Dragonwillow

My dad has grand mal seizures, and my oldest daughter has had 2. My dad is on medication because thats the only way to control them. From what I've found out through going through this with my daughter (who had her first seizure while on an exchange trip to Germany when she was 12) is that anyone can have a seizure if they reach their "trigger" point. We went through tons of tests, and with both of her seizures she had been awake for extended amounts of time and eating crap. So our neurologist has just let her know that she has to get sleep. She isn't someone that can go to a sleepover eat candy and drink cokes all evening and not sleep. (we try to make sure she is always in bed by 12. Did the doctors say how long you would have to be on the medication? Did you have any other things surrounding your seizure that was out of the norm? Did they have you wear the electrodes for an extended amount of time, like over 24 hours to register your normal brainwave actions? We had all of these things done because we were so afraid of our daughter being labeled eppilleptic. The medications can have side effects of their own. Since this was your one and only siezure I'm suprised they have started you on medication. Most people who have a siezure...never have another. Its only a worry when a person has multiple seizures from what our neuroligist told us. My dad hates changing doctors now because they always think they know a better combination of meds to control his seizures.....they change medications...which usually triggers a seizure and then he has to give up his driving liscense for a year. Did your doc say weather or not if you are seizure free for a specific amount of time if you can drive again? Sorry you are going through all of this, it can be very scarey I know. Melissa

A lot of things can cause your hair to fall out. And not just loosing weight from wls. If you loose large amounts of weight, it can happen, hence why its common in wls patients. I was shedding tons of hair, and was really freaking out about 8 months ago. I wasn't loosing weight, but I did discover I had a thyroid promblem. Get your blood work done and make sure everything is on par. If it is, your hair probally just has it "cycles" messed up. You see normally we shed hair, but not alot at one time, because our hair folicules are on cycles. When the cycles get messed up you might have 2 or 3 groups on the same cycle...hence lots of hair loss at one time. The good news is...shedding hair this way is not a permanant side effect, and it will grow back. I know how scarey thinking you are going bald is...try not to worry to much. Make sure you are getting enough protien (min 45 grams a day) and are taking your viatamins. My hair thickened back up...I'm sure yours will too. Melissa

I found out I had feet promblems when my knee started acting up while training for a marathon a few years ago. I was up to 18 miles in training (which is pretty much half way) but walking 18 miles on the weekends and then the short 3-5 mile walks during the week were taking a toll on my knee. I had to admit defeat and went to see a sports chriopractor for evaluation and he sent me to the foot doc. I have to say...I haven't had any promblems with it since, but I also haven't tried walking 18 miles at once either again. LOL I think once I'm at a reasonable weight I'd like to revisit the marathon goal again. I had suprisingly alot of fun training for it, and would love to say I completed a marathon some day. Sounds like you have a good plan for yourself now...sometimes we are the best judge of what works for us. Melissa

I have "The Goddess workout with Dolphina". I like it alright, my 5 year old loves it and is MUCH better at it than I am. At the gym one of my favorite all time classes is Zumba. They have DVD's for them but I haven't tried one of them yet. Anyone else? Zumba is like cardio with a latin beat. It's alot of fun and really gets the heart pumping. I haven't seen any of the striptease ones...I'm sure hubby would like to benifit from those LOL. Melissa

Congrats! Melissa

I'm not sure. If I lost my band and started gaining weight, I know my depression would be bad. I've seen first hand what rearranging the insides can do medically to someone (my mother who died at age 55). I know that this does not happen to MOST, but it has effected me first hand. It would be really hard for me to choose to do any type of gatric bypass, but faced with regaining my weight I think I might. I like who I become when I loose weight. I become more confident, more alive and just generally more at peace with myself. I don't think I can handle the blow of becoming larger again now that I'm starting to get closer to the more confident me. Right now, since I don't have co morbilities I would no longer qualify for any of the surgeries...so not sure what happens in those cases. Melissa

