Ewok31

What is WLIAZ? Also, do you have that Saturday Support Group going? Is it open to everyone interested, or only if you were lab banded by a specific surgeon?

SELaine & LilMonkey, Just wanted to wish you the best of luck (but you will not need it, everything will be just fine) on your upcoming surgeries. Keep me posted on how you are doing. Also, I'm just curious out those new bands you are talking about. When you get more information, can you post info about it on this thread? Thanks! Ewa

Hi, I'm Ewa (Ava), and I am a new member. I am scheduled to have my lap band later today!!!! Yeah!!!! I couldn't sleep (too excited) so here I am! My surgeon is Dr. Terry Simpson. I am a 39 year old K - 8th grade Art Teacher at a Phoenix public school. I have a BMI of 39 & MANY co-morbidities. I am 240 lbs at 5 ft 5 in tall. I am looking at this surgery as the first step in my new journey for improving my life. My first goal is to improve my health by losing weight and exercising. My second goal is to look better! My third goal is that my taking this life changing step, it will also rub off on my husband & that he will also lose weight by eating better & exercising (which currently NEITHER one of us does...but I will NOW). I am happy to be a new member of this forum & invite anyone interested to post to me or email me. Respectfully, Ewa (Ava) :bananapartyhat: :hititbanana: :bananajump: :Banane14: :Banane03: :Banane21: :Banane35:

Julie, It was nice to meet you at Dr. Simpson's office. I didn't recognize you from your picture. You'll need to update it, cause your face is definitely more slim. Candi said that she didn't recognize me from my picture either, so I guess I need to update mine also. By the way, thanks for the good advice in your last thread. Having gotten my 1st fill today, it may make things easier...I hope. Ewa

Hi Julie, I responded to you in another email thread, where you also recently asked me a question, so check that reply out. I did have my surgery date on 3/28/07 & having been doing OK since then, but there is definitely areas I can improve upon, head hunger being one of my worst demons & of course exercising. But other than that both I and my husband are doing fine, although he did not have the surgery. He's too scared of surgery, even though he needed it more than I did. Instead he is trying to modify his eating habits along side with me. He stills needs to work on that better, but I'm hoping in the long run that this will work out for both of us. Talk to you later! Ewa (Ava)

Hi Julie, I'm doing OK, although I've cheated some due to head hunger. Luckily I've not cheated too much so I'm still losing weight gradually. I'm actually able to eat too much at this time, I feel, so I'm looking forward to my first fill. I see Dr. Simpson this coming Tuesday, so I really hope hid does a fill then or schedules me for one soon. I need the restriction. I regards to the head hunger, I definitely realize it is a problem & I've purchase some books on the topic to read & hopefully help me deal with my head hunger more effectively. I am just waiting to get them via the mail. I have also been listening to Dr. Simpson's podcasts, which have been helpful. I downloaded them & made myself a CD of them to listen to in the car to reinforce my new way of life. So, how are you doing? According the the weight you have lost, it seems to be good. Do you feel that way also? Let me know. It's nice to chat with someone else that is a patient of Dr. Simpson's. Ewa (Ava)

WOW. You did awesome, & should not be disappointed and fustrated now. Look what you were able to accomplish before the surgery! Now, with the surgery it will further help you keep it off & still continue to lose. Remember that slow weight loss is better over all for your body & you'll probably not have as much loose skin with a slow weight loss. We just both have to keep our minds on the final goal & realize that we can acchieve it little by little, and that it will be a PERMANENT weight loss!

Gina, Did you 52.6 lbs after getting the lap band, or had you lost some of the weight before your surgery? If you've lost that much after getting the band, what are you doing to be losing so much so quickly? I've only lost 16 lbs so far. Just curious. Ewa

Hey Gina, Good to hear your surgery went wel & that you are doing good. I'm doing OK. I'm switching to solid foods right now, and have not yet got the complete hang of the right things to eat (even though I was provided a list by my Doctor). I'm working on it. I do OK for Breakfast and lunch. It is dinner that is the problem sometimes. I should get the hang of it soon. Ewa

LilMonkey, I've only attend the one OH support group meeting so far, but they seem to be a little of both a topic oriented meeting with some general added also. The support groups are actually run by the members. Once you are comfortable they ask you to sign up to sponser one of the meeting with a specific topic of your choice. I'm not ready to do that yet, but I should be maybe in another month or 2.

LilMonkey, I am going to 2 different support groups. The first is offered by my surgeon, Dr. Terry Simpson. The second is actually one that is via another weight loss web site message board, Obesity Help, OH for short. You do not need to be a member for the OH support group, they welcome every one. They have meeting 2 times a month at the Chnadler Regional Hospital located at Dobson & Frye. They meet every 2nd Wednesday & every 4th Tuesday of each month. If you do not live too far away, it would be great to have both you and SELaine join the group. I enjoyed it & found it informative. If you do plan to be there some time, let me know, so I can look out for you. LILMonkey, as soon as you finish with your classes, you definitely should start to go to support groups. I've read and been told by each support group that this is one of the key factors (going regularly to support groups) to people that are successful on their weight loss journey. Because, no matter which weight loss surgery you do, it is still just a TOOL. If you do not make changes in your diet and exercise, and get the emotional support needed, you will not be successful.

