So, after my sinus drainage last week, I made an appointment with my doctor's office to get a little fluid taken out. They took out just a bit and what a difference! I was able to eat, drink, and start losing again! I have lost 3 pounds since they took the fluid out. I think because I can get my protein in now! I am officially 46 pounds down and almost 6 months out. Once these 280's are gone, I will feel so much better. I feel like I have been stuck here forever! Now that I am finally where I need to be (fluid wise), I am hoping it will start coming off quicker now. Too much fluid, I don't lose. Too little, I don't lose.
We went out of town on a shopping trip this weekend and I was really proud. Instead of getting steak or something like it at Outback, I got a small size seared tuna appetizer at Outback. And, it was filling! I have found that I need to just order small portions when I go out. Even if I get a smaller meal and box half of it up, I will still try to eat more than I should. It's all mental. If I get just what I need (usually a kid sized portion is plenty), I do better at limiting myself.
It's taken 6 months, but I am finally starting to "get it" and adjusting. Everyday is a struggle for a recovery food addict, but I am getting better and better at eating better. One upside to eating out? Instead of going for the most bang for the buck (I used to choose the biggest portion item sometimes!), I can get a better quality, tastier, and healthier item for the same price and be okay with the fact that it's a tiny portion. I love my band. Sometimes we bicker, by my love for it is unconditional :-)
I'm so ready for tomorrow. I have a slight head cold that is exiting my body, so I need to contact the surgeon's office to make sure everything is kosher. I haven't taken any Claritin since yesterday, so hopefully it's still all good.
The liquids are going to be tough today, but I'll take it hour by hour. Nothing but chicken broth, Sprite Zero, and sugar free popsicles are what I've chosen for my clear liquids today. I forgot to make jello but DANG (!), I can hardly stand it anymore!
I stepped on the scale this morning. BTW, the scale is my new best friend because it starts my day of positively...It read 308.2 this morning. I swear, I think I saw the scale actually smile at me. This time, almost two weeks ago, I was hovering around 326.
**Smile**
I went in for my final meeting with the psychologist last Wednesday. The personality test was quite interesting. There was no real surprises to it...no underlying personality issues. He just said that I am an optimistic person who likes to look on the bright side of things...which is true. When he was reading off the personality analysis, it fit me to a T. He told me he would have his report written up this past weekend and sent in to the doctor's office early this week.
I am hoping that it is sent today so we can get everything submitted to the insurance company for approval asap. I have no idea how long it will take for approval with BCBS but hopefully it will be swift. How long did it take you to get approval? So ready for it!
I am so nervous and so excited. Words can't express how I am feeling. I ate a dinner roll at a wedding this past weekend and thought, "Wow! This tastes so good!" And, I won't be able to have that after my band gets filled to where it needs to be. And, that is okay with me. I am so willing to give up the foods that I need to give up in order to get me where I need to be. The band will just be my tool in helping me give up those foods (and portions!) that I need to.
My husband has been so incredible. I have no idea what I would do with out him in my journey. He gives me so much love and support and I am so happy to have him by my side throughout this. For a thin man, he does a great job of trying to understand what I go through on a normal basis. I have gained at least 50 pounds since I met him and I love that he is able to accept and love my curves at any size/weight. He is fantastic!
So, I completed the psych evaluation yesterday and boyyyyyy was that a lot of questions! I am curious to see what it will say :-) I don't talk to ghosts or hear voices, so hopefully I will be alright :-) If you have to go in to take one of these, prepare to do 1 1/2-2 hours for the testing phase of it. I did two tests. One was over 500 questions and the second one was somewhere in the neighborhood of 160 questions.....all true/false.
I go in to talk over the results next Wednesday. At that time, he will be writing a report to send to the surgeon's office and I can finally submit for insurance approval. I am so excited, yet a little nervous at the same time.
Some people say, "Wow, you are going to have the surgery done right before the holidays?" But, as I look at myself in the mirror, I don't even care if it's before the holidays. I don't want to eat as much anymore. I want to get the weight off and be full with smaller portions! The sooner I can get there, the better off I will feel.
Hopefully everyone is doing well in their weight loss journey. I am curious, though. If you are reading this, where are you at in your journey?
