katerzz

ive been watching this show on discovery health like plastic surgery something rather.. any how.. there is apparently a doctor in pittsburg i believe they said that does a full body lift in one surgery... ie, tummy tuck, boob lift, butt/thigh lift, inner thigh lift, and if need be the arms. anyone know much about this? the ppl who have the surgery apparently stay in a hospital for a few days Granted, you have to meet very strict criteria to qualify for it (healthy etc) im far from that part of my journey but curious at the same time. Ive thought about it a lot and the fact that i dotn want to have to pay for surgery 2-3 times this totally sounds like a better plan to me.

I've actually been working on something like this with my own recipes.. but if you need help on actually making the book let me know (katie@griffonco.com) Maybe I can just convert my personal work in progress to the LBT book since its already started hehe im also including a lot of info related to eating and the band since i was plannign to give this to a couple girls in my support meetings. But basically will have stages, broken up to what stage your on from pre-surgery to years post op. I have made several cookbooks for family / friends that I've printed and bound with table of contents, pictures etc. I can even help with pricing. Laminating is VERY expensive, so i stopped doing that awhile ago... plus several of the books we did revisions about every year or so adding new recipes etc so they just got a new copy! My dad used to be a head chef and he had me make a book that was about 250 pages catagorized etc. anyways if you need help let me know.. i have all the software needed to make any type of professional looking designs (I'm a professional graphic designer btw) and if we set it up right we could very well make it a website out of it.. (professional web designer too) I actually also have a ton of ideas I've got a binding machine and can generally get the materials fairly cheap. Depending on the size of the book prices vary but the large book that i did for my dad came out about 20 bucks each (including ink, full of pictures, front back covers and the binding) but we didnt make very many of them (just for family) so obviously the more you do , the cheaper it will be. im also able to work out deals with print shops to get cheaper stuff like copies and cutting etc Anyways.. lemme know if you need help perhaps we could set something up to where we sell the books at cost, or perhaps slightly over and we give away prizes from the proceeds with contests nstuff (did i mention i know alot about marketing?) haha so yea email me if your looking for some help

the absoulte only thing that has slowed down my great progress is not getting in my Protein.. if i skip on protein my weight loss sucks. If i get my protein in (55-60g is my goal a day) then my weight loss is a breeze. Any other rule listed... ive broken and it hasnt hurt my weight loss

hahahhaha Tina.. OMG i hear ya. I REFUSE to let the NPs at our surgeons office do my fills!! one time i showed up and they rescheduled me from ganser to the Nurse and i sat there for 2 hours for ganser to see me because i refuse to let anyone else do it =P

have faith and know that this even though won't probably be your last breakdown (ive had several) that your journey has just begun and even though now you feel as though you can't eat everything around you that you desire... you will be able to eat the foods you want when the time is right. I think that was the biggest shocker for me is i was aboslutely hurt to see how much food had ahold of me i felt like i lost my dog or something. The truth is.. i only was telling it goodbye for a short time. The beauty of the band is you *should* be able to eat anything when the time comes. (i say should because ive heard some ppl cant eat certain things) but in my case.. i can eat anything i want just in a lot smaller portions. The way i looked at my experience is that i finally woke up from the nightmare that has held me for so long. I finally could see how much i relied on food. Its a bumpy journey but one i would do all over again in a heartbeat.. even the bad parts like falling apart telling my husband id rather die fat then unhappy. over 100 lbs later i can tell you.. it was just my emotions talking and now i see a brighter tomorrow. (as i sit here and type this during a liquid phase after a fill hah!)

personally i think its kinda neat.. 5 bucks for something thats easily 6k in the US. Its useful to explain how the band works to someone.. especially in support groups. The support group here has one they pass around so that you know what ur gettin put inside of you =)

ill know the for sure number on thursday but looks like down about 95 lbs.. skin is starting to show it =/ which kinda sucks. but overall doing good =)

if i were you i would wait.. my wedding ring has a crossover type design that can only be resized up or down 1/2 a size. after 90 lbs its almost falling off.. and theres NOTHING i can do about it. we talked about buying the same design.. but its not the same =(

i had a berrum swallow the same afternoon as surgery.. nothing was passing through. I had another the next morning.. still nothing. again that afternoon.. nothing.. again that next morning.. nothing. They decided to go in and put in the larger band i slept through the night and the following morning i had another swallow.. this time it went through.. then i had a last one the following day before i was discharged.

liquid diet blues? Want a great holiday feast.. liquid form? http://www.jonessoda.com/files_new/turkey05.html hahahhaa my hubby bought some for a gag gift at work.. ill let ya know how bad they are in a few days after i hear about it =)

Even after all that i've gone through with the band, and then having it replaced with a larger band 3 days after surgery I would do it AGAIN FOR SURE! I've lost almost 100 lbs.. in less than a year. I have never felt this good or looked this good. But.. with that being said i will point out.. dont have the band if you dont have good insurance or the cash to pay for problems.. my bill was $70,000 thank god for insurance! And, complications DO happen i had a friend who was so convinced going to Mexico was great idea blah blah its cheap and she only needed to loose 60 lbs.. well thats crap imo she was so convinced NOTHING could go wrong. She actually told me that US surgeons arent as good as mexican ones.. I dont even talk to her anymore because i cant stand when ppl are not willing to open their eyes especially when a close friend DID have problems. I wasnt mad she was getting the band.. i was mad she wouldnt own up to that there things go wrong and that having your surgeon clear across the country is not the best ideas without a good followup surgeon close to home.. her answer was that her support group has never had anyone with problems.. wtf gawd ppl suck =) anyways.... id recommend it to anyone who knows what they are getting themselves into and yes id do it again!

Well i figured id put an update up i dont have much time to visit the boards much anymore but im still here =D I am now down 91 pounds lighter from the day of my surgery April 11th, 2005. I wanted to hit 100 lbs by my one year date, and it looks like I'll be hitting it before the new year date cant really complain much!! Things seem to be going good havent had any wierd things going on, am going in for an MRI on my knee (obviously not band related) starting to notice huge difference in clothes etc. which sucks.. cuz a couple of u sent me very nice clothes and they are all to big now!! Once i get time Ill go through them and send them off to another bandster. Eating is good.. i slipped up for about a month and now im back on track I had actualy gained 5 lbs over thanksgiving.. but lost 20 lbs since then. Still not exercising havent since day one. I know I will need to and really should be.. but eh i just cant find the time and at this point im not sure i want to be loosing any faster than I am. (sounds crazy i know but i cant afford to have to buy smaller clothes) I am back to drinking Protein once or twice a day, i took a break for awhile i was sick of it but now im enjoying it esp. since i drink it like hot chocolate (well kinda warm chocolate) with just Water + choc protein mix. I've noticed huge difference in energy and the scale since i started it back up. Dec. 1st i got a fill.. i got a real fill this time.. sorry i cant remember what im currently at haha but i will tell ya ive had to relearn some bandster business with this fill and its working out good i didnt realize how much i slipped up the last few months with eating not eating bad food.. just how much i could eat.. easily could eat an 8 inch sub with only eating the top piece of the bread (i have this weird thing were i take of the bottom piece of any sub sandwich and only eat a little bread and the meat + cheese) so anyway now im back down to eating half a cup or so and ill tell ya it feels good to be back on track i can only imagine how much id be down if i did actually exercise and hadnt slacked off.. but on the same note i am really glad its going slower than it could have because its hard to get used to all the changes.

i usually drink a protein drink in the morning instead of eating.. and then again maybe a few hours before bed (which was recommended by my nutritionist to sleep better, and it works) plus curves the late night "im hungries"

i really can eat whatever i want honestly i cant think of anything that i actually like that i wasnt able to eat so far granted after my last fill im taking it easy and not pressing any luck.. but the last 7 months ive been able to eat chicken, beef, Cereal, potatos (i like potatoes =D) honestly anything really lol the only difference is now i dont eat ALOT i only eat a serving there was a month there that we were going crazy had inlaws here and a bunch of stuff so we did eat fast food.. had no probs with that either i just eat ALOT less and usually skip most bread cuz i find it not worth the space it takes but i can still eat it i think the secret to my success is Protein drinks honestly =D i quit them for about 2 months and noticed a HUGE difference in my weight loss now im back to 2 a day

would any lap-band pre-op and post-op in Reno area be interested in a monthly support group for just lap band? just curious

