of a reality show. Your own personal rendition of Biggest Loser. Or Survivor. Hey, I got an idea ... What if we combine both of those shows? Let's strand a bunch of fat asses in the middle of no where with no food and the potty mouthed TV chef Paula Dean. We'll call it Fattasy Island. My bet, 7 contestants arrive, only 5 leave. The other 2 will be enjoyed with a homemade tropical marinade. No doubt this will be a huge hit.   On to the news.   Last Monday I went for monthly follow up visit at the center for Fat-ass-i-ness. As reported last week, I officially hit the 50 pound loss point. Yippee! I have to tell you that I am starting to look and feel a little out of place in the waiting area. I am no longer the short, overly swelled man that enjoyed the extra comfort of the fat ass chairs. I am now just a short, plump man that looks like a little kid sitting in a big chair. Add the fact that I usually wear a suit and tie on Mondays. The waiting wobblers probably think I'm some kind of creepy sales person waiting to show Dr. X my new drugs. But sitting and waiting is part of my commitment. It is part of my rehab. Yup. Rehab. Because that's really what this is. Fataholic's Anonymous. My name is Johnny ... and I'm a fataholic. Anyone that reads this, and definitely anyone that tries this, must realize what a significant weight loss project really is. It's a full time commitment to food sobriety. Without full dedication to the cause, you are doomed to fail. "Just one Oreo" can be as catastrophic to a fataholic as "just one beer" to the alcoholic. That first step backwards can lead to a tumble. The end of the binge is just as devastating for both. Self consciousness, loss, shame, failure. All the same buzz words. The alcoholic may end his bender in a a tavern with a shot and a beer in the wee hours of the morning. The fataholic may end up in a corner with a jumbo bag of Dorito's and jar of salsa. Self inflicted wounds for both.   The fataholic requires guidance just like his counterpart. We get all the information we need to succeed from our nutritionists, shrinks and doctors. But at the end of the day, it is still on you to watch and motivate yourself. You have to make constant decisions to succeed. Food is not only required to live,it is part of our culture. Think about it. Just about every social gathering includes food. A nice night out with your better half probably includes dinner. A business lunch includes food. Weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries, bar mitzvahs ... you name a social gathering and there will be food. And plenty of it.   How about our addiction to Fat Ass TV? There are several channels that air nothing but food shows 24/7. Then you have Masterchef, Iron Chef,Top Chef and a myriad of other kitchen shows. There is a guy that drives around the country and pigs out at out of the way diners. There are guys that fix broken restaurants and a guy that spies on various eatery's employees. If has to do with food, there is a TV show about it. And these chefs / stars get paid humongous salaries for this! I'm really in the wrong business.   It's easy to see how someone can lose sight of a healthy lifestyle and fall in to the grips of fatness in our country today. Once you get there, going back is b***h. It's a challenge every minute to stay on your selected program. It's a good thing I have my sober coaches to guide me ... good ol' Al C. Hall and his cousin Vinny Vino.   See you soon.. Johnny   PS I'm at a little plateau here. The weight loss is slowing down to around a pound per week. I'm going to have to change something up here next week
Johnny99

Johnny99

0
Adrienne21's Blog
 

two months post op

So it literally has been two months since I have been banded. I know I haven't been exercising regularly and I take full accountability for it. I have been so stressed and busy with handling my personal affairs. I did have a cigarette and a couple drinks, which means I skipped two meals in two days to have those drinks. I know, i know... empty calories and sugar.. Those were my down moments but other than that I have not eaten anything bad.   I do feel like if I get another fill I will not feel like I need to eat more than 1 cup of food. Even though I am eating 1000-1200 My portions are still bigger than normal. I really don't want to hurt my band or myself. Yesterday was the first time I have exercised in a couple days. I am low on energy and I think there might be a slight case of laziness. Hopefully in three days I will be back at another gym but for now I will make more time to get my daily exercise in. I would also like to say that I have been candy sober for 7 months. I can tell that the weight is coming off REALLY slow but I can tell the difference. I just want this to be a success and in order for that to happen I had to take accountability for my actions and remind myself that I have come far. I just have to keep on trucking.
Adrienne21

Adrienne21

2
Dear Diary
 

Ramblings :)

Well another day is here. I'm trying to stay awake here at work. After the weightloss, most of my nightmares had gone away...but some creep in now and then. I don't recall if I had nightmares last night, but know it was so hot I couldn't get comfortable. Was so upset when my alarm went off..damn it, I just fell asleep. I'm thankful i do sleep better but god why can't i fall asleep quicker?   Of course it doesn't help that I can't shut my bloody brain off!! UGH! SHUT UP VOICES! JUST SLEEP!! Too hard though. Healthcare reform is changing my job so drastically. Everything I love and do will be going away by next month. in the meanwhile, my month this month is hideous. Scrambling around to see who can get the kids from school (what happens when you move out of district, but refuse to let your kids go to any other schools..theyre doing so good). Trying to get all my work done before 5. Kids calling asking what they can eat. The girlfriend calling bugging about if i'm going to cook (didn't we establish over 5 years ago I DONT COOK? ugh I hate cooking. she should'nt be eating at 7pm anyway!!). ok focus, must finish your work for the day...   dear god, how am i able to stay focused on eating good when everything else is in shambles? I guess it's ok since I don't care much about food anyway. HA, I tried explaining that to my g/f the other day. That i eat because I have to, not because I want to. she laughed and said i was being stupid. hmm should i refer her to some of the forums where that's discussed? yes honey, it's true, eating just isn't important anymore. Has she not noticed when she asks what I want to eat i reply with "i dont care" because guess what, I DONT!! And now she wants to take a cruise. Hmm can i get a discount since I will not be enjoying the endless nasty buffets? to me it's just a waste of money. What saves me is my birth certificate and my DL's have different names (by one letter). So technically, I can't get a passport. (I tried, it will take an act of god to get my names to match. and NO I am not changing my name to what's on my BC...NO!!!). Now I see why 50% of WLS patients end up getting a divorce. The things in life that used to matter, dont anymore. She said it's hard for her because our relationship used to be based on food (really, where was i?) and now it cant' be based on that. REALLY? ugh.. that angers me. that's...pathetic. So we can't connect (or havent) on other levels? being single just seems more and more appealing wihth each passing day.   ok...back to work. i really do have a ton to do today.. just need energy!!
PrettyLilButterfly