....was TODAY! I arrived at the surgery center at 6:30 am. They had me changed, did the last minute testing, started my IV, and got me all hooked up. After a blood thinner shot and some Pepcid in the IV, I was almost ready to go. They put these things on my legs, too, that fill with air and release to keep the risk of blood clots down.
About 8:20, they gave me some medicine to relax me (loved it) then wheeled me into the OR. As they were hooking me up, they put an oxygen mask on and told me to take deep breaths. After about 5, I was OUT. Next thing I remember is the nurse pulling something out of my throat and thinking I must have thrown up...lol. but, the nurse just said, "You are just waking up...it is all done with." They gave me some pain meds and let me relax.
I must say, the next two hours, I was miserable. Not because I was hurting, but because I was hooked up to everything and couldn't get comfortable..plus, trying to wake up. Once that passed, i was fine. And, it really wasn't bad. The woman in the room next to me I could hear was having a hard time, saying she couldn't breathe over and over. yikes! what a feeling! My dad said he had the same feeling after being put under for his heart surgery so I'm guessing it's a side effect from being put under. But, even now, as I sit here typing, I am only a bit sore, not sleepy, and just going about my 'relaxation schedule', as the kids are with parents! It's actually a mini vaca....lol
When I did my barium swallow at 11:30, it was soooo cool to see it go down the tube! I'm a geek :-) Even cooler was the Gatorade G2 they gave me after. I was soooooo thirsty! By noon, I was given my breathing apparatus and discharged.
The husband stopped, filled my anti nausea and Lortab meds, picked me up some Gatorade G2 (the ONLY thing I failed to get at the store pre surgery), and stayed with me.
All afternoon, I have been taking my meds, drinking (albeit slowly) lots of Gatorade and water. My surgeon said I am good to have water, protein shakes, Crystal Light, Gatorade, Water, Juice, Popsicles, Soup (any kind without "chunks"), Jello, etc. While not real hungry at all, I did take in some yummy tomato soup. Looking at the soup that has sat in my pantry forever looked far more appealing than my protein shakes...lol. However, tomorrow, I will force some protein shakes down so I can get some real nourishment. On Monday, I can move up to pureed food, pudding, etc until I meet with the doc again on Friday.
I can not say enough about Dr. Malley (KC area), New Hope Bariatrics, and the WONDERFUL nurses and staff. They are greater than I ever thought possible. I received the best treatment from there than I have ever had anywhere.
I do have one question for you bansters, though, if you are somehow still reading this novel.....when does gas pain start?
This process seems to be soooo slow. I had to cancel my doctor's appointment yesterday because of all the snow we got here. I can't go in until a week from Thursday and know I need a little something in my band. I can eat more and I"m not thinking I like it very much. Everything seems to go down with ease. And, on top of that, it takes more to make me feel full. Also, I don't like feeling hungry after a couple of hours. Grrrrrrr! I have lost a whole pound in 8 days. I am down about 33 pounds total. About 15 of that after I got banded. I feel good about the weight I have lost so far, but also look at crazy envy at those banded around the time I was who have lost 50 or 60 pounds. Eeeek!
It's time to kick up the exercise in high gear while I wait, I guess. Does anyone have any good items to soothe your sweet tooth? I can't do any jello or sugar free bars for a long time. If you have any suggestions of something to curb it, while tasting sinful (yet lower in calories), please let me know. I usually do pretty well, but today I have a crazy ice cream craving and can't seem to overcome it :-( What's funny, I'm not really even an ice cream person!
Thank you if you are still reading me spew negativity. I am just having one of those days :-(
Dr. gave the okay today to move to soft foods. Yay! I had a little sushi with brown rice today for lunch. Healthy and also very yummy. Feeling good and ready for the weekend. My possible fill date is in 3 1/2 weeks. Exciting!
I was so sad the last post...and frustrated. Since I am not a person who normally gets down, I try to LIFT myself back up :-) i am almost down the weight I gained on vacation. The scale is slowly dropping again. And, that is positive. Hope everything else is going great for other in band land!
I can't believe the countdown is almost here. These past 5 months have really been something. All this visiting the doctor, jumping through hoops, researching, etc, has finally resulted in surgery in 2 weeks. I am so excited!
