WLS Wagon - RNY, LapBand, etc. JULY, 2008

[WenB]

Good morning! Good morning!

I'm here, just haven't posted yet.

Today is the third day of induction, and I'm already seeing the results - down 4.4 lbs!!

This reminds me of the first few weeks after my band...before my metabolism slowed to a crawl.

I *love* LC

[Kingschild]

Hey everyone!

[alaskanlaughter]

come read through this morning's 300+ thread i have a great bear story over there.....we had a bear IN OUR HOUSE last night and it charged my husband...

[Kingschild]

Wow...that's awful about the bear! How did it get in your house? We had one break down (or through) the door at a local store the other day. No one was hurt, thank the Lord. I'm glad you are all okay.

[Kingschild]

I have tried to eat moist chicken several times and each time I just want to afterwards. I hurt so bad...but I can't throw up no matter how hard I try.

Stupid chicken. But here's the kicker...I can eat steak with no problem.

Other than that...things are going good around here. LOL

[alaskanlaughter]

Originally Posted by Kingschild

Wow...that's awful about the bear! How did it get in your house? We had one break down (or through) the door at a local store the other day. No one was hurt, thank the Lord. I'm glad you are all okay.

we think that the teenager didnt shut it quite enuf when she came home...she was only in the house 5 minutes before the bear was...and the door has to latch "click" shut to be all the way shut...and ive done the same thing hundreds of times....they put the story in tomorrow's newspaper LOL i will have to buy a copy

[charit@**]

Im here.. My surgery date is starting to get close and I am soooo nervous! I have just been trying to not think to much about it. I will be driving 8 hours down to San Diego on the 10th because I decided it would be to stressful to fly. I enjoy driving so it shouldn't be to bad. I don't have anyone going with me so I will be all by myself in Mexico

Can some of you tell me how you felt right after surgery (band)? I will be staying in Mexico for 2 days after and then driving back home. Im worried about how I will feel making that long drive.

[retroworx]

Originally Posted by Kingschild

Wow...that's awful about the bear! We had one break down (or through) the door at a local store the other day.

Must've needed that beer pretty bad. . . .

[TracyinKS]

Shelly: I remember waking up in the hospital and thinking.. THANK YOU JESUS I MADE IT!

I then slept a lot, but the lady I had to share a room with kept snoring and ordering all kinds of FOOD from Room service!!!!!!!! DROVE ME CRAZY! (I don't know what she was in there for) I got up and walked the halls really quick.. and the next morning I was dragging my IV bag down the hall chasing after the doctor so he could read my barium swallow so that I COULD HAVE MY COFFEE!!! (yes I had coffee at the hospital!)

I was released by 9:00 am and by 4:00 p.m. I was sitting in a movie theater with a pillow on my belly.

[TracyinKS]

Originally Posted by retroworx

Must've needed that beer pretty bad. . . .

LOL!!!!!

[WenB]

I felt tired after surgery and like I'd been beaten up, but overall, not too bad considering the CO was causing the problems. I would make sure that you take several pillows with you, and make sure that the seatbelt isn't anywhere near your tummy. And make whoever is driving you stop every hour or two so you can get up and walk a bit - may make for a longer trip, but it will be better for you.

Good luck!!!

[mycattaz]

goodmorning everyone.. I am back home.. had a great time on my trip, got plenty of walking in.....

Jenny you will be in onederland in no time.... KUTGW!

alaska, wow a bear in your home, now thats to much excitement...lol will have to go and check out the 300 thread

I am getting stronger everyday.... still have alittle over 2 weeks to go before I can start exercising... I am ready to go back to the pool and work out...

hope everyone is having a great weekend.... will check back later

[Nancy291]

Hey everyone. We are back from vacation and guess what I have??? I have a surgery date finally!!! I will have my pre-op testing on Aug. 5th, I see the surgeon on Aug. 14th, and I have surgery on Aug. 27th!!! I'm excited and nervous all at the same time.

I don't have time to catch up right now (going to a church function) but will check back in soon.

[zelia]

Originally Posted by Kingschild

I've tried to eat broiled salmon 3 times now...but I can never get down more than 1 bite.

Broiling makes salmon dry and scratchy. Try this way: seal the fish in foil and bake it in the oven at 350 for about 20 min. The fish will come out soft and moist. You should be able to mash it with a fork.

[lisabinil]

Originally Posted by Nancy291

Hey everyone. We are back from vacation and guess what I have??? I have a surgery date finally!!! I will have my pre-op testing on Aug. 5th, I see the surgeon on Aug. 14th, and I have surgery on Aug. 27th!!! I'm excited and nervous all at the same time.

I don't have time to catch up right now (going to a church function) but will check back in soon.

Congrat!

[mycattaz]

Nancy so glad you finally got your date... I remember the day I finally got my date I was nervous and excited all at the same time.... it won't be long now my friend.....

[WenB]

Good morning All!

Congrats on the surgery date! It's a wonderful amazing scary exciting time, but you won't regret it!!!

