Username: Rachelena
Location: West Hempstead, NY, USA
Member Since: 11/6/2007
BMI: 57.4
Post Op
Surgery Type: Lap Band (03/10/08)
Surgeon: Alan Geiss, MD

Photos

Mine (16)

I'm in (0)

Uploaded 4 days ago	Uploaded 4 days ago
Uploaded on 7/20/08 10:58 am	Uploaded on 7/20/08 10:58 am
At the Aquarium in Riverhead... Uploaded on 2/7/08 2:45 pm	Aquarium 2/7/08 Uploaded on 2/7/08 2:45 pm

View Other Photos

Friends

Rachelena has 87 Friends

rbygrl	beckysue531	Alisa D.
nicole u	She She ♥	Janina P.
Butterflykisses455	Jennifer B.	shoprif

View all friends

Goals

Go to an amusment park and fit on the rides, comfortably.

Category: Hobbies & Interest

130 People

in progress,

26 People

achieved this

smile when I see a photo of myself

Category: Emotional Wellbeing

33 People

in progress,

3 People

achieved this

have my husband carry me across the threshold

Category: Other

23 People

in progress,

1 Person

achieved this

Quit Smoking

Category: Health

11 People

in progress,

3 People

achieved this

TO SIT IN A AIRPLANE SEAT AND NOT HAVE TO USE AN EXTENSION

Category: Other

43 People

in progress,

18 People

achieved this

View Other Goals

Surgeon Testimonial

Alan Geiss, MD
The first time I met Dr. Geiss I remember thinking to myself... this is the man I have read so much about. He is exactly as everyone described him. Handsome, easy to talk to, genuinely interested in answering all of my questions, and great at putting my and my family's mind at ease. He was exactly everything I had hoped my surgeon would be. When I went to his office I was very nervous about the risks of the surgery and I guess he read it on my face because one of the first things he said when we sat down was, "The great thing about the lap band is that it has a 0% mortality rate. I have preformed over 2000 lap band surgeries and I haven't lost anyone yet. I don't plan on you being my first." His office staff is just as amazing as he is. They always answer the phone with a smile and never get upset or impatient when you call to ask questions. Dr. Geiss has a great post-op program. There are support meetings and he actually attends them!! On a scale of 1-10 Dr. Geiss is a 10! I have already recommended him to a few people. I can't wait for my surgery!!

Member Interests

Fitness & Exercise - Hope to be doing a lot more of that post-op..
Dogs - I love my Yorkie Simba....
Needlework, Knitting & Crocheting - I love crocheting and I just learned to knit!!
Dancing - I just finished taking Square and Line Dancing.. Onto Ballroom after surgery...
Music - Gets me through the day...
Horseback Riding - I cant wait to get back on a horse
Married - To the man of my dreams... I love you Aryeh
WLS in your 20's - Cant wait!!!

Click here to see interests of other ObesityHelp members.

Hospital Reviews

(Syossett, NY) - Northshore University Hospital

Product Reviews

Rachel's WLS Journey
my thoughts, feelings, and questions...

LOOK AT ME!!!!
on July 20, 2008 11:26 am

I just saw some new pics of myself taken last weekend.... I had no idea how much weight I lost!!!!

It just blew my mind. Take a look and tell me what you think?

1 comment | Click here to leave a comment.

Been a Long Time....
on June 13, 2008 9:10 pm

Hey all,

Im sorry I have been MIA for so long. Between finals in May and My study abroad in Mexico I just have not had a minute to post.

I saw Dr. Geiss This past Wednesday and got my second fill. 4cc in a 100 cc band as of now. I am down 48lbs... the weight loss is soooo slow. I thought because I weighed so much starting out I would lose a little faster. I have been losing 2lbs a week consistantly. Truth be told I have not been working my band to the best of my ability. I am not eating the best food or enough water and protein. I need to get back on the wagon.

I really need an exercise buddy.... any takers?

1 comment | Click here to leave a comment.