I start my pre op diet Thursday. I am supposed to have a protein shake for breakfast, for lunch, and a Lean Cuisine (or something similar) for dinner. Also, I can have chicken broth, sugar free popsicles, sugar free jello, and sherbet (up to 2 cups) during the period.
I have to admit, though, saying goodbye to food is actually quite sad. I had my "final dinner" Sunday night...which, consisted of a feast at Red Lobster (oh, I will miss you cheese rolls!). However, I told my husband, it will feel good to leave a restaurant and not be hungry or overly stuffed. I am one who never finds a middle ground between the two and end up STUFFED! But, I'm ready to say goodbye. And, I know I'm ready to say goodbye to all the bad foods.
Tonight or tomorrow night, I will do what I have never done before, but SHOULD have done years ago. And, that is buy a scale. Before, I always avoided the scale because I was deathly afraid of what it might read and feel horrible. Even during my pregnancies, I only got brave to look at it a couple of times. But, I think the scale might be a good friend to me for the rest of my life very soon. It will be a friend to help keep me honest and speak nothing but the truth.
I can't wait to begin the journey of being banded and I am soooo glad that this website exists, as you gals and guys are a huge wealth of knowledge and support for me. I know I don't know you all personally, but you help me out more than you will ever know! :thumbup:
I am at the one week mark....yay! Now that I am getting over this cold I got post-op (thanks to my sweet children at home), I am feeling much better. I had some pain at my port site for a few days, but even that has subsided. Overall, I feel fantastic.
Last night, I cooked dinner for the rest of the family, did some cleaning and then relaxed. At work, I just get up and move around throughout the day. I took just two days off (Thursday and Friday). I had a lot of work to come back to, so I'm glad I didn't have to take off more time! The only rough day was the first day back. It was not fun being sore, having a cold, and just wanting to be back at home.
I am still living on my instant potatoes, protein shakes, natural applesauce, and light yogurt. And, I"m okay with that. The scale really hasn't moved much the past couple days, but I'm okay with that. Now, if only I could stop jumping on it 4 times a day!
How is everyone else doing?
Wow! What a week this has been! A week ago, I was celebrating getting down to 302 (losing 23 pounds since I started my liquid diet with almost no hunger after being banded 9/30/10). Welllll, my husband went back to the hospital on Wednesday morning and got discharged for good last night. It was an extremely stressful time and I wasn't home very much. Needless to say, I didn't have my protein routine to keep me in line. I tried to eat good and include plenty of protein in my "hospital cafeteria" diet. But, some nights, after driving home, only fast food was open (I didn't get a chance to replenish the fridge until last night). After being so exhausted, I gave in a couple of times. Now, here I am, determined to jump on the bandwagon and get back to losing again! My doctor cleared me last week for all foods again, so I stocked up last night again on all my "good food".
I have gained back pounds (eeeeek!), but I think I can work that down pretty steadily with my mind put to it. I've had hardly any sodium prior to my husband's hospital stay and with the eating out several times, I'm sure I took in a LOT. Blech.
Anyhoo, husband is doing great after 2 surgeries and will be out of work for several weeks recuperating. I have tried not to beat myself up too hard.....just climbing back on the saddle and WILL watch that scale go down again.
This waiting for restriction is not fun, but I just have to be my own restriction :-)
Yes! One step closer! I had my nutrition consult two days ago and I feel like I have another notch in my belt. It cost me $63 out of pocket to do for about a 45 minute consultation.
I don't know what I was expecting, but there were times in the consult it sounded like the nutritionist was trying to sway me away from it. It was really weird. Maybe she wasn't, but that was kind of the aura that the conversation seemed to have. She talked alot about things I would need to do and change, which I knew, but she also had that "are you sure you want to do this" look when she asked some of the questions. I just kept thinking to myself, "This skinny, young chick can't have a clue what I am really going through."
Maybe it's just insecurity of years of being overweight, but I really feel sometimes as though people who don't have a problem with weight look at those of us that do pathetically. You know...the "why can't you just work out" or "why can't you just eat right" or "why are you hungry"? I have no problem with working with out. I know the right foods to eat. My problem is that I eat to much of it. And, sometimes I feel so hungry I feel sick to my stomach. I can't wait to get that feeling to subside! I want restriction so badly!
