SchexyMomma

I haven't had a fill yet!!! I have my first one scheduled for Aug. 9, and I am sure hoping that this gives me a boost! I really need to drop as much as possible by Aug. 27 (so I may move up my fill date) because I am going to court for a case that will be in front of a jury and I want to look as good as possible for the jury. That may sound silly, but I know that there are people out there who unfairly judge people on being overweight. When we get closer to trail, I'll be asking you all for specific prayers (involves adopting my foster child). I lost 20 # on pre-op diet, and 30 # since April 16 banding.

As a woman, I want to be thin/healthy/proportionate... but I am attracted to big men. My hubby's build is athletic, but I love it if he gained 20 or so pounds.

I have only been banded for 3 months, and, like you, only my hubby knows. No one else. It's none of their business!!!! I plan on taking this to the grave! I just stress to friends and family that I have done a complete lifestyle change. I started talking about this well before my surgery. I just talked it up about how I was cutting fast food and was joining the gym, and wanted to lose at least 50 pounds in the next twelve months... talked a lot about wanting to get healthy. And that is not a lie! I did the surgery for my health, and really have changed my lifestyle. I just don't tell them about the actual surgery- and I don't feel like I am lying. Deciding to keep a private issue private is not lying (not to me). When asked, I tell people that I drink Water, exercise, count calories, low carb, low sugar, high Protein, and follow that advice of my doctor, and that it is hard and I have good days and bad- but that I am committed to a healthy lifestyle now. ALL OF THIS IS TRUE! I don't know if I would tell him (just my opinion). I remember when I was 10 my mother had a hysterectomy- no one explained to me what this was exactly, but I can remember her telling me that she needed an operation that would help her health. Again, you deserve your privacy. And I am not sure that a youngster should be expected to keep a huge secret. As for coworkers, I would say to them as I do to my family and friends, that this is a new lifestyle, a new me.

<br /> <br /> <br /> Hi Tekymom... since surgery, I did not lose a single pound for 2 weeks, twice. Both times were right before and during TOM. Afterwards, the scale dropped pretty good! So, I just have to remind myself next month to not get discouraged and keep up the good food choices and excersice and just wait it out. Could this be happening to you?

Hello, Teachlady! Can you tell me more about taking diuretics? I feel like I need a diuretic, but don't really know how to ask my doc for one! I drink and drink, but feel I don't pee enouigh of it out, and at that TOM forget about it! Glad to hear that everyone is doing so well on their fills... I can't wait to join you!!!

<br /> <br /> I had the same thing! Mine is still actually still swollen. Doc has seen it twice and thought nothing of it. It is going down, though. Used to feel like a hard mass, now it feels jiggly. But definitely has improved over the past two weeks. Hang in there! Oh- but I will mention that mine never was sore or hurt. If you feel pain there, then please see yoru doc.<br /> Well, Violets, I did not lose anything this past week. Nada. Nothing. But, it was TOM. I've been soooo good, too- that makes not losing even harder. Doc wants me to wait 90 days before fill, but I will beg for one if I have another week like this. (venting complete.)<br /> <br /> Here is my excersise challenge for June: <br /> 20 sessions of 45 minutes each. <br /> I completed 18 sessions of 30-40 min. in May, so I know I can do a little more for June. I am only doing the elliptical. Getting bored on the machine is the worst part to me. <br /> Regarding aging pets... I have a beloved cat that is 14 yrs. old and just seems absolutely miserable. He can't jump up on the bed, won't go up the stairs anymore, seems to "cry" a lot, seems disoriented and lost in our house, scared of everything, hides almost all day long... but still cuddles with me all night. It's a hard thing to think about, but I don't want him to suffer.<br /> <br /> ok, happier thoughts........ as someone else (sorry, don't know who) mentioned, I also have more energy after workin out! That is a first for me, big time!<br /> <br /> enjoy your weekend!<br />

I think the national, mainstream media hates Texas. They hate Texas because of the "big oil" indistry, Enron, and because the Bush family is from here. So when something horrific happens here, as it does everywhere, the media picks up on it to show Texas in a bad way. Just one theory.

My "warm-up" song is "Here I Go Again On My Own" by Whitesnake. I don't know why I love this song like I do. But I only listen to it as the warm up for the elliptical machine. After that, it's on. Mostly rap, r&b, and hip hop.