PrettyLilButterfly

0
adargie's Blog
 

one month out, seeing the scale move again

Well Monday was 4 weeks exactly, things are well here, I am slowly trying new foods. Finding my restriction(whew), for some reason I was too worried that my tummy was big. Well it isn't, because I have spent so long on liquids and softies that I never really felt full. Now I am learning to SLOW DOWN, I have become that annoying person at the dinner table with my phone in my hand. Partly because it makes me put my fork down, I play a game or just fart around with it so that I don't wolf down my food. It absolutely amazes me how little food we can survive on. I made egg salad last night for the first time. But less than an hour later it vacated the premesis!!! First bout with dumping for me. Not sure why but I guess I will give it a rest and maybe in a week or 2 try again. I am officially down 22lbs! The scale hasn't moved much in a couple weeks but I was not going to whine or cry about it because I saw change elsewhere and EVERYONE says it will happen. But I am totally satisfied with my progress. Today I got on the scale and was down 3 overnight! Amazing. I have seen a lot of people post that and thought well I will be one of those that will see half pound here half pound there but I got a smile on my face this morning after seeing 3 gone!!! My manager has asked me every day "so what have you lost, how are you doing"?? SO ANNOYING, she was also the reason I didn't say anything prior to my surg. Oh well. I will eventually post before and during photos but will prob wait till 8 weeks out. (I apologize for this rambling but the enter key will not start a new paragraph!) I started walking yesterday, I have 2 dogs and have totally slacked on walking them, it has cooled down enough here to do so, I got the app map my walk, just hit go and did my usual walk, well turns out it was over a mile! I always thought less than that but whoo hoo, as long as it stays a fairly reasonable temp. I will continue it daily. For some reason hitting the gym is making me cringe so as long as the weather holds up I will walk my booty off! Its a start and could also be why I saw movement on the scale. Then maybe eventually I will do the couch to 5k, but I would rather hit my finger with a hammer than run, so until that changes so be it. I am looking into some yoga classes offered thru community ed, and in November a friend of mine does a butts/guts class so those are both possibilities. One of my goals this fall will be to buy a pair of tall leather boots that I see everyone wearing but never could because I have cankles and man calves!!!
adargie

adargie

0
Fibro Diva's Bariatric Blog
 

PainWeek 2013

I made it to Las Vegas yesterday. Today is the first day of PainWeek 2013 and Fibromyalgia is the first Master Course offered. There will also be a course on Obesity-related pain.   It's 6:30 am and it's already 82 degrees out.
FibroDiva

FibroDiva

5
TJONES76's Blog
 

Recently banded, will it be worth it?

I was recently banded July 26th Was so excited Especially after seeing other people's success pictures However since July I have lost and gained weight I understand it doesn't happen over night however I thought I would be one of the people that lost the 30 or 40 pounds before my first fill I don't want to be a disappointment to myself or my doctor when I go and get my first fill and realize that I gained weight. Will this get better after my fill? Was this worth the surgery?
TJONES76

TJONES76

4
Gamergirl's Blog
 

What Role does the scale play in your life?

My son called for his daily chat, a time I really look forward to. He says, "How was your day?"   Well I've had a lovely day. I got to go into the office, work with a team of 6 very smart people, we all got some great thinking and work done. I was able to join them in the lunch I ordered for us, and I've extremely been productive all day. What were the first words out of my mouth in response to my son's question?   "Well, I'm still stalled."   WTH?? That's all I can think of to tell him about my day?? So he's a very insightful smarty-pants and he says to me, "Mom it was one thing to rely on the scale when you could say 'oh maybe I should cut down a bit tomorrow' and use the scale to monitor and adjust your eating habits. But really, what role does the scale play in your life now??"   For a change, I was speechless. Well he wasn't about to stop there. He carries on saying,   "Maybe you should ask yourself if it's healthy to let what you see on a scale determine your feelings of success for the day? After all you're doing what you need to, and you told me you were going to focus on process vs. the outcome. Would anything change in your process if you just threw away the scale for 3 months?"   No of course it wouldn't but can i throw away the scale for 3 months? I cannot. Why? Because maybe I'm sick in the head and I associate my self-worth with success or failure at pounds lost. Not what I do to succeed, but whether the scale says I've lost weight today.   Unlike a lot of people here, over the last few years i could NOT lose weight. I could control my calories, my cardio-vascular health, what I put in my mouth, but I couldn't control my weight. Yet I continued to judge myself by my ability to lose weight. Not by my ability to do what was healthy, but whether or not I could lose weight. I may have been sleeved, but apparently that way of judging myself still persists.   So really, if we are eating our protein, drinking our water, and exercising to the degree that we can, what role does or should the scale play in our lives when we're trying to lose weight? Should we not focus on the process, monitor the crap out of the protein and water and calories, and let the scale go off on a long hike to TImbuktoo? And can we do that? Why not?
gamergirl

gamergirl

10
On the Path to Enlightenment
 

So nervous...

