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Well, I just had to write a few words about what happened today when I went to see my primary care physician. Let me tell you a little background first. I am seven and a half months post op. I had my surgery June 18 in Tijuana, MX. And I am thrilled to no end with my results so far. Have lost right around 98 pounds. (It varies depending on the day.) I was living and working in California when I decided that I wanted to have the surgery. I am a travel nurse, but my home is in Iowa. I traveled home to Iowa in June for a couple weeks off, then my husband and I were going to fly to San Diego and travel on to Tijuana for the surgery. I went to see my PCP the day before we flew to San Diego to get my meds refilled. I hadn't seen him again till today, so hadn't been in his office since June of 2011. When the nurse called my name today, I got up to follow her to the exam room. As usual, she led me to the scale on the way to the exam room. In the past, I have frequently declined to get weighed, as I didn't want/need to be depressed by what it said. But in my new, current life, I am not afraid of the scale anymore. So I hopped up on the scale to see what it would say. (I had already weighed myself at home this morning and was 160 lbs without a stitch on!) The digital readout of the doctor's scale said 162, which is about right, since I had a pair of jeans on and a pair of boots. The nurse went to write it down, and said "hold on a minute! What is your name again? What is your birthdate? When were you here last?" I told her my name, birthdate and that I was last seen there in June of 2011. She then replied "well who ever weighed you that day is an idiot! They wrote the wrong weight down. They wrote that you weighed 260 pounds!!!! I need to change that!" I laughed and told her there was nothing wrong with the weight in the chart, that I had lost almost 100 pounds in the last 7 1/2 months. She was amazed and had all kinds of questions. When I told her that I had undergone a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy she didn't know what it was. So I gave her a short course on VSG. Anyway, I guess I can count this as one of my NSV! P.S. the doctor told me I looked amazing, and was SO encouraging. He thought I made the right decision and told me to keep at it.

Ok so my new goal was to be in a size 14 by feb 14th. I decided to go to the mall this weekend and pic out something cute in a 14 to see how far i had to go. well lo and behold everything i tried on was 14's and they fit!!!! I was soooo shocked! no spanks, no girdles, just me!!!! wow i'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and believing i can make my goal of a 12 or 10 in one year! wish me luck!!!

Well, tomorrow is the big day, back to the grind. I had enough sick time I should have had the doctor say I had to be off for three months? Actually I'm looking forward to going back to work. Its more of a routine. I'm super busy from start to finish at work, so this will be good. PLUS, all my co-workers are so supportive! I already have a work out buddy at work- we plan on getting there 1/2 hour early (0530-yuk!) to walk. Plus I'm suuuuuuper excited because I just bought the WII Just Dance 3, in addition to committing to Zumba Tuesday and Thursdays. I've been "stuck" at 18lbs lost and I have to remind myself to just keep on keeping on with what I'm doing: measuring my 1/2 c meals, getting my 60g protein in, getting >64oz water in. I haven't waivered from my diet and don't plan on it. I've been given this gift (Prudence is her name) and I'm going to use that band gift to finally do it right. So I've got my meal planned and packed for tomorrow. I'm excited for what this week will bring with me moving more at work and starting to really get in to exercise! Have a great week! Mags

Today while reading, I noticed that a lot of people who have been recently banded seem to be frustrated because they are not losing weight... Well, just remember, the band is a tool that only assists us with our weight loss but we have to do the work. We have to make healthy choices in selecting foods, we have to be sure to drink water and exercise. And most of all, we need to understand that just because we can "eat as much as we did before surgery" we should not be doing that. It may take quite a few fills until restriction is felt...I started getting fills Sept 19, 2011 and have gone every 2 weeks since then and received a fill...it has only been this past fill that I finally really feel restriction. I have 9.25 cc's in my band 14 cc band. The Doctor put 4 cc's in at the time of surgery. I did some eating history as it pertained to myself and realized that carbohydrates are my personal enemy, so I shy away from them as much as possible. I do have a few crackers every so often, (even that has proven to be the enemy) but am pleased to say I have given up bread, pasta and rice, as well as potatoes. That stuff really packed the pounds on me. I was 299 at my heaviest and am proud to say that this morning the scale said 226. I am more than 1/2 way to goal of 160 pounds, and then tummy tuck, here I come. good luck to everyone

I had my surgery on December 23, 2011 in a Hospital and was discharged about 4 hours later. I had done a lot of research online and asked a lot of questions of the doctors and other post op patients. The things that surprised me the most were: #1 - the SHOULDER PAIN! Oh that lovely shoulder pain, caused by the gas that fills your belly during surgery that puts pressure on the diaphram. It was unbearable at the time but went away after two days or so. Gas X meltaway strips were my best friend and still on standby. #2 - instestinal cramps! Surgery in your digestive system can cause peristalsis to stop completely, it happened to me, I found out four days later when it started again and the stomach cramps were like a twisting knife, thankfully it only lasted til I got to the bathroom and about 20 minutes later. But now I'm down 22 pounds and juicy as ever, "how you doin?" Once again this blog represents my experiences and I hope it helps. Thanks to my family... Dr Sal.. And God!

So it's been just over a month since my Band surgery. I'm down to 218. That's 17 pounds since surgery. For a total of 38 since start of my journey. I have been stalled for the last week or so since last blog at 220 and finally start to slide down this past weekend. No real change in what I was doing just had a pause in weight lost. I DID fit into a pair of size 16 jeans, on the 11th. I couldn't breath, but they were on for a few minutes. By this weekend I was wearing those 16's and breathing just fine. Had to go to a Boyscout event with my son this Saturday and saw a few parents I had hadn't seen in a few weeks. One mom came up and said, " Well hello Skinny! You look great" I had some real tough time this past week. Tuesday night my daughter comes in to kitchen while I starting dinner and says on of the scariest things I ever heard from a 7 year old. " Mommy, my heart hurts". So after listening to her chest, her rapid heart beat and taking her pulses, ran her to ER, than followed up with a cardiologist friday. She told him it happens all the time, especially after gym class...Great sweetie. She is now on a heart monitor for next month, all other test came back normal. Hopefully we will know more if we can catch something on the monitor. Thursday I had to put my baby cat to sleep. She was almost 18 years old and on her way to kidney failure. Poor little Roo. Then I had to tell the kids, not easy. All of this stress, and I stay on track and lost a pound. I have been in the past an emotional eater. I would have made a chocolate cake to morn the cat or grabbed some crap to eat at hospital, while waiting in ER all night in past. So even though it was stressful , it was a good indicator of my progress mentally. I don't get a fill til mid Feb. I start back to school for Spring term of Nursing school next Monday. I am very exicited to start back up and to not look like the stay puff marshmellow man in my uniform now. I still have a long journery to go to a healther BMI and me, But I know I can do it and I' on my way.

Hello All, Well the time is almost here. On saturday i will have lapband surgery which I have been anxiously awaiting for 6 months. I must say I am happy that I did have to wait it had given me time to research alot about the changes in my life and diet. I started today on strickly fluids till my surgery and believe it or not I am not as hungry as I thought I would be. I guess that is because I am getting excited that it is finally approaching. To everyone on here have a wonderful day and God Bless!!!