I am from Texas, have been all my life, and now I am a mom. I can't answer this question. But I can say that this problem is not lost on the lawmakers here. Texas is under a "protect the children" order (since Yates) from the Governor, meaning Judges and social workers are to specfically protect children from parents with mental illness. Problem is, they have to be in the system to be identified as having a mental illness. My guess is that this latest case- everyone around this mom knew she was in crisis but, sadly, did nothing about it... maybe they didn't know how bad things were. But why Texas? I don't know. Were this happening somewhere else, I wouldn't be any less sad or horrified.

HELLO VIOLETS! TracyTX - congratulations on your 24 # loss! WOW. Please share with us what you are doing that is getting those results! Workin' out? No carbs? What's your secret?? TracyinKS - your pics are amazing!!! You must be feeling pretty good right about now! Also, how do I update the spreadsheet? I have a google account and I put in my numbers once, but now I cannot edit. Please help this computer challenged Violet! MDRAI - I have only told my hubby. Not another living person. I am a very private person, and I just don't feel like I can handle people watching me and making comments on every success or failure with this journey. You may want to go back to this person and stress that it is private. Thank her in advance for keeping it that way. To those who are filled or have a fill comin' up - I am so jealous! I feel like I could really use a fill now, but my doc wants me to wait 90 days from surgery (that's mid July people!) unless my losin' drops to less than a pound a week. I am losing more than that (2-3 per week now) but it's really getting to be too hard! thanks for letting me vent.

On a different note... Puddin' how much do you eat? because you are extremely active, so you need more calories, but are banded, so how does that work?

Laura - I think I know what MDRAI meant by looking at the ring and thinking back... my 12th anv. is this month, and I do the same thing: occationally look at, and I mean really look at, my ring and get swept back to when I was young and excited and sooooo in love and the proposal/engagement/wedding/ and even the honeymoon... wonderful memories. but in the reality of life these days, they're just not things you think about all the time, but occationally the ring takes you back... in a wonderful way. Regarding the cake tasting.... I would taste only the ones I would seriously consider based on my already-known preferences, and then really taste them. Enjoy it. Savor it. Then go work out!

Just wanted to share... I bought a mini-digital scale for $20 on eBay. It's really a jewler's scale, about the size of a small calculator. But I use it for weighing my food!!! I can now very easily get out 3 oz. of deli sliced turkey breast, 1 oz. of cheeze, 2 oz. of yogurt.... you get the idea!!!!

LauraJ23... congratulations on your upcoming wedding. Go to youtube.com and do a search for "wedding dirty dancing" and see the videos of the couples' first dance to "I've had the Time of My lIfe"... from Dirty Dancing0 they got the choreography down perfect and it is absolutely hilarious! Looks like all the weddings guests were suprised with the funny first dance!

I am a closet-cleaner-outer-addict... so if something is not worn in the last year, or if it doesn't fit anymore, then it's donated. This is done twice a year. So while our closets are very tidy, all of my clothes are sized 28 / 30 (this is the size I have been for over a year) and they are getting way too big... I didn't keep any of my smaller-sized clothes!! :omg:

I had my Banding done by Dr. Fernando Miranda at Twelve Oaks Hospital in Houston. I chose this doc and this hospital because they are both certified by Bariatric Centers of Excellence. Dr. Miranda is awesome. He told me ahead of time that he takes his time during surgery (mine was over an hour) and has a liberal fill philosophy. I did have to do a 10 day liquid pre-op diet to shrink liver, on which I easily lost mucho pounds. The only thing I did not like about Dr. Miranda's procedure is that immediately after surgery, they woke me up and wheeled me to an xray room where I had to swallow barium and then stand in front of the xray machine... with no meds. I was beggin for meds, but they told me that I needed to be awake enough to stand. So much pain, almost unbearable. I had to do TWO barrium swallos and TWO xrays before they gave me a shot of morphine and took me to recovery. For this reason, I cannot reccomend this surgeon. But maybe if you talk to him about this (I didn't know this would happen) you can work something out so that it is done a different way. No one else I have seen on this board had to do such a test immediately after surgery without any meds. As for Twelve Oaks Hospital. In no way can I reccomend it. They messed up on everything from pre-op to discharge. When I was there for pre-op testing, I had to wait for HOURS because they had no orders from my doctor, who was not in his office that day. Then, I overheard a nurse telling the addmissions people that for Bariatric patients, there are standing orders, so no individual orders necessary. I was furious! Getting all the testing done was a huge hassle- no one was ready for me in any department. The nurses during my overmnight stay for surgery were great. But when it came to discharge, I had to wait HOURS because they misunderstood the orders. This hospital is a dump. The rooms are dumpy, even the OR was dumpy. Again, just to clarify, the only problem I had with Miranda was the barium swallow. He is an excellent doctor and such a great bedside manor! This guy needs to get to a real hospital though! There are so many nice hospitals in Houston, I cannot understand why he goes for Twevle Oaks. Please PM me if you need more information about anything I have written here.

