Fossie Bear

I've not been on for awhile, so I thought I would write an update to my journey. I went back to my Dr. Feb 22 for my "second" first fill. I didn't get one the first time because I had already lost the amount of weight needed, so I came back home for another 6 weeks. I knew I had lost some weight, but wasn't sure how much. Drove the 4 hours to the Dr.s office to once again find I had lost the amount of weight required so as not to have a fill. So far I have lost 61 lbs. I feel so good and have been taken off of one of my high blood pressure meds. Looking forward to my next Dr.s visit to see how I have done this next 6 weeks. I have found that if I keep track of the foods I eat I do very good. I use fitday.com. They have a good food journal. I can keep track of my calorie, fat, carbs. and Protein intake each day. It is a great tool. I know for sure I have made the right decision for me. We eat out a lot and I find it very easy to find foods that fit my new lifestyle. If I order a full meal, I ask for a to go box when my food is delivered to the table so I can divide my meal. A lot of places honor the bariatric card, and several let you eat off the kids menu. But I never get fried anything. If it isn't grilled, or baked, I don't eat it. Till the next time, I hope everyone the best of luck.

I had my surgery Nov.30, 2010. I have lost 59 lbs. I haven't had any problems at all and in fact when I went back for my first fill I had lost 10 lbs.and they did't give it to me. I go back next Tues. to see if I will get one then. I am so glad I did this for myself. I feel like a new person. I am already down 2 pant sizes and 2 top sizes. I am still wearing a lot of my old clothes because I don't want to spend a lot of money on clothes I won't be able to wear for long. I did get a couple pair of jeans at a consignment store. The worse part for me was if I ate too big a bite or didn't chew it enough, or ate too fast. It is truly a new way of eating, not only the food, and the amount of food, but the way you eat. But if that is the only problem I have it is totally worth it. And you learn fairly fast that you don't want to do that again. It can be painful. I hope you have as easy a time as I did. Just follow the Dr.s instructions and you should be fine. Best of luck.

Hi Lenore. My name is Pat and I live in southwest Mo. I had my surgery Nov.30th. I had to drive to Norman, Ok. to get my surgery done. That is a 4 hour trip. I could have gone to Springfield, Mo., but my regular Dr. sends all his paients to Ok. and he insisted I go there. My Dr. is Dr.Ronnie Keith and he has been doing these for some time now and seems to have a really large practice and they seem to do a lot of surgerys in Norman. When I go there I always stay overnight. My husband and I are in our mid 60s and an 8 hour round trip is more than we want to tackle. I really like Dr. Keith and his staff. They are so supportive and kind. I don't regret my choice or my regular Dr.s choice. I think he is a very good doctor. I'm new at this but am willing to share any information I have.

Hi girls. I too am one of the older ones at 65. I had my surgery Nov.30, 2010. Since I started this journey with my Dr. on Sept. 30th last year I have lost 41 lbs. Medicare made me lose 20 lbs. before my surgery, which I did. By Dec. 6th at my first Dr. appointment post-op I was down 31 lbs. and on Jan. 4th when I went in for my first fill I was down another 11 lbs. so I wasn't given a fill. I was thrilled. I go back to my Dr. Feb. 22nd to see if I can get a fill then. So far I have felt great. I got to go back to the gym today to start back on my resistance training and I walk most days or get on my Gazelle. I haven't had any troubles at all and I have had one of my high blood pressure meds taken away. I have been overweight since the birth of my second child. Of course I have dieted and I have lost a lot of weight, but I have never been able to keep it off. I have wonderful grandchildren and a beautiful great-granddaughter who is with me a lot and I have missed out on so much with her because I can't get down on the floor to play with her or chase after her. I finally decided a year ago it was time to change my life if I was going to have a life worth living so here I am after much soul searching and much research. I will try to answer any questions and will hope to get a lot of feedback from others. Good luck.

Congratulations on your decision, and best of luck to you. I am 65 years old and I so wish I would have done this or something years ago. I fell 2 years ago and hurt myself to the point of not being able to get up and get around. I could hardly walk. I have gout and the fall made it worse and then I was diagnosted with fibromyalgia. I have a 20 month old great-granddaughter and I haven't been able to get down in the floor and play with her. I could hardly pick her up and walking very far was impossible. I knew I need and wanted to get comtrol of my life. I have been up and down with my weight since after my second child. I have never had a problem losing weight, I just have never been able to keep the weight off for more than a couple of years. I always say I have lost and gained at least 2 people.I am so excitged about this journey. I now have a new birth date. I was born on June 25, 1945, but my new birth date is Nov. 30, 2010. Don't let anyone bring you down, and until a person struggles with their weight they have no idea how hard it is to lose it or maintain the loss. Just listen to your own head and heart and know you will be able to enjoy your son and be there for him as he grows into a man. Good luck Friday and keep us posted.

