juliegeraci

Hi everyone, just wanted to give you an update. I am meeting with my attorney on 9/15 to file for divorce. I picked up the packet today to prepare. My husband is still unemployed which does not help the situation. The court will order him to find a job within 60-90 days I believe so we shall see. He has no money to move out so this is a tricky one for me. We are still sleeping in the same bed. I've had to use some Tylenol PM to help me sleep otherwise I can't sleep at all. I am really hoping he'll be man enough to move into my son's room and have my son sleep with me. I am focused on my sobriety, lapband, my new friends I've been meeting, my weight loss, my finances and trying to keep the house payments going. My oldest son has come to terms with it so that is good. He said he doesn't know the man who raised him anymore. I am going to get my youngest son into some counseling because he is taking it the hardest. Please pray for me and my family. This next 6 to 9 months will not be easy. Julie P.S. I am brave and strong.

Girfriend, I will call you this week. I am doing fantastic. I feel like everyrhing is coming together nicely. I took the kids to a great little church yesterday and spent the entire day (just me) down in Capitola beach, had dinner. It was really nice. I am planning my future without Paul. I meet with the attorney on 9/15.

Thank you for your post. I feel really good about my decision.

Thanks everyone. I just love my lapband friends. I wanted to give you an update. Paul is trying to find a job so he can move out. Hopefully that will happen in the next few months. I still do want a divorce. I have been crying a lot because I do feel like I am loosing a part of myself. We have been together 14 years through a lot. He is my very best friend, but nothing more. I really am praying that we can both move on quickly. My kids are doing great through the transition. I attended a new church with them yesterday which they seem to enjoy. So right now the focus is on a job so he can move out. I relate to all of you. I just can't wait to feel safe in my space again. Julie

I had an extended tummy tuck on 4/21 with a tigh lift. I am no happy with the results whatsoever. I met with a new PS yesterday that told me my surgeon didn't have enoug skill to perform the tummy tuck and thigh lift for bariatrics patients. Instead of just making a bikini line incision and removing only the pannus, he would have started out with lipo suction first them waited 3 months and done a complete vertical and horizontal incision to remove the pannus and the upper abdominal fat. As far as the thigh lift goes, what a joke. I see now difference whatsoever. He said the only way to remove that fat would have been to make the incision from the top of the thigh to the knee. My doctor is terrible. I spent $20 for nothing. To make matters worse when I asked him if he knew of my doctor through teaching at Stanford he had no knowledge whatsoever. So I think its all a big lie. I have an email into my aunt to try and find a medical malpractice attorney. If I get enough bariatric surgeons involved I think I can win. Please let me know if I am handling this correctly. All my surgeon wants to do is lippo me some more and take out some skin. The other surgeon said I would definitely not get the full results I am looking for! Julie

Has everyone's electricity and gas bills increased? Mine has gone up on average at least 300 from last years. I do have a pool which we run 3 hours a day.

My friend is getting banded 9/3 with Dr. Ortiz in Mexico. Can someone recommend a follow up surgeon? How much are his fills for Mexico patients? My doctor's fees are very expensive, like $450 a fill. Thanks in advance.

Thank you all.

Wonder how much of a fill your doctor gave you? It is .2 or .3 even .5 you should be okay. I bet he gave you 1 or more.

Glad you got a slight unfill. Sometimes even .2 or .3 can make a big difference.

It sounds like you have a little acid reflux. I would try and take a zantac 150. That is what helped me. If it continues you are too tight and should have some saline taken out, even .1 or .2 can help reflux. I went through the same thing about 10 months ago. I had to have some removed, then I was able to go back up again. I am fine now. The is quite normal when you are banded. Good luck.

When you lose weight you lose fat around the stomach and typically need another fill. This is all normal. You need a fill. I have heard people go as much 7ccs or more in 10cc without a problem.

Wow girl, you look great. Keep up the good work.

When you are tight do liquids and mushies. When you are loose eat high protein solids. That is exactly what my surgeon told me. Good luck.

I am considered a success per my surgeon with just over 70% weight loss. I am a slower loser however. It took me 2 years to lose 60 lbs. I plateaued for 7 months and went through fill help for 2 years. Finally I hit my sweet spot 5 weeks ago and have lost 8 lbs since then. I follow the Weight Watchers core program which is high Protein, fruit and vegies with limited carbs. I do not exercise regularly. I am 13 lbs from goal with an additional 15 lbs as a stretch goal. I went from a size 24 to 18 in 2 years and now I'm a 16. So it can take some time to lose, especially if you have a fickle band like mine. I started preop 320, banded at 282 and I am now 213. Julie

Just another comment newbies. Sometimes it takes a few fills to get satisfied so you have to be patient. I have a very fickle band and it took me 2 years to get to my sweet spot and over 20 fills and unfills. I am hoping for you its 3-5 fills but don't get discouraged if it is more. It just takes time and patience to get there. Good luck.

