I'm 9 days post op now.
I went to the mountains today to see the snow sculptures in Breckenridge, CO. It was a 2 1/2 hour drive & we stayed there for about 2 1/2 hours. Pretty much walked around most of the day. Stopped at a Mexican restaurant since the other 4 people I was with had to eat. It was a little awkward in the sense that I was the only one that didn't wind up eating anything. I didn't even see a soup I could have, or mashed potatoes. DOH! Oh well, I had a few sips of water while everyone else ate. Overall, I was OK with it. I have to say by the end of the day, I was definitely feeling sore. My left side & back were bothering me. Thinking it might have been a bit too much less than 2 weeks post op.
I took a few things to eat with me, in these cute little containers, that held 3-4 tablespoons of food. I tried to stay hydrated on the drive up & back but don't think I came close. I'm having a hard time drinking enough fluids & think it's affecting my ability to... well, to "go." It's been 6 days since I last went. Yes, I said 6 days. I took Milk of Magnesia last night with no results today, so I just took a little more. Also took a colace stool softner. I'm really praying something will happen tomorrow. Otherwise, IDK.... this can't be good.
So, here I am getting ready to head out to my pre-op apt: EKG, lab work, and Dr apt. Tomorrow's the big day. I don't have any doubts about having the surgery, but yea, I'm a little nervous. I've read & read & read (information overload) everyone's comments about their own journey. I have an idea of what to expect, and I know it'll be tough especially in the beginning. There's no way I wan't to mess this up.
Getting ready for the new me
I posted this on the forum, but since I'm keeping track of this journey, I want to include my post.
I've been experiencing a little port discomfort lately. It feels like a slight pull, and it's not all the time. In addition to that, I've been quite gassy / tummy very bubbly.
My port area definitely bothered me Sat night, when we were dancing at a Halloween party, later in the evening. I was actually rubbing it a little. It hurt to dance, but I still kept dancing.
This has been happening on & off the last few weeks. It comes & it goes. I'm not sure if this has anything to do with possibly being bloated / ocassionally constipated. So frustrating to have this stupid bloated / constipated feeling. I try to get enough fiber, but since I don't really think I'm getting enough protein, maybe this has something to do with it
IDK. I have an appointment with my Dr next Tuesday morning, so I'll mention it & see what they say. Geez, I can feel my tummy gurgling now. All I had for dinner was baked flounder. And, my tummy was gurgling before I even ate that. Grrr.....
To boot, I haven't been keeping track of my food intake on myfitnesspal like I was doing. It's not like I'm cheating, but I'm positive I'm not getting enough protein because I get light headed sometimes when I come home from work. Yes, I know, I know...
OK, I think I'm done whining.... for now
It's been a while since I last logged on. Many of you may recall my dad had colon cancer that back in Dec spread to his lungs. He had been doing pretty well, kicking it's butt for 2+ years, and at 87, it was quite impressive. All I will say is that, as we were told, it happened rather quickly. He was fine then suddenly he wasn't. It didn't take but a few days. It is with a heavy heart that I must share that my dad passed away on Wednesday, May 8th at 7:20am. I'm happy to say that he was there for my first breathe and I was there for his last. And so, our journey continues. He is at peace, and we must move on....
So, I got up last night, or I guess this morning at 4:30am to use the restroom. I hadn't slept very well. Got up, started walking to the bathroom, and WHOA Nelly! Got so dizzy, so quickly, then BAM, right onto the floor. I didn't even have time to stop myself, right onto my right side. I got up again without a problem, but dang, that hurt.
My right hip / butt is a little sore this morning. OUCH!
Decided I'm going to seriously focus on drinking today. I'm thinking maybe I was dehydrated & that caused the dizziness.
NOTE TO SELF: DUH, drink more fluids!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's so close that if I stand on my tippy toes I can just about see it! Currently, I'm at 207. My gosh, I could actually weigh 200 by Christmas OR maybe even before.....
I haven't weighed under 200 pounds in a very, very, very long time. I think...no, I'm pretty sure, that I will cry when I get there...
Tears of joy!
I can honestly say that I never thought I'd hear someone say that I'm actually "not eating enough!" Oh, the irony. Back to basics
While my progress has been consistent, it's not been in the most healthy fashion the last 6 - 8 weeks. I've lost about 63 or 64 pounds thus far, so that's good, and I'm only about 30 pounds from goal, so that's good too.
I had my 7 month up check up today, and after giving them a little back ground information on what's been going on in my life, including the severe light headedness, tiredness and waking up with headaches, it was easily determined that I had mild to moderate low blood sugar. Wait, what? I'm not a diabetic.