Ok, so let me tell you how I was SUPER nervous this weekend. So if you dont know anything about me (and i dont think you do) I love rollercoasters, love, love, love them, and it has been a very depressing past couple of years for me becuase I have been too big to ride them.... which mind you is the worse feeling in the world. I mean standing in line for an hour laughing and joking with your frineds to finally get to the coaster and not be able to close the harness.... its deflating, then whats even worse is to have to get off the coaster turn around and look at not only the 40 people on the coaster waiting to take off but the hundreds that are in line looking at you looking at them.... oh man its terrible.   anyway this weekend we went to six flags and while bobbing around in the lazy river.... super cool if you dont have one, its this 1/2 mile long river that runs around the water park, but its got jets and sprinklers and all kind of stuff in it... amazing, but anyway in bobbing around in the river my girl and I are talking and she tells me that she has been avioding going to six flags because she wants to ride the rides with me and a lot of them i cant fit on..... i'm not sure what hurt worse getting off the ride in front of all of those people, or knowing that I am the reason that someone else I love is not doing something that they want to do. Anyway I try to shake off any bad feelings becuase i dont want to ruin the day anymore. So internally i'm having a fight with myself, do i run the risk of the embarrassment of getting asked to leave the ride or do i just deal with the hurt of knowing that i am keeping my love from doing what she love because of my size?   What would you do?   I end up saying to myself my embarrassment is nothing compared to the hurt and shame i feel because i how i'ver held her back and decided i am going to try and get on the coaster. Well, we head over to the theme park and find a ride, get in line for about 15 minutes and don't you know it started to rain and thunder really bad, so of course they shut the coasters down, we found a bench and waited 45 mintues to see if it would pass, when it didnt we decided we needed to go home and would try again another day.   I would love to say that this story ended in a happy ending plummeting 200 feet to the earth at 60 MPH but the truth is it didn't. It didnt end the way we wanted it to, but what it did do was inspire, motivate, bring to light the darkness that was hiding within. what it did do was make me realize how this weight that i have been carrying is not only affecting me, but affecting the people i love, I promise you this, once this suregery comes I will NEVER see this weight again.   Thanks for listening have a great day.   #SuperHighlyMotivated
SigmaChefSpe

SigmaChefSpe

2
lisacaron's Blog
 

Caught between stress and comfort

These last couple of weeks have been a few of the most stressful that I have had since surgery in May.   Stress never seems to ebb in my life as much as it flows. You would think that over time this girl would be used to it, but there is no such thing as getting used to stress.   You can roll with it and that's what I do, so that I can deal with the issue at hand and so it doesn't drive me insane. However it does drive me to some things that hinder my journey and even have the potential to harm me.   I liked to think of it as comfort, but I know my thinking is warped. I want, no rather I need to find comfort in things other than food when life gets tough and curve balls are thrown at my head.   The hug of a loved one is good, the escape of a good book, TV show or movie is great, but nothing brings me the comfort of being in my bedroom with the door to the outside world closed, eating a box of skinny cow, or munching on a vat of peanut butter pretzels.   I want to run away and hide where no one can find me, but instead I try to heal the wounds so I can keep on going, and the bandages I use to cover up those wounds are food. It's bad..yes BAD because I am hurting myself by doing that. There are times that I will even pull my husband into it with me. I don't let too many people into my sanctuary, he is a willing accomplice that is until we realize that I am hurting him by sharing this unhealthy habit, and that makes me feel twice as bad.   Since I have had surgery and before the latest disaster struck, I was working on NOT eating in bed. NOT eating in my bedroom. Keeping meals and snacks in the kitchen and at the table where they belong.   It becomes difficult and feels impossible when I feel the need to hide. I want some peace a moment of relaxation, so I run to my bedroom and barricade myself away from the un-relenting caterwauls that come from outside.   If it's not one of the 5 kids, (all over the age of 18-actually 4 over the age of 20!) it's one of our parents, or siblings that claw and vie for attention. Usually something life threating, just so you know it's not just the usual hey what's for dinner or I can't find my key kind of stress, those things just compound daily and sometimes cause the force of the stress to be 10 times worse then it actually is.   There are days when I feel as though I have PTSD and just the ring of the phone, the whisper in the hallway or the knock on the door is enough to get my heart palpitating, my head pounding and my brow sweaty with anxiety.   I know I should lace up my sneakers and go for a walk, or hang a punching bag and beat the ever loving sh*t out of it. Tape the person of the day to it, and punch away. However, when I am emotionally spent and physically exhausted the only thing I fixate on is the drive to the store to buy that box or container of comfort food. When I get home all I want to do is close and lock my door, curl up under the covers and dig in.   This week, as I feel myself calming down a bit from the last two weeks of high anxiety and stress I am re-committing to working on these goals. I am hopeful that enough practice even if it is in between crisis I will be able to overcome my need for comfort foods, if not my need for escape, and learn to soothe my stress in more productive ways.   After 42 years, I am learning the power of NO and the definition of boundaries. I am practicing using the word NO more often, putting and keeping those boundaries firmly in place.   I am also thinking of investing in that punching bag. It could be a fun way to blow off steam! I wonder if they have one I could put on my desk….
lisacaron

lisacaron

6
SillyAuntDi's Ramblings
 

One week away...This is REAL!

I've been scheduled for September 11, 2013 since the middle of July. I needed to get past a planned vacation and a few other schedule barriers and then I would be banded. Somehow, until those things passed it seemed so far away. Now, vacation is over and the other scheduled items are finishing up this week. WOW..this just got real! One week from tomorrow!   I have my pre-op appointment tomorrow and I have a feeling my head will be spinning with the reality of it all. I'm not second-guessing or even scared. I'm ready and excited. I just can't believe it's so close!!!!
SillyAuntDi

SillyAuntDi

2
Dear Diary
 

I love life :)

Well the wedding was amazingly goreous and beautiful. Though it was my best friends day, I felt like a princess too. I shined in my own light. It was the first time since I was a teen (well maybe in grade school) where I didnt' cover my arms! I fussed and threw a fit because I couldn't find a shawl or jacket to wear over my dress. At the last minute, I decided against one. Partly because I did want to show off my tattoos. And for once, I didn't mind taking pictures, even willingly posing for a few. I was nervous about the ones in the wedding party, but I felt confident enough among all the other bridesmaids.   When the DJ was introducing the wedding paty, I was the only one who he called beautiful. silly to be excited over that, but i am! Granted he kept giving me the eye all night. which was hilarious to me, don't think i've been flirted with in awhile.   the rest of my 3 day weekend was nice. Sunday, didn't do much. Finally caught up on season 3 of game of thrones (YAY). MOnday, we got our workout in by washing all 3 vehicles, cleaning out the garage, sweeping the driveway, pulling weeds and fixing the landscape. it was nice. I wanted to be lazy, god how i wanted to be lazy. but my g/f refused to let me , and i'm glad. the garage and yard look amazing!   this month is going to be tough at work, my only fear is will i over eat snacking at my desk ( i dont take lunches or breaks). or will i undereat because i get so involved.   oh and on a minor note, my doc (he didn't do either one of my surgies, he just took over the clinic last month) scolded me for eating 5-6 mini meals. he said i won't maintain my weight loss or lose more. i've proved him wrong. I lost 2 more pounds this weekend. don't think my scale has ever shown 137!! so in your face doc! LOL ok that's harsh. I just was worried i was over-doing it, but i feel confident I will maintain what i've lost. All i can do is listen to my body. im so much more in tune with it than i've ever been.
PrettyLilButterfly

