riley4183

190 again this morning . . sigh. I was down another pound and a half a couple of days ago! But I get another fill today so I'll be losing again soon :-) Happy Friday all!

LOL Nicole, I wish! Only exercised a little over 700 calories off today . . . . it was just a happy, ,last-chance food day because I am planning on getting some real restriction tomorrow!! Woo-hoo! So you are right, I AM excited and with only clear liquids after 10am I will probably get less than 500 a day in tomorrow and the next day . . . so it will all even out, may even work to my advantage!! Goodnight ladies . . .

I ate bread at a social gathering with 3 bosses, 1 co-worker and 1 Supervisor's Aide, so high stress and I still put down 2 pieces of bread and a piece of pizza!! I NEED A FILL! OK I remembered some more stuff I ate today on my feeding frenzy, I am up to 1,981 calories and 151 grams net carbs!!! Still . . .I look at what one could choose at a fast food restaurant and they could easily eat that many calories in a single meal, so . . .at least I ate pretty healthy food! And it's not like I ate a whole package of girl scout cookies. And the pizza, it was tomato and goat cheese pizza, it was 1/6th of a appetizer-sized one and I didn't even eat all of that. Calorie count still gave me an "A" for the day for my food choices! OK now I am justifying myself, I need to just give myself a break, make some herbal tea and go to bed with my book! What do you want to bet I lose tomorrow because I ate so many calories today? Weird . . .

Tamra I am so proud of you! You are totally excercising your resistence muscle :-) Go girl! I wish I was, I excercied my giving-in muscle all day, and it got easier and easier! It started with the pickled okra (swear), then the girl scout cookies, then 2 hersheys miniatures, then after work 2 slices of bread (apparently I CAN eat bread, at least right before a fill!) AND a slice of pizza, and a bunch of swiss and parmesan, not to mention the microbrew! Just one of these. . . . all in all, 1800 calories and 125 net carbs (I limit myself to 40 net carbs a day)!!! Oh my! Totally last-supper syndrome, I get my fill tomorrow and I think I may be tight then like Pam and Tina and not be able to pig out, so I did it all today! Trouble is, now I am going to be REALLY HUNGRY and jonesing for carbs all day tomorrow, my fill is not until 4:30 so i will be on clear liquids only from 10 am tomorrow until 4:30 on Saturday! And starving because I ate all of these carbs today! This one's gonna hurt ladies. . . .

I had to lose 30 per Dr. Baggs, but I lost 43 . . .my PCP said he wanted me to lose 15% of my body weight before surgery, so that was the goal I set for myself (42.75 lbs., as I started at 285) The more you lose the easier surgery is, I had a super-easy experience & recovery. But the only thing that we know for SURE is that we are all different!!! And the docs know that . . so they say to count on requiring a 10% loss, it may be a little more and it may be a little less. Apparently one of the reasons that Heather has to lose so much is because she has not had children yet(!)? Only the surgeon knows for sure . . . .

Sound advice, Jes. And Chica, CONGRATS on the quitting smoking!!! That alone shows your committment to a new and healthier life. I smoked for 15 years until June 15, 2006, so I know all too well!!! I don't even know you and already I'm super-proud of you!!! Richmond orientation is held on Wednesdays, so you probably have an overview class locally on that Friday . . . . I think that's a new requirement now, Tamra can fill you in on it . . . but no worries, you are ON YOUR WEIGH! (get it? Way? Weigh? LOL) Don't lose weight before orientation!

Holy cow, 11 people! Doesn't anyone WORK anymore?? LOL Hey Chica, stick with us & go to the suport groups, and you;ll be thru in no time! I had orientation 11/4/08 with Nicole and had my surgery 2/23/09, so it took me 3 1/2 months, during which I lost 43 lbs! I am 5 1/2 months out from surgery now and as you can see I have lost almost 100 lbs. in 9 monthIt's a great pprogram but you HAVE TO work at it, it's not easy! Stick with us though and we won't let you fail :-) Tubby no help with insurance here hun, sorry! We are all Kaiser patients, everything is covered by Kaiser :-) Just had 4 girl scout cookies, can you tell I already faxed Robin my food log? LOL!!!

