alaskasusan’s Posts
Nice! I have supposedly good insurance too but was not told until after the deed was done that I have a co-pay of $9,000 to the hospital, my surgeon, his assistant, etc. Yuk. Still glad I did it but still paying for it too! Glad most get a better deal, if they don't self-pay!
I also add a tablespoon of chia seeds to my morning protein shake, about 3 times a week. Never any issues, I like the extra texture and it's got some good stuff in it :)
Larry, I appreciate your post! I do feel like I'm getting laxer, though I sure don't eat much. But I've always been on the very, very slow side of losing despite lots of exercise. I need to go back to measuring though, just to see where I am. I love how it's been working even if it is slow....but I too lost a LOT of my long hair so upped the protein and think it's growing back again now. Just good to keep in focus, stay off the stuff that's not good and stick to what I know is what I need :)
Don't let the slow times discourage you...your body really is not going to lose at the same rate thru the time you lose, but you will keep losing as long as you keep doing what you know you should, as you are now. You lost in 4 weeks what took me about the first four months to get off, so I'd say that you are doing super! I'm 7 months out tomorrow and am not quite at 70# lost since my surgery date - even though I am completely compliant doing all I'm supposed to and more, so I understand how it is to be working so hard and not see the scale move like you want! But it truly does work, don't give up. A real plateau is over a month of losing nothing...and even those break eventually.
Keep on keeping on, you're going to do great!
Hi Red ~ You're off to a great start it looks like! I'm 3.5 months out and part of my own journey has been to really pay attention to how I'm feeling as I eat. I sure used to be able to put a lot of food away and if I'm not paying attention now (including measuring when necessary), my head still thinks I should be able to eat more. But I LOVE LOVE LOVE eating so little and being completely satisfied. Learning to NOT be a member of the clean plate club is taking a little doing, but I'm getting there!
Pre-surgery I started looking at "The World According to Eggface" (great blog) to get ideas and I remember thinking what a ridiculously small amount of food she ate on her 'Day in My Pouch" posts. Well, now that I'm on this side of surgery I find myself thinking when I go out for a meal, "wow, how can those people eat all that food!". I find what she eats is still a bit much for me, being so recent, but it's a great resource for now and further along.
So two things: 1) measure and 2) pay attention to being full (if/when you get that sensation back). Good luck and bless you!
ETA: Wow I just saw my little ticker...I'm closing in on my half-way point!! Happiness!!
Surgery 3 months ago and it has been so excruciatingly slow that I decided to weigh in only twice a month as well. It works for me as that way I might see progress whereas for 6 weeks I lost nothing and that weekly weigh in was too hard to take! I like that schedule as it keeps me on track without the daily (or weekly) disappointment and subsequent anguish :o)
My little weight ticker below is from when I joined O.H. - since surgery I've now lost 40 lb.
I'm one of those blessed people who very rarely gets ill. But knowing how these things work, I was kind of afraid I'd get sick just before surgery and have to delay it again. Well, lo and behold I did get quite sick. But the dr said it was not a worry and if I wanted to we'd go ahead. I did okay but it was hard to breathe due to the congestion; in retrospect I should have delayed. But here it is 3 months later, all healed up and on my way, so it was no big deal either way ... except for getting it done at last! :)
I'm three months out and for the past 6 weeks lost nothing. I totally get what you're feeling because I've been eating right and exercising. So I decided to kick up the exercise, started with a couch to 5k club that met last night and actually ran up the steepest hill in town. Slightly sore today but bearable; gym today and I plan to run again tomorrow. Anyway, I am only going to weigh once a month so I'm planning to report on Saturday the 11th if I've finally started losing.
What else are we going to do, quit? 
I don't think so. Still, it's hard to not see any movement for SO long! But hang in there as everyone tells me. It will eventually start going down again. 
Okay, thanks!! Might as well try it. I've been fanatically following the rules, staying under 600 cal/day but getting in my 50 g protein and all my water and vitamins most days. I have been STUCK with no weight loss since March 27th! That is my entire 3rd month, and then some, since surgery with zero lb lost in 6 weeks!!! :( I work out regularly but I started running today and hope that will kick it. But I'm going to up my protein which will up my calories. Sure not working what I'm doing, which I do NOT understand. I had surgery to lose weight but all I lose is hair! Arrggghh!!
;o)
I can sure relate to what you are going thru. Knowing that this 6-month 'honeymoon' period is about half over for me makes it hard to stay positive when I haven't lost a pound since March 27. So at three months, I'll have lost a total of 30 pounds since my surgery. I have done better than that without surgery, but I was not able to keep it off so I'm not complaining exactly; just feel discouraged to see nothing happening when this is the time it's supposed to be easiest. I exercise, take my vitamins, keep my calorie and carb count low, work on my water all day long - but still, all I lose is my hair and the money it cost to do the surgery.
Everyone just says to hang in there so I tell myself that all the time (What else am I going to do? Certainly not quit!). I hope you see things turn around soon for you too. When I see others having lost 50, 60, 70 lbs since their February surgery I get so down. I know, don't compare...but it's human nature to want to see how you are doing. I'm sure you are also wondering: "Just WHAT ELSE can I do to make this happen for me?"
Ahem. Hang in there..... ;^)
I'd be completely THRILLED to see 2-3 lb loss per week. I lost a total of almost 30 lb the first couple months, and very happy about that. But have lost zero since the end of March. Not. One. Pound. And not quite 3 months out yet.