It all makes sense to me now. Since my focus hadn't been spot on lately due to some very serious stress, I wasn't eating enough. I was only eating like 3 meals a day but they just weren't enough to keep me going. I've been allowing my stress to get the best of me, and wasn't focused on eating enough protein. My stress prevents me from digesting foods very well, so I've been getting sick.
I'm back to basics here. It's all stuff I knew, but needed to get reacquainted with again. I have to eat much smaller portions & several times a day. No doubt this will be a bit of a struggle, but I'm confident with proper pre-planning I can do this.
My goal is to have at least 5 meals a day of no more than 1/2 cup of food per meal. I need to really try harder to include fruit & veggies. I don't like raw veggies, so steamed it is. Fruits are OK, but I could use ideas on what to have; like maybe apply slices with PB.
Back to basics so I'd appreciate any & all ideas on small, simple foods with good proteins & complex carbs.
BRING BACK THE IDEAS PLEASE!!
Apparently when I played around with my notification settings the other day, I totally messed up my settings. Now when I first log in, I don't see the most current posts by people.
How do I know how to change it back to the default settings?
Anyone?
I'm 19 days post op & am starting my next phase of food. I believe I'll be in this phase for the next 3 weeks. I started it a day earlier as I seem to be doing OK holding things down, and the nurse thought it'd be OK.
Breakfast
1/4 cup of Crystal Farms All Whites egg whites with 1 tablespoon of crumbled feta cheese
As it turns out, it was quite the large serving. I felt a burp, so I stopped eating figuring that was a sign from my stomach saying, "time to stop, I'm full." I probably ate 3/4 of it.
Lunch
2 oz of tuna fish in water w/ low fat mayo & balsamic vinegar.
I almost ate the whole thing. Hard to believe that this little amount of food can be so difficult to eat. I'm not complaining though because I don't want to hurt my stomach by just 'shoving" food in my mouth!
Dinner
2 oz of almond crusted flounder w/lemon & melted cheese
Haven't quite eaten that yet.
Snack (NOT the smartest thing I've ever done):
God help me, but I had 2 mini peanut butter cups today. Why? Because old habits die hard. IDK why I did it, but I enjoyed the hell out of it. Yup, need to focus on snacking on healthy things. I know better!
Also, had a harder time getting my liquids in today for some reason. I worked from home today because of the snow, but it seems that I struggle with getting enough liquids in when I work from home. What's up with that?
8/14/12
Making the decision to have lapband surgery was a well thought out, and planned one. I did a lot of research, and perhaps like many, made myself a little crazy with "information overload." Then there's the "what if it doesn't work," "what if I have issues with the band like many people on other websites have so willingly pointed out," "do I have what it takes to see this through the right way?"
I realized that I basically shoned myself from the World as much as possible the last 6 months. The biggest issue was that I didn't want to socialize anymore. I tried to limit going out for fear of being seen in public by someone I might know. I went as far as not trying to be seen at work by too many people. Oh my gosh, I sooo hated the way I looked. I would do anything to avoid social contact. I was even dreading my BF's visit to come out & see me back in May. I was so embarassed. Nothing I wore looked good, things wouldn't fit, shopping was pretty much impossible. You get the picture.
I made the decision to do this for me, and noone else. I have an out-going personality, love to laugh, and "be social!" I felt that I was doing myself an injustice by not being that way anymore. Basically, my body didn't match my real personlity. Those closest to me will reap the rewards of my weight loss because I will get my confidence back, and start feeling good about myself again.
It's hard to believe that I started this journey in Jan of this year, and now I'm only 3 days away from having surgery. I have many mixed emotions: anxiiety, nervousness, excitement, and even a little worried about the journey that lies ahead. I've reached out to people on this website, lapbandtalk.com, and am very thankful for the wonderful support I've received. People have emailed me sample menu's, talked about their own personal journies, given me advice, etc.... Exactly what I need, and what I'm looking for.
So, thank you to everyone who has replied, and no doubt, will respond to my questions & concerns. I appreciate your support, and hope that my documented journey will help others!
Warm Regards,
Fran
I was banded on August 17, 2013. A little over a year later, I've lost 95 pounds! I know, right. That's A LOT of weight! I'm 5 '3 and now weigh about 150 pounds. Aside from the BS I'm currently dealing with, it's been a pretty good ride. I've consistently lost weight with some stand still during these last 25 - 30 pounds here & there. Needless to say, I feel genuinely thankful & blessed for getting many, many compliments from co-workers & neighbors. No, I didn't tell any of them!