Anyway, the nutrition consult is out of the way and I have my psych evaluation scheduled for August 9th. My 3 month diet should be completed on September 1st...yay! After all that is done, I should be ready to go.
I gained 2 pounds in June (thank you, Bahamas and frozen drinks!), but I have lost 3 since my last weigh in. With the help of sparkpeople.com, I am really trying to keep on track with working out and eating right. I have really come to LOVE that website. If you are just browsing this blog, be sure to check out that website. It was the best info I got from the nutritionist I saw
It's a little after midnight here. I just got up and my throat is killing me! Anyone else have this problem after surgery? I'm really wondering if I should go in to have it swabbed or if it is just maybe normal to have this. I have a lot of drainage, too (although, I had drainage on surgery day,too). Also, I was on antibiotics a few days before surgery. Ouch, help!:confused:
I have been losing slowly.....so slowly. I have read up another person's success by adding in MORE protein. I should have figured this out by now. I reviewed my sparkpeople.com records. I have found that I am staying in the 1500 range some days, which is not good. But, that I can make wiser choices by adding in more protein. If I have a salad with fat free dressing, throw in some sunflower seeds, etc. It makes sense. I have no idea why I have gotten away from protein. I aim for 60 each day, but some days I don't even get that. Others, try for at least 75. I'm curious, how much protein do you have everyday? Do you do better by counting calories, counting protein, or both?
Eeeeeek, next Wednesday can't come soon enough. I need a fill SOOOO bad. I am joining a gym this week, but there are no aerobics classes, etc....Just the basic with circuits, weights, etc. What is your favorite thing to do at the gym. I wanna get the most out of my workout :-)
Well, I had a little fluid taken out about 6 weeks ago, due to me getting sick from all of the drainage when I got a cold. And, I have been naughty....very very naughty. I have no idea who much fluid she took out (although, I'm guessing not alot) and it made a HUGE difference). However, I need it put back in ASAP! My weight has officially stalled completely out. I can eat more than I should and am hungrier in between meals. I keep gaining and losing the same 3 pounds. I had an appointment a week and a half ago, but had to reschedule, due to work conflict. The soonest they could get me in was May 16th, but I am going to BEG to get in sooner, if they have a cancellation, next week. I ate a donut (I know, I know) with absolute ease and no problem. I am leaving for Mexico in less than two months and was hoping to have a little better weight loss by the time I left. I want my restriction back. Unfortunately, it just means that I have to work on my self control a little harder :-) On the plus side, I'm walking more, hoping to counteract the new position of being able to eat any type of food (not that I should).
So, after I had Panera this afternoon at lunch (instead of my normal soup, I got a sandwich...kind of as a goodbye to white breads!), I started to think about this liquid diet coming up next week :wink:. When I go to the store this weekend, I need to start picking up some items. My surgeon's office is mailing me a packet with pre op instructions, but I want to know from all of you what are the best things you had during this time to get you through it.
Was there a particular broth, sugar free jello, or something like that that you enjoyed having? Also, how did you get through this time without actual FOOD?! Did your body go into shock :eek: ? I figure it'll be a mental game that I can play and just try to get through each day. Truly, the thought of no physical food is scary.
Okay, last question, what are some good sugar free treats that you enjoy either before or after the surgery?
Well, the first fill is going to Monday. I really can't wait. My weight loss has definitely stalled out and I am excited to get this kick started once again. I am trying to plan a vacation to Mexico next summer and would LOVE to drop some excess baggage by then. The earlier, the better
My doctor actually has me set up for an appointment on Monday, one two weeks from then, and one more two weeks from then. So, hopefully we will kick this in high gear...lol
What do you all do the day of your fill? Do you eat light or do liquids? I suppose I should call the doctor, perhaps, but I'm curious to see what they have you do. My appointment isn't until in the late afternoon.
So, I am on soft foods for the next couple of days. I decided I will try sushi...Having read that some people have trouble with it and some don't, I decided I would take smaller bites of it. My train of thought was,"Well, might as well nibble now because if it doesn't agree with me, that will be the end of that."