First Fill....
on April 24, 2008 9:00 pm

I had my first fill yesterday!!!! 1.5ccs in a 10cc band.

I didnt know that the doctor put in 1.5cc during the surgery.
So they only added 1.5cc.

Hooray!!!

Be the first to leave a comment.

25%
on April 18, 2008 7:21 pm

As of yesterday I have lost 50lbs!!!! That is 25% of my excess weight!!!! So exciting!!! I can't believe this is happening so fast.

I have an appointment for my first fill this coming Wednesday, I don't think they are going to give me a fill because I have lost so much weight. To be honest if I am losing like this I dont know if I want a fill just yet. I think I am eating a good amount of food. I also think that losing this fast is not so healthy. I am longing for the scale to say 299. But I know that in due time it will. I am losing about 10lbs a week on average so I am not going to complain.

This Month I am Hopeful Eyore
I lost 50.2 Lbs!!!
391/340.8/175

1 comment | Click here to leave a comment.

One Month!!!!
on April 10, 2008 4:31 pm

I cant believe it has been one month since surgery. My how time flies when your losing weight!!!

I feel so damn good!!!! It has been 31 days since my surgery and i have lost over 1lbs a day!!! I am currently at 351.7. That is a total loss of 39.3lbs!!!! I am almost at my first goal of 50lbs!!! I am so excited about this!!!

I LOVE MY LAP-BAND!!!!!!

This Month I am Hopeful Eyore
I lost 39.3 Lbs!!!
391/351.7/175

Be the first to leave a comment.

4 weeks - Big Accomplishment...
on April 7, 2008 11:05 am

I can't believe that it has been four weeks since my surgery!!!
I am 31.4lbs down in one month!!! its amazing...

G-d bless this band. He has really bestowed so much blessing on me. He has given me a second chance at living a healthy fulfilling life. Now G-d please bring on the babies!!!

I want more than anything to have a baby. This is the reason for me embarking on this journey. I have been begging G-d for a baby for two years and now I realize that in this world sometimes you have to really show G-d you want it and do your part. You can't win the lotto if you don't buy a ticket....

On a lighter note... I'm taking back my life. I don't just mean my health of my weight I mean my LIFE! Before I hit 300 I was a social butterfly. I had friends, lots of them and once I started gaining the weight I was embarrassed to be around them and i thought they were embarrassed to be around me. Today was phase one of my comeback. I was talking to my best friend from high school and we were talking about why we never see eachother and we decided to start getting together once a week. I really miss him. It will feel so great to have a social life again.

This Month I am Hopeful Eyore
I lost 31.4 Lbs!!!
391/359.6/175

2 comments | Click here to leave a comment.

For Good Measure...
on April 6, 2008 10:07 am

	March 3, 2008	April 5, 2008
Neck	16.5	15.5
Upper Arm	20.5	20
Chest	53	49
Waist	60	58
Hips	65.5	63
Thigh	36	34
Calf	25	23.5
Total Inches Lost		-12.5

This Month I am Hopeful Eyore
I lost 28.5 Lbs!!!
391/362.5/175

2 comments | Click here to leave a comment.

Oh Happy Days....
on April 4, 2008 7:56 pm

I haven't posted in a little over week. What has happened this week...

Well the scale has gone down again finally. I am down a total of 25lbs... I was hoping for a little more by now but I am very happy with 25. I hope to be down 50lbs total by the end of May when I leave for Mexico. It would make it so much easier to walk around and do all the great things I wanted to do in Mexico.

I also made a mojor decision this week. For those of you who don't know I am a Social Work major at Adelphi University. Lately I have really been stugling with what area I want to specify or with where I want to take my degree. I have decided that I want to go into private practice and specialize in weigh loss surgery. I want to do psych evals for pre-op patients on a sliding scale and I want to work with post-op patients to help them deal with emotional eating and cravings so that they can suceed. I think everyone who has undergone any type of weight loss surgery should see someone to help them deal with all of their emotions and changes that come with WLS.

