Great2BThin

Just a quick post to thank everyone for the prayers. I am home from gall bladder surgery, everything went superb. I'm in quite a bit of pain right now and very groggy/dopey from the drugs. Thanks again. God is good!!

I am home and less one gall bladder! Surgery went well, forgot to ask the dr. why I ended up with 4 incisions instead of 3 but 3 of the 4 he used my band ones so no biggie. He also said my band and port looked great and were in good position. When he went to talk to my husband and in laws after surgery he told DH that I couldn't do housework for 1 yr!! Love it! My MIL got a kick out of and and asked him what procedure he could do on her. I'm in quite a big of pain at where I presume my gall bladder was, it is like the dull ache I had before surgery but much much more intesified. No gas pains again! Love that! he's good at sucking taht all back out. I'm so tired and groggy but I go to bed for hours and lie there and can't sleep. Just had some soup and that tasted good. Thanks again for all the prayers and good wishes! I'm on the road again.......

Good for you Jenni, for getting on the elliptical. I have one of those at home too and I love having it. I can go on it any time and even if it's for a few minutes, it's better than nothing and will slowly become a habit I hope! Plus it's a form of exercise that doesn't kill my bad knee since there's no impact. I like to do it to the TV or something though as otherwise I watch the minutes on the counsol and 10 min seems like an eternity, much less 30!

I don't think the advice given was stinging at all. Just very straight and to the point. Thing is we do need to make room in our daily lives for exercise. Will we all run marathons? I don't think so, but I think the point was we can all do something, and if we do, we will have more success.

Lynn, who needs a new Dr??? Well it's less than 24 hours til my gall bladder surgery. I wasn't too nervous til the hospital calls and goes over all the medical history, AGAIN! didn't I just give them that? Anyway they ask things like, 'do you have a living will', 'who do we contact in emergency', 'what is your religious preference'. Such comforting questions the day before! YIKES!! But I know they ask that for everything, they even asked that when I had the ultrasound on the gall bladder. I was very frustrated as I weighed in today (Thurs. is the day I had lap band surgery) and I was up 2. No idea where that came from. Then I get the mentality if I can gain 2 by following the rules, I might as well have ________(fill in the blank) but I haven't. It's a struggle though today with having the gain, being nervous/anxious about tomorrow, etc. So I am cleaning house like a mad woman trying to take my mind off things.

I just noticed you were in Midway, Utah, I used to live in Sandy (I see you were banded there I presume at Alta View). Anyway we used to have a booth every year at Swiss Days we sold hand carved Santas. I loved it up there, so beautiful. If memory serves me right, Swiss Days is coming up in a few weeks too!

Cathy, thanks for the prayers tomorrow I will take all I can get! I'm freaking out a little this morning about surgery, I keep looking at the clock and thinking, 'at this time tomorrow, I'll be in surgery, or recovery or whatever dependent on the time'. I was so frustrated this morning, I weighed myself, I wanted one more pound so bad to make an even 50 and I got my pound and one more, I gained 2!! WRONG DIRECTION!! this too shall pass and who knows what it is, I've been a good little lapbander. I was very pleased last night, I went to my small group (through church) and no one there knows about my surgery nor has anyone noticed my weight loss. Then suddenly last night it was like they all noticed, I got more wow's and you look great's, and well it just swelled my head a little (maybe that's where the 2 lbs are!). It felt good to finally have it be noticeable. Janet, congrats on the normal BMI, I know I was thrilled to be no longer morbidly obese and just obese. My next goal is to be just overweight, then normal!

