Daisybelle

Hi Kathy, Thanks for noticing I wasn't around. I'm happy to be back. Things were in such a turmoil when we were away, what with not knowing what was going on here at home and if we'd have a home to return to or not. It's so nice for things to be back to relative normalcy. I hope we hear from Paula & the others soon.

Before surgery I was taking 1000mg of Glucophage twice a day AND 60 units of Humalog 75/25 twice a day and my blood sugar was still around the 200 mark. BUT, since the day of my surgery I have not needed any type of medication for my Diabetes. I've been able to control it with diet and exercise alone... SINCE THE DAY OF MY SURGERY! Isn't that amazing? Of course, I still test regularly and my doctor keeps a close watch, and I am very careful about what I eat.. .but if I never saw any results except these I would be extremely happy to have had the surgery.

I was banded July 27 and haven't had a fill yet either. I don't have as much restriction as I did the first couple of months, but I still try hard to chew thoroughly and eat slowly. I hate to throw up! So I'll do anything to avoid it. I do find that if I don't eat slowly enough though I feel uncomfortable and have the hiccups for a while afterward. Other than that I really don't have many problems. But, I do have trouble sleeping on my port side - the left - which is my best sleeping side and on my stomach - which I really don't care to do anyway. Oh, and I've lost 49 pounds so far... yay! But I have slowed down to a solid 2 pounds a week from the major amounts I was loosing at first.

I eat pretty normally... just smaller portions, except that I have absolutely no desire for carbs-rice/potateos/bread/corn/sweets. Which I used to survive on! I'm still amazed at that. I normally eat like this (but try to vary it some from day to day): Water, meds B/F - 1 scrambled or boiled egg sometimes with a bit of ham or chicken and about 1/2 cup of fresh fruit or sugar free yogurt. If I'm running late I have a Protein shake or bar. Then I take my Vitamins on a full stomach. WATER lunch - 2 or 3 oz of turkey, chicken or tuna, 1/2 cup veggies ... maybe a whole-grain cracker or 2, but not very often WATER Snack - a bit of meat or cheese, or maybe half a Protein Bar, or some whole-grain cereal with milk WATER Supper - 2 or 3 oz of beef or turkey, 1/2 cup veggies (different from the ones I had at lunch), fruit or yogurt... very occasionally I might have a Tablespoon or 2 of rice or Pasta - but that's rare. WATER, meds I really don't watch my fat intake - I find that if I cut it too low my skin gets super dry & itchy and my hair looks dull & lifeless. But, as you can see, I don't get a lot of fat from the foods I eat anyway. I do count calories - though not strictly.. I just keep a running total in my head so I don't go over 1800. When I first started eating solids I wrote everything down religiously and I will probably do that again if I feel myself loosing control. I don't exercise as much as I probably should, but we live on a small farm and I get a daily workout that way. Along with 3x a week at Curves. I'm 11 1/2 weeks post op and haven't had a fill yet so I'm hardly an expert, but thought I'd share since you asked.

Hey All, I haven't been able to post updates because we were caught up in RITA and have just returned home. I weighed 340 this morning, that's -7 since I last posted and -10 so far in the challenge. I am looking forward to catching up on all the posts I've missed!

I was banded 7/27/05 by Dr. Javier de la Garza in Mexico and have lost 42 pounds so far. I haven't felt the need for a fill yet, no PBs, no problems at all ~ thankfully. But I am very, very, v-e-r-y careful about when, where, what and how I eat. I am determined not to have gone through the surgery and all the expense just to screw it up because I have a craving or don't take time to chew my food well. This is my one chance to prove that I CAN do it.. and I will!

First of all ~ YAY! I've been averaging 5+ pounds per week since I was banded and I haven't had my first fill yet. I know that won't last, but I'm happy that it's gone on this long! Besides, I think I am loosing more than the average because I am much bigger than the average bandster. Honestly though, I don't care what the reason is, I'm just going to enjoy it while it's happening! I'm weiging in at 347 this morning. That's -3 since I started the challenge last week. (And when I see the doctor on Wednesday it will be the first time I'll be able to weigh on the "regular" scale - which only goes up to 350 - since I can remember!!!!!)

You won't really need anyone unless you have some heavy lifting to do. My husband and daughter are very supportive and always were. I didn't tell anyone else and though they've noticed I am loosing weight no one has associated it with the time I took off from work. I could've gone back after a week, but took the 3 weeks off that I had planned. Even though I didn't really feel bad after the first few days I rested a lot and just tried to adjust to my new lifestyle. Frankly, it was nice to have the time alone.

Who or what is Nickit?

Hey Deb, I'm near LC too. Sorry I missed your post at first, but I just discovered that there were seperate forums for each state! I'm fairly new to all of this - only 7 weeks post-op tomorrow, but if I can help in anyway please feel free to email me at smlr3@yahoo.com or PM me here.

I had that! Still do occasionally. I'm 7 weeks post-op. I like to think of it as my big old stomach shrinking! (Hopefully that's what it is!!!)

I chose the band mainly because it's reversable. If something should go horribly wrong I like knowing I can have it taken out. Also, my neice is an ICU nurse and she made me promise never to have gastric bypass no matter how desperate I was. She's seen too many people who ended up really, really sick or dead... and I have a family that I'm not ready to leave. And, to a certain extent, price was a consideration too. Since I was self-pay and the band cost less than half the amount of a bypass.. with fewer complications (that would mean more expenses).. it just seemed like the right choice all the way around.

I'll be thinking of you! It's a whole new beginning on a whole new life.

I'm just starting this exercise thing but my teen-age daughter and I do go to Curves 3x a week. It's fun and not too strenuous for me, yet she can make it work for her too.

