melly37
Reasons for good change
Mar 25, 2008
I am trying to motivate myself again. I was so happy to see the scales moving the first 6 weeks after surgery....I couldn't imagine that it would have stopped so soon.
I would say for the last 10 years or so my weightloss always stopped around 20 pounds or so, and the scale wouldn't budge after that. Therefore, I would get discouraged and quit dieting. I sort of did the same thing this time around. The big difference is I can't go hog wild on my portions now, but I can sure eat bad stuff! UGH
So, to motivate myself, I am trying to get back in the mindset I had right before surgery.
* I quit smoking as a requirement for the surgery....but I have felt so much better after quitting. Before surgery I was excited to see how much more energy I would have for exercising being smoke free AND being thinner.
* I looked forward to taking some sort of vacation this summer where I wouldn't be TOO embarassed to wear a swimsuit. I knew I wouldn't be ready for a bikini, but just to not look like a beached whale would be great!
* In the past (way back when I was around 20 years old) counting calories made me feel empowered. I was in control...I could control what I ate just by limiting calorie intake. I lorded over food!!
* Getting a whole new wardrobe for summer was in my plans.
* Getting off of my diabetes and high blood pressure meds was definitely something I wanted to do as soon as possible
These are just a few of my thoughts that I used to day dream about right before surgery. All of these are still attainable. I just need a little kick in the butt.
I have not lost the war.....just take a break from battling. LOL I am back in the game baby!!!
I would say for the last 10 years or so my weightloss always stopped around 20 pounds or so, and the scale wouldn't budge after that. Therefore, I would get discouraged and quit dieting. I sort of did the same thing this time around. The big difference is I can't go hog wild on my portions now, but I can sure eat bad stuff! UGH
So, to motivate myself, I am trying to get back in the mindset I had right before surgery.
* I quit smoking as a requirement for the surgery....but I have felt so much better after quitting. Before surgery I was excited to see how much more energy I would have for exercising being smoke free AND being thinner.
* I looked forward to taking some sort of vacation this summer where I wouldn't be TOO embarassed to wear a swimsuit. I knew I wouldn't be ready for a bikini, but just to not look like a beached whale would be great!
* In the past (way back when I was around 20 years old) counting calories made me feel empowered. I was in control...I could control what I ate just by limiting calorie intake. I lorded over food!!
* Getting a whole new wardrobe for summer was in my plans.
* Getting off of my diabetes and high blood pressure meds was definitely something I wanted to do as soon as possible
These are just a few of my thoughts that I used to day dream about right before surgery. All of these are still attainable. I just need a little kick in the butt.
I have not lost the war.....just take a break from battling. LOL I am back in the game baby!!!
Just checking in
Mar 21, 2008
Well, I have really been stalled with my weight loss for the last three to four weeks. I finally got down to 225 right before Aunt Flo showed up last month. When she left I was back up to around 230. Since then I have gone back down to 225, but some mornings its at 227, 228...this morning it was 229 and last week it was 224. SO, I guess it's obvious I have been really stalled.
If I am being honest with myself I guess I am probably taking in too many calories. I wanted to believe that I was doing good because I was eating pretty small portions and even started exercising. *sigh* I guess I will need to start counting calories. I really hate doing that. I thought I would be free from real dieting since being banded. I knew I would need to make healthier choices, but I need to do what it takes to lose this weight!! I am excited about my fill in less than two weeks, I am almost positive that will give me real good restriction! I sure hope so!!!
I did have some awesome news this week. I have been invited to go to a conference through work!!! I will be flying to Washington DC the last week of April!!!! OMG!!!
I have never had an oppurtunity like that, EVER!!!! I am so excited!! We will be able to take tours and see stuff in the evenings. I was just thinking to myself the other day that I would probably never have the money or the chance to travel to Washington DC. This is just such an awesome chance!! I am so dang glad I changed jobs almost a year ago. If I hadn't of changed jobs I would have never had the lap band done either!! I had looked in to it half heartedly before, but once a co-worker at my new job said she was going to persue it, I decided to look in to it more seriously. She ended up chickening out, and here I am! LOL
I really have been blessed this past year.....so I guess counting calories until I have proper restriction, or even forever might be something I can live with!
If I am being honest with myself I guess I am probably taking in too many calories. I wanted to believe that I was doing good because I was eating pretty small portions and even started exercising. *sigh* I guess I will need to start counting calories. I really hate doing that. I thought I would be free from real dieting since being banded. I knew I would need to make healthier choices, but I need to do what it takes to lose this weight!! I am excited about my fill in less than two weeks, I am almost positive that will give me real good restriction! I sure hope so!!!
I did have some awesome news this week. I have been invited to go to a conference through work!!! I will be flying to Washington DC the last week of April!!!! OMG!!!
