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Taking the first steps in weight loss surgery.

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Update!

I am now down 56 pounds...three months since surgery adn I am feeling great. Well...almost great! Have since learned that my gall bladder needs to come out! I don't know why it was never checked before my lap band surgery...we could have taken it out then. The idea of surgery again so soon does not thrill me but the pain from the gallstones is AWFUL! If you are considering lap band surgery or are scheduled for it make sure you ask your doc about your gall bladder. So other than that things are going great. I am down 24 inches, 56 pounds and 5 almost 6 sizes!!!
Insky67

Insky67

3
 

50 pounds!

:thumbup:Finally! I finally got to the 50 pound mark! These last two pounds did not want to leave me...stubborn suckers!:tt2:
Insky67

Insky67

3
 

How I'm doing...

I'm doing great! I had my surgery June 4th and have since had two fills. I am not filled to 5 cc's.   I have lost 48 pounds...gone down from a size 24 to a size 16 and the 16's are feeling loose. :confused:   I have tons more energy!!! My knees no longer hurt and I rarely have headaches...I used to have them every day and migraines a couple times a month.   All in all I just feel so much better and I am only half way to goal! I can't imagine how I will feel and look a year from now!
Insky67

Insky67

5
 

Second thoughts...

I am having second thoughts. I don't think I can do this. I don't think I can or want to give up food. I am already failing on the pre-op diet...I can't go all day without eating...the protein shakes aren't enough to help me make it without food.   I think I need to cancel my surgery for June 4th. I think if I have the band put in I will still fail.   I don't know what to do. :thumbup:
Insky67

Insky67

13
 

Consult went okay...

Sorry I didn't reply sooner...guess I got caught up in other things.   Consult went well. I am tenatively scheduled for surgery on June 4th. As long as we don't run into any insurance snags everything is planned to go!   I had a minor set back when I was leaving the office and found out the doc had a $1000 dollar fee. Not covered by ins. and of course non-refundable. I was NOT expecting that. She also charged $200 dollars for their protien shake mix. :w00t:   Anyhoo...all I need now is my pysch eval and we can submit to tricare for approval.
Insky67

Insky67

9
 

Fill Was OK

I had my first fill two days ago! My band was empty and my doc put in 4 cc's...it was too much so she back it down to 3.8 and I seem to be doing okay.   I don't feel hungry really...I have some head hunger but not too much real hunger. Today I will try to eat some real food so we will see how that goes.   As far as pain goes there was almost none. My doc does not numb you up first like some others so...which is okay with me. I'd rather get stuck just once. It was a teeny tiny pinch and she got it the first time. I have watched a lot of fills on youtube and it looked like the docs "dug" around quite a bit searching for the port. That was not my experience at all.   :thumbup:It was smooth, fast and very easy...and I was a nervous wreck not knowing what to expect. I felt silly being so worried when it was all said and done.   I hope I am on my way to some good weight loss now, not that I am complaining I think I have done pretty well so far. I just have this little voice in the back of my head telling me I am going to eventually gain it all back and the band won't work for me. :smile2:
Insky67

Insky67

1
 

First Fill

Well tomorrow is my first fill. I am a little nervous. I am not worried about it hurting but I am worried about being tight and food getting stuck.   I had another episode where 2 bites of toast got stuck...and I had my first experience with "slime." I fully understand why it is called slime now....ewwwww it was gross! :eek:   It has been 39 days since my surgery and I am not teeting between 40 and 42 pounds lost. It just depends on what time of day I get on the scale. 12 of those pounds I lost on the pre-op diet.   I have gone from a size 22-24 to an 18 and the 18's are a little loose...I hope 16's are right around the corner. :biggrin:   The past two weeks have been hard cause I am feeling hungry all the time, my stomach is always growling. I have had to be very disciplined about eating...it would be very easy to do since I have no restriction. Thank goodness I have been able to stay strong and hold on til I get this fill, I am looking forward to not feeling hungry. I hate waking up in the middle of the night to hunger pains.   I will try to remember to update after my fill. Wish me luck!!
Insky67

