shrinkingdiva

Well hi. I am feeling much better thank you and the meeting I had with Dr. Wagner helped alot. I hope things are going well for you. I know what you mean by having to learn to eat slowly I did that once and that's all it took now I pace myself and it's much better than suffering for a few hours with pain that fells like you're having a heart attack!!!!!! Yes Dr. Gens is the best and he is very no nonsense and he will tell you like it is I tried arguing with him once and lost so now I know better. I'm going to try to make it to the metting on the 13th , but i do have to work that night so I don't know but I will try. I do have some good news I've lost a total of 65lbs (yeah 4 me):humble: I'm very proud of that and like my mother say's I should be. How has it gone for you? well this dumb computer is acting funny I hopw to talk to you soon and maybe finally get to meet you at the meeting. talk to ya soon. Jeannie:D

sunshine please don't appologize I completely understand I'm just glad to hear that you are doing well. I can honestly say that life with the band is definitley an adjustment. Going out to eat is an experience in it's self and getting used to the new body image also takes some getting used to . I'm having major issues with that, so I called Dr. Wagner and told him what was going on and I'm seeing him on Friday. I have issues with still seeing that fat person every time I look in the mirror. which he said was very normal. but we can work on it... So tell me what's been going on with you are you enjoying the new life style? I know it can be hard at times ,but it's fun to see what comes next. I on the other hand I'm getting a little frustrated only because the scale is not moving and that Dr. Gens still has no idea what the heck is wrong with me so he's sending me to an area pain clinic I can't seem to get out of pain this was supposed to be a good thing and I still don't feel good:frusty:. Oh well get back to me soon ok. I plan on going to the support group meeting at the end of the month I hope you can make it so we can finally meet. Be good to yourself talk to you soon Jeannie:hug:

Hi Sunshine and Happy New Year... I now I haven't visited in a couple of weeks , but with the holidays in all I've been extremely busy and I haven't had two minutes to myself.. I hope this finds you well and happy. I on the other hand have had a not so good time , still can't find out where my pain is coming from and Dr. Gens is really getting frustrated. He just recently sent me for a four day test where they inject you with radioactive isotopes and it's supposed to find where the area of infection is, but all it came up with is degeneration in my lower spine which we already knew was there. So I'm really gettng depressed with this whole thing although the weight loss is great I feel like crap half the time and being in pain all the time is really no fun....enough about me I hope everything is going great for you and that you're not having any problems since the last time I wrote... Please forgive the lateness of this and write back as soon as you can I really need to keep doing this it keeps me on track to talk to someone who understands this whole process... talk soon. Jeannie:p

glad to hear the surgery went well.. I really didn't have a problem with diarrhea and I also didn't have much of an appetite either, but when it did return it wasn't as bad as it was prior to surgery. I really sometimes forget to eat, but I can't keep doing that cuz I need to keep up with my protein intake that's the most important thing. I also was quite sore for about a week, but that didn't stop me from going shopping and driving, I think I have to be the most non-compliant paitent ever. I wanted to do everything I could to keep busy, but I tried not to over do it (yeah right). I think I went to my first support group meeting a week after surgery and Nancy was very suprised to see me there (oh well). Keep up the good work and I'll talk to you soon.

hey booper, you do have support right here. I'm glad to hear the meetings are helping keep going, Dr. Wagner is really a big help. I'm also glad to hear that you're trying to stay on track that's the key to success. Keep up the good job and be good to yourself in the meantime....

Hello Sunshine, I hope everything went well and that you're well on your way to recovery. It is a little scary at first, but then it gets a little easier. I have to say that the first three weeks had to be my hardest and that's when I thought what the heck did I do then I went to a support meeting and found that I wasn't the only one that thought that way. I'm so glad that you did this you'll be glad in the long run it's just getting there that takes awhile, but like Dr. Wagner says the band takes time and don't expect too much too soon and be patient. I understand about the computer I've been away from mine for about a week only because of my work schedule and I'm sure you know how that is.... Keep up the great work and be good to yourself because now IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU. I was told that it's ok to be selfish for awhile and believe me I was, I treated myself to a new hairdo and a few other things and it made me feel good to think only about me for awhile and not have to worry about other people. There will be people who say things to you to try discredit what you've done, by saying you took the easy way out, well guess what it wasn't the easy way. For me it was the hardest thing I have ever had to do and now they say I look great and that I've done really well I pay them no attention and try very hard to gracefully say thank you. Well I have to go for now, but I take somemore time to write later in the meantime take care of yourself you did a good thing remember that......:banana

Hi again Boop-n I had my surgery Sept 19 and Dr. Gens did mine. He was great and still is I couldn't have asked for a better surgeon. So far I've lost 53 lbs and still going strong. It wasn't easy at first but I managed I also loved to eat and that was my biggest down fall I loved it too much. I can understand about the motivation I had a hard of it myself, but the one thing that kept me going was that I had alot of support to help, when I felt I was getting out of control my mom put me in check and told me that if I didn't meet that goal the surgery wasn't going to happen and that was very sobering. Keep on with the good work and remember that the end result will be worth everthing you're going through now. Talk to you soon:)

I'm so gald the apt went well for you. 4 days WOW. Don't get nervous everything will fine it will be over before you know it, but I know what you mean I'm little claustrophobic and there were to many people in that little room they had me in and I just wanted to get out and run away, but them they gave me a six pack in a syringe and everything was just dandy. I knew nothing and felt great I think it was Versid they gave me and it really did the trick. Sorry I haven't been here in awhile but work takes up most of my time, well I wish you the best of luck and I'm pulling for ya Dr. Gens is a wonderful surgeon so I know that you'll be in good hands and Nancy will be there also, so have no fear everyone there is great and will take good care of you and don't hesitate to call Dr. Gens he's right. talk to you soon......

Well hello again it's nice to hear from you, I really think that this theraputic, it has helped so much talking to you, to share my experiences with you and such. So thanks. I'm going to try clicking on your ticker and try that cut and paste thing. OH how did your appointment go with Dr. Gens? Didn't you have one today? Hope things went well. I don't see him until next month, but I may have to call him sooner having a few problems, but nothing I can't handle. Well have a nice evening. Talk to you soon. Jeannie

Hello Boop-n, This is Shrinkingdiva, I know how you feel about the pre-surgery weight, I had to loose 16 pounds and it felt like 100, I honestly felt like on the day of my surgery that I was going to get sent home because I thought I didn't reach my goal, instead of loosing 16 I ended up loosing 23. WHEW..... It was difficult, but I managed. What I did was mainly live on sugar-free carnation instant breakfast and ate very small meals for supper. I must tell you the classes really do help especially when you think your not doing very well and think you're going to fail. I know seeing Dr. Wagner was the best thing. He really opened my eyes to a few things that I never realized. So please don't give up and don't get discouraged it's hard I know, but just think of the end result and how much better you'll feel... If you have questions I'd be more than happy to help.

Just got your last messsage. I too took the weight loss pills and ended up wiht hyper-tension for all the good they did me. 288 was what I had to get down to before he would do my surgery, it seems like that took forever and I never thought I'd make it this far, but I did and I'm so very glad that I did it....I guess you really do have a strict insurance company.. well back to work for me tonight I work the over night shift and I'm glad we e-met also it's been fun talking to some else who's having this done I hope I can be of more help to you in the futrure... by the way how do you get the tickerfactory scale on I tried , but it didn't work? Jeannie