Thats one of the reasons I wanted to take some courses at the local college. Here too all it seems to require to get certified as a personal trainer is to take an exam. That seems stupid to me. I have not used a personal trainer myself, I have researched and created my routines myself. There is alot of nonsense out there though...and when I first strated lifting I even heard it from some of the trainers at the gym. Stupid stuff like women should do more reps with lower weights if they dont' want to bulk up. I'm sorry, but women have to do some major lifting and usually on some time of supplement to aquire "bulking" up. I usually lift as heavy as I can and accomplish 3 sets. I'm not bulky muslce wise..and I've been lifting heavy for over 2 years. Have you tried wearing and ankle brace while exercising? And have you had your feet checked? I found out my knee promblem was actually a foot and stride promblem. And with the proper foot wear I dont' have a promblem with it anymore. Also Pilates is a great work out for those that have trouble doing standard cardio workouts. Swimming is also great, and you will be suprised at how much of a work out it can be. Melissa

I love going to the gym, my favorite thing is weight lifting..which I will be starting up again tomorrow (yeah 6weeks out). My favorite cardio was zumba, but the instructor doesn't teach it anymore during the day, and I can't motivate myself to make a trip back in the evenings. Spinning is great, but recently took a begining class that the instructor had us do a 15 minute incline and that about kicked my butt. Most days I do the elliptical and treadmill for cardio. One of the things I think there is a real shortage of is trainers that know what its like to be overweight. How some exercises are just near impossible when you have so much mass in certain areas. Pilates...I stopped going, cause I felt like a beached whale in the current class. I took it a couple of years ago and LOVED it...but it was a different class group and different instructor. I think the instructors make all the difference. I'm really considering working on getting a personal training certification and have even been checking at the local college about maybe getting a pysh ed degree...since it seems to be the only thing availble with the courses I think would be benificial. I would like to work with maybe baratric patients or just people that have never exercised and feel intimidated by gym enviorments. Does that sound like a doable goal? or am I just caught up int he excitement of weight loss. One of the reasons I elected to have the lapband was that I had been working out for over 2 years five days a week, for 1.5-2 hour sessions without losing weight. (other than a small amount) Even though I didn't loose a large amount of weight, I never felt stronger or healthier. My doctor actually told me at one point when I was trying to convience him that I needed this surgery said "But you are the healthiest heavy person I've seen" LOL, kinda of a backhanded compliment? Oh and exercise tapes/dvds anyone try the belly dancing workouts. They are alot of fun, it almost doesn't feel like you are working out..notice I say almost...because you will feel it the next day. Well need to get off to bed...lots to do tomorrow. Melissa

Don't skip dinner all together..if you don't want alot of calories, just do a lite protien shake, or eat a lite dinner. Skipping meals can be as bad as over eating too. I lost 7lbs in the 3 weeks before my surgery, mostly did protien shakes and lite Soups. You have to keep your body strong before surgery. Just try and stay low carb. Good luck I'm sure you will do great. Melissa

I've been back at the gym doing my normal cardio workouts (salsa dance, elliptical, treadmill, spinning) since a week out. I did wait about 4 weeks after to do the spinning again, and it was a bit uncomfortable to sit bent over for the hour class. I haven't done weights yet, but hit my 6 week mark thanksgiving day....so plan to start in on the weights on Monday. I have really missed lifting, as it made me feel so strong. Just take it easy...and if anything feels uncomfortable just stop that activity and wait another week and try again. I moved furniture the day before thanksgiving and had no ill effects. Goodluck, Melissa

So sorry to hear about your loss Angie, you know you can call on any of us if you need to talk. Melissa

Karen thats great...you might just have a date scheduled by our next meeting! Good luck!! Melissa

Great Sherrie...let us know how your are feeling in a few days and if you have restriction. I'm not sure when I'm getting a fill. My six week mark is thanksgiving day. Up until this week I haven't really had much trouble controling my portions. My friend flo will visit soon and I'm curious to see if my appetitate goes back down after that. In the past I have always had trouble controlling my appetiate around that time. I too want to be an over acheiver too..heck I want to prove them completely wrong and loose all my extra weight! I'm getting close to the 30% mark now...I better not be done there! Melissa

Your doing fine...at least unlike me, you didn't wolf down a doughnut because you were hungry (because you skipped a couple of eating times) and thought you must eat something now or die...lol. I don't feel hungry now...but i do feel quilty. But hey the good news...is the old days I wouldn't have just had ONE doughnut. LOL. Melissa