Ya know I don't burp when I pb either - I don't know why it is called productive burping! In fact my "soft stop" is a burp, or sometimes a hiccup although the hiccup usually comes later . . . when it's only 1 hiccup it means stop though! Funny how we have to learn these new signs of "full"

A "slider" food is one that is slippery enough to slide through the band - ice cream, for example. They defeat the purpose of the band because they do not stay in the pouch & do not make you feel full. PBd means she "productive burped" - that's when the food sitting above the band comes back up (NOT the same as throwing up - this stuff have not been in the stomach yet, it's just in the pouch), either because there is something lodged ("stuck") in the band's small opening, or because one has eaten too much for the pouch to hold! Some people never do PB, some just "slime" which is when the esopuogus is trying to get the food down by restricting/loosening and producing LOTS of ropy saliva, but the saliva can't get past the bacn so it comes back into your mouth and you have to keep spitting . . . . so lovely! Good morning Maria!!!

Mini-rant this morning: I am supposed to go out after work with the boss and one of the Supervisors' Aides, so I am looking through my closet trying to find something cute to wear to work today that I can also go out after in - you know, good clothes but not a suit dress. Well there isn't much left hanging in my closet, but I pulled out what few things I still have and - NOTHING!!! Nothing fits; stuff I was wearing a month ago is baggy and ugly now. I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR!! I mean, I have jeans and casual clothes and all, I get that kind of stuff from the clothing exchange (although nothing smaller than a 14, which is what I need now), but ZIPPO in the way of professional-looking clothes. So I am wearing pants with an adjustable waist (butt is baggy, but they stay up!) and a blouse that absolutely hangs off of me. How lame is that . . . . . . . but how nice to have this problem! Good morning ladies :-)

For the first time Candra, really?? You were one of us months ago!! But I know exactly what you mean - I can't believe the poor people that have to get banded and go through everything without the kind of support that we enjoy -no make that, that we depend on! Pam - TOO funny, the stirrup doctor ! Gotta tell ya tho, the visual is a little disturbing, LOL! I hope the bear hugs come after the stirrups!! I ate more today than I have since I started this process - and my son still stopped me twice. Once when I wanted to buy "him" a brownie at starbucks, so I could have "just a bite" - he's like, NO. NO BROWNIE. DOWN MOTHER. I should have walked/jogged more today (only 7.5 miles) but I had to dye my hair roots and wax my lip and shave my legs and, you know, be a girl! Being single I put that stuff off for too long sometimes. My PCP told me no jogging too, he said people of "our age" need less impact. They say that power-walking burns just as many calories and is 90x easier on feet legs and joints. I really only jog (and I didn't start until I was under 220) to to get my miles in faster! I can definately work up a sweat (but not nearly as high a heart rate) power-walking and pumping my arms good. If you can walk a 15-minute mile you are getting the best lo-impact aerobic exercise you can get without being on a gym machine. My PCP recommends a spin class - YUCKO! Although if I lived closer and we all could be in the same class, that would be a blast!! But I still need my morning walk . . . I'm hooked . . . . ~sigh~

Oh Candra Tina is right, totally start listening to the CD now! You can download it for your ipod here for free Healthy Living To Go Audio Library it's the one called "successful surgery". my son says it's hypnosis cause I would get SO relaxed when I listened to it! But me right to sleep too, even in surgery :-)

Candra, the pre-op class is called Rny but it is for both. I totally paniced about that! Then 1/2 the class was lap-band, yay! Lets pick a Saturday or a Sunday for the Petaluma walk, and we'll make sure Liz gets an invite! I am gone in Oregon the 22nd and 23rd, but other than that I'm good! I have monthly soppurt group 2nd saturday, you guys have it in sacto when? The 3rd saturday? How about Saturday August 29th? Santa Rosa marathon is Aug 30th, I am signed up for 1/2 marathon then . . . . or Sat. Sept. 5? If we figure it out by Friday am I can tell Liz when I go down there Friday PM.

Tamra, that's too bad! Dr. Zimmerman totally helped me realize that I WAS ready, she was great therapy for me! But I am SOOO glad you have Dr. Baggs - we just love him! He is SO positive and supportive, you WILL suceed, and he'll tell you that! It's not "if" with him, it's "when." And what does it tell you when the support staff like him? That says a LOT to me. YAY! Now turn on your afterburners, girl!! Get your excercise on!!!