Well, I told you about how I was doing in my response in the other thread, so in regards to the walking, I do not know of any parks between us. Although I lived in this area a while, I don't usually go to parks. Let me know if you locate one or have another suggestion. Ewa (Ava)

Hey SElaine:) , Thanks for asking about me! I'm doing fairly well. At this point I've lost 16 lbs, so not too bad. Personally I can barely tell any difference, except my face does look thinner. But my coworkers can definitely tell because they keep making positive comments about it, which is nice to hear. I'm not really having issues with pain now, except sometimes the area where the port is will be kind-of painful, either to the touch, aching or just mild discomfort/pain. Luckily that has only happened a few time, so I haven't mentioned it to my doctor, because I don't think it is a big enough problem. I am still adjusting to eating correctly for the lap band & have not yet gottem myself on regular planned meals ahead of time. I'm still kind-of playing by ear. I need to reread the info that my doc gave me about what I can eat, and just haven't gotten around to it since going back to work this week. I plan to this weekend. One of the benefits of going back to work is that I do eat the correct food and portion size when there, because I'm so busy and in a hurry to get things accomplished at work, that I don't have time to be overthinking about food or wanting to eat. Plus I haven't even really felt that hungry during the day, although my stomach will grumble. The eating time that I need to improve on is dinner. I definitely fell hungry around then. Unfortunately, my portions sizes have usually been too big & sometimes I eat too much. By eating too much, I am not referring to the same amount of food that I was able to eat prior to the lap-band. What I mean is that at dinner time I seem to be eating regular/normal sized portion of food, and sometimes the wrong foods (too high in fat and calories). That is something I'm definitely aware of, and I am trying to correct this self sabotaging behavior. Unfortunately, it is easier said then done, but I am making the effort. I've also been lucky that I have not eaten to the point that I would throw up, but only to the point where I feel very bloated, the port area will somewhat hurt to the touch, and I get flushed and heated, like I'm almost going to break out in a sweat. Yesterday this happened again, and I think I've given myself a good enough scare that I will not hopefully overeat again. But of course, I also need to focus on eating the healthy, correct, and low calorie food. I'm slowing getting there. It is a definitely a process. Also, I went to 2 different support group meeting this week, and they were quite helpful. I plan on continuing of going to them, because I believe they will help me stay on track, and also get back on track when I mess up. Well, that is for the beginning of my novel maybe sometime I'll complete it, he, he.

Hey, One other suggestion for you and your hubbie. Make sure you either have another adult at home during your recuperation time OR at least someone that can stop by occasionally. This is because neither of you will be able to drive & you need something, OR for some reason are in too much pain (which is doubtful, but you never know) you made need some to help you make your meals (pure clear liquids) or just to help you in what ever way you need around the house. Just a suggestion, to play it safe. If it turns out you do not need the extra help, you can always let your "helper" know that they are not as needed as you thought they might be. GOOD LUCK! Email me back & let me know how you and your husband did.

I don't see it as a problem as long as you have some one else that can drive your husband and yourself to and from --- or at least from -- where you get the procedure done because you are NOT allowed to drive yourself home after surgery. Post-op pain varies from individual to individual, some have almost none & other get severe pain. I do not believe there is any way to tell how will react until after the fact. Just be prepared for the pain to go either way, good or bad. For myself, I had some pain, but nothing too bad. I just needed to be on pain meds for 2 days. After that I was mostly weak and tired, and just needed to recuperate. The hardest thing at first for me was to be on the all liquid diet that was required. That alone required me to take 1 week off so I could adjust and feel comfortable and not deprived. It was all a matter of adjustment for me. Good Luck! Ewa

Hi, I might be interested. Where in the east valley are you? What are your cross streets. I'm in Chandler at Elliot & the 101 freeway. Look forward to hearing back from you. Ewa (AVA)

I just had my surgery on 3/28/07, and I just got home today. I stayed overnight, but I didn't really need to, but this was to help my husband feel better about making sure I had no immediate complications. I doing great right now, and am just about have my chicken broth and then go walking to continue to remove the gas in my system from the surgery & to safe guard against any blood clots. Email me back after your surgery and and let me now how you are doing, but I'm sure you will do great. Ewa

Gina, Thanks so much, and back at you. I see your surgery is coming up pretty quickly. I wish the best of luck and the prayers are with you. (By the way, I am also a self pay). Ewa

Thank you everyone for your warm thoughts and prayers. I am back home just today, and I am doing great. My surgery went through with no problems at all. I am now looking forward to accomplishing my goal of good health and weight loss. I welcome anyone that would like to keep in touch to do so. You can never have too many friends or support. Thanks again, and I hope you are all doing great also. Sending you my warmest thoughts and prayers, Ewa (Ava)

Hey, Too late for the walk, but I'm also being banded by Dr. Terry Simpson on 3/28. My surgery is at 8:30am. May I see you there. Best of wishes & best of luck! Ewa (Ava)