We used to live in Utah and went to Lagoon every summer. I used to love it, til I got too fat for the rides. We'd go to the water park all afternoon and ride rides all evening. Until I became the carry person too! Maybe I'll have to go to an amusement park as a goal when I hit a big number lost! Thing is I will always be afraid I am still too big for the rides. Wonder when or how I will know I am not. HMMMMM

Jachut, I posted on that thread, it's my surgery month after all. And if you notice I mentioned how much you inspired me, there were others too, so don't stop responding because of the naysayers, but keep it up because you inspire others like me to do more. I hope one day to be one that loves exercise but even if that day never comes, that doesn't mean I am not going to do it. Some people just aren't ready to make the changes and forever, will want to play the victim, and then they will blame the band for not working and others for being judgemental and not understanding their situation. But playing the victim is what got us, well at least me anyway, in the positon I was that I needed the band. It took me a long time to wake up and see it, but when I did, it was life changing. It took a few health scares to wake me up but fortunately those are all gone now and I'm on the road to a new, healthier me and if that means exercise, well then exercise it is! BTW, I have never seen a lap band ad. Guess I need to stay up later or something.

I had someone PM me and accuse me of drinking only liquids in order to lose so well. And it wasn't worded very nicely. Um, no, I am following the what my dr. calls, 'the rules of the tool', which is eating right, exercising, etc.

Soulsister, beautiful!! Thanks so much for the prayer!! I keep repeating Phillipians, be anxious for nothing...... as my date approaches.

I was told about 30 chews per bite and put the fork down between bites. This is 30 chews on solid foods, probably not scrambled eggs. But to chew to liquid consistency. I still forget and take too big of bites and swallow too quickly then I get that stuck feeling and I am reminded quickly! :wink_smile:

Well I am exercising some. I know I could do more. But I try to do something 4 to 5 times a week. I do notice the weeks I do more exercise I do have better losses. it's been almost 2 mos. and I am still waiting for those endorphis they say you get addicted to and start loving it. Also waiting for it to be a habit. It ain't happening. They say do something you like, problem is I don't like any of it. LOL I got a bike and I dislike that less than many other exercises so am trying to do more of that. I have a bad knee (bone on bone) and it hurts A LOT! But I am trying to develop an attitude like brushing my teeth. Do I get up each morning and think, 'great I get to brush my teeth, it's so much fun?' NO! But I do it because I want healthy teeth, so I will exercise because I want a healthy body and a thinner one at that. That said, I will be going on a little bit of an exercise hiatus after Friday as I am having gall bladder surgery. After that, Snuffy you inspired me, I will set a goal to start walking asap after surgery maybe just around the block the first week or two as I recover but will incorporate more and more. Jachut and Snuffy are great motivators and inspiration!

Good morning. I had a very interesting support group meeting last night on plastic surgery. A surgeon came and talked to us about various procedures, showed photos etc. Wow some of the results were amazing, but oh those scars looked painful. The lower body lift with the incision all the way around the body, OUCH! And the inner thigh one was like a Z from your groin to your knee almost. There were lots of very interested folks last night though, our meeting was double it's usual size and folks were driving from all over the city to come. Also, got a chance to talk to someone who just had gall bladder surgery with my dr. so am feeling better about that. He drove himself home from the hospital. Dianne, glad you are back and doing well. PJ, for the first 5 to 7 days post op I was to drink an ounce every 15 min. but go by what your dr. has told you as we all know they do vary. About food discussions, personally I enjoy them. I always follow my surgeons guidelines but I like reading about what works for others and get different ideas of foods to have. I tend to get in a rut and do the same things over and over so it helps to change things up a bit.

Apples, Good luck with your upcoming surgery. You are right, I will be glad to have it behind me. As it's getting closer and closer I am getting a little nervous and anxious. Now you are living the life, lake house during the week, going south for the winter. Where is south?? Florida? Enjoy!

Nope Cathy, that is one scan I didn't have. I had psych, pulmonary, cardio, nuclear cardio test, blood work but no scan of that. Someone in chat told me that someone else had their gall bladder out recently and their dr. told them 40% of banders do have them out eventually. But I can't find any info to back that up. Today is my 2 month anniversary of the band so not looking forward to more surgery. But once it's over, lookout!! 100 lbs here I come!! I'm a pound shy of half way there. Though I'll have some more to lose at that point, I've said if I can get that far I will be elated! But I'm going for the goal too. Sorry to hear of your UTI's and Water retention issues. Hope it gets straightened out. If you find that clearance sale on lake houses let me know!! I grew up in Wisconsin and both grandparents had 'cottages' on the lake in northern Wisconsin, I so loved going up 'north'.