PrettyLilButterfly

0
Melissa's Thoughts
 

Progress

Good morning world!! I am waking up feeling like a new person! I have not been on the scale since Friday, but continued my walking and exercise all weekend. I feel great! I promised myself that I wouldn't continuously take pics, but for someone who LOVES being the one TAKING the pics, this has really helped me put things in perspective. I have always been asked if I'm pregnant, I carry the majority of my weight in the dreaded gut. I attached a pic and it has helped me see that while the scale isn't moving, I am STILL making progress! The bottom right pic is me the day before my surgery, the middle one was 2 weeks ago, and the top left is me last week. It has helped me to actually SEE what is going on, and that helps to wrap my mind around what changes are taking place. I guess I just wanted to post this because I am as frustrated as the rest of those I see on this site with the stall that I am facing, head on, but I have to say...take some pics, compare them to the day you went in for surgery and I think you will be pleasantly surprised! So...in about an hour or so I will be getting on the scale, have a Dr.'s appointment...hope it is positive! Have a great DAY!!!
MWilliams42

MWilliams42

3
Lila S' Blog
 

ONE YEAR SLEEVE-VERSARY!

Happy Sleeversary to me I can't believe that it has been 12 months since I had the surgery. For those of you who don't know me here are my stats: Starting weight was 173kg/ 382 Pounds and my current weight is 87kg/ 190 Pounds. Before surgery I hadn't slept lying down in a bed (comfortably) in over 7 years. I had chronic asthma, everything hurt all of the time (although I denied it back then) and it was just a struggle to move around. I had the surgery on September 3 2012. Things went badly. I got a leak. It took several surgeries and many months in ICU/ Surgical Ward before I could get the all clear to leave. That was November 2012. I didn't go back to work full time until the end of January 2013. Since then, well heck, things have just been getting better and better. The weight loss has been amazing. I've lost 86 kg/ 189.5 pounds - so tantalisingly close to half way lol. No fudging though - pesky 0.5kg The NSV's have been even better - the CLOTHES, shoes, movement, I am a "runner" now (on week 3 of the Couch to 5 K and am running in a 5K obstacle course at the end of the year), energy, clarity in thinking, enjoyment in life, exciting opportunities, flying without the embarrassment of asking for an extension seat belt, people looking you in the eye, not being "invisible" anymore, shop assistants are helpful and attentive, men FLIRT (okay, so maybe I do too - just a little), I've had a significant promotion, looking to travel OS next year, am planning for a future THAT I WANT not just settling for what I think I can have.   For anyone considering this surgery know that there are real risks involved. For a while, the first few months in fact, I had really thought I had stuffed up and ruined my life by having the surgery. This was due to the complications and difficult recovery that I had during this time. Looking back now, whilst I would never want to be back in that place, I am so grateful for where I am now that I truly believe this to be the most wonderful, life changing – life SAVING – thing I could have done for me, for my family and to secure my future.   Where to from here? Well I want to lose about 14kg more which will mean an overall loss of 100kg and my weight will be around 73kg. I am quite tall so I would look quite thin at this weight. Not sure if I will get there or will want to, but at the least, I would like to lose another 10kg hopefully by Christmas. I am loving my new active life, the way that food has become fuel and though still enjoyable, it’s no longer the driving force in my life. I wish you all the same happiness and success in your own journey’s! I have put in some comparison photo's for you guy's to see the transformation Best wishes to you all! Cheers, Liss
Lissa_S