YAY! That's a whole month! I started at 285 too, and had to lose 30 which is the highest I've heard of him giving anyone . . . . and when I met with him I was there, that was on a Friday and he was so happy about it he walked me over and got me anappt. with Liz for the next working day (Monday). So you may be there already when you meet with him! Yay, yay, yay. Plus of COURSE yu have to tell him you are part of our "gang," we are very motivated and he KNOWS we will be successful! I am SO glad you got him :-) :-) :-) Are they making you a psych appt. in the meantime? You should get them to do that . . . .

YAY! Lingling!! Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!

BUT. You should know before you change that it is doubtful that another surgeon will change your pre-surgery goal weight that Dr. Fisher gave you - it is reasonable and I'm sure based in physical reasons. If it was 70 lbs or 90 lbs they might change it, but 35 ain't unreasonable. I had to lose 30, even for Dr. Baggs. So if THAT is really why you want to change, it's not worth it. If it's cause you feel uncomfortable with him, which you've expressed, then for Pete's sake change! You need to feel 100% comfortable with your lap-band surgeon :-)

Tamra, if you want to change simply call and say that you met with Dr. Fisher and do not feel comfortable with him, and would like to meet with another surgeon. You do not have to say any more than that. If they ask just say it's a feeling, nothing particular. They will respect that - lots of folks have changed from him. If they ask if there is a particular surgeon you want, then you have to make a choice! When they asked me who I wanted I said Baggs or Im, they said "we have an appt with Dr. Fisher tomorrow," I said no I'll wait for Dr. Baggs, and they were perfectly fine with that.

Oh goodie lots of my pretty ladies are on now!!! :-) Tina good luck to you hunny - let me know how the budget meeting goes. They are saying NOTHING here, there are recruiting for a new CAO so I suppose they are going to leave it up to him or her . . but it will be months! They have warned us of mid-year layoffs but have not told us of any priorities . . I'm sure my division is NOT a priority

Woo-hoo Tina you are SO close!!! Onederland here you come!!! STAYing in onerderland was my difficulty . . . it kept thinking that I was just visiting! LOL. Heck you may drop another 4 lbs. before Aug 20th and actually need a fill again. My restriction stopped suddenly . . . . restriction, then not on some days, then not on any days. In the last 2 weeks I think I have felt my band on 2 days. I want to feel it every day . . . but only when I overdo it. I'm not feeling it AT ALL right now - it is monring, and I just polished of 2 cups of berries and my stomach is still growling, so food is going right through again. I may want the full .5 on Friday after all!

Reg, zero vegies?!? Yowza . . . I can't live without my vegies!! And my berries . . . . and I think you know where you're breakin' the rules - snacking and pastries - but girlfriend, that is what ALL OF US do when we are starving because we need a fill!!! So Tamra . . yeah I like Dr. Park a lot too, and I think if you are having anxiety about surgery she would make you feel SO much better! But she is bad about giving you a fill when you need it - like, she won't!! Reggie is not the only one to get refused a fill. Dr. Baggs on the other hand, if you think you need one and you have not been PBing, you get one. Even if you HAVE been PBing, apparently you can get a small one, huh Tina! He just told me to email him if I needed a fill before my next sceduled one, I did and he just said OK I'll tell Kelly to get you in. I was very reassured after meeting with him, too. But the person who was the MOST calming and reassuring for me is Liz!!

Tina why did you want Dr. Fisher? I wanted Dr. Im because Pam was so happy with him, then Dr. Zimmerman recommended Dr. Baggs, and once I met him I was like, oh you are SO my surgeon! What made you want Fisher?

Tina LOL, when your band gets tight it gets really chatty too! It has been talking to you a lot, suddenly! Maybe mine will talk to me again after my fill Friday, horay! Got my 6 month lab results back, I am perfect! My total cholesterol dropped a bunch, from like 188 to 146, that is really low!! But my good cholesterol dropped too, from 56 to 44 and that is bad . . . . they want it over 46 . . . how do you raise that again? Isn't it by like eating olive oil and stuff?

I'm here Tamra . . .home from my support group meeting. I have a lot of them, it's like belonging to AA or something! OK Tamra so why do you think you want to switch? What is your gut telling you?

IMHO, it depends on your pre-op diet and how long you are on it . . if it is the 6 month weight loss diet that you have to do for insurance, it's probably OK as long as it's still a while out from surgery. .. but if it's the semi-fast immediate pre-op diet designed to shrink your liver, or if your surgery is coming up real soon, then NO, alcohol is the LAST thing that you need! The liver has to process it, it won't help you at ALL.