I don't know what it feels like yet either. But know I'm not there, as I am hungry too much. And to second that everyone is different. A friend I met online here but now also in person, has my same surgeon. She was banded in Nov. me in June. We both got 14cc bands. She got a 3cc fill at time of surgery, I got 4cc. My fills now total 7.5cc's and she was also just at 7.5 9 mos. out after several fills and lost 100 lbs., however needed some of that 7.5 taken out as she was too tight. So she's too tight and I'm not tight enough with the same amount of a fill. I'm at that in 2 mos, and her in 9mos. so there is no comparison. We are all so different.

My body seems to be resting at 49 lbs gone. Why can't it rest at a nice round 50??? i want that 50 so bad!! Maybe soon. Heck I am having gall bladder surgery Friday maybe my gall bladder will weigh a pound? :thumbup: I'm not to excited to be facing another surgery so soon (today is my 2 mos bandiversary) but will be glad to have it behind me.

Boulder? That's not far from me. Don't think a week after gall bladder surgery I'd be ready though by the 16th!! :thumbup: I'd say I'd come cheer you on but can't say that either being only one week post op at the time.

Personally, I'm not too worried about it. I'd rather have 'empty' sagging skin, than the full of fat skin that was literally weighing me down. I will be healthier, I will still look better and I will consider the skin as a battle scar from where I came from and a reminder to never go back. It's definitely not a reason for me not to lose weight as I don't want the excess skin. And, if it's a health issue or really bad I will look into removal, but will cross that bridge when I come to it.

That's fantastic news on the biopsy Janet!! Whew!! PJ, the hopsital didn't give me liquid Tylenol either, I had to buy it at Walmart. it's not a prescription. I didn't like how the pain pills the hospital made me feel and didn't need anything that strong anymore so got the liquid Tylenol which did the trick. Well 3 more days til my surgery (gall bladder) I'm getting more anxious/nervous as it gets closer. Tonight I am going to one of the support groups my dr. provides. They are having a plastic surgeon come talk to us and answer our questions. I'm a long ways from that but might be some good info. I am meeting the gal that was next to me in recovery during our band procedures. She was the surgery before me that day so it's nice to have a bandmate with same dr., date, hospital etc. to relate to, we are going to dinner before the support group tonight.

To the person asking if I would do surgery again, yes, yes, and a thousand more yeses!! It's the best thing I've done for myself. I am no longer on medication, I got off my b/p medication one week to the day after surgery. I'm down 49 (I want that 50th so bad) pounds (39 since surgery, lost 10 before) and am just thrilled. I am having to have my gall bladder removed, the weight loss may have had a little to do with that. I will be glad when this next surgery is over with (Friday). And welcome!! There's great support here.

I reread it now that I am more awake and get what it was saying. OOPS, sorry to the original poster. Maybe it's because ice cream isn't a big deal to me. I could have it in the freezer all the time. Now my trigger would be Fritos or popcorn. Can't have that in the house. I think it's interesting how we all have different triggers. Orea, welcome home PJ good luck!

Awe, Ellen, hang in there! I actually gained my first few days home (think it was from all the stuff they pump into you in the hospital) then I lost good. But then about 2 to 2 1/2 weeks it stalled. I lost barely anything until I got solid foods. didn't make sense to me either. I had bathroom issues, from one extreme (diarrhea) to another (constipation) but once I got solids the losses started happening again and then slowed til I got a fill, then slowed til another fill, you get the picture. No silly, for things like headaches, my bad knees, etc. Just general pain relief. Though today I was out of the liquid and took tablets one at a time no problem. I hardly had no pain from the surgery. Took liquid Tylenol about a day or so. But am now facing another surgery on Friday for my gall bladder so will have to stock up again. :teeth_smile: