Allieg8tor

Hey guys! So there are so many people to thank on this forum, but, to be all-inclusive, and not leave anyone out on accident, I'll just put it like this: Thank you guys so, so much for everything. Anyone who has prayed for me, answered a question I had, become a friend, talked to me, asked me questions, commented on my status updates, given me a like or two, and just made me feel like a part of this community, thank you. Here, have the biggest virtual hug in, like, the world. o=(^o^)=o Okay, so here's how my life has gone lately, and it's pretty amazing, and you guys are a HUGE part to thank! I have lost 51 pounds since July 2nd, when I started living LAP-Band law, as I've coined it, and 10 of those pounds have come off since surgery, Oct. 2nd. Now, I'm only counting my official weigh-ins at my doctor's visits, but I can tell you that number is lower now, because I do, just for fun, weigh myself at home, to see if I'm fluctuating and how so, you know? Just curiosities. I don't even weigh in the same clothes so I can see how heavy my clothes are! I'm lame, but fun, love me anyways. -shrug- So, basically, I can't fit in my clothes anymore. I couldn't even fit in my underclothes anymore, so yesterday I went shopping with my best friend Ryane and my parents, and I have fitting clothes now, and I'm proud to say that my 26 jeans that fall off of me are now replaced with a pair of size 20 jeans!! =) Now, a 20 is still plus-sized, but this is still a big deal for me! I buy my clothes at Lane Bryant, and I love Lane Bryant, and so I know, going from their size 26 to their size 20 is a pretty huge accomplishment in my book! I have a long way to go, but I feel like I'm on the right track, and it feels great to be going down sizes instead of up! I also went from 22/24 shirt to an 18/20! Yay! It feels good to have jeans that fit me, but mostly, it feels AMAZING to be able to by smaller clothes instead of larger clothes. I'm usually so embarrassed by buying clothes and, this time last year, I can honestly say I was scared that I was going to grow out of Lane Bryant's clothes and be too big for them. I didn't know what I would do then! It feels good to know that maybe I'll eventually just be too small for their clothes, and I'll miss them, but I'll be able to replace them with dozens of other cute, and possibly cheaper, stores. <3 Me in my new jeans and shirt: So, when I went to my Post-Op appointment, Ms. Betty, my nutritionist, told me that sometimes things in life just fall into place. I've really experienced that through my LAP-Band journey. All at the same time, I've become a Biology tutor (my first "real" job, with paperwork and background checks and bi-weekly paychecks and sign-ins/sign-outs and all that kind of stuff) and I love it! I was so nervous, because I'm NOT a biology major (History with an English minor) but I do know this teacher so well, and I have actually been able to help her students, and I love helping people, and I just love my job! <3 It's part time, it's $8.25/hr., but it's a big step for me. It's a real, regular job, and I feel pretty blessed to have it right now, AND it's through the school, so they're willing to work around my schedule so that I can continue my own education as well! God has really, really blessed me this school year with opportunities like this. <3 Anyways, on Friday I had my worker ID (top one) made, and in August I had my student ID (bottom one) made. I'll keep them both forever, because the difference in my face is incredible, and I'm so pleased with everything: Those of you that have read my introduction post know that I have a condition called "Hidradenitis Suppurativa", and it's painful, and it's awful, and some people say that weight loss can make it occur less frequently. Well, I can say this: my attacks have been the same in frequency so far, but not in severity. They're much less painful and much smaller, and I definitely call that progress. This was my number 1 reason for getting the LAP-Band, and I am so far pleased with the results. It's wonderful to not constantly worry about being in pain and whether or not I can put my arms down. I'm not where I want to be with it yet, but I'm not weight-wise either. Once again, I'm on the right track! <3 For those of you who like my art, here's the latest part! This is a thank you card that I made for my church. I drew it and everything. They sent me the most beautiful flowers the day of my surgery, so I drew them in the thank you note and wrote them a poem and stuff. Like I said, I've really had a dream journey. Good support from everywhere, and great goals being reached at a comfortable pace. I'm so grateful for the early part of my journey, and I'm sure that it will always be fondly remembered. Here's my card to the church: So, again, thank you to everyone following me on this journey, truly, thank you for everything. I've been through a roller coaster ride of everything all at once, but I'm loving my life right now. Everything has gone beautifully. I'm feeling much more confident these days, and I feel much better about my decision to have LAP-Band. Maybe this is just a little success story, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be celebrated along with all the others I'll have in the future (hopefully!) Those of you who are with me in this, and are sending me all those lovely well-wishes, thank you very much. <3 Let's continue to enjoy this process together. You guys are more help to me than anyone, and I've found real strength and support and hope lies in the community here. I love you guys! <3

I have no idea. I was at my friend Ryane's house. It's a pretty tree with pink flowers in it. I was standing there, we were eating lunch outside and I asked her to take my picture, so when I stood up, she told me not to move so it would look like the flowers were in my hair. <3 I'm glad you're posting here too! <3 I can't wait for your happy, progress updates!!

Thank you, thank you. I haven't attended the support group meetings. This is both handier and better for me, I don't like being in large groups, I like being one on one, and larger groups work better for me online. I'm getting over them, but I do have a bit of confidence/fitting in issues at first, and I know that I'd just feel more distracted by people first getting to know me there than I would actually learn anything. It took me a while to start posting here, and I was nervous the first time, but people were really accepting. I'm a really odd, artsy type, so sometimes people just don't get me, you know? That's why I like to meet in smaller groups rather than larger, because you actually get to know people then, you know? I might try the support group someday, if I really feel like I need it, but for now, this community has been fine for outreach.

Darn! We could've talked and stuff! I really did have to get to class though, so maybe it's for the better. We should still meet up sometime, because it's so cool that we met through this and we live so nearby, you know? We can help each other on the way! <3 Thank you for the compliment. I really, really love art, it's my passion. It was Tuesday!! Yay!! =D That was me!! Sometime around 11-ish? My appointment was early o'clock and I walked into my 11:00 history class at TAMUT a little late, at around 11:30. Really? I look that much different? I feel different, healthier, and I cannot remember the last time I've been sick or had a really, really bad HS attack.

Hi and welcome!! I'm an artsy-type too! I put one of my drawings in my introduction post when I came here. I had the LAP-Band on Oct. 2nd, but I started weening myself into the LAP-Band diet looong before, on July 2nd. I figured the best way to settle my nerves about everything and prepare my body for the big change was to gradually make it ahead of time! If you're super nervous about stuff like that, you might want to try that, you know? I've never been in an 8/10, but I hope I will be one day (or somewhere close.) I'm 5'8". Ooh, what grade do you teach? I'm a student. I'm 23, I got my Associate's degree in art, and now I'm going for my BS in History with a minor in English (and possibly a second minor?) I recently got a job as a college tutor for Biology. I'd be happy to be your friend and explain what I've gone through from now until whenever while I'm on this journey. Surgery was no big deal at all. Complications with the initial surgery are pretty rare I guess and the comforting thing about the LAP-Band is that everything is reversible. I was much more nervous about the surgery than I should've been I guess. The hardest part for me was coming out of anesthetic initially, and I don't really remember too much about my first day with the LAP-Band. I walked like everyone always says and I sipped a lot of stuff. I did get a bit dehydrated, which was a bit scary, but it passed in three days and I'm fine now, absolutely fine. I could contact my doctor and his team at any point I felt I needed to and that's the most comforting thing. When they do surgery, they fill your stomach with a gas then they try to remove it all later. A little bit of that gas will probably get trapped and that's honestly the worst part of this. Walking helps, but some will move to your shoulder and be really sore, and you'll definitely want a heating pad. Gas-X strips work just about instantly and solve about 85% of the problem. Keep them on hand at all times. The gas will be completely gone by two weeks, most-likely. It is literally the worst part of the process. Infection was the post-surgery problem that I was paranoid about, so be sure to keep your incisions dry. Other than that, you'll find your worry is for naught. I hope that comforts you some. The warmest of welcomes to you!

I worried about that too. I was dehydrated the whole first week, but finally I was able to drink more. I hope nothing bad happened, but I'm feeling fine now, I think.