I am so out of shape that I don't even know what that is! :S But you go girl!!! I don't have to know what it is to see the enthusiasm in your writing and know it's a wonderful accomplishment!

For me it hurt like the dickens! I woke up in the recovery room thinking I was having a heart attack. I kept saying, "My chest hurts, my chest hurts!" and pounding it with my fist. The doctor came to say that it wasn't my chest, but my abdomen. Which I thought was hillarious.. my abdomen was between my breasts!?!? Well, anyway, that's how I remember the conversation. I had a lot of pain for the first few days, then about day 5 it was suddenly gone and I could relax and enjoy my time off from work. BTW, make sure to ask before the surgery that they give you something for nauseau right away. I have a problem with anesthesia .. it always, always makes me nauseaus. And the one thing you don't want to do is throw up after surgery and have to go through the whole thing over again! I remember thinking (and still wondering today) why I always thought people who had weight loss surgery were taking the easy way out. It was so very hard at first and it really hurt. Even now there's a lot to think about and do and be careful about, but all-in-all things are pretty great. (I'm 7 weeks post-op tomorrow.) I stayed only one night after surgery. I think that's pretty common. Didn't have much gas pain after the surgery, though the Dr. told me I probably would have pain in my shoulder, etc. and I did have a bit. He gave me something for the pain in general, an analgesic (if I remember correctly), and some other kind of medicine to take for a while after surgery. Funny how I can't remember what it all was. *shrug* But I know there were 3. Despite the pain, I'd do it all over again because so many wonderful things have happened to me these past 7 weeks. Mainly, I have not had to take any medication for diabetes or high blood pressure since the day before my surgery! I was on maximum doses of 2 meds and very high doses of 2 others and POOF! it's all gone now. In fact, I donated what I had left of those 4 meds to evacuees of Katrina who are staying in our area. PTL!

You know, you don't have to have a fill just because someone set that date. You don't need a fill till you need a fill... know what I mean? Aside from that, I was banded in late July. I lost 18 pounds the first week on liquids and 11 the second. Then I started on soft food and promptly gained back 9 pounds over those 2 weeks. I was horrified! I had done a lot of research, but I didn't remember ever reading that people actually gained weight after banding!! But, I talked with my doctor, read some more & posted a bit and found out that it's quite common to gain back a bit when you start eating again. All the reasons given made sense but I was still disheartened and felt a bit of a failure. Then when I started eating "real" food I began losing again. *shrug* I don't get it, but I'm happy about it. Hang in there... things will change before you realize it.

I hope it's not too late to join. Today's weight is 350. I'd like to loose 15 pounds by end of challenge. Here's my current photo:

I've read lots of people saying they can't eat more than 1/2 a cup at a meal. I usually eat more than that though I've found that I can hold more of soft foods (like pudding and chicken salad), about 1 cup total, than I can of "real" food (like cooked chicken and vegetables). I'm not really sure just how much I could eat, because I am very careful not to overfill. I did try to eat a sausage biscuit the other day but couldn't get much in. I took the top half of the biscuit off and pushed the bottom half back a bit so that I would get mostly meat in each bite and still managed to only eat half of that. But I was full and felt good with that until lunch time. Last night we stopped by Taco Bell. I tried to eat my favorite bean burrito with sour cream. After a couple of bites though, I opened it up and just scooped out the beans leaving the tortilla for the trash. I just have no desire to overeat like I used to. Edited to add that I haven't had a fill yet.

I had surgery done in Mexico by Dr. Javier de la Garza. I was more than pleased with the dr. He emailed me a number of times while we were in the planning stages and we also spoke on the phone a couple of times. Because of my health and the fact that I weighed almost 400 pounds it would have been difficult for me to fly so Dr. de la Garza offered to do the surgery in Reynosa which is just across the border from McAllen, TX. We took our RV, stayed in a beautiful park in McAllen and the dr's assistant picked me up, drove me back and forth across the border, filled out all paperwork, picked up my meds, even brought my husband and daughter to visit me in the hospital after the surgery. The Dr. called me the day I got back in McAllen and then a few days later when I was back home in Louisiana, and we continue to email. I have all confidence in Dr. de la Garza. His assistant, Marisol, was competent, compassionate and more than helpful in every way. The hospital in Reynosa was not as modern as our local hospitals, but the staff was caring and attentive and everything went perfectly well. The only scary part was the night in the hospital after the surgery. No one spoke english well, and I spoke no spanish at all so communication was a bit of a problem. But we worked it out with hand signals and giggles and I survived! All-in-all, I'd do it again exactly the same - except I would probably take the time to learn at least a few simple spanish phrases. (The cost was $8500 for dr, hosp, assistant, follow-ups) BTW, I still can't get over the fact that everytime I called Dr. de la Garza - even the very first time, before we had emailed or anything, I got to speak directly with him! That has never happened with any doctor I've had in the states. The only time I have spoken directly to a doctor on the phone was when I was told I had a "mass"..

Those are the exact reasons I decided not to tell anyone. Along with the fact that I chose to go to Mexico to have my surgery and knew I would get flack from lots of ignorant people about that. My husband and daughter know, of course, and my boss because I had to ask for the time off from work. After about a month I told my closest friend because she noticed I wasn't eating. I really don't plan on telling anyone else.

My doctor also said 6 weeks, which will be very soon for me, but I really don't feel the need for a fill yet. If you've already booked passage that's non-refundable I'd stick with it. I'm sure the doctor won't make a big deal out of a few days if you really need a fill.

Congratlulations! What a wonderful accomplishment. :laugh

Thanks, but I'm not so sure it's willpower as much as it is the fear of having to go through it all again! I know it's hard to make the changes and follow doctor's orders, but you're doing great. At least you have the desire to change your habits and that's the first step!

I use an unflavored soy protein and add it to various drinks and foods to up my daily protein intake.