Now, I have a question for you? Would you feel more comfortable seeing someone who has had WLS? Do you think because I have had WLS I would be better able to help others who have had WLS or do you think it is better to stick to a specification where you may have a more objective view?

This Month I am Hopeful Eyore
I lost 26 Lbs!!!
391/365/175

Be the first to leave a comment.

Mushies
on March 27, 2008 8:48 am

This past Monday my Dr. gave me the go ahead to eat mushie food. Eventhough I have already started eating food I have decided to stay on the Medifast and only eat 2-3 mushie meals a day. I am really unhappy with my weight loss so far. I was doing great on liquids (lost 26lbs ) but then once i started incorporating new foods things really got hard and I started gaining weight... i am so frustrated. I think as the days go by I will switch one medifast meal to a mushie meal... any good recipes are greatly apreciated.

1 comment | Click here to leave a comment.

I Can't Get No........ SATISFACTION
on March 24, 2008 6:54 am

Im hungry!!!!! I never feel full and it is sooo frustrating!!! Maybe its because Im afraid to eat more than a few spoonfuls of food at a time but I'm starving... I know I have not been 100% with my diet... I started mushies a few days too early and I am already able to eat chicken... I have no restriction from the surgery and I feel if I were to let myself I could eat the same amount as I did before the surgery. But then I beat myself up because I am not doing this correctly. Does anyone else go through this???

I Lost 26.3lbs!!
391/364.7/175

1 comment | Click here to leave a comment.

Downer....
on March 21, 2008 6:31 am

So I have been kind of frustrated the past few days. I haven't lost anything since Sunday!!!! In fact I even gained back 5lbs.... Then Wednesday I went back down 3 out of the 5lbs I've gained so I got happy figuring I was going back in the right direction. Stalled again yesterday...
GRRRRRRRR.....
Then this morning I was down the last 2lbs I gained PLUS an aditional 3lbs!!!!!!!!

HAPPY NOW!!!!!

I Lost 26.3lbs!!
391/364.7/175

4 comments | Click here to leave a comment.

Back to School...
on March 17, 2008 10:28 am

Well today was my first day back in school. I skipped my internship because walking around a huge school building looking for kids is just not for me today. I did however go to my philosophy class. I like my professor because he is around my age and easy to talk to. His wife is considering lap-band surgery, so he is really interested in my journey. I told him I would be more than happy to talk to his wife. He is so amazed at my progress and I hope I can help his wife along her journey as well. It was great to be back in school and out of the house.

I Lost 23.7lbs!!
391/367.3/175

1 comment | Click here to leave a comment.

Baby Ticker....
on March 16, 2008 12:04 am

This is goal weight for getting pregnant. Once I hit this weight I will start fertility meds to get preggers if I am not ovulating naturally by then. My. doctor told me This would be a healthy weight for me to get pregnant at. So here is my first goal...

Be the first to leave a comment.

20.3lbs!!!!!
on March 14, 2008 8:18 am

I cant believe I am only post op for 4 days and I lost 10.3lbs in those 4 days!!!! Total of 20.3lbs!!!!!! It is insane!!!!!! I am so happy!!!1 I can't believe this is working so well. I can't wait to get all better and get to the gym and really start to live my new life. Thank you for all of your support... Thank you for being my family on this long journey we take together

I Lost 20.3lbs!!
391/370.7/175

1 comment | Click here to leave a comment.

GAS!!!!
on March 13, 2008 8:41 pm

I can't stand this damn gas.... I feel it traveling through my body at all times of the day... Every time I move so does the gas. Then sometimes I think I have to go potty so I rush to the bathroom (in loads of pain along the way) to find that it is only gas!!!! Im going crazy when does this end!!!! If It weren't for the decreasing numbers on the scale I would really regret this surgery. Im so frustrated! The pain doesn't end. These blood thinner shots are killing me and I have to have them 2x a day for a week! I know I need to look towards the long term goals I have but the right now.... feels so wrong now..

May the gas be gone...soon
391/372.6/175

1 comment | Click here to leave a comment.