lyn

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Can't wait to hear from you after Monday and see how you are progressing on your journey.

I told one neighbor of mine and my husband, and daughter, who lives with us. I have not told any of my siblings as they all live in different states and we only see each other 1-2 times a year. I had made my mind up to have the surgery and didn't really need to hear all of the horror stories that they would dig up on the internet and what not. I didn't tell my office either, even though I did need to take time off from work, 2 weeks. I just filled out the appropriate paperwork it never asked what kind of surgery I was having and my surgeons office didn't mention it on the paperwork they filled out. I do not regret my decision to not include everyone in my choices. I attend my Dr support group when I can which meets once a month and also get alot of support through this forum. When I see my family over the holidays I may have a different opinion but for now mum is the word. My inlaws came to visit us for 10 days and finally about the 8th or 9th day my mother in law said you really don't eat much anymore do you? I just told her I was trying to cut back on portions and she said, well it is working for you, that is great. I didn't have to go into a long explanation or anything.

that is great news!!! keep up the great work, you will be running a 5K in no time. I need to push myself a little harder to get through them in the weeks time. Congratulations!!!

I have been doing every week twice. I seem to be able to finally do the work by the second day of the second week. Then I feel really good about moving to the next week. A little slower throught the process but it seems to be working for me anyway, keep up the great work!!

thank you for sharing, your photos they are great, so insipirational. What a great transformation in only 1 years time fabulous results. Keep up the great work and the great photos. thanks again for sharing. lyn

I would call Fort Gordon and see if they have a bariatric clinic and see what their procedure is. BAMC did not require my PCM referral, which saves a ton of time and questions. Good Luck

you look fabulous, and they look great on you, not too tight at all. Keep up the great work.

You need to call the bariatric clinic at BAMC you do not need to go to your PCM for a referral. I had my sleeve done there and I am sure you could get all the information and come down for your appts. The only trouble would be the nutrition classes but I am sure you could go to classes in Killeen and they would count. Bythe way they just changed it here at Brooks Army Medical Center (BAMC) where you only need 3 months of classes instead of 6 months, very cool. All of your blood work can be done at any other military facility and the results are sent over to the clinic. They require you to first go to a informational meeting and then to a surgery specific meeting. Then you start checking of the squares you sleep test, pschy eval, and all the rest. I would call them. I had a BMI of 39 and was sleeved in April. their numbers are 210-916-9023 or 210-916-0763 good luck!!

Thank you for those great words from all of you!!! Truly inspirational. We need to hear that more often. I had the same situation started out with a bang and now slowly making progress. I have my 6 month check up the first week in October and was starting to stress as well but I decided not to worry about it and just do what I have been doing, exercising and eating right and slowly enjoy the progress. thanks everyone for getting everyone back on track.

I love to buy new clothes. I found some great deals at Sams CLub at the end of season. Which here in Texas it never ends. I found that dress are very forgiving I bough a few summer dresses in June and can still wear them even 20 pounds lighter. I had bought them with a little elastic at the waist and they worked out great, still are as a matter of fact. I would lokk into something like that, of course it had been a long time since I felt good in a dress so I was even more thrilled.

Lily, Congratulations, on taking your first step, if you have any questions about the San Antonio Bariatric Clinic please do not hesitate to ask me. They have been the best. I go for my 6 month followup out at BAMC next month. Have you been to the support meetings yet? They met the first Thursday of the month out at Lackland I would love to meet you if you decide to attend on of the meetings, I hope to go to the one scheduled on the 7th of Oct. Best of luck to you, hope to see you around the clinic. lyn

thank you so much for sharing your stories they are so imformative and give me alot of encouragement. I too have started running and getting to like it a little better each day. I am going to try my luck at a 5K next month and start moving up and outside as soon as the weather gets a little cooler out here. lyn

Good for you, I have to agree with everyone else there is always going to be something to get in your way, you will be so happy that you decided to go ahead now instead of waiting, please keep us all posted on your progress we are all excited for you!!!

Hi Everyone, I have been doing the Kettleworx workout for 6 weeks I have one more day to complete the program. I do agree the guy is a little goofy but then again I kind of find all of the dvd's a little goofy after a while. I love this program both my husband and I have been doing it faithfully for 6 weeks now and I can honestly say that my waist is whittiling away and my arms and legs are really showing improvement. We are going to do the same program for 6 more weeks and then jump up to the advanced program. I started with the 5 pound weight but have moved up to a 7 pound weight and hope to finish out the second cycle at a 10 pound weight. The first couple workouts are a killer on your legs, but am I have progressed it has gotten better, much better. I can actually touch my legs and nothing jiggles, I LOVE IT!! Lyn

Happy 1 year anniversary, congratulations, you can see your delight all over your photos. Lyn

HI Ladies, My husband is retired Air Force. I was sleeved on April 7th here in San Antonio Texas. I have been delighted with everything leading up to my sleeve and beyond the team here in San Antonio has been fabulous. I started my journey in August of last year. I kept seeing commercials for the lap band on tv and thought I would look into that when I started lookig into it. I called tricare because I couldn;t figure out why they wouldn't cover the costs, they said becuase they require an overnight stay and then they said why don't you just go to the bariatric clinic here at the hospital, who knew??? SO off I went to start the process, first sitting in on the orientation for all the procedures that are offered I finally decided the sleeve was the best fit for me. Then came the 6 months of nutrition counseling, now I noticed at our facility they are now doing the counseling for 3 months, what a great change that is!! After I completed everything I got a call from my surgeon with my date, April 6,2011. wow was I excited and of course scared but after two weeks on the liquid diet, I was ready to be done with that. Surgery went great no complications and I was released to go home the next day, I was thrilled. Fast forward to where I am now 5 monhts down the road and I have lost 60 pounds and am finally in the overweight catergory, what a thrill. I hope to lose about 25 more pounds to put me at a healthy BMI and no longer overweight. If anyone is thinking about surgery please start the process, the 6 or 8 months are going to pass either way so you might as well get started learning everything you need to learn and the time will be here before you know it. I could not be happier with my sleeve. I can eat anything I haven't had any trouble with any particular foods. Of course I follow the guidelines set up by the DR. I feel that with this surgery I am set up to maintain the weight loss, this is the first time in all my dieting years that I have a pile of clothes to give away, I used to just switch places in the closet with the smaller clothes but I can;t see myself ever able to go back to the lifestyle of eating and not exercising. Eating is the best when you can eat anything you want just not a lot, you still get all the flavors and taste just not the quantities, and an even bigger benefit is that I notice people around me eat less to which is better for them as well, my daughter in particular seems to stop when I do which is great. I felt in such great hands and great care through the entire process we are so lucky to have this available to us through the miltary hospitals and tricare. Feel free to ask any questions you may have I would be more than happy to answer any of them as best I can. Lyn

you look fabulous!!! Congratulations to both of you!

Cngratulations, what awesome results, keep up the great work!!

thank you for that update on hair loss, I found it very interesting. I am five months out and my hair starting falling out right at the four month date. It seems to be slowing a bit now. I totally agree with the supplements being a waste of money. I have tried to cut back on washing my hair and started using WEN which I can can go 4 days in between washing and I believe it helps. I have read that it should start regrowing after about 4-6 weeks so I am ready. To answer your question I have lost alot of hair at least I think so, but I have asked my husband and he doesn't see much difference. I might go and get my hair cut shorter just so that when it does start growing again it will look better. It just seems very flat right now but I have tried not to blow dry it or curl it lately don't want to damage what I have left. I don't really care too much about the thinning hair, I know it will grow back. Just have to grin and bear it and focus on all the positives like buying a pair of size 6 jeans and zipping them up with no problem, now that I can live with anyday!!!!!

that is great, what a great feeling I was so happy to be able to cross my legs as well but TWICE!!! wow. Congratulations!! I think I need longer legs, I just tried it but will keep on, thanks for the inspiration

I am so happy mine are deflating, I was so uncomfortable in shirts, I now feel more in proportion. I have gone from a 44D to a 36C I found some great bras at Lane Bryant that are called the plunge they have built in boosters, I love them they are cotton and very comfortable. I dont think they sell them much smaller than a 36 C. Check them out, they are great.

you look amazing, congratulations!!!

I found mine at GNC. It is pretty good if you blend it well in yogurt I didn't care for it in Soup, maybe when you start eating chunky things it would be ok in soup but I just couldn't get it blended well enough. Good luck and Congratulations on your journey!!!!!

Congratulations!! I can't wait to reach that milestone myself, the BMI below 30. How many times a week do you go to Zumba classes? I just started last week and hope to go 2 x a week. and run the other 4 days. My calves hurt real bad after the first day, but I was still able to run the next day. I really enjoyed Zumba though. lyn

There has to be something that can be done, like I said here in Texas they are doing them locally as well at the military facility. I would call tricare and speak with someone directly. I called tricare at the start of my journey to ask about lapbanding and that is how I found out about the facility here in town that did all three procedures. They told me the reason that they don't approve for the outside facilities was because of the overnight stays. Perhaps if you call them directly you can find out what parameters they need in order to approve. Maybe then you can find a Dr that meets all those requirements and move forward. They were very helpful at Tricare, If you don't get someone helpful the first time hang up and call again. Let me know how you make out with them.