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Today I went to my post op visit. I am 12 days post op and down 20lbs from start weight on Pre Op diet!!! I am so excited! The scale has NEVER moved backwards 20lbs. I was never one to gain and lose weight. I just steadily gained. My doctor said I was doing very well and being very compliant. He did tell me he did the plication pretty snug so to make sure I take it slow when eating. They also told me to speed up my walking a bit and go a bit further. He wants me to walk for a half an hour for exercise 5 times a week. They changed my diet today. For the rest of today and tomorrow I am on full liquids. Starting Friday I can have mushy food. YAY refried beans here I come! So my clothes are not looser on me. However, my hands and feet are losing or at least lost swelling from water weight. My shoes are loose and I am now able to turn my rings on fingers without it hurting. My daughter says she can see the weight loss in my face but I cannot see it anywhere yet. I am encouraged and very happy right now. At this time I am going to start weighing only once a week. I am sure like most I have been a little obsessed with that and weighing every day. Hopefully, with hard work, the scale will continue to move backwards.

Sitting at my desk wishing it was Friday... when I received a call from the hospital where I had my lap band surgery in December 2010 and most recently a sonogram after my tummy tuck to see what was causing the bleeding from my belly button. My first thought was they found some dreaded infection or worse yet…tumors… I braced myself for the bad news wondering why my plastic surgeon wasn’t calling… The woman identified herself as the Director of Patient Relations and she was calling to congratulate me on my successful Lap Band journey and ask me if I would be interested in a starring role in their new advertising campaign. It’s just in the works now and it may be print or television…no details are firm yet. After I picked my mouth off the ground and tried to wrap my head around the fact this wasn’t bad news… I thanked her for the call and asked how much it paid. Well maybe not quite that blunt but in a roundabout sort of way…. LOL. She doesn’t think it pays but it may open the door for other things… Like what…. I have no idea. So anyway…. I thanked her for the call, told her I would consider it and she assured me I would be hearing from their creative department. I hung up the phone and the first thought I had was seeing my body on a billboard on the highway…. I spent all this time to get thin and now they want to blow me up…. Hysterical.

ok so this is day two post opp and i no this is gross but i am so happy to be passing gas im able to move around a little more today each day gets better

Personal observation. There is so much data that can prove why you shouldn't get the band as much as there is data on why you should. I really feel sad for people who hate bypass patients, or sleeve patients who hate the band. Whatever "camp" you're in, stop spending all this energy being angry at other camps and heal that hurt inside. Life is precious. Anger is a wasteful emotion.

I have figured out that a lot of the reason I use to eat had nothing to do with hunger. see something- eat it. Smell something- eat it. Board- eat Worried- eat Meal time - eat I ate my way to almost 250 and I knew it had to stop. Now I am much more selective about what and when I eat. I now eat 3 meals a day and sometime one snack. I still eat things I love, but I eat less or them. Today I walked into the breakroom at work, there was a smorgasborg or treats: grapes, cheese, crackers, pimento cheese, rolls, celery. While these foods aren't bad foods, I didn't eat them, I wasn't hungry. In times past I would have fixed a nice rounded plate and gone back to my corner office and ate up. While my mouth and mind were saying yummy, just one bite, my tummy was saying, but hey yo I don't want any, not hungry please don't. My eyes, mouth and mind get me in a lot of trouble when it comes to food. My husband in blind, but very strong resourcful, brillant wonderful man; but he can't see the foods laying around. He never picks and taste at things, he doesn't graze. He eats his 3 meals and about 2 snacks a day and that is it. He isn't tempted by the stuff laying around because he can't see it. Now at meals he eats well, but that is a different story. But, I think I need to become more like him; blind to the food just laying around. When I make a concious effort not to indulge I am fine, but when I uncounsiously peck I will pay with weight gain. In my wieght loss journey I need to get my mind, mouth and tummy all on the same page.

I am so ready for summer! I'm ready to be out gardening. Going to farmers markets. Im excited at my new lease on life! I no longer worry about the scale. I actually no longer own one the only time I weigh is doctors visits. I feel good and I'm getting my protein and staying around 600 calories a day. Life after surgery only gets better