Hi, my name is Pat, and I had my surgery on Nov. 30th in Okla. So far, since starting this journey on Sept. 30th, I have lost 41 lbs. My insurance required me to lose 20lbs. before my surgery and I have continued to lose since my surgery. I went back for my first fill on Jan.4th and didn't get one because I had lost 11 lbs. since my first visit to the Dr. a week after my surgery. I was very excited by that news, but since coming home (I have to travel 4hrs. to the Dr.) I haven't lost any more. They told me this is not uncommon and that I would probably have a fill next month when I go back. I haven't been able to find a support group anywhere around where I live, so this forum is great. It is nice to be able to talk with others in the same boat and get advice from those who have been at this a little longer than I have. I weighted 277 when I started in Sept. and I now weigh 231. My goal is 155, but I am not going to worry over how fast or slow I lose the weight. I do go to the gym and do my resistence exercises and either walk or use my Gazelle.

Alisa, congratulations, 10 lbs. is a great loss. My doctor told me at my 1 week check up not to worry about losing weight, but not to gain any, and 4 weeks later when I went back for my fill I was down another 11 lbs. I didn't get a fill because I had lost the amount of weight one is supposed to lose if the band is tight. I was only on a clear liquid for a week after my surgery. The second week I was on pureed foods, the third week was a soft food diet and I started back on solid food my 4th week. So far I have not been hungry. I get to have a shake for Breakfast, mid-morning snack, Protein and veggie or fruit for lunch and dinner, an afternoon and evening snack. I seem to be eating all the time, but just small portions.I got to start back to the gym this morning and am walking also. I feel great, and I am already off of 1 of my high blood pressure meds. Hang in there and keep us posted.

Marsha, hang in there. I know till I could have soft food I was not happy with what I was able to eat. Also, I have had a terriable time with the Protein powders the Dr. recommends. It is so sickening sweet I gagged every morning trying to get it down. I finally went back to ESA pre-made shakes. They have less protein than the recommemded powder, but I just use 1 or 2 packets of Beneprotein (unflavored) in my full liquids.. They have 6 grams of protein each so that gets me to the amount of grams I am to have each day. I only had to be on the clear liquid diet for a week, then a week of pureeded foods, a week of soft food, and after 4 weeks I got to go back on solid food. I went back on solid food the Wed. before Christmas and that was such a treat. I didn't want very much food but I got to have my turkey,sweet potatoes and a tsp. of dressisng. Keep up the good work, don't get discouraged and I know you will start to see results.

Thanks Lori. It is so good to have others who have or are going through what I am to talk with. I know you will do great. Keep me posted.

Truthfully, I had very little pain. I was sent home with pain meds., but only took it in the hospital, and the next two days. I was in the hospital overnight, my insurance required it, left the hospital the next day, stayed the night at the motel, (I live 4 hrs. from the Dr. and hospital), and we drove home the next day. I knew I would probably need pain meds. that day and was glad I had them. It was a long ride home. I was sick to my stomach, but managed to keep what little I was eating or should I say drinking down. After that I really didn't have any pain except for where my port is and that is still tender, as I understand it will be for a few months. I now realize after reading some of the posts on here that different Drs. believe in different approaches to our eating. I am to have 3 small meals and 3 Snacks a day plus 64 oz. of liquid a day. I have to make sure that I am getting at least 70 grams of Protein in my meals a day. I usually have a Protein shake each morning, snack at mid-morning, 4oz. protein and 1/2 cup cooked veggies or 1/2 cup fruit or 1 cup raw veggies for lunch and dinner with a snack mid-afternoon and evening. I am to quit eating if I start to feel full. I sometimes feel like all I do is eat, but I am losing the weight so I am not going to complain.

I have a friend who had by-pass surgery 8 years ago and she told me she takes ReVita. You can get it at Sam's Club. They are about $12.00 for a months supply. Kind of a tropical taste. I take 2 oz. every morning. I am on my second bottle. You keep them in the refrigerator. Not bad tasting. I bought all the vitimins my Dr. recommended and I just couldn't take them. They made me gag and I don't like that feeling. My last blood tests were great.