I had a very bad episode this past Friday, not sure as a result of what, where I vomited 12 times in a 4 - 5 hour time frame. WTH! It was God awful. I can't even pin point what started the whole thing. Had a stomach ache that got progressively worse hour by hour until I kept getting sick. Obviously, not a lot coming out because, as lap band patients, we don't eat much. Well, I considered going to the ER but since we recently converted insurance companies from Aetna to Kaiser, I had concerns about being properly treated (medically speaking, of course). My throat burned from vomitting, my neck was sore & my esophogus felt sore too. And yet, I still didn't go to the ER. I just prayed it would stop. It was a tough night, but... I tried to drink hot tea, which tends to soothe our tummies, but instead out it went too.
I called what will be my new bariatric office on Monday. Since I was feeling better by Monday (just achy around the band area) along with lower back pain which to date, I don't know if it's stress or related some how. They had me call to schedule an upper GI, but the earliest they could fit me in, as non urgent, was this morning.
The technician "unofficially" told me that I had a partially slipped band. He said he had seen worse & that it didn't look 'bad.' He thought that maybe I would only need an unfill, but since he doesn't deal with patients after-the-fact, he wasn't sure.
I waited ALL day for my Dr's office to get the results. Finally, they called about an hour ago & confirmed I had a partially slipped band, facing down slope (which was allowing me to eat). I haven't eaten much the last few days & have stuck to liquids today & now through Friday morning, which is when my first available Dr apt is. All the office lady would say is that they would do an unfill (which beats surgery, right), but she wouldn't / couldn't say how much they would take out or for how long. She did say that I would need to talk with the Dr about "options" since obviously I wouldn't be eating the same way.
What does that mean? I'm a little anxious & nervous as I don't know if this means I may have to have a revision down the road? No more fills? My mind wonders...
I'm also a little hungry... Not sure what liquids I will take with me to keep me full at work tomorrow.
I'll provide an update on Friday. Wish me luck!
I decided for the holidays I would buy myself a recumbent bike. I got it today off of Craigslist for $75. They usually go for $100 - $150, used. The guy didn't have the owners manual but I figure I can download it.
Looking forward to using it because, other than walking around running "many" errands & going Christmas shopping, I haven't really done much in the way of exercise lately. I've been helping mom & dad run their errands since dad hasn't been feeling well with his sciatic nerve acting up, and mom can't really walk around a lot.
Fortunately, I've been lucky enough that I keep losing weight, but I don't want to be saggy. I want to lose weight, feel & look healthy.
Anyway, I'm hoping to put it in the LR once we get all our Christmas stuff up tomorrow.
Merry Christmas to me. 42 pounds down & counting...
I decided for the holidays I would buy myself a recumbent bike. I got it today off of Craigslist for $75. They usually go for $100 - $150, used. The guy didn't have the owners manual but I figure I can download it.
Looking forward to using it because, other than walking around running "many" errands & going Christmas shopping, I haven't really done much in the way of exercise lately. I've been helping mom & dad run their errands since dad hasn't been feeling well with his sciatic nerve acting up, and mom can't really walk around a lot.
Fortunately, I've been lucky enough that I keep losing weight, but I don't want to be saggy. I want to lose weight, feel & look healthy.
Anyway, I'm hoping to put it in the LR once we get all our Christmas stuff up tomorrow.
Merry Christmas to me. 42 pounds down & counting...
I'm finding it harder & harder to stay 100% focused these days. I don't have that same "gusto" I used to have. I used to log on almost every day, and track my food daily. I logged my food for almost 105 days in a row... and no, nothing in the last week or so. I feel disappointed in myself, and out of sorts.
I go to my parents house almost every single day, check their mail, make sure Dad has his meds filled, do their grocery shopping, then take mom to get her hair done every Saturday. That part makes me smile. I don't mean to complain at all as I"m thankful to have them around. They will be 87 & 85 in a week. I have to admit it's a bit exhausting, and I don't have much in the way of energy left to focus where I need to : ME!
I know I talked about this during my last post & I thought I could re-focus, but I'm almost at a lost. It's not that I'm over-eating, but I may as well be because I'm not eating as healthy & therefore just maintaining. I'm not even 'regular' (TMI, sorry). I I know it's my own doing, but I'm having a hard time with things.