Lissa_S

3
chickadee73's Blog
 

Tijuana, and the birth of Frankentummy

Pre-op Day We had to fly for 3 1/2 hours on a fully-booked flight from Nashville, TN to San Diego. Samuel was waiting for us in a shabby little white minivan. Perfect English, but no tour like some others discussed, he drove us straight through the border and into Tijuana. Awkward conversation, trying to think of things to say. He told us to take the orange and white cabs to go anywhere, but the bellboy said to always take hotel transportation. Not sure who was right. Lots of poverty everywhere. Shabby houses on the hill, run down businesses. I am traveling with my cousin, who is also female, and we are both rather young. We are both experienced travelers, but this was no resort vacation. The Marriott Remodeled bath is nice, rooms are shabby and dated and small. Sort of clean -- sheets and towels were clean, but smudges and wear were evident throughout the hotel. Restaurant was OK. Didn't know if we needed to pay at desk or wait for bill -- and menu is in pesos which will scare you to death until you figure that out, even the ENGLISH section has PESO prices. Everyone very friendly. Some seemed genuine, others seemed slightly false and made me wary. A fellow visitor joined me and my companion at the hot tub and struck up a conversation, but I felt he was "gathering information" and sharing very little. It made me nervous. Tried walking to Walmart but beggars were between us and the stores and made us uncomfortable, so we turned around and went back to the hotel. The sidewalk is RIGHT next to the highway and cars and buses full of Mexican folks FLY past. I thought it was dangerous and was suprised so many people say they go to the Walmart like "no big deal." We would have had to cross a very busy road to get there, too. A pickup truck of locals drove past and hollered something at us ... the whole experience was uncomfortable and a little scary. TV is mostly in Spanish. Sometimes you get lucky and find an English show with Spanish subtitles. Advice -- fly in later in the day. We were very bored that first day. There is a minibar full of candy bars and such that we drank two of the cold waters, and replaced with a couple from the hotel that came with the package. We tipped everyone, and some things, I felt they purposely made you call for from the staff in order to get more tips. Like, why not just leave four complimentary waters in the room if they came with the package, you know? But they leave one and you have to call for the rest and tip the person who brings them. For dinner, we went to the hotel restaurant and I had the broth. It was OK, but I was starving by this time and wanted more. Ate two bowls. I also had hot tea, then wondered if the staff made it with boiled bottled water or not. Eep. My cousin also had diet coke and got a kick out of the Spanish can, but her cup had ice in it and we were told later not to use the ice. Oops. The buffet was ok. Had some unidentifiable meat dishes, but the staff did grill a piece of plain chicken for her when they noticed she couldn't find anything she wanted. They offered, which was nice. Internet at the hotel was horrible and this is a major problem because that is the main way to keep in touch with loved ones back home. Turn off data service when you leave the country, or face the large data charges. Phone calls and texts also cost an arm and a leg, so we turned our data plans off and went into airplane mode right before crossing the border. The internet was sporadic and kept redirecting us to the Marriott website. I drove us both nuts. Slow, and sporadic. This was one of the worst parts of the hotel experience. Nice workout room and pool. Weird control that you have to put your key card into in order to have lights in the bathroom. An energy saving thing, but we couldn't understand the guy who tried to show us what it was for and thought there was no electricity in room for awhile. Irene is a lovely girl. I pictured both her and Samuel much older than they were in real life. She was kind and thorough and very professional. She was probably the only thing that kept me from bailing on the surgery and running back home. She did have me sign a bunch of papers -- no idea what they said. Diarrhea from the pre-op liquid diet is common, fyi. Not fun, but apparently common. Showered and washed my tummy really well, including my belly button. Ready for tomorrow as I will ever be. Still not sure I won't chicken out if I see something at the hospital that looks or feels weird. Feeling like this was a mistake and can't believe I took my life into my hands like this. The Hospital My surgery was at Florence Oasis. The lobby and grounds seemed nice and modern, but the minute we turned the corner to the actual rooms, things went downhill. Older and more rundown than the worst hospital in my American city. We arrived in room 11 and found two socks on the floor by the bed that were left there and not found by the staff before we came in. The bathroom was rough, and the soap had a leak that left a large yellow puddle on the floor. The nurses were YOUNG. They looked not old enough to drive, let alone put in my IV. The staff had continuous trouble with my IV, which has never happened to me before, but I was probably dehydrated. The first one hurt going in and the girl fished around a bit before finding it. It collapsed by the next morning and my hand swelled like a balloon. She tried twice to get it in before giving up and calling in a more mature woman, who got it in the first time. Still, my fingers and wrists on both hands remained swollen. The English wasn't great for any of the nurses. Fatima or Saleima, not sure which was which, took care of me most of the time. The one that tried the IV and couldn't get it felt awful, I could tell. She held my hand and patted it while the older lady worked on me. The room where they drew my blood was ROUGH. Tiles missing in the ceiling, stuff leaned against the wall and stacked up everywhere. It was a little scary. I started to get nervous, or even moreso. My surgery was supposed to be at noon, and was instead at about 2:30. That gave me plenty of time to get cold feet and worry and wonder what was wrong. Not good. I was very sore and there was plenty of pain when I woke up, too. About like gall bladder surgery. And after having nothing to drink by mouth for days, I was dying of thirst. I had to wait until the day after surgery for the first leak test before I could drink anything. Tip: When you take the leak test with the x-ray, don't swallow the liquid until Hector tells you to, or you get reprimanded and have to do it again. Like me. The rooms always start out cold when you lay down and by the time you wake up, you are in a pool of sweat. Not sure why. And the air condition leaked in the hallway and there was a trash can placed to catch the water pouring out of it. The ceiling tile was removed, and there were wires and pipes all together in there. It was replaced the next day. The water pressure in the shower is super powerful. The wi-fi in the hospital was good, by the way. So was the massage, though the therapist spoke zero English. Time drags in the hospital. Creeps along. The cafeteria -- you have to get a pink ticket to eat there. You get them on the second floor. It's only open certain hours though, so don't miss it. If you do, the receptionist will give you a packet of menus and assist with ordering food to be delivered. That IS indeed a bullfighting ring across the street. Would have been cool to see it, but we will be gone before the next one is scheduled. Removing the drain made me cry out loud. It was weird, like giving birth to an alien. The Marriott, Xs 2 The second time at the Marriott, we had to wait more than 2 hours for our room. I should have learned a lesson after reading someone else's story, but Irene assured me the hotel would have a room when I came back. She was wrong. I heard others waited even longer. That said, our room was 308 this time and it was larger, cleaner and felt nicer. That could just be because we were coming from the hospital room to this one, making it seem like a palace, lol, but me and my cousin both thought it was better than 313. The restaurant staff were nicer this time, too. Sofia and Carlos were awesome. Irene stopped by again, nice as usual. She said Samuel would try to fit a trip to WalMart in to get tequila and a pack of underwear (pack extras). Sounds like the weirdest shopping trip ... trip being the key word here! The doctor will be here tomorrow to take out staples. Yeeowwch. I had it done after c-section and hated it, so not looking forward to it. It is the last thing to come off though, and I am free of surgery acoutrements. Dr. Velasco came and took out my staples. Only the last one hurt, right over the place they pulled out my extra