I am finding that the band works so different for everyone. One of my co-workers was banded in September and she has lost about 40 pounds. She has 7 ccs in a 10 cc band. She said she was hungry by two weeks out and that she was already eating regular food at the point I am at. I was so surprised. And she had 4 ccs in her band at the time she went for her first fill (odd)I really can not understand how she can eat regular portions and food. She vomits every other day, and after her last fill she thinks she is too tight, because she is struggling getting down small portions. But she eats a lot of junk food she told me. I asked her why she decided to go this path if she was not going to be compliant. She does not exercise and eats crap. She said she thought it would help with her overeating and the weight would come off. Sigh.....I could only try to educate her on what I have learned here and from my doc. Hopefully it will help.
I am getting ready for my first fill next week and also I am spending Spring Break out at the rodeo carnival on Wed. with my kids and heading for my first road trip with my band on thursday. We are taking the kids to San Antonio and will visit the Alamo and the Riverwalk. I am looking forward to it.
Question for everyone out there. Did you have any fill placed at the time you had surgery? If so how much was there?
Before surgery I was a Zumba addict. I would go four times a week, five if I could find the time. I did try about three weeks ago and I was so exhausted afterwards. So tomorrow I am going in with a different game face on and Itry it again. I also am thinking about trying the "hot" ypga. Seems like it should be fun. I keep wondering how long it will be before I will get my stamina back. I honestly did not expect to have this much down time with my exercise.
NSV today- I pulled a pair of jeans out of the back of my closet that I have not been able to wear in almost ten years. LOL! Yes I kept a pair of jeans this long! It felt great to slide into them!
Wow! What a difference a day makes! I feel good today. I slept well and the gas seems to be moving around. My incisions do not hurt at all and it is getting easier to get up and down. I still need to take it easy,but I feel like myself today! Hopefully I can get my protein in today. I was only able to get 1/2 a shake down yesterday.
So I started my pre-op diet a couple days early. Today was okay and I feel good about it. I had two shakes and dinner was a grilled chicken breast with spinach and mushrooms. Lots of water too. I have my pre-op appointment on 2/7. I hope to be ten pounds lighter by then.
Today was super busy. I stayed on plan even with my favorite spinach Alfredo pizza being ordered in during our lunch and learn. I had my shake and lots of water. For dinner I had grilled fish,green beans and pineapple chunks. I travel tomorrow to Dallas for my uncles funeral, so I will keep my shakes in my mini cooler before we leave. Once we get there I should be fine.
I finally got a call yesterday from my patient advocate, Rachel and I had the all clear! Dr. Reilly's office called today and we scheduled my pre-op and surgery dates!! My pre-op is on 2/7 and the big day is 2/15!!! I am going to get all of my surgery needs taken care of this weekend. Any suggestions of items that are must haves? I am getting the Gas-X strips, chewable vitamins and foods or liquids I need for the first two weeks.
Tomorrow I meet with my doc and register at the hospital. After tomorrow I have 7 days before my surgery. I am super excited. I made a list of questions for him.
1. What size band are we using and will there be any fill at surgery time?
2. What is the average time of sugery from start to finsh? Expected time in recovery?
3. If the surgery is late in the day will a hospital stay be required?
I am sure that there will be more that pop in my head before the morning. As of today I have lost 13 pounds in 7 days on my liquid diet. That is scary to me, but I know it is the diet. I just wonder how another seven days will affect me. I guess that should one of my questions, huh?
Today I stocked up on items I will need after surgery. I got my chewable vitamins and calcium. I also got GAS-X strips and clear liquids. The fifteenth will br here before I know it!
So it has been over three weeks since my psych and cardio evaluations have been completed. True results has the reports,but their medical director only clears charts on Friday's. Sigh..... I hope Monday or Tuesday brings a call with a surgery date. I have lost 11 pounds on the pre-op diet. My advocate suggested I start early since I was already insurance approved and just waiting for medical clearence. So ready to get on to a new me. Right now I feel like I'm in limbo.
Well today makes day 8 post-op for me. Yesterday was the first day I felt really 100% and I was able to stay at work all day with no issues. Today is better. I am itching to get back into the gym. I had to lose a good amount of weight before my surgery and I did it through diet and exercise. I have been cleared for exercise, but I think it is a bit soon for Zumba!
Still on liquids,but on blended foods. Last night I had a 1/2 cup of cream of jalapeno soup. It was so yummy! I am not finding myself to be hungry. It is like I have to remind myself to eat or drink. Now that i am back at work, I keep my water bottle with me at all times. I think tomorrow I will start making my own protein shakes so I can control how much protein I get in with them. Or I may make a trip to smoothe king. I hear they have a low fat/low cal smoothie with 46 grams of protein! I have not stepped on the scale. I am going to wait until next week when I can be sure I have dropped 100% of my TOM weight and bloating.
So Wed. is my surgery and today I woke up in a full panic about the surgery. Really?? As hard as I have worked to get to this point, why am I now freaking out about it? I have had surgery before and I honestly do not recall very much about it. I had my tubes tied and to my memory,it was a cakewalk after. I guess I need to calm my nerves and try to settle down. I have so many things to do at work to get them ready for me to be out. I also cleaned my house from top to bottom today and grocery shopped for the family. I also told my kids today and I really need to tell my mother. I am just not sure how she will respond. My hubby and kids are very supportive. I am packing my bag today to ensure I don't forget anything. Did anyone else have a case of nerves before going in?
So I called yesterday to true results here in Houston and was told I am now medically clear for surgery. She had me leave a message for my advocate so she could call me with dates. Well no calls yesterday or today. I am debating on calling her if I have not heard from her by noon. So more waiting ...
Today I realized how much I really am going to miss the gym when I have my sugery. I workout four times a week, which my patient advocate said was good. But I have heard it's pretty intense coming from abdominal surgery when you head back to the gym. I guess the thing to do is work out hard before going in.
Well days three and four were good. I did avoid all of the yummy stuff that they served for the dinner after the service. Thanks to everyone for their well-wishes. Today the team I supervise had a potluck and ordered party trays from Chili's. I did have one boneless wing, but I had three shakes and a 1/2 cup of tomato soup today. Tomorrow I am going to get the remainder of things I need for my surgery. Any hints on where I can find the liquid tylenol?