So I'm sitting here thinking about something, I stop taking my birth control about two months ago and thats when my weight pretty much came to a stand still. So I started taking birth control about a week ago, and I've lost 10 lbs. I have not changed ANYTHING in my diet, exercise or anythng else.. the only thing different is birth control. (btw i have PCOS) is there something to this? anyone else experience this?

well im thinking it has to do with the hormones and the PCOS, since PCOS can cause weight gain and or difficultly loosing weight heh

Ok.. if you wanna tell me "your supposed to wait a year" i dont want to hear it... I get that surgeons want you to wait a year. =) I want to get pregnant now. Its 6 months after surgery I'm down like 80 lbs and I don't want to wait another 6 months to start trying. My husband and I have been married for 4 years, together for 5. For the first time in our relationship he has started to talk about really wanting to get pregnant and starting our family. We tried for all of those years btw.. including a few months on clomid. So hear I am thinking.. do I ask my surgeon? Cuz if he says to wait.. well what happens if I dont wait? is he going to be upset at me? I have lost more weight in 6 months than most are able to loose in a year, and much more than my own surgeon expected of me. I've heard so many ppl who did "oops" get pregnant.. and they did fine and things were great. So whats 6 months u ask? well.. considering I still am not ovulating and I've been through the process before.. it takes at lesat a couple months even to get going with a good fertility doctor and on meds for it.... plus this being the 2nd round.. im sure they will want to test other things instead of assuming its because of PCOS. My brother is now expecting #2.. my best friend is trying to get prego for #2.. everyone we know has small children. We are like the childless couple in our little ring of friends.. and anyone who has been in my shoes knows how bad that is. Not to mention both of our parents are getting very old.. and both of us want our children to at least remember their grandparents. I am ready now.. I want this now. 80 lbs is a huge accomplishment.. yes i know i could loose more if i wait.. but honestly that isnt what I want right now yes thats crazy.. but right now I want to start a family. Anyways.. had to get it off my chest. thanks for listening to my rambles

I hate to bring down the house.. but my psych eval was based on who was my support system. Afterwards she todl me that is exactly what they are looking for. However.. i used LBT and she totally loved the idea. Is there any local support groups?

u in marketing by chance? =) i hear ya.. and ive been there.. am there now. I'm hoping this last interview comes through because 80 lbs lighter i know my confidence shows... but i work in marketing/graphics 90% of the jobs im qualified for are jobs that apperance DOES matter. I take it with a grain of salt and know someday soon it'll work out. life always has a funny way of doing that i just wish it wasnt so slow so i could pay the bills =)

My best advice: Be completely honest no matter how worried you are of the outcome. This evaluation is an important step in this process and the best way to make sure you are (no matter how much you think you are) ready for this lifestyle change. I felt wonderful after having my eval.. it made me really open my eyes.

i called to verify.. definately says no tylenol. i didnt get to ask the surgeon so next time i go in ill ask why

great example of diff surgeons say diff things. i was told no tyelnol at any point.. to take advil or ibuprofen granted.. only liquid form he told me i could try coated advil.. but it just got stuck and i wont do that again

so my parents are coming up this weekend so hubby and I decided to go through EVERYTHING in the house and get a truckload of stuff to take to the goodwill (no joke either hehe we had 3 bed house now 2 bd apartment no room!) so tonight i decided to go through my closet... I found a pair of jeans that i wore pre-surgery that were size 34 I held them up to my body and HOLLY cow im like half the size of them now lol its soooo crazy. I have only bought two pairs of pants and a few shirts since after surgery and 70 lbs ago but as my last NSV when my nurse laughed and said it was time to retire my fat clothes i had to. The problem now with money so tight and STILL trying to get a job i cant afford to buy anything since we are barely paying the bills right now. Its kinda sad to see my closet empty but happy at the same time.. what a rush of mix emotions eh? anyhow i keep treking i just had a job interview hopefully it works out alright but i am absolutely terrified that I will get it for the fact i have to dress professionally and im about 1/2 size to big to fit into the dress pants that walmart has not to mention the fact were dead broke. Its a scary situation cuz i need the job to buy clothes.. but need the clothes to work at the job hahaha shrug good laugh i hope hehe I'll have to take a pic of me holding up my "fat" jeans!!

whenever im in a mood for soda i drink a rootbeer float. i let it sit a bit before drinking so that the carbination is gone.. we were told we can drink soda.. just only flat soda. thank goodness i was never a big soda drinker to begin with =D