My dad's health affects my own mood. If he's doing well, I'm doing OK. If he's doing poorly, I get a little sad & don't focus. Why is it so stinkin; easy to go back to old habits? He has so many ups & downs. How do you deal with a parent dying of cancer? My dad's so strong too. The last few days he's been feeling better due to steroids he's on, in addition to all the other meds he's on. He still has energy so he's not bed-ridden. But my God, how do you stay focused with this **** going on?
I have my 6 month follow up apt on March 11th (a month late), so I think I will ask for a small fill. Again, I'm not over-eating, and I may have lost 3 or 4 ponds in the last 4-6 weeks, but I'm not eating healthy or even working out. I want my focus back.
Ok, perhaps I'm being just an itty, bitty over dramatic BUT I'm literally kocking on onederland's door!!!
I weighed in at 200.4 this morning. Oh my gosh, I can almost taste onederland's. It's been years since I've been here.
I'm so excited. If I stand on my tippy toes I can see 199!!!
I went clothes shopping yesterday & for the 1st time in a LONG time, I saw something different in my reflection as I tried on a pair of pants. I took a long, hard look at myself, tilted my head & actually saw myself as "thin." Yea, that's what I said, THIN! I actually fit into size 8 pants. Yup, a size 8. I think my average pant size in high school (31 years ago) was a 10, so I'm fitting into smaller clothes.
I saw a pretty sleeveless little black dress in the fitting room (size Medium) that someone else left behind. Feeling a little brave, I figured ah, what the hell. I haven't warn a dress in YEARS so let's try it on. Oh... my... goodness... Not only did it fit, but it actually looked really nice! I mean, it really looked nice. I had an attractive hour glass figure. Seriously, me! I came out of the dressing room to show my husband. He winked and said "very nice," followed with, "are you OK?" I smiled because I actually had tears in my eyes. I was overwhelmed with such emotion. I didn't cry but I could feel something deep inside me. It almost felt like a happy confusion because there was no denying that I was no longer overweight.
I'm still amazed. After 1 1/2 years on this weight loss journey, I'm finally comfortable & quite happy in my own skin!
Ahhhhh..... feels good, damn good!!!
And yes, I said episodeS...
I got my 2nd fill yesterday, 2 1/2 cc's, and things were OK. I stuck with liquids last night, no problems.
I had egg beaters for breakfast (maybe 2 - 2 1/2 oz) and, oh my gosh. let's just say they weren't as tasty the 2nd time. yes, slimy, yucky stuff came out... a few times... Mind you, this is at work...and in the garbage can at my desk. Thankfully, I'm not loud.
Sooo, I played it safe & had some yogurt a few hours later because my stomach was growling at me. That went down OK.
Several hours later, I was still hungry because I didn't really have much in the way of protein, so I tried to have a Southbeach PB protein snack, which I've had in the past. Holy 2ND stuck episode people!!! Hey, you'd be proud as I made it to the ladies room this time. I know, impressive.
WTH! Obviously, here it is dinner time, and I'm afraid to eat anything. But, I know I need to suck down some protein in the very least. I don't want to read into this & think that I might need an unfill yet. The NP that did my 2nd fill yesterday said that she called this the OH CRAP fill because I'd be able to tell the difference from the 1st fill (which I couldn't notice). Um, yea!
I'm going to journal what I eat tomorrow & see how things go. It could be that I ate too fast & didn't chew the eggs, or the PB snack enough. I have been known to inhale food in the past, so I'll be mindful of that. The other thing is that maybe I also need to space my food intake further out... wait longer to eat the next snack or meal. I'm going to keep an eye on this before I panic.
I hope the newbies learn from this, in a good way. CHEW CHEW CHEW (no, apparently I didn't learn from my 1st stuck episode a week ago)..
"Honey, where's my protein drink!"
xoxo everyone!
We have our yearly dealer meeting coming up in a few days. It's going to start off with a Staff Dinner this Saturday at Maggiano's http://www.maggianos.com/en/Pages/Menu.aspx . I'm a little concerned what I'll be able to eat there. I've been playing around looking on the website, but am unsure what to select. I enjoy seafood, but can no longer eat shrimp since I've been banded. I just can't chew it well enough to let it digest. I also don't like the taste of salmon I see several chicken options, but they don't sound "light." I'm not worried about the pasta because I won't have any.
Wait, it gets better! We're going to the Cheesecake Factory Monday night. My BIGGEST challenge will be not eating a slice of the vanilla bean cheesecake, my all time, absolute favorite. Heck, I don't have to eat anything else while I"m there, just that.. OMG, I just saw a SINGLE slice is like 869 calories & a HUGE amount of carbs. How do I stay away from that after hearing that ridiculous "nutrition" value?