stomach. So that was a pleasant surprise. I look a wreck -- like Frankentummy. Bruised, red, swollen, sliced and diced. She was nice, as always. She explained my x-rays and I'm glad she did because I had it all wrong. I thought my esophagus was my stomach, for heaven's sakes! She and Irene hugged me right before they left and gave me some parting wisdom about diet and not putting the weight back on. She and Irene hugged me and I felt very good about both of them. All went pretty well this day except a touch of gas in the morning, and, late in the evening, I got one of the red NSAID pills from the hospital stuck in my throat and no amount of swallowing will get it loose. I heated hot water in the coffee maker and drank it, floaty coffee grounds and all. I drank until I was worried my sleeve was full and had to stop. No luck. It's still stuck there. Our driver, Samuel, called an hour and 15 minutes late at 10:15 to tell me that his dad would pick us up in the morning. I asked for a 10 am pick-up time. He said we will have the medical pass, which may help us get through the border faster. My husband will be at the San Diego airport at 3:30 and I cannot wait to see him. Off to try to dislodge a bothersome pill. Daggum it. Still not dislodged. It's been two hours. Also, forgot to mention that the stuff they spray on the tummy makes your clothes stick. Just FYI. Feet still very swollen, hands are a little better. I lost two or three lbs of the water weight today. At about 229. I was 214 before surgery and 228 was my highest weight, right before pre-op. Still stuck in there. Do I just go to bed and not worry about it? Can't NSAIDs eat a whole in my esophagus?! Saturday, Day we Return to US The pill still feels stuck. Ride arrived on time at 10 a.m. Got over the border no problem in less than an hour, including a stop for tequila. By the way, don't let them give you change in pesos. You will be cheated. Samuel Sr. took us back and because we ran way early, he took us to the hotel to check our baggage at the desk before heading to the airport to get my husband. Still, we arrived at the airport 3 hours early. That was a lot of time to kill. My cousin had a bite to eat, we walked. I tried drinking gatorade on the way to San Diego and found that it hurt my throat, which didn't happen before. I thought it was because of the pill. Stole my cousin's water and it was ok, but still hurt going down. Bought both a hot tea and a juice, which hurt so much I threw them both away. Started feeling dehydrated, nauseous and uncomfortable. I finally gave up waiting for my husband and my cousin and I caught a shuttle back to the hotel to check in. Husband met me there later. We plan to stay through the long weekend to give me some more time to recover. My cousin leaves in the morning and my husband and I leave Tuesday. I was fighting back tears by evening. I called Dr. Valsco and texted Dr. Garcia. Dr. Velasco called me back and said I could try some yogurt, and that I needed to stay hydrated. I wasn't. I could drink much of anything. My throat felt like it was swelling shut and everything made me nauseous. Also, I was still swelled up like a little sausuage. I couldn't take my pain medicine or antibiotics, and I started feeling everything that was dulled before. Talk about a miserable girl. That was not a good night. I also forgot to mention that our hotel room in San Diego nearly caught fire, the alarm went off and we had to change to a new room. Nothing went very right this day. Monday Yesterday was a bad day. I woke up in the same shape, maybe worse. When I went to brush my teeth, it became very clear what was wrong. I had thrush. It was the antibiotics. My tongue, roof of my mouth and throat were coated white and so sore. My tonsils so swollen I couldn't drink anything but a sip or two of water, which made me feel like throwing up. I had refluxed and coughed all night, on top of everything else. I had drank less than one bottle of water since leaving Tijuana. Dr. Garcia texted me back and recommended I go to the ER, but that is so expensive I tried the Urgent Care first. Should have known what would happen -- they took my copay and transferred me straight to the closest ER. Then things got a little scary. The hospital said they see lots of Tijuana patients following surgery because of the inability to provide follow-up. They said the surgeons were good, but it wasn't a good idea not to have follow-up with the surgeon, not just a PCP. They put me in a bed, checked my bloodwork, checked for blood clots, did a urine test, and hooked me up to fluids, pain meds and anti-nausea medicine. They were concerned I had a stricture -- a narrowing of the opening in the stomach -- and might need re-operation. That sounded horrific at this point. Dr. Velasco was texting my husband often, and she didn't like the sounds of re-operation one bit. She was right. My labs all came back fine. I was a little anemic and my glucose levels were low, so they gave me some glucose in the IV, too. No clots, my bladder was emptying completely so that wasn't the cause of my swelling. They ruled out everything and finally settled on the explanation that the hospital in Tijuana gave me so many fluids, followed by dehydration, so my body was holding on to the fluids. Also, they blessedly treated the thrush that started all these problems, and my tongue immediately started to shed it's white coating. I was still very sore, but at least I was rehydrated and on pain meds. We were at the hospital for about 8 hours. Long, hard, painful day. Today I woke up feeling a bit more alive. Throat is still hurting, but I took another of the thrush medicines and the anti-nausea. Today, for the first time, I tried the milk in a cereal bowl for breakfast and had wonton soup (minus the wonton) for dinner. I had a spoonful of frozen yogurt that I let melt in my mouth. It was glorious; I can't tell you how much I miss food. Being here in San Diego, the smells of Little Italy waft through the streets and make me nostalgic for a good meal. All in all, I appreciate the skill and caring of my doctors in Tijuana. But I would not do this again, and wish I had just waited for my American insurance to approve me closer to home, where I wouldn't have the added stress of being away from home while having a major surgery done. I am a homeebody at heart, and the hospital facilities were not up to par with what I am accustomed to for healthcare. This is not a vacation with a bit of surgery -- it is painful and recovery was tough even before I got sick. Also, it was so, unbearably boring. Time creeped along slower than ever in my life. When you are in pain, each minute felt like an eternity in Tijuana. We were not comfortable leaving the hotel, there were only maybe 2 English stations, the internet wasn't reliable and we felt so cut off and vulnerable. I am glad I never have to relive those days in Tijuana, post-op. I'm still not sure why I didn't follow my instincts and bail. I guess I thought I was over-reacting -- I had read so many positive things about surgery in Mexico. Those stories don't match my own. Why wasn't my surgery a fairy tale? I don't know. I don't consider myself a picky or fearful person. I travel alone and am fine. I am not a complainer. Incidentally, I tipped folks really well in Tijuana. I feel like they needed it, and they all did such a good job. Carlos and Sophia, our waiters, our drivers, the cleaning ladies at the Mariott. They were all quite wonderful. I had a thought that my surgery and business may have helped in some small way with the situation in Tijuana. I looked out the window and thought how much potential, both in the people and in the land, were being missed. The city could so easily be revitalized and redeveloped. It has much to offer -- fresh, organic food movement; lovely, temperate climate; proximity to ocean and mountains; abundance of art and culture and history. Keep the playful side of Tijuana, but rein it in, and put it all in one place and inland. Make a place for families to vacation near the beach. Plant vineyards in the hills. Clean up slums. Attract more people to the safer, cleaner city and give the people something to do, something to be proud of, and close the gap between poor and rich that divides the city (maybe the whole country). The people were all so good and kind. I can picture a much different Tijuana. I fly home tomorrow, one week post-op, and hope things improve from here on out. I am still carrying 12 lbs of water weight, maybe more since I have almost surely lost weight since operation day when I was weighed. My feet, ankles and legs are still awfully swollen. It's hard to wear shoes. I will feel better when I am home in my own bed with my children and I have a feeling my recovery will really begin then. See you on the loser's bench -- soon, I hope.
chickadee73