I was banded on the second and I usually stop before even a half a cup of food. The mushy stage has been odd for me though, and I'm finding myself really not enjoying that much. I'm trying really, really hard to not drink 30 mins. before and 1 hour after meals, but it's sooooo hard. These last couple of times I managed to wait though.

Okay, so here's the story: My appointment was at 9:30am, and it just went awesomely! Like, literally, it was the best ever! I got high fives from EVERYONE! I've lost 10lbs since the day of surgery, but, more importantly, I've lost 50lbs since starting my LAP-Band journey on July 2nd!! Whoo!! <3 Everything was fine, and today, I enjoyed a LONG, soaking, wonderful bath, candles and all. SO, as an October bandster, I've been tossing around the Halloween theme for before/after bandiversary pics, and, well, I bought my costume today! My grandfather, who was always a huge support system for me and really wanted me to get healthy, is a navy veteran, so I decided, in dedication to him, that both this year and next year, I'm dressing up as a sailor girl. Now this is a HUGE deal, because this is the first time I've been able to buy just a regular, plus-size costume for a girl! I'm so, so, SO excited!! <3 My heavenly cheerleader/navy veteran/grandpa is surely proud of me, and that feels so amazing. I'm glad I can keep his spirit alive with one of my favorite holidays! <3 June 6th, 2013: (Started my diet July 2nd) Oct. 15th, 2013:

You're so close!! Plan something fun for when it's over, okay? I'm planning a trip out with friends and saving money for it every week, and every day I get closer to that, and I just focus on things like that!! Also, for the post-op. Diet, I only allowed myself a limited selection at first. I'm 13 days post surgery today and I've been fine with it because when I get sick of the same things, I add something else from the list! I know I couldn't do this without a reward system. Find something else to focus on, let that make you feel happy and relaxed, then the time will tick on by!! That's how I did it. I also avoided eating with other people. The end goal was too far off for me, so I had to make other goals and find more immediate goals! I did a lot of my homework for my classes ahead of time, I organized some stuff, I did whatever I could to focus on anything other than eating! A good support system is nice, but you can be your own, best support system! Your inner strength has gotten you this far, you are on the home stretch! You will feel so proud at the end! I know I did! <3

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/topic/177358-making-my-own-sugar-free-cocoa-is-my-favorite-thing/ ^Posted my recipe here!

Nope, I had my uncle Robert carry it for me. As any southern gentleman should, he didn't even complain!

My surgery was Oct. 2nd. I've been doing pretty awesomely, I think. I've healed really well and I kind of made things easier on myself for the post-op diet by introducing one item at at time that was on the list, so that I always felt like I was getting more variety. I stayed with the same three items until I couldn't take it, added one, and that's really gotten me through the worst of it. For me, it's all about a "reward" system, so I just kinda set it up so that I always feel like there's a little surprise to look forward to! Homemade sugar free Hot chocolate was my favorite so far!

Don't feel bad for asking questions, that's what this forum is for, you know? That's why I love it!! I hope I can be as helpful as people have been to me on this site, as I learn more!

A gold card is a discount card that they sell there, they're good for a year, mine was only $5 because I bought a bunch of stuff with it and they had some kind of special, but usually, they're $15, it is definitely worth it though, trust me. A friend of mine used mine to buy some Protein powder and just that one purchase alone saved him ten dollars, it was originally $40, and he paid around $30.

I have a gold card, so in Texas, a case of 12 was $23 and some change, but I could've gotten another case for $11 something with their buy one, get one half sale.

Aaaannndd, the verdict is: THESE SHAKES ARE AMAZING! Literally the best flavor. I wish it would last forever. I bought a case of 12 to start. Yay!! <3 Has anyone tried them heated?

I'm nine days out of surgery and so many people talk about port pain, but I don't even feel my port. Is that really that abnormal? I'm all worried that the fill shots are gonna hurt now..

I've found it now!! It is in the middle of my tummy! XD mystery solved, you can all return to your regularly scheduled programming. It doesn't hurt really, but I just found it applying light pressure around the incisions. Someone suggested it was their largest incision, and it was mine too. XP