Need help from my fellow bandsters....
It's my 5 month bandiversary, and I have lost almost 52 pounds so far !!!
I'm feeling good about my weight loss thus far, and look forward to losing more. It's been quite the journey & learning experience. I'm making better choices, and defnitely eating less. More importantly, I'm actually making time to work out (exercise bike). I'm looking forward to the Summer where I might actually be able to go on hikes without losing my breath, and enjoying the outdoors! I feel that my weight gain kept me in hybernation for way too long. Well, it's time to get out & enjoy life again!
Congrats to all of you that have lost & continue to lose. Every day you become a healthier you!
Here I am almost 3 weeks post-op, and I haven't lost anything in the last 2 weeks! Actually, I managed to gain a pound from the original 15 pds I lost in the first week (which was a bunch of water weight). I'm really trying not to get discouraged, but it's hard. My food intake is so much smaller than what it used to be. It just doesn't make sense to me.
I have a shake now as a meal, which has 30 grams of protein, and then eat an oz of protein every few hours. Nothing bad.. no wait, I lie. I did have some mini cinammon graham crackers the other day. I know, I know, but I was stressing, and was upset. Anyway, I'm over the crackers crap now.
I don't have a caloric amount to eat per day, as of yet (that I know of). I believe my focus is still getting in all the protein, and to get that walking in everyday. My first fill isn't until Sept 19th, and I wonder what that could possibly do to make a difference. Is it going to make me eat less? Well. I'm already eating less, a lot less! So, what's that first fill going to do that I'm not already doing....
Again, I say, ARGH!!!
I am happy to report that after 2 weeks of absolutely NO weight lost, I finally went down 2.2. pds. I was honestly getting quite frustrated with myself, and reviewing everything I was eating. Hopefully, it will continue to go down slowly but surely.
Ahhh,,, finally a small sign of relief
I'm 4 days post-op, and am happy to say, on my last day of the clear liquid diet. I'm supposed to start pre-selected soft foods tomorrow (1/2 oz -1 oz eggs, which BTW I can't believe that's all I can have), refried beans,,,etc,,,
Anyway, I went to Wally World (WalMart) to pick up a few things. This might sound weird, but I felt so very aware of my surroundiings. I almost felt like it was the 1st time I was going grocery shopping. I mean, I had a list of specific things to buy, and I didn't go astray. Typically, I would have stopped by the munchie aisle & treated myself to a little "yummy snack." There was none of that. I'm not sure if it's because I know it wouldn't have been pleasant going down (chips or Reeces Pieces), or if I realize that's no longer a part of my new lifestyle. Maybe a combination of both.
All I know is that it felt strange shopping. Maybe because it was more in a healthier way, something that I guess I'm not used to. Am I alone out here? Did anyone else experience this? Hum....
Jeez, I actually ate like 3 of those mini packs of reeces pieces, and wait, there's more... Yes, MORE. I also ate 3 peanut butter cups. Oh my gosh, what am I doing?
I could say that the stress from the "c" word is allowing me to "give in to temptation." We all know what the reality is, don't we?
I'm using excuses, and I have to stop. I need to focus, focus, focus. You know, kinda like chew, chew, chew.
I need to get myself back on myfitnesspal. I was doing well, and then BAM... Grrr... must stop!
Oh joy. I've been experiencing some pain on & off for a few weeks now after I eat. It seems to be worse at night. It also includes back pain, but I'm unsure if it's related.
I saw my primary Dr this afternoon & he thought we should get an ultrasound to be sure. Of course,it was the end of the day so I had to leave a message for someone to call me back tomorrow.
I'm definitely uncomfortable right now. Does anyone have any experience with this?
Thought I would share this information in case anyone might find this helpful.
I was at WalGreen's this afternoon & stumbled upon a potential new source of protein snacks. I only bought 2 items but there were 4 or 5 different snacks that seemed to have some good protein. Brand name is Kays Naturals
Here's some nutritional on the 2 items I bought:
Protein Chips Crispy Parmesan (just ate this after dinner & they were tasty)
1.2 oz bag
Glutten free
Protein: 12g
Total Fat 2.5g
Total Carb: 15g
Dietary Fiber: 4g
Sodium: 240g
Protein Cereal Apple Cinnamon (I was thinking this might be great combined with some Greek Yogurt for breakfast)
1.2 oz
Glutten free
Protein: 12g
Total Fat: 1.5g
Total Carb: 19g
Dietary Fiber: 4g
Sodium: 150g