Food intake is about the same, I'm getting almost all my water in finally-that had been a struggle. I walk an 30 m to 60 m daily plus have 3 weight workouts at the gym per week. I'm just getting to where moving is easier and increasing my workouts every week, hope to be running part of the walk time soon. But a one-month stall for the whole 3rd month was not what I expected, so it's hard to stay cheery about it
HA!! THIS ONE!! I go out weekly with friends and the waiters all think something is the matter either with me or their selections :)
This is FANTASTIC!! Good for you for reaching your goal...and especially my warmest congratulations on your pregnancy! Be blessed!!!
Mine wanted a 5-year history from my doctor plus I had to do not one, but (count 'em) TWO documented weight loss programs in the six months prior to their approval.
It sounds like your insurance wants at least the 5-year history documenting your weight; whether you were making any weight loss efforts may or may not matter. Do you have any records of any weight loss attempts that you made on your own, something to show your weight over 5 years? That may be something they accept if you did not visit any doctors or clinics from 2006-2009.
Good luck to you!
I appreciate your story so much and your pictures made me cry, you are a lovely person and I'm so happy to see you have this success! Congratulations, and thanks for being an inspiration to us newbies! :)
I am only 9 weeks out and was quite ill when they did my surgery, making breathing very difficult. I also had extreme nausea the first three days and every single time I stood, from the first time two hours after surgery, I dry-heaved for a long time. My surgeon does not "believe" in providing anti-nausea meds but between my son, daughter-in-law, and friends we managed to convince to make an exception for me :)
Having said all that, there has not yet been a single instant of time that I regretted my decision. I went into this with pretty realistic expectations after a whole lot of reading and resear*****luding books, online, meetings and friends who've had WLS. I don't expect miracles, I don't expect it to be easy...but I do FINALLY have a hope and expectation that there will finally be something achieved from all my effort, vs all the years I've worked so, so hard and gotten nowhere.
I guess I'm pretty pragmatic and 'logical' because I don't experience a lot of emotional highs and lows over this. Frustration, yes but that is expected. But I know I will finally get where I should be and I am very much happy about that!
Rocky, during my testing phase it was discovered that I have Barrett's too (I was completely unaware I had GERD so it really was a surprise); I was told that RNY was a good choice as it truly does help Barrett's and the medical reports I've read confirm that (hooray). I'm now on a prescription PPI for the last few months and I am wondering what your dosage is at this stage; I'm looking forward to cutting my dose or, if possible, to get off of it.
I put Ghostery on my computer (free ad blocker). When the list shows up just click the little ghost and block whatever you don't want to see -- I block everything and it stays blocked unless I unblock it. The ads used to drive me nuts cuz they'd follow you everywhere...no prob now.
no drain, couple of tidy stitches on ea*****ision that either dissolved or disappeared somehow when the steri strips fell off. No issues, tiny scars fading daily :)
I went home the day after surgery and had to climb to the 2nd floor bedroom. No problem, just take your time. I would ask someone to walk with you the first time or two if available - but I had no problems with it 24 hr after surgery.
Alison, you are doing great if you've lost that much in just 24 days! That's what I've lost in 7 weeks (but I am 57 so I expect it to be slow). It sounds like you have a plan to get your protein up...when I was on purees or now when I have soup, I add unflavored protein powder to increase it. Every little bit helps and when you can't take in much to begin with, it really helps! :)
Sounds like you are off to a good start, good luck!
Amber, good for you for starting a garden!! It's def a learning process and you learn more every year. You are in a much different growing zone than I (I have 3.5 feet of snow on my 20 raised beds still!), but if your starts did not freeze and drop leaves you may have rescued them in time. You want to harden them off before you put them in the ground though. There are some good on-line sites that tell you how to do that (http://gardening.wsu.edu/library/vege003/vege003.htm but basically, you put the started plants outdoors and let them gradually get used to being out. Bring them in again for the night; next day leave them a bit longer (out of full sun and wind). Do that a few days and then you can plant in your prepared ground. I imagine you have garden experts who write columns in your paper, that is a good place to learn for growing in your zone.
As for seeds that you want to start yourself, the seed packets should tell you how long it takes for them to germinate & transplant. Here is a good site for growing squash: http://gardenofeaden.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-to-grow-butternut-squash-from-seed.html
My favorite site has a small annual fee but I like using it for planning my garden during our 8-month winter: http://www.growveg.com/Default.aspx
Good luck!!
Same as the others, it took a few weeks...but boy, bless your heart to have to endure the blisters on top of everything else! I was so relieved when I got to the point where I could very carefully lay on my side, but I used pillows to kind of prop up against. Seems to help. I know you hear it a lot but truly, knowing that every day does get better really did help me.
Good luck to you!
Allen, I really appreciate your reply - I am sure I'll have some bad days, it's human nature. I'm copying what you wrote into my journal so I can read it again as needed!! Thanks!!
Chik Fil A...wish we had one, I've heard they have good food. I also wish we had a Sonic! Sounds like they'd do well in my town!
And, it seems there may be some mis-info here on this thread...you may want to see what snopes has to say:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/sexuality/chickfila.asp "Apparently CFA did indeed donate money to Christian organizations but it turns out they do not have a specific anti gay agenda. They simply support heterosexual marriage....more at link