Don't mind a bit. It took me a little over 2 months to get back to work only because of the heavy lifting and such. I was also having a bit of pain in my lower left abdominal area(still don't know what it is)nothing to worry about though. Sorry to hear about the insurance, the one I have had no problem with approving me, they told me as long as the MD thought it was medically necessary then they would approve it, I had no problem with them and didn't have to jump through hoops either. As for my pain post-op hardly any except that lower pain, but that came about 2 weeks after. I also lived on CIB for about 2 weeks prior to surgery and the three weeks on liquids nearly killed me, I can't tell you how bad I wanted soild food, so bad in fact that when I did get put back on it I was so excited that I went home and made some chicken salad and ate it in 15 mins (it's supposed to take a half hour to and hour to eat) thus I had my first experience with food getting stuck. So when they tell you to make sure to chew your food well and take small bites, listen to them, cuz let me tell you, it feels like you've swallowed a basketball and it's very painful, I had to lay down for about an hour and I could feel the food sliding through(very strange feeling). I just had my first adjustment 1 week ago, Dr. Gens said they usually do that about 2 months after surgery depending on the person, I was doing so well I hoped I could wait, but I gained 2lbs and was very upset about the whole thing, he told me that's because we need to fill the band and it was no big deal that I gained 2lbs , but of course I beat myself up about it, I never ever want to be where I was prior to the band I like the fact that I can fit into smaller jeans and they're only going to get smaller. Filling the band is really no big thing, they do right in Nancy's office where that big scale is, I of course had to give Dr. Gens some problems, only because he didn't have an easy time finding where my port was and ended up doing it through x-ray. Not everyone has to do that so don't worry, it really is not that big of a deal it takes about 5 to 10 minutes give or take a few. Well I hope I've answered some of your questions and I look forward to answering more if you have them. I have a queation for you, how much do you have to loose prior to surgery? and what is your final goal? I set mine at 150 pounds and now I only have 100 more pounds to go, I'm very proud to say that I hit my fifty pound mark, that's according to my home scale, we both know it's Nancys scale that really counts......Hope to hear from you soon, keep on truckin' :cheeky Jeannie

Hi sunshine( i like it), no I don't mind all the questions, in fact I encourage them I enjoy answering them and am eager to talk about the whole experience. I'm so glad to hear that your surgery is coming up and good for you for making that step. It was one of the hardest ones I've ever had to make and also one of the best, if I had to do it all again I wouldn't change a thing. I started program at 305 pounds, I had to loose 16lbs prior to my surgery which was on Sept 19th, I ended up loosing 23 lbs, and since surgery I've lost a total of 50 pounds. As for my hospital stay it was wonderful, my only suggestion to you would be get up and walk as soon as you can, one because the beds aren't all that comfortable and you will have less of a chance of getting that pain associated with the gas they fill you with. As for the way I feel, I can't tell you the last time I felt this good, I can actually move like a normal person it feels great to be able to walk without pain in my hips, back or knees, and to be able to climb stairs without loosing my breath. I just went back to work I'm an LNA and to be able to do my job at a normal pace without pain is the greatest feeling. I must agree with you, the team at PRH is wonderful and very helpful I couldn't have asked for a better group. There was only one problem I had with the whole thing and that was the 3 weeks of that lovely tasting CIB, I think that was the worst part, I think I tried talking the nutriontist into letting me back on soilds after one week, which of course wouldn't fly. Please if you have any more questions feel free to contact me and I hope to meet you at a support group meeting. Again best of luck to you and keep up the good work. It only gets better from here. :banana

hi booper, I have recently had lap-band surgery and it was the best thing I could have done for myself, the best advice I can give you is stick with it. Give yourself this wonderful gift of a new beginning. I've had my moments, but then I look in the mirror and say WOW is that really me? keep up the good work and I wish you all the best.

HI MOONIETOONS, My name is Jeannie and I had my surgery at Portsmouth, Who's doing your's, I had Dr. Gens and I love that man, he's so nice and he's very caring. Best of luck to you. Are you having the lap-band or the bypass?

My name is Jeannie and I live in the seacoast area. I had my surgery on Sept 19th and It was the best decision I have ever made. My results so far have been close to 50 pounds. So if you're considering doing the lap-band I say go for it. I've had lots of support and that's key, without it I don't think I could have done it. Well I wish you the best of luck, and keep on truckin':)