Mine had me take some test ...and the anwsers I thought were pretty obvious...but i'm not crazy...so maybe thats why. Hmm, something to ponder. He mostly asked me about my past weightloss or diets. About how I eat. About the surgery and why I wanted this particular surgery and why I thought it would work. He also showed me cards with scenes on them and had me tell him what I thought was going on. How the people were feeling and what happens next. It was pretty basic stuff. hope this helps. Melissa

Hmm, my doctor didn't require a liquid diet..or really any type of specific diet until I made the comment that I had put on some weight while going through all the pre op tests. He then explained that it would be beneficial if I lost weight before surgery, as it would shrink the liver and make the operation easier to perform. He didn't really specify how I had to diet, but did suggest maybe 2 protien shakes and a sensible meal. I ended up trying to keep my protien level at over 45 and doing shakes and soups mostly. I did eat occassional meals, but tried to make good choices. It sounds like you did that by picking the grilled chicken from the weight watchers menu. I lost 8lbs the 3 weeks before my surgery doing this. As far as after surgery...I am 5 weeks out and haven't really gotten much of an appetiate back. Today I noticed for the first time...."oh..I think I'm hungry" But not sure if I'm really hungry or if its just that time of month (which is getting close). But I opted to drink some crystal light...and that took care of whatever it was. Don't fret too much about 1 chicken sandwich. Good luck on your upcoming surgery..hopw all goes well and you are unhungry like me post op. Melissa

Did it tell you your good and bad cholestrol too. Sometimes if you exercise alot, your good cholestrol will go up....and cause the overall number to be high...but in reality you are fine since your bad cholesterol is still normal. Does that make sense? LOL Melissa

Nice days? and Thursday is a nice day? LOL Melissa

I agree with Vines...being too tight can cause more promblems...some of which can even lead to having to have the band removed. From what I researched with the band you should still be able to eat SOLID foods, just small portions. liquids are only really meant for the recovery stage. I have also recently conducted my own experiment. I stopped loosing weight for like a week, even though I was following the rules. I discovered that by increasing my calories it has started me loosing again. I've lost 3lbs this week..and I ate approximatly 200-250 calories more a day. I practically cried on the scale when I saw it moving again. Melissa

I'll be six weeks out at Thanksgiving and I'm planning to have my 2 oz of turkey and a couple of bites of sweet potato and cranberry sauce. (won't miss the stuffing really). I'm not planning on getting too tight that I can't eat food without blending it. Are you too tight you think? If it comes to having to eat continual blended foods I'd rather loose slower, I like to chew too much. I think turkey gravy and stuffing would blend together though pretty tasty if you must blend. Melissa

Wow that is awesome weight loss! You are certainly insperation! Melissa

OMG I've been quoted :speechles. We went to a friends house tonight,they have candy dishes sitting everywhere. And we watched Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory. I didn't eat one piece of candy. Now that is will power LOL. I used to always buy cakes and Cookies on sale...sabatoged myself plenty with that. I still find myself checking out the sales....but have avoided buying so far. Melissa

bloodwork? did they send you what you needed there. And and upper endoscopy and Pychc evaul. Melissa

I'm on soft foods (just added fish) my favorites are: dannon yogurt w/fiber (you will be thankful for the Fiber believe me.) low fat cheese sticks these have 9 grams of protien each. (dip them in low calorie marinara sauce for a great fix) Fat Free refried Beans with a little ff chedder cheese melted on top and a bit of salsa Hummus...been making my own, great stuff...eat with crackers..pita is a little hard at first...though I can handle it now I like ff sugar free hot cocoa mixed with blended and heated carb countdown milk (the bilo store brand is like 40 calories and 4 gram protien, put carb countdown in it and for like 80 calories you get in 10 grams of protien. 1 egg blended with 1 oz milk with like 1 oz of chedder cheese Peanut Butter on 1/2 of an english muffin (just eat slowly...toast the english muffin and might not be the easist first thing in the morning. Laughing cow low fat cheese is good on english muffins too. Melissa

Was good to see you Angie today...you look great! I think you are looking pretty close to your goal...its gotta be more than half way there. Diane, sorry you didn't make it....we were out numbered by the kids, but they were pretty well behaved (cept my daughter who needs to learn to be less stressed by little ones LOL). She said when we got home that he was a cute baby and seemed shocked by the fact that he didn't eat or break her crayons LOL. (she of course was referring to curtis who she spent way too much time stressing over him "helping" her color. Melissa