I have never had an oppurtunity like that, EVER!!!! I am so excited!! We will be able to take tours and see stuff in the evenings. I was just thinking to myself the other day that I would probably never have the money or the chance to travel to Washington DC. This is just such an awesome chance!! I am so dang glad I changed jobs almost a year ago. If I hadn't of changed jobs I would have never had the lap band done either!! I had looked in to it half heartedly before, but once a co-worker at my new job said she was going to persue it, I decided to look in to it more seriously. She ended up chickening out, and here I am! LOL I really have been blessed this past year.....so I guess counting calories until I have proper restriction, or even forever might be something I can live with!
Another fill scheduled with Frezza
Mar 13, 2008
I had a rather long conversation with my insurance company yesterday. They will not cover or reimburse for fills for anyone except Frezza's office. They also will no longer pay for a fill under flouro unless it's medically necessary. So, Frezza will have to do it himself in his office. I called his office and scheduled a fill for April 2nd. I wanted to go through him rather than Fill Centers USA this time, mainly becuase HE will be doing it. Since I haven't seen him since surgery, I have a lot of questions for him.
I don't think I will need a big fill, since I am feeling a bit of restriction at this point. I also need to find out from Frezza if there was any saline put in my band when it was placed. Someone posted that AP bands should have 3 CC's of saline in from the beginning to prime the band. I just hope his office doesn't try to move or cancel my appointment!!
I don't think I will need a big fill, since I am feeling a bit of restriction at this point. I also need to find out from Frezza if there was any saline put in my band when it was placed. Someone posted that AP bands should have 3 CC's of saline in from the beginning to prime the band. I just hope his office doesn't try to move or cancel my appointment!!
Things happen for a reason....
Mar 08, 2008
Or so we have been told all of our lives. Well, I think the 2 CC fill happened for a reason. While I can't say that I am at my sweet spot, I can say that I fill some restriction. I didn't stay on liquids for the full week. I went ahead and went to mushies on Sunday and part of Monday, Once I was on solid foods, I could feel myself getting full on only about 1/2 cup of food!! On Thursday I was eating leftovers for lunch, I had shredded roast and pinto beans. I took a big bite and didn't chew very well, and 
it came back up! YUCK!! Not pleasant! I spent about 10 minutes trying to get my two bites of lunch back up. I was pretty sore afterwards but because I was so hungry I managed to eat some more...mostly beans. That might have been a bad thing to do, I hope not too bad. I stayed on liquids after that the rest of the day.
I am eating smaller portions and trying to chew better.....but last night and today have been able to eat more than 1/2 cup of food. So, even though my 2 CC's wasn't enough to put me in the sweet spot, I think 5 CC's would have left me overfilled! I am pretty sure that my next fill will be with Fill Centers USA. I found out that X-Ray Associates of NM is $473 plus tax!! YIKES!! I can't afford that! I will talk to my insurance company though as well and find out what they will or can do. I guess they did inform Frezza's office that they won't pay for flouro fills anymore.
The long drive and gas money make is such a pain to go to Frezza's office, and it isn't even worth it since they have NO AFTERCARE!! NONE!!
it came back up! YUCK!! Not pleasant! I spent about 10 minutes trying to get my two bites of lunch back up. I was pretty sore afterwards but because I was so hungry I managed to eat some more...mostly beans. That might have been a bad thing to do, I hope not too bad. I stayed on liquids after that the rest of the day.I am eating smaller portions and trying to chew better.....but last night and today have been able to eat more than 1/2 cup of food. So, even though my 2 CC's wasn't enough to put me in the sweet spot, I think 5 CC's would have left me overfilled! I am pretty sure that my next fill will be with Fill Centers USA. I found out that X-Ray Associates of NM is $473 plus tax!! YIKES!! I can't afford that! I will talk to my insurance company though as well and find out what they will or can do. I guess they did inform Frezza's office that they won't pay for flouro fills anymore.
The long drive and gas money make is such a pain to go to Frezza's office, and it isn't even worth it since they have NO AFTERCARE!! NONE!!
Frustrated but filled
Mar 01, 2008
I got up at 1:45 am (Friday). Took my shower, got my make up on, etc. Headed out of the door at 3:30am on my way to Lubbock. I realized at about halfway down there that I was really running short on time. I had to stop at almost every little town to pee....I had too much coffee, but I NEEDED the coffee! Anyway, I got pulled over by a Texas Trooper about 20 miles outside of Lubbock. LUCKILY he only gave me a warning. I get to Lubbock and way overshoot where I am supposed to go. I called the radiology department to let them know I was going to be a little late, as I was very lost. (my husband had always driven before, so I was clueless) The VERY nice guy, Tim, that did my fill gave me step by step instructions, and didn't hang up until I drove in to the parking lot!! He is so awesome!!! Love him!