Insky67

2
 

Update

Guess I should update this blog. It will be one month tomorrow since I had the lap band surgery.   I wish I could say it has been a piece of cake (lol) but it hasn't. Each day gets better but it was a slow healing process for me.   My pain is all gone, incisions healed and I have lost 34 pounds. 12 of that was pre-op diet weight loss. I am on the mushy stage and hate it. I am so bored with mushy foods.   I had one incident of being "stuck" Oh Lordy! That was crazy painful! Enough to make me very careful from now on. I had decided one day I would just take a bite of pizza. Yikes! It was too soon and I didn't chew it well enough.   I am scheduled for my first fill on July 15th. For days now I have been saying I didn't think I needed it yet but today I changed my mind. I feel hungry...all the time now. So I must be due for that fill!   For the longest time I couldn't see any light at the end of this tunnel but now I can. It's flickering but I know it is there. I look forward to the day when I can eat what I want and in just much smaller portions and less often. I also look forward to being healthier. I am using a treadmill every day now and just yesterday I was able to run on it...I haven't run since I was a kid. Good things are happening! :wink:
Insky67

Insky67

2
 

PAINFUL surgery

Doc says surgery went well but I gotta tell you...I never imagined the pain would be this bad! Had I known I don't think I would have gone thru with it.:crying:   I had surgery on June 4th and since then I have lost 10 pounds for a total now of like 22 I think (bad at math lol).   I am praying for the day I wake up and feel much better.:thumbup:
Insky67

Insky67

5
 

Ugh!

:crying: STARVING     Omg...I am starving. I decided to start my "diet" today. I am really not sure when I am supposed to start...someone said two weeks before surgery and that sorta stuck in my head. I am about 4 weeks from surgery but figured I might as well begin now. So this morning...I woke up and I really wasn't hungry. THANK GOODNESS. About an hour after I got up I had hunger pains. So...I made my protein shake...it's alright. Not great but damn it could be good with some peanutbutter and a bannana in it! I called hubby...do you think I could add some PB and a banana to this shake? His reply "Um....NO!" :tt2: Hmmmph! I drank it straight. I read email, fiddled around and got showered and ready for errands. Had to go pay bills and such. By the time I left the house it was about 11:00. Too early for lunch and I wasn't feeling any hunger pains. I have decided to really try and wait til I get the growling in my stomach to eat/drink. :svengo: No sooner did I get on the road...I got hungry. Damn...I decided to stop and get an ice tea...I looked at the 7-11 type store to see if they maybe had some slim fast singles but no... I went for the tea. Man...you really got to look at labels. Who knew tea could have carbs in it! NOT ME. I got an Arizona Blueberry Green tea, diet of course and no carbs. It was tasty but not nearly as cold as I like them...it will have to do. I did errands and kept thinking of food. Driving around town is DANGEROUS for me...it's my time to start grazing. Too many fast food signs, bakeries, and stuff. I talked myself out of stopping at any of them. I was feeling empowered and victorious by my strength to resist. Then....I got to the grocery store. OMG! I knew I had to get in and out FAST and if I didn't I would ram someone with my cart or drop down in the cookie isle with my face deep in a package of oreo's. Neither would be a pretty site...there were kids and seniors in the store. It took all I had to shop sensibly! Hell all I can eat until surgery is chicken, fish and green veggies! There is NO WAY I can make it. I decided Icould go off plan slightly as long as it was within boundaries...sticking with low fat and low carb. Have you ever noticed how anything that tastes sinful is neither low fat or low carb. :eek: About that time the bakery lady came on to announce HAM AND CHEESE CROSSIANTS hot and fresh now only $1.79! Oh Lord help me. I started to move faster, ducking in and out of isles like a professional football player. I went left and then right, squeezing pass every old fart in my way...I did have a near mishap with a toddler but the :thumbup: brat was bouncing off the walls and driving me nuts anyway. I might have sorta brushed his hand as I went by and he was flinging around! Ooops. I like kids...really I do, just not when I am starving! lol Finally I got home and threw all the cold stuff n the fridge. I decided I needed to eat. I will have a shake for dinner. I was shaking by the time I sat down with my food. A low carb wheat tortilla (very small) with one slice of turkey and a little grated cheese . I rolled it up and had it with two spoons of cottage cheese. My goodness I could eat 10 of them, but I haven't. Four weeks of shakes two times a day is going to be a nightmare. I did however, purchase some ready made slim fast drinks just in case I am ever on the go again I can be prepared and have one in my purse. Whew... now what time is dinner again?
Insky67

Insky67

4
 

Consult today!!!