Hi Paula, I have a telecommuting desk job with very flexible hours. My surgery was on a Tuesday and I went back on Monday. You should be fine but you may be a little sore and tired.

I have perfect restriction and I eat 1-3oz at a time. My doctor said sometimes good restriction is as little as 1/2 of an egg! I typically consume 1/2 cup of food. I at 3 oz of chicken, 5 slices of tomato and about 1/4 cup of salad in about 40 minutes the other day. So I think you are not quite there yet. 800-1k calories, 1200 max is good. If you are losing however you may be okay. It is totally up to you and your surgeon as to how much restriction to have.

When I plateaued for 7 months I joined Weight Wathers and followed their core program. I lost 8 lbs in 3.5 weeks. It is high protein, fruits and vegies. The only carbs you can eat are whole wheat pasta, cream of wheat, oatmeal, brown rice. You get roughly 3k calories to splurge during the week on whatever you want. I lost 5 lbs my first week. It is really worth looking into. Good luck.

Good for you girl! You will love being banded. Congrats.

I went with size. I am almost 5'9' and my goal was size 16 with a stretch goal of 14 (that is what I was in high school). I started in a size 24 and I am in a 16 right. I have a goal of fitting looser 16s and jeans so that is what I am aiming for. I weight 213 so I am hoping for 185-200. My doctor said that 185 would be good but we agreed that 200 is fine. I go by size only.

I went with size. I am almost 5'9 and wanted to be in a 16 with a stretch goal of 14 (that is what I was in high school). I started at a size 24. I am now a 16 with the exception of jeans. I have a goal of 200 (13

Hi sweety, sorry to hear about your troubles. The best advice I can give you is to rejoin Weight Watchers and do the core program. It is helping me take off the weight. I have lost 8 lbs in 3.5 weeks on core and I eat high protein, fruits and vegies. If you are always starving you will have to eat more fiberious foods as well as protein. I go to my meetings on Tuesday a.m. My leader is great $15k on a new band. I would try WW for a couple months and see how you do. I was plateaued with my band for 7 months until I joined WW and followed core. I am now 13 lbs from goal with a stretch goal of 28 lbs. You can do it. We are here for you. Congrats on getting back into your exercise routine. Julie

Just wanted to give you all an update. I asked my husband for a divorce last night. We talked about the kids, the house, his job, etc. He wants to relocate 3.5 hours North of where we live. We use to live up there 3 years ago in the country/lake area. I told him I really need for him to stay local for a while so I can get our oldest one through high school. He starts his sophomore year this year. I can do the 2 hour commute with the youngest every other weekend when he does move (1/2 way commute) and he can spend more time during the Summer with him so that is good. Our house has depreciated $200 k in the last 1.5 years due to the economy so we can't sell it right now. I asked him to wave alimoney and child support (I make more Money) so we can keep the house as a write off. I am told that the only way to get the spouse off of the house is to refi, but we can't do that right now. So if he can give me some money each month we can both write off the house. There is a lot of transition happening right now with him being unemployed for 9 months. So the priority is for him to find solid work, get some counseling, work with an attorney, etc. I am really happy with this decision. It is so nice to know I have lapband friends out there that understand. Julie

That is fantastic. Thanks for the compliment. I am about 10 lbs slimmer from the pic above. My goal weight is 200 with a stretch goal of 185. Weight Watchers wants me at 169 but I've been that low before and truthfully I am too boney at that weight. I am 5'9" tall. There are some lapbanders the same height as me and they are like 145 and size 10. I can't imagine being that low. I feel great in a 16. I am there right now with pants but not jeans. Jeans are my goal. I am looking into a tummy tuck revision so we shall see. I am going to be going through a divorce this coming year so right now that isn't my priority. I am 13 lbs from goal, 28 from stretch so we shall see. I look at things the same way you do. I enjoy my favorite foods in moderation. I just love cheese and almonds. I eat them a couple days a week and its really gratifying. I have been through a lot with my band in just over 2 years. I'm one with a fickle band. Truthfully, I just hit my sweet spot about 5 weeks ago. It took me over 20 fills and unfills, PBs, reflux, everything to get there. Its a great feeling losing consistently now and not throwing up. There is truly a fine line. Keep me posted on your surgery. Julie