So, I’ve read various posts about regretting the journey that sleevary (yes I’ve created a word) brings. However, do some of you fully regret being sleeved or are you impartial to it? For instance, my journey to sleevary was quick fast and in a hurry. I never considered having WLS. In fact, I was one of “those” individuals whom laughed at the very idea of WLS and even said “I’d never do that”. Until June 2011 hit and I was diagnosed with Diabetes. That is when I said I HAVE to take control of my health and weight and must be proactive about it. And proactive I was. I was dieting, exercising and losing weight. Until, my cousin told me about a WLS forum. I attended not thinking anything of it. And the surgeon announced the fact that WLS reversed diabetes. Instantly, I said “sign me up”. I did not hesitate nor did I think about it. My insurance had a short process – 3 months, and since I had a comorbid disease the doctor said I would be approved. I did my research and sure enough it was proven in the research that WLS fully reversed diabetes. So literally, less than three months from my first WLS forum, I was on an operating table getting sleeved. I did minimum research, I knew about the risks, but to me, being diabetes-free far outweighed any leaks or any other complications. July 17, 2012 I’m sleeved. Told no family members, coworkers or anyone and went through the recovery process by myself. Thankful to God, I had no complications (and still do not have any). It’s January 2013 and I’m down 91lbs thanks to my sleeve and exercise (I’ve been a gym rat). 91lbs Horray!! One would be ecstatic right!? I look good (like a new person), I feel good, and best of all I’m diabetes FREE. After all, that was my goal for sleevary… Right!? Absolutely. One would think I’d be living the high life, I’m no longer classified a “big girl” I don’t have to shop at Ashley Stewart or in the plus size section(s). I should be happy. Shouldn’t I!? Well, I’m not. And here’s why… I can barely eat. I throw up sometimes but it’s very minimal. I feel most foods going down my esophagus, and although it doesn’t hurt it is uncomfortable. I can’t enjoy basic foods anymore…! Am I miserable? Am I unhappy? Absolutely not. I was never a food junky. However, do I believe I should have and could have lost this 91lbs without being sleeved? Certainly!! So why did I do this to myself!? Why did I take away 85% of my stomach? And now I can’t even enjoy the simple things in life... I can’t go out to eat with friends or on a date to a restaurant with a cute guy or participate in work functions that involve food because it’s embarrassing to be full off of three bites and have everyone sit and stare and wonder what’s wrong with her!? There’s just so many “normal” things that you just cannot be a part of post sleevary -- like enjoying a full slice of pizza, or popcorn at the movie theater (granted NOW I can eat popcorn but a month ago forget about it, pizza not so much) or how about a bagel with cream cheese or a full sandwich (and I’m not talking about a gigantic 12in sub just a measly homemade sandwich with two slices of bread), or how about indulging in thanksgiving dinner or eating a snickers candy bar without feeling stuffed or eating more than 1 egg or to have to chew EVERYTHING to a paste-like consistency before you swallow. The list goes on… Two of my friends know about my sleeve, and one is overweight. She is so excited to be sleeved and I told her if you do not have any medical problems it is not worth everything that you are giving up. Sure, you are skinny but is it worth the basic joys of life!? To some it is. To others it is not. To me, a person formerly (I love that word) living with a horrid debilitating disease YES it’s worth it! With that being said, I DO NOT regret my sleeve. And I thank God that I have not and prayerfully will not in the future have any complications. I just caution those whom are out there to try to lose weight naturally (unless you have severe health problems) and truly think about whether the sleeve is worth you losing your basic liberties (whatever they maybe)…! But, I can and will say. I love my sleeve. I love my surgeon and I love God for allowing me to become insulin and finger prinking free! However, I do wish that I would have taken control of my health BEFORE I became diagnosed with diabetes. Had I had any inkling that I was even close to that diagnosis of that dreadful disease (and I don’t care what people say, IN MY OPINION, that disease is like being diagnosed with HIV it is just awful – don’t even get me started on how life altering living as a diabetic is and how depressed I was… Ugh!) I would have ran to the nearest gym and stopped all the ice cream and soda (because that’s all I used to eat) cold turkey!! All I am saying is… Think about it! Truly, sit down and think about whether being sleeved is right for YOU! If it is, WELCOME TO THE LOSERS BENCH!!! If it isn’t, WELCOME TO THE LOSERS BENCH ALSO!!! You can do whatever you put your mind too! Persevere and rise to the challenge. God Bless you all~!!!! I love my VST-Family. SmoochieS~! TinaMari – Sleeved & Loving It July 17, 2012 – Washington Hospital Center.

hello all sorry for not posting lately im officially banded. im in pain but it will pass and im on a new path in life.

I have read so many times that people "Can eat more then they should" with their band. But let me tell you what is going to happen if you continue to eat more then you should. 1) Your pouch is going to dilate and cause problems 2) over eating and food backing up in to the esophagus is going to cause your esophagus to expand and make it slow down when pushing the food through the pouch. 3) Cause band erosion. Every single time you over eat, you are forcing your band into the stomach wall and causing pressure. This pressure will continue until it cause the band to wear in to your stomach. Once erosion happens you can say good bye to your band. Just because you can eat more then a cup of food does not mean you should. Eat what your supposed to and then if you are hungry a few hour later then eat again but do not over eat. All of these things can be avoided if you just do what you are supposed too. Stop over eating. There is no need to anymore. If you want your band then follow the rules if you don't then continue on your binging over eating ways and you will surely lose it.

Excellent article on Emotional hunger Vs. Physical hunger http://www.livestrong.com/article/14885-emotional-vs-physical-hunger/ Am I hungry? important questions to ask- http://amihungry.com/whatisamihungry.shtml Recognizing hunger signals - http://www.myfooddiary.com/resources/ask_the_expert/hunger_signals.asp Head Hunger- http://myfoodmaps.com/head-hunger/ 3 steps to take to become aware of head hunger http://www.livestrong.com/article/512246-how-to-tell-the-difference-between-real-hunger-emotional-hunger/?utm_source=popslideshow&utm_medium=a1 head hunger - http://www.palmyrasurgical.com/adjustable-gastric-band-guide/living-with-your-gastric-band/dealing-with-hunger-after-surgery