I get in there and he asks me what size band I have. Well, I don't really know. I thought AP bands were all 10CC. I told him that I have an AP band. He looks at under the flouro (xray) and says it LOOKS like a 4CC band to him, but he wants to call my surgeon's office and talk to the nurse to verify. He called and talked to Sarah, she told him that it was the low volume AP Band, the 4CC. The radiologist was happy and told me that's good. He gave me 2 CC's of saline. He thought he was filling me up halfway. The fill was painless. I felt the numbing shot, but nothing that bad at all. The fill needle I couldn't feel at all.
After the fill he had me stay there for about 5-10 minutes and I drank my water. I felt fine, so he had me go see Sarah. She came out and spoke to me. I asked her again if I had a 4 CC band, and she said yes. I was doubting them by now, but I couldn't quite think clearly. I was running on about 4 hours of sleep and was already 8 hours in to my day. On top of that I had only water and coffee feeding my brain up to that point. I really didn't feel any different. I know that through Frezza's office they give you pretty aggressive fills. If the radiologist thought I had a 10 CC band, he would have given me 5 CC's. The more I thought about it on the way home, the more I kept doubting it....I just remember that the AP was a 10 CC band. I couldn't wait to get home and do some research on the internet. I just felt that if I wasn't given as big of a fill because of wrong information that I was cheated. That's an awful long trip to not get the most out of it!
Sure enough, when I got home, there were some very helpful people who responded to my post on the message board. There IS a low volume AP Band, but it's 10 CC's, not 4!! The other AP Band holds 14 CC's!! UGH!!! Screwed by Frezza's staff AGAIN!!! Last night when I was so tired and cranky I was very very upset after learning this. This morning, I am in a better place. I wouldn't REALLY want to be overfilled....that would be too hard to get an unfill. AND even though I am restriced to clear liquids right now, I think that 2 CC's might have helped. Either that, or I am swollen from the fill. I took my meds this morning, without thinking....and I think some of them are STILL sitting in my pouch! I have felt something in my chest ever since. I have drank water, Crystal Light, and broth, but I still feel something there. I hope it's not JUST because I am swollen. I hope my band is actually tighter now.
Since, I thought I might have had a very small amount of restriction before the fill, this extra 2 CC's can only help. *Taking a deep breath* This is a journey.....I can do this. I can't wait to see what happens when I eat "regular" food again. Until then, I will do my best to stay on my clear liquids, then phase II for a couple of days.
I get in there and he asks me what size band I have. Well, I don't really know. I thought AP bands were all 10CC. I told him that I have an AP band. He looks at under the flouro (xray) and says it LOOKS like a 4CC band to him, but he wants to call my surgeon's office and talk to the nurse to verify. He called and talked to Sarah, she told him that it was the low volume AP Band, the 4CC. The radiologist was happy and told me that's good. He gave me 2 CC's of saline. He thought he was filling me up halfway. The fill was painless. I felt the numbing shot, but nothing that bad at all. The fill needle I couldn't feel at all.
After the fill he had me stay there for about 5-10 minutes and I drank my water. I felt fine, so he had me go see Sarah. She came out and spoke to me. I asked her again if I had a 4 CC band, and she said yes. I was doubting them by now, but I couldn't quite think clearly. I was running on about 4 hours of sleep and was already 8 hours in to my day. On top of that I had only water and coffee feeding my brain up to that point. I really didn't feel any different. I know that through Frezza's office they give you pretty aggressive fills. If the radiologist thought I had a 10 CC band, he would have given me 5 CC's. The more I thought about it on the way home, the more I kept doubting it....I just remember that the AP was a 10 CC band. I couldn't wait to get home and do some research on the internet. I just felt that if I wasn't given as big of a fill because of wrong information that I was cheated. That's an awful long trip to not get the most out of it!
Sure enough, when I got home, there were some very helpful people who responded to my post on the message board. There IS a low volume AP Band, but it's 10 CC's, not 4!! The other AP Band holds 14 CC's!! UGH!!! Screwed by Frezza's staff AGAIN!!! Last night when I was so tired and cranky I was very very upset after learning this. This morning, I am in a better place. I wouldn't REALLY want to be overfilled....that would be too hard to get an unfill. AND even though I am restriced to clear liquids right now, I think that 2 CC's might have helped. Either that, or I am swollen from the fill. I took my meds this morning, without thinking....and I think some of them are STILL sitting in my pouch! I have felt something in my chest ever since. I have drank water, Crystal Light, and broth, but I still feel something there. I hope it's not JUST because I am swollen. I hope my band is actually tighter now.
Since, I thought I might have had a very small amount of restriction before the fill, this extra 2 CC's can only help. *Taking a deep breath* This is a journey.....I can do this. I can't wait to see what happens when I eat "regular" food again. Until then, I will do my best to stay on my clear liquids, then phase II for a couple of days.