chickadee73

4
lellow's Blog
 

Lucky? Yes, but I also made my own 'luck'

This band has been a godsend. I won't lie. It helps me maintain my weight easily. I know how hard it was for me to not gain when my old band was leaking, and how super hard it was to lose, so I'm loving that my new band has me back on track. Yes I've had complications, but generally speaking, yes I've been 'lucky' with the band. My band has been SO easy to live with. Or maybe it was that I had realistic expectations, I don't know . But either way, I love that it's there helping me every day.   But I also realised that I made my own 'luck' with the band. Even when I wasn't formally exercising in maintenance mode, I paid attention to my portions, I did lots of incidental exercising like using the stairs instead of the escalator (I still do), I didn't resume my bad eating habits. I stayed, for the most part, on program.   So I do see this as a partnership between my band and me. I honestly believe that weight loss and maintenance would be VERY difficult, if not impossible, for me without a band. But I also know this little thing around my stomach didn't do it all for me. Far from it. I exercised to lose, I maintained a healthy lifestyle during maintenance, I am exercising today to ensure long term maintenance. I worked with it, and continue to work with it, everyday.   The surgery will help you if you're willing to help yourself. And I'm worth investing in myself to be the best I can be. No one is going to want the best for me the way I could possibly want it for myself. I went through surgery to allow myself the best chance of success, so I will not let myself down by not putting in the effort to make it work.   So yes I've been lucky to live with a band easily, but I sure as hell made my own luck as well. So stop sitting there waiting for a miracle to happen to you, go out and MAKE it happen.
lellow

lellow

1
LadyDiva618's Blog
 

Back from my mini Vacay!

Happy Labor Day Everyone!   Well I am back from Branson and I feel great and relaxed! So how did I do? Lets just say I am afraid to step on the Wii Fit today and I will try again this Saturday!   What happened? Don't laugh at me but I left my snack bag at home! I blame my one track mind. Friday after my post I started getting my things together and I thought I put my snacks in my backpack. Well 100 miles out and when we stop at KFC that is when I realize that I left my snacks at home! Ugh! So I ended up eating a grilled chicken breast and ate half a serving a cole slaw. Lunch kept me full until 9pm that night. Then there was dinner and another sigh.   Why am I keep on sighing? Because I think I did bad and I had slice of thin crust pizza for dinner!!!! It was a small piece and I was terrified that I was going to have a stuck episodes! But I just chew, chew, chew, chew and chew. I was happy and the band was happy. I am thinking this all may change once I get my first filled.   Anyway, I am tired of writing about food. I did work out every day while I was in Branson. Since I left my healthy snack bag at home I work out every chance I had. On average I was burning an additional 800 each day I was there. One morning when I was running my little nephew was cheering me on when I was about to finish my run! That brought me so much joy! :wub: Sorry I had to mention that! Me and my sister went to the outlet stores down there. I really didn't buy any clothes even though I had my big sis with me. I am still having problems with clothes shopping but I am slowly getting over it. Don't worry I did buy something from the outlet... I brought me some Yankee Candles! If I could I will spend my whole paycheck on Yankee Candles! These are the only candles I buy and they are my weakness! Tomorrow I go back to reality and I will not let work interfere with me this month. I am going to continue doing positive this month because this is who I am and it helps me to move forward. Also tomorrow I am starting "Operation I Want Michelle Obama Arms!" This will be interesting.   Wish me Luck and thanks for reading!
LadyDiva618

LadyDiva618

1
Gamergirl's Blog
 

It's been a month since the surgery

It's been a month to the day that we were sleeved. During that time, I have lost 25 lbs, been stalled for over 10 days, learned how to chew again, realized that if I didn't set timers I'd never eat again, and today, I was sitting in a chair and suddenly picked up one leg and folded it up on top the chair leg. I did it unthinkingly, and not until it was done that I realized that before the surgery, I was in too much pain to be able to do that. Yay me!   I don't understand how this whole weight/inches/clothes things works. My bust, waist and hips are the same during the stall, I'm not losing inches. But I'm fitting into clothes that I last wore when I weighed about 20 lbs less than I do now. What sense does that make? Not a lot, I can tell you that! I don't get it, but I guess I don't have to. I just have to keep on keeping on. Meanwhile, the pile of clothes that don't fit me is growing slowly but surely.   One thing that I'm really grateful for is no RA Pain. I started my meds again but really it is under duress as a result of pressure from the doctor. I see no symptomatic reason for taking them. Had it not been for the slightly elevated levels on the blood tests, I would have refused all together. I cannot believe that I am in less pain now, at 5 week with no meds, than I was when I was taking my meds and shots! Really makes you wonder how much of RA is food/inflammation/weight related in my case. I know that's not always true, but was there a relationship for me?   Having trouble getting in all my proteins from food, and find that some days I eat close to 700-800 calories, and other days I eat 500 calories, and it all feels good.   Work is in full-swing and while I miss being able to spend hours on the forum, I also know this is the new normal. I still come here a lot to read, but other things are priorities now, as they should be.   I find myself wondering when the stall will break, and what I will be saying at 3 months when asked how much I've lost? I don't have a number in mind, I just want it to be more than 25 lbs   So, made it through the first month! I'm happy.
gamergirl