Fast forward to opening my yummy sushi roll. I split a piece in half, eat a bite, then remind myself I need to chew better. I eat the remaining piece.....wow...weird feeling. I proceed to the half of piece of sushi piece #2. WOW!!! Oh no! I'm gonna get sick! I felt a huge wave of nausea and got the watery mouth. It last for about 5 minutes and I'm so glad I was able to hold on to everything. Getting sick in front of my coworkers was not #1 on my priority list today. I was able to finish the sushi roll....eventually. I cut it up into 1/4's and chewed it forever.
The learning how to eat continues....will keep you posted!
I FINALLY had my first consultation with Dr. Malley yesterday. The whole meeting and consultation just made me feel all the better that I was making the right decision by choosing Lap Band and choosing this facility to do the surgery.
I was anticipating the psych evaluation as well as meeting with the nutritionist. However, my insurance company is requesting 3 months of a supervised diet plan. This is a little disheartening as it just seems as though another hoop to jump through. I just know if I stick with everything, it will be worth it in the end. How is it that 3 months seems so far when it's something you really want, but not so far when, say, your children are growing? LOL. Do any of you have any motivation tips or what exactly the insurance company is looking for when they ask you to do the diet plan? It seems kind of silly because the whole reason I want lap band is because I do have a hard time controlling my calories. It's not so much the wrong foods for me as it is the dang portion control! Any comments about your story would be much appreciated as 3 months (I know, I know, most "diet plans" are longer than that!) seems so daunting when you want the instant gratification of NOW!
As I plug along in my journey, I am determined to succeed and will just do these hurdles as soon as possible. The doctor should be able to see me for my first "diet plan" appointment on June 1st. The two weeks even seems far
:rolleyes2:
I think I have a sinus infection and this drainage is making me feel stuck. I haven't been able to keep anything (non liquid) down in two days. Anyone have any suggestions or experiences?
I expected big things from 2011...just not me! I was banded on September 30th, 2010. It has been a long, but quick process, if that makes sense. I have gone from 325-327 (by my at home scale) to 293.6 , as of this morning. It seemed so daunting when I first started the insurance process, seminars, etc, in April of last year. But, it truly went by quickly. Before I knew it, I was banded. If anyone is reading this and is overwhelmed by insurance hoops, don't be discouraged. Just take it one step at a time because the payoff is HUGE!
My last fill, # 3, they put in a little more in my band. That was 3 weeks ago and I've lost about 6 pounds since then. Slowly, but surely! Fill 1 was okay...no real restriction, though, fill 2 was an overfill---followed by some being taken out, then fill 3, I feel, is my sweet spot. I feel like I eat too much (i'm so paranoid about overeating), but my husband says I hardly eat anything. In comparing what I ate before, he's probably right. I still keep track of everything on sparkpeople and really am trying to watch everything. It certainly something that isn't easy and is something that we all have to continually work at. Each day, I still argue with my body about what to put in it. I think it will get easier and easier, but it has hard not to stop at McDonalds in the morning for a breakfast sandwich (not that I can really eat it without getting stuck anyway!), but my mouth would still try.
I have just started really trying to get serious about working out. I don't really have time for an actual gym between my kids and my husband's crazy work hours. I have picked up Zumba and also love working out to my Wii! My doctor's office has a program they refer to as 'Bootcamp'. It is 3 nights a week for 6 weeks. Of all of the places in my city, it happens to be held just a few miles from my house, which is great. You work out with a personal trainer those 3 nights, meet with a counselor for a few minutes on 2 of those nights and meet with a nutritionist the other night after your workout. And, as long as you don't miss more than 3 sessions, it is all free. So, I will be beginning that on their next session start next month. I really can't wait!
I am starting to have loose clothing, which is great, and my knees are already feeling better when I go upstairs. I love that. When I met my husband, I was hovering around 270. Still fat, but nothing as to what I turned into over 5 years! I guess my happiness was directly correlated with my weight gain, which, ironically, caused unhappiness. But, one the road to being a better me feels good! I recognize I will never, realistically, be 135 pounds ever, but I'm okay with that as long as I can get down to a healthy weight of maybe 170. I really can't wait to to do things with my kids this summer! I can already tell I'm getting more energy and can't wait to see how that goes up, too.
Anyway, those are the thought that are in my head today. I hope everyone is doing well after the holidays!