Hi there Violets! I haven't posted in a while, but I read every-single-post every-single-day and you guys keep me so motivated and so informed! I was banded on the 16th and I can't get a fill until JULY!!!!! Doc really wants to wait 90 days, but said he would go in sooner if I quit losing 1-2 # per week. So, I got off my butt and began to hit the gym. I am up to 20 minutes on the elliptical and then another 20 min on the treadmill. Restriction? what is that? I am really struggling to limit calories... thank goodness for fitday.com Trying so hard to make healthy choices. Found some frozen, seasoned, raw (easy to cook in microwave) fish filets from "Gorton's" at the store that are delicious and only 100 cals and like 20 g protein. very tasty. yea! Scale did not move for nearly 2 weeks, but since workin out, I have managed to lose a little, finally!!!! I was reading all the posts where everyone said they wern't losing, and that was the ONLY thing that kept me from getting depressed. Just wanted to check in. Thanks for all of your posts with wisdom, encouragement, and answers. Would be lost without the Violets!!!!!

Hi there, fellow Katyites! I also live in Katy and would love to have a support group close to home, but... I am keeping my surgery *super-private. Only my husband knows. So as much as I want to join you guys, I don't feel like I can right now. Maybe as time goes by, I'll ease up. Can you keep posting your meeting times here so I can be included when ready? *please note that I have decided to keep this private from friends and family because, mainly, my MIL has a very, very big mouth and tons of opinions... and I just can't handle being watched and having to endure comments fabout every bite of food and every ounce of weight for the rest of my life. Oh, and she also lives in Katy.

I could have written this myself. And I was in serious denial about my weight. I convinced myself that I didn't really look that fat, or at least that the poeple that saw me on a regular basis weren't noticing the slow-but-steady weight gain. In my personal life, I have had a hard day and I want to binge eat so badly. Since I have little restriction, I am having to resist the urge myself. I think I may need outside help- like over-eaters anoymous or something. Has anyone ever gotten a type of counseling for out-of-control eating???

MICHELLE... we were banded on the same day, and I have moved to the mushies/soft foods (per doctors orders) and salad was not on my list... and it is the one thing I am craving like crazy! were you scared to eat the salad? I am so afraid of stuff getting stuck! I can move on to solids in "one to two weeks" as long as I don't have any problems with mushies... that's maybe when I'll feel confident about salad. I don't know why I am afraid of salad getting stuck, but I am. I totally have it in my head that it will get stuck. I guess you didn't have any problems, huh? on another note.... I love the name Shrinking Violets!

Hi, Jane! I am guessing that my band was placed empty. I never thought about that before. My doc said that as long as I lose 1-2 pounds per week, then he would like to not do a fill for 90 days (that's July!) to avoid possible infection in the port site. But, if weight loss goes below that mark, then he'll gladly do a fill. I am going to do my best to loose on my own... but I won't starve. That's why I got this band, right??!??! And it is amazing that everyone so far has done so well, only minor complications!!! This is a good sign for those not yet banded this month!!!

BIGasLIFE and FLOWERGIRL.... welcome to our group! BIGasLife... please tell us a little about yourself! And are you on mushies now? How has your experience been? FlowerGirl... you must be getting very excited! The good thing about being at the end of the month in this group, is that you'll easily be able to see what has happeded to all the others before you and know what to expect a little more! Best wishes for your surgery!

LAURA- very very happy to hear you are alright! I am sure that ws very scarry to go through, even just thinking about a possible clot. On a different note... can someone please tell me what the eliptical machine is for? I have seen the machine, but never in use. Does it simulate running or stairs??? I don't want to get on it and not know what to do!

It's clear that each doctor has his/her own standards of practice. In my case, no one asked me to pee until hours after my surgery; told them that I already had, and that was that.

Without any pain meds whatsoever? From the table to immediately standing in front of the xray? I have not found this to be the case. I am an active reader/poster on the April thread, and no one else had this experience, at least not without some sort of pain releif first.