I discovered something amazing today, I've lost an 10 year old girl since surgery (assuming an average weight child)

That absolutely boggles the mind.

[lisabinil]

Remember to take a picture each month on the date of your surgery-you will not believe the monthly changes taking place. Its a good reminder of how far you have come and how great you are doing in your weight loss journey.

[Nancy291]

Thanks everyone. I am nervous. My worst fear is losing all the weight only to gain it back. I have OVER educated myself on how to NOT do that, how to eat properly and exercise, but what if I fail again?? I know thats a normal fear based on past experiences and only I control the outcome this time.... I'm so thankful to have found a group of other WLS folks who can understand these concerns

ok, back to bed. I stayed home from church because I was up all night with a nasty upper resp. infection.

Everyone enjoy your Sunday.

[mycattaz]

nancy that was one of my biggest fears too... I told my support leader, my fear was that I wasn't going to do it right and would be a failier again..... since I have had gastric stampling in 1982 and again in 1983 people would just shake there heads when I told them I had surgery to lose weight and here I am back in the 300 again.....
that is one of the reason I am so big on support meetings.... I didn't have that the first time around, so I don't miss one now if I can help it.... my support leader said that we should eat up to 3 cups of food a day and no more.... my doctor told me to get a cup and measure all my food up to the one cup at each meal, eat protein to stay full longer.... always eat protein first then your carbs....

I really feel like you are ready for this and I am sure you have done your homework on what is required of you after surgery.... YOu will do fine

[charit@**]

Originally Posted by TracyinKS

Shelly: I remember waking up in the hospital and thinking.. THANK YOU JESUS I MADE IT!

I then slept a lot, but the lady I had to share a room with kept snoring and ordering all kinds of FOOD from Room service!!!!!!!! DROVE ME CRAZY! (I don't know what she was in there for) I got up and walked the halls really quick.. and the next morning I was dragging my IV bag down the hall chasing after the doctor so he could read my barium swallow so that I COULD HAVE MY COFFEE!!! (yes I had coffee at the hospital!)

I was released by 9:00 am and by 4:00 p.m. I was sitting in a movie theater with a pillow on my belly.

Thanks for the reply! Good to know I can still look forward to my coffee!

[charit@**]

Originally Posted by WenB

I felt tired after surgery and like I'd been beaten up, but overall, not too bad considering the CO was causing the problems. I would make sure that you take several pillows with you, and make sure that the seatbelt isn't anywhere near your tummy. And make whoever is driving you stop every hour or two so you can get up and walk a bit - may make for a longer trip, but it will be better for you.

Good luck!!!

Thanks!
I will be driving myself. I will have surgery on Tues. and be driving home Friday. I will plan for some walking breaks.

[Nancy291]

Originally Posted by mycattaz

nancy that was one of my biggest fears too... I told my support leader, my fear was that I wasn't going to do it right and would be a failier again..... since I have had gastric stampling in 1982 and again in 1983 people would just shake there heads when I told them I had surgery to lose weight and here I am back in the 300 again.....
that is one of the reason I am so big on support meetings.... I didn't have that the first time around, so I don't miss one now if I can help it.... my support leader said that we should eat up to 3 cups of food a day and no more.... my doctor told me to get a cup and measure all my food up to the one cup at each meal, eat protein to stay full longer.... always eat protein first then your carbs....

I really feel like you are ready for this and I am sure you have done your homework on what is required of you after surgery.... YOu will do fine

Thank you!! Sometimes its nice to know my crazy thoughts ARE normal

[Nancy291]

Lisab~ Great idea.....My sister is going to come the day before surgery and help me do pictures and measurements.

[TracyinKS]

I'm getting a slight unfill today!

I've been going back and forth for a while now... but I think I'm ready......

I'm not lying.. I am scared of getting unfilled, but I've been too tight for too long... and I don't want to hurt my band.... I'm hoping with a little unfill I will actually be able to eat meat again...... If I start regaining I will go get another fill.

[TracyinKS]

I did it.................. .4 cc is gone......... and my stomach actually GROWLED!!!!

I am not going to lie.. I am freaking out about feeling actual hunger again.

My band has been the total FREEDOM from hunger pains.....

By my calculations I started today with 3.7 cc's in my band, she took .4cc's so that leaves me 3.3 cc's! AHHHHHHHH this basically takes me back to OCTOBEER 2007 fill levels....... ok.. heres a vent...........