I am officially 6 weeks through my supervised diet with my pcp and have 6 more weeks to go! Yay! Although, I am a bit concerned as I actually gained 2 pounds the first 4 weeks. My cruise to the Bahamas was a tempting way to sabotoge my diet, apparently. My weight at last weigh in was 324. The highest I have EVER been...well, not counting my last pregnancy. Very sad, though, because I am not too far from my pregnancy weight **sniffle, sniffle**. It's amazing how different I look in my head to how different I look in pictures. Eeeeeek!
Since returning from my cruise, I have tried very hard to be mindful of the portions that I eat as well as making good food choices. I have a couple slip ups, as far as pizza with the kids, but I am otherwise doing better and eating at home a lot. I'm not quite sure what the insurance company expects out of this diet plan. I freak myself out because I am afraid they will not let me have the surgery if I don't lose any weight. The only time in my life I seem to have been successful in taking weight of, that wasn't in the 6 weeks after a baby, was while I was breastfeeding for 10 months. Otherwise, I sadly fail.
In my house, I actually have a thin husband, 3 thin sons, and a baby. What I wouldn't give for their metabolisms! A lot of times, I am fixing something for me and dinner for them.
My nutritionist appointment is set for tomorrow. My insurance company would only cover it if I had diabetes, which I don't, but I feel pretty good because the consult is only going to cost $63. The nutritionist my surgeon's office recommended was $160. So, I feel like I have a bit of a savings and I am excited to complete another step in my journey.
I will be setting my psych evaluation sometime today, too. My husband jokingly told me," A nutrition and psych evaluation...I know which one you will fail." I laughed, "Yeah, the nutrition one... "hahaha.
My husband has really been a huge wealth of support. He constantly tells me I am beautiful and he loves me just the way I am, despite being twice his size. He has encouraged me to do this for myself and not for anyone else. When I feel nervous, he calms me down. I simply can't imagine a better best friend and partner in life. I read on here, sometimes, about husband's who aren't nearly as supportive or women doing it because of the way their husbands view them. It's sad and makes me want to clutch my husband that much more. He will never fully understand my struggle with food and weight, but, damn, he sure comes as close as he possibly can for a skinny man.
Okay, BMI today is 50. Blech. Can't wait to see that number go down. I don't know how I got here...well, I do, but don't know how I allowed myself to get here. But, I know how to fix it:tongue2:
Well, I successfully (and easily) lost the weight I gained on last blog. Funny thing is, I don't really feel like I"m even trying. I do notice that I am eating less, but I don't have anything in my band yet. Which, I'm not complaining, at all!
Today, I reached my first NSV. I tried on a shirt I was able to wear (and look good in) 3 years ago, but haven't been able to wear in at least 2 years. YES! It's actually exciting to look at the back of my closet now and see the clothes I will soon be able to wear again!
Right now, I am only a couple pounds away from being under 300..I can't wait. 300 is such a gross number. I am READY for the 2's then the 1's!
That was the good news I had to share. Now, comes the bad. Did you hear about this ridiculous article written by Maura Kelly in Marie Claire magazine? If not, I encourage you to read it and be completely outraged. I can't believe, in this society, we have people like this. I almost wish I had a subscription just so I could cancel it! WHAT A TOOL! Here is the link:
http://www.marieclaire.com/sex-love/dating-blog/overweight-couples-on-television
Today was the day of my first fill. I was a little nervous, not knowing what to expect, but it was all good. I ate pretty light today. Coffee and a bagel (eeeek!) this morning. Pineapple and a piece of grilled chicken for lunch. Then, this afternoon, the fill!
They brought me in, weighed me, checked my incision sites, then had me lay back on this table. The doctor explained that I would feel a sting, then said I wouldn't feel anything but maybe a bit of pressure. He cleaned of the area then I felt something like a little sting. After that, I didn't feel pressure at all. I felt, while he was putting the fluid in, a little tickle or maybe even butterflies. It was such a weird sensation! They then had me drink a small amount of water to make sure everything was going down just fine. He ended up putting 3 cc's in. I go back in another two weeks and will most likely have another fill. I am back to soft foods for 3 days, but that is okay. I'm finally on my way!