gamergirl

1
Gamergirl's Blog
 

Yummy Thai Chicken Sausage 16 gms protein

My husband made these wonderfully spiced sausages. If you're sick of bland food, this adds some nice flavor without being too hot.   Ingredients 1 lb ground chicken 1/4 c cilantro 1 tsp chopped mint 1 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice 1 tbsp Thai Red curry paste 1 tbsp Asian fish sauce 2 garlic cloves finely diced 2 tsp minced ginger 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 1/8 tsp black pepper   Method 1. Mix all ingredients together. It will be a bit sticky. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes for all flavors to meld. 2. Heat a saucepan until hot, pour in a tablespoon of oil and spread it around. 3. Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, put 1 oz sized dollops of the mixture about 2-3 inches apart. Smash them down into circles 4. In 2-3 minutes when the bottoms are brown, carefully turn over and cook for another 2-3 minutes. 5. You can either cook them all and freeze them in a ziplock baggie, or cook just what you need for meals. 6. These are very soft and they were easy for us to eat.   2 patties contain 16 gms of protein.
gamergirl

gamergirl

4
Just another journey...
 

Labor day...

Happy Labor Day everybody! I'm doing exactly that, laboring. We don’t get holidays in the oil and gas business, so I am stuck here for 4 more hours trying like hell to keep things going in a positive direction. Had my second visit about a month ago, managed to lose about 4 lbs., which is good, I guess. I haven’t really changed much in my overall diet; just stopped eating so much crap and cut out the sodas almost entirely. Scheduled to have my 3rd and final visit tomorrow, we'll see how that goes. I know I will not get my packet submitted until I get my psych evaluation and find a doctor to give me a surgery release; just haven"t had much time to get these done. Moving around make it really difficult to have an established GP, you know? But anyways, hoping I can stick around home for a month or so, I slept in my own bed a total of maybe 4 days last month, starting to wonder if I should pursue a new career path, I'm tired of always being on the move.
easye256

easye256

2
kmed21's Blog
 

NSFW! Don't Look if You're Squeemish!

ch1_image_001.bmpHey guys! I'm so morbid, I asked the doctor to take a pic of my stomach before he took it out. Here it is! Everything is separated, just before he took out the remainder of my stomach... I like to think of it as a reminder of what I went through so I can make this life change.. Everyday is getting better.. I'm confident in my choices now.. I'd just KILL for some real food! LOL... Keith asked me what I want for my first real meal, and I was crying saying "I don't wanna think about that!!" I had an issue with my psych meds, I wasn't taking them like I should have, so I got a little depressed. They're just too big for my stomach.. So, I'm crushing them and putting them in applesauce. I feel old.. LOL... I haven't weighed myself. I'll do that tomorrow. I did go through my clothes today, and I'm glad I'm able to take a few pairs of pants, and dresses to the consignment shop tomorrow, and give some stuff to goodwill.. I was soo stoked about this one skirt I have. It's from Target, and it's a size 18, I think they're cut a little small. Before my pre-op diet I couldn't even get it over my hips. Today I tried it on, and it goes over my hips, and I can almost zip it!!! So excited about that!! I guess that's my first NSV! Happy Labor day guys!
kmed21

kmed21

9
Linda's Blah blah blah blog
 

The A word...

ANGER. I was talking to a woman the other day online that expressed that every time she gets through one test, another one is ordered as she tries to get to surgery. She is disgusted after being in the process for over 7 months. I really felt bad for her, so I reached out to her in a private message, because I had the same thing happen to me. I remember that I had spoken with a friend of mine who was telling me how really easy-a-time he had going in to get the surgery and that you just have to do the testing bulls**t and get it over with, but to stay focused on the goal of getting the surgery done. So, I was trying to do that. Then I had an insurance change, and my surgeon wasn't covered. Then I had to have another set of tests because the new surgeon had specific people she wanted to get her information through. All this back and forth in time and gas leaves a patient feeling less than dazzled over the image we have over the end product - ME, in my case. So this made me think about it harder - why am I getting mad over something that has to be done? If a surgeon is requesting certain tests, it isn't for fun or anything - it's because they need those answers. Then it hit me - the reason I got angry was because every time I had to take MORE time to get ANOTHER test done my "DREAM" was farther away. And THAT, ladies and gentlemen, is PRECISELY the point I am coming to. Instead of living in my head (which I admit I do in a lot of areas of my life) I needed to get to the *REALITY* (Oh, how I HATE, LOATHE and DESPISE that word) of what I am about to put my body through. TIME - it took time to get this fat and it will take time to get everything lined up to help me get this weight off. That's life. Too bad. Move forward. And so, with this realization, and a little bit of patience, and total focus on ME - I move forward at a pace over which I have little to no control, and with gratitude of having this opportunity at all to begin with, and with HOPE that when the time finally arrives and I'm about to get an IV placed for surgery, I will finally be ACTUALLY ready in every way that I could before such a huge change with so many personally experienced unknowns. And I encourage everyone to do the same in their own journey. Till next time... (and with less huffing and puffing or frustration) Ciao!
LinSmargiassi

LinSmargiassi

0
Fibro Diva's Bariatric Blog
 

September is National Pain Awareness Month

Pain Awareness Month is a time when various organizations work to raise public awareness of issues in the area of pain and pain management. The first Pain Awareness Month was in 2001, when the American Chronic Pain Association led a coalition of groups to establish September as Pain Awareness Month.   The purpose of Pain Awareness Month is to bring attention to the very real physical suffering of an estimated 100 million Americans and to highlight the need for research and new, innovative treatment options.   Events   PainWeek 2013 Healthcare provider training Cosmopolitain Hotel Las Vegas, NV Wednesday September 03 - Saturday September 07, 2013     Complimentary Chronic Pain Awareness Expo Open to the public The Desert Ridge Marriott Saturday, September 7, 2013 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
FibroDiva

FibroDiva

0

PatchAid Vitamin Patches

Bariatric Forums

For Patients

Health Professionals

Search Surgeons

Bariatric Surgeons: Want to research a weight loss surgery surgeon? Enter their last name below to start!

×