See..... I've been coming to this board since 1999...... it was small and a totally different layout.......... but it was HERE on LCF that I found a home... and hence my first trip DOWN the scale......... getting down to 172 lbs..... all by doing STRICT, and I MEAN STRICT Atkins Induction levels for a year.......... I got happy, lazy and BAMMM! Regain #1............. back up to 256........ 2003, did it again, and again in 2005....... so going into 2007... I decided to get a lap band installed to HELP with the maintenance and losing again......... FILL FILL FILL I screamed........... then I got too tight... and I stayed TOO tight during the holidays 2007 because I was AFRAID of gaining .. by January I HAD to get an unfill..... my husband was pointing out how ridiculous it was that I was not eating and if I did eat.. it would not go through........... so January I had .3 cc taken out and it was the difference between sipping broth and food........ but lately.... I've been having heartburn like crazy.. and NO... I haven't been flushing my pouch or any of that.......... and I CAN eat crunchy tacos, nachos, thick soup and crock pot meat............. but a friend emailed me and said that she had really bad heartburn and could eat more than she thought........... she went in and found out that she had stretched her esophogus and he totally UNFILLED her so that she could heal for 5 weeks.

THIS FREAKED ME OUT............... so after last night having really bad heart burn....... and 1/2 a bottle of rolaids later..... (and I wore size 10's yesterday) I decided that I would go get an unfil today........ I LOVE LOVE LOVE MY BAND and I don't want to hurt it or make it to where I have to get unfilled... (yeee gawds thats scarey)...........

Now......... 3.3 cc's in a band that is marketed to hold 4 cc's is still way more than the average joe.......... but for me...... I know that I will be able to consume things I shouldn't............ but my hope is that I will BE A BETTER Low Carber! ...........

and I gotta tell you when my stomach growled... I about cried....... MY STOMACH HAS NOT GROWLED AT ME IN A YEAR!!!!!!!!!! but then after I freaked out... I looked at the clock at it was 11:30 a.m. (DUH Lunch time.. I SHOULD BE HUNGRY) but I don't like it one bit.

I am being 100% honest here......... my husband, told me to snap out of it, because he pointed out.. its not like 95 lbs is going to jump back on me.. I can always go get more fill if I feel I need it....... and friends on other forums can attest to the fact that as little as .1 cc can make a difference........... AHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

OK.. I'm done now.

the good thing is the docs office was extremely happy with my loss because to them I'm down 25 lbs since January when they last saw me........

OH and AF is due today............ so LOVELY water retention here I come!

[SnowWhite]

Tracy you have done a wonderful job!!! I would say to relax a bit, and keep a food journal and watch how you "trend eat". I have a definite trend over the course of a month....PMS drives me wacko craving carby stuff You know your body better than anyone else....so just do your best and if you need the refill-unfill whatever the term *LOL* - Just do it! You have an awesome tool/gift now and it's there to assist you through your goal. My TRUE concern is that you meet nutritional requirements. You DON'T want to get malnourished. Are you seeing a nutritionist?

Anyway - although I had WLS which is very different from the band - I still can relate to a lot of what you experience...and let me tell you....My tummy growls every 2 hours In the beginning (and even recently when I was sick and had no appetite) I could go hours without the desire to eat...then tgake a bite of something and be full for several more hours....Ahhhhh those where the good ol' days. In my case that only lasted the first 6t months after surgery.

You're doing great though!
XOXOXOXOXO

[jemma28]

Well I am on month three of my Dr. supervised diet. I am doing pretty well I guess. To be honest with ya'll, the Dr. really hasn't given me a diet to follow. I am a little freaked out because I have actually put on a few pounds (maybe due to the edema?). Add that to the ten pounds the Surgeon wants me to lose b4 the surgery...and I am freaking out. The diet dr. says no worries, he will put me on a liqued diet b4 my surgery and all will work out. I'm not convinced.

I have done all of my testing (blood, ekg, psych and sleep apnea). I had to do two days of a sleep apnea study because apparently I have it pretty bad. I am waiting for the dr to call back with results of the 2nd test so that I can get my cpap machine. I have had this severe pitting edema for 2.5 months now and the dr says it's due to the sleep apnea. I was even hospitalized for them to do tons of tests on me to find out why I was swelling so bad and they all came back normal. The EKG did show evelvated pressures on the left side of my heart which is caused by the SA and this in and of itself will cause the edema. Diuretics aren't even helping and I am just sick and tired of having cankles.

I keep dreaming of what life will be like when this weight comes off and I cant even begin to describe how ready I am for this. I am tired of being tired and I want to walk into a room and finally not be the biggest person in there. I want my Dh to be proud to have me on his side (not that he isn't proud now, but you know what i mean) And I want to be able to walk my kids into school without having to worry about their friends making fun of their fat Mom and the effects that will have on them.

I will keep ya'll updated and I am so happy to see how well all of you guys are doing. It's truly an awesome experience watching your transformations.

[Kingschild]

Hey everyone. I didn't lose any weight this week...I lost a bottle of pills that I have to have each day. I can't get more because it's a controlled substance. Apparently one of its side-effects is suppressed appetite because I've been hungry all week! I've been eating twice as much as I was and it's really pissing me off. I can't get my meds until next week.
I've also noticed my protein consumption is down while my carbs are up. I'm only 10 weeks post-op!

Uggggh....HELP!

[Kingschild]

On a lighter note...we all went for a 2.5 mile hike on Saturday. I was EXHAUSTED!!! But it was fun.