* Update* The office called me back yesterday and said they can get me in today for my consult!         Ooooh I have butterflies in my stomach! I keep wondering if she is going to weigh me...what if I don't weigh enough. Should I wear some ankle weights? Rolls of quarters in my pockets? Will I have to get naked? Will she like me? Will I get lost? What time should I leave to go there? I didn't sleep at all last night! I am so tired and my eyes are totally blood shot. I look like I went on a drinking binge last night. LOL. I had a horrible headache so I tossed and turned hoping it would go away and I could sleep. I didn't want to get out of bed and go all the way downstairs for my migraine meds so I kept telling myself it was just a regular headache and the excedrin will work. It didn't work...probably an hour later or so I went downstairs for my real medication. Last time I looked at the clock it was 2 am...and then I looked at 4:30 and then at 6...sigh. I will probably fall asleep in the waiting room. Cross your fingers for me...I will report back later.
Insky67

Insky67

3
 

near tears...

Totally bummed today. I called Dr. Jessee's office to set up my consult. I was required to attend a seminar and a orientation prior to her seeing me...I have done both. So I called to talk to Joyce, I believe she is the one that does all the scheduling and all. She is out of the office for two weeks.   I spoke with the gal who answered the phone we'll call her "C". She was rude, short and not very accomidating. The first first appt she offered me was May 6th early in the morning. I can't make that one. I have a child that has to get to school at the same time and hubby is deployed. So I don't have anyone that can help me out.   I asked if maybe there was something a little later and "C" seemed very annoyed...grumbled NO, that's it. Hmmmm I said well...is there something on another day? Next available she tells me is the 12th. What choice do I have? I can't believe I have to wait almost a month for a consult.   I am very discouraged and really upset with the way "C" spoke to me and treated me like I was a huge bother in her day. I am also upset cause I am pretty sure now there is no way I can get this procedure done in the short amount of time hubby will be home. He will be here for 2 weeks and then deploy again for 2 months!   I'm depressed and just want to sleep all day... If I have to use "C" every time I need an appointment from this office I don't know if I want to go there.
Insky67

Insky67

4
 

Orientation

:thumbup: I went to orientation yesterday. It was more of the same from the night before and more in depth info on how and what you will eat after the procedure is done. I gotta admit...I got scared when they started talking about a no carb or low carb diet. Um...if I could cut out carbs I wouldn't be where I am today. I am addicted to carbs, there is no way around that. I know my life will be better without the carbs but thinking of myself giving them ALL up forever seems unreasonable. No carbs is this docs suggestion. They say the lap band manufactors tell you that you can eat anything you want (in moderation) and will lose 1-2 pounds a week. But if you go the docs way your results will be better and faster. I will need to talk to my "banded" friends and see what kind of diet they are following. Ugh...I hate the word diet. I did find out yesterday that if I get the paperwork from my primary doc asap I could very well have this done by the end of May. That would be great cause then my husband will be home. As of now the two things that scare me the most about this procedure is; 1. No carbs 2. No carbonated beverages :thumbs_up:   Diet coke is also a vice of mine. The nurse yesterday said "bubbles" don't go down well once the lap band is in place. I'm not giving up on this, I just need more research on these two things. And again...my health would probably be much better without those two things, it just scares me to think of giving them up. Like heroin to an adict...ya know?
Insky67

Insky67

4
 

Went to my first seminar...

Seminar   :thumbs_up:     The seminar was amazing. I sat there with my mouth dropped to the floor. All these years and all these pains and ailments I have had can be directly linked to my being over weight. I knew something's but not all of them. Why in the world didn't a doctor never say to me...if you had weight loss surgery half if not all of your medical problems would disappear? I had to fight back tears while I was there, it is so moving to know there is help out there, there is something I can do that will help me lose weight and keep it off once and for all. I wish I could have it done today. I am guessing it can happen in June sometime if everything goes as planned and is approved. Sadly that is when my husband will be gone. He ships out to the desert in June for two months. I hate to think of doing this alone but at the same time I don't want to put it off either. I know I am strong enough to do it.. I got to orientation today at 3. I really liked meeting Dr. Jesse last night. She was funny, knowledgeable, easy going and very honest. I will enjoy seeing her and getting to know her better. She talked about the new band called "Realize" after researching it online I think it is the band I will go with.
Insky67

Insky67

7
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