nicole u

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Hello! I haven’t written here in a long while! Lifeeat got in the way! Eating had got in the way! I will tell everyone, weight loss surgery is NOT A QUICK FIX. You must work at it. I went from 298 to 143 but not right away. I had work to do to get there. Was the best I ever felt I looked! Somehow I ate a little of this, more of that, a cheat here, a chand I was back to 217. Almost in the blink of an eye. I couldn’t believe it. Of course right away I didn’t do anything. In fact, a few years I ignored it. This past summer I started watching a little bit. In October I just started to stop eating when I felt full....easy one would think!  From October 2017 until today, December 5, 2018 I went from 217 to 182. That’s 35 pounds gone! Woooo no one really has noticed which is discouraging but that’s ok. Now I’ve only got 39 pounds to lose to get to 143. I can do it! I’m 5’8 so at 143 I’m between a size 4-6. I’m determined and don’t make it feel like a diet because all diets fail. My heaviest was 298 and lowest was 143 so I had lost 156 which was more than I had weighed! Crazy! I am very proud of my 116 pound loss but will feel amazing when I can put on my 4’s and 6’s! Cheers to motivation!

Hello!!  Wow!  I see it has yet again been months since I have posted on here!  A LOT has changed!  I actually did not end up going with Dr. Mayer and boy am I glad I didn't.  I truly didn't want to go with an Open procedure and that is the only kind he did.  I did get lucky because all of my paperwork was submitted and I got insurance approval right away! 
I found Dr. Vohra and called their office right away. I spoke to them on a Friday and I was in the office to meet them that following Monday.  What a great staff he has!  Gail helped me from minute one!  I was there Monday and they scheduled me right away to have my LapBand removed for that Thursday!!!!!!!!  I couldn't believe it!!
I went into the hospital on October 23 to have the LapBand removed and ended up staying in the hospital for 3 nights because I had nausea.
I went for my followup visit the week after and they scheduled me for my Gastric Bypass for December 1!! 
December 1 came and I was EXTREMLY nervous!  While I was in the pre op area I started to have second thoughts!  They started my IV and I was in there for a few hours.  When the Dr finally came and told me we were about to go, all I could do was cry!  I was sooo scared but sooo excited! 
The nurse came to wheel me in and we get to the OR and all they are talking about is Panera Bread!  HAHA, picture about 25 people in the OR discussing everything they ate for lunch as I have not had food in days and am going in for Gastric Bypass Surgery!!  I remember them talking about these huge cookies that they ate!  Finally I said, Um hello, does anyone realize I am going for weight loss surgery and here you are talking about cookies!!  We all burst out laughing!  It actually calmed me down a bit!
When the surgery was over, I remember being in the recovery room for a few minutes, but it was hours from what I was told.  I went into surgery at 1 in the afternoon and they wheeled me to my room at 8pm.  When I got there I was surprised to see 3 of my girlfriends with my mom and my uncle.  I couldn't really talk because I was so tired.  At that point I was not in pain!
At around midnight, the nurses came in to get me out of bed. I remember from the LapBand that I had a hard time getting out of bed.  This time it was much easier.  I got up and met a fellow Bypass patient in the hallway.  If it was not for him, I probably couldn't have gotten through my days in the hospital.  We were a great team there!!
I had surgery on a Monday and was released Friday yet again because I had nausea.
I thought I was doing really well.  I was feeling good.  I went to the Dr on Wednesday and got my drain removed.  I even drove myself to the office which was an hour away from home.  I went to the mall to start Christmas shopping.  I was feeling GREAT!
Well, the following week I was not doing so well.  Every once in awhile (starting in the hospital but I never told anyone) I was losing a lot of blood when I went to the bathroom.  It was happening more and more and finally I mentioned it to my mom.  I chalked it up to leftover blood from surgery.  Don't ask me why!!
I took a shower that Saturday and was in there for so long because I got so hot and felt like I was going to pass out.  I was sitting on the floor of the shower with cold water cooling me off.  I finally felt ok.  The same thing happened to me on Sunday night.  At that point I knew it was related to all of the blood I had lost.
My mom called my Dr and he said to go to the nearest hospital because my hospital is an hour away and he would be in constant contact with them.  I did that and boy what a mistake that was!  I got into the ER and the dr came in and did an exam.  They decided to admit me and have me get prepped for a colonoscopy.  My mom, sister, friend, boyfriend and his friend all stayed with me for hours.  I started drinking the fleet stuff to clean me out.  Boy was that rough.  In the morning my dr called the hospital and told them they could not do that on me as I am a fresh Gastric Bypass patient and that if it hit something inside it could have been horrible.
I was then given two blood transfusions.  :-(  I was sooo upset.  My mom, sister and my boyfriend spent the whole day with me in the hospital.  My doctors then decided to have me transported to their hospital.  My sister and I rode in the ambulance.  I felt so much better being back in my regular hospital!!
I got there on Monday.  They were trying to see what the problem was.  Well on Wednesday afternoon, the blood started coming out again.  This time they decided to put me into surgery at 11:30 at night.  They put me under general anestesia AGAIN and found I had a bleeding ulcer.  I couldn't believe it.
When I woke up from surgery, I was so happy to know they think they fixed the problem.  They then kept me in the hospital till the following Monday.  I finally got out of the hospital the day before Christmas Eve! 
My boyfriend took me into Manhattan the next day to walk around and see the Christmas Tree and we had a WONDERFUL day!!
At this point, all of the troubles I went through were well worth it!!  I have lost a total of 83 pounds since before my LapBand.  (I had lost 70 pounds with the LapBand and then gained 40 back) From this surgery I have lost around 60 pounds.  I consider myself to be a VERY SLOW LOSER, but the good thing is I know it will all come off!
I have started the gym and I feel 100% happier with myself!
This is by far the best decision I have EVER made!!!

WOW!  Its over a year since I have updated on here!  I have not been doing well with my band and in all honesty, can't wait to have the darn thing taken out! 
I decided a few weeks ago that I was going to look into the bypass.  I met with Dr. Mayer on Thursday Sept 4, 2008.  It was a pleasure to meet him and his bariatric coordinator Kim!  They were awesome!!  After we talked and discussed my options, I feel comfortable going forward. 
He told me that he will do whatever I am more comfortable with.  I could have the band taken out and then wait till I heal before doing the bypass or do it all at once.  Of course I opted for the one time deal because I don't think I could handle 2 surgeries!!  I am petrified of pain to begin with!!
He gave me a list of things I have to do before they will be able to send it out to insurance.  When I left his office, I sat in my car and made phone calls to get all of my appointments taken care of!!!  I went for the initial on Sept 4 and my last appointment before it gets sent over is on Sept 19!  I don't waste time!!!!!!!!
1- PSYCH CONSULT: DONE 9/4/08 (luckily she had a cancellation for that very same day!!)
2- NUTRITIONIST: DONE 9/9/08
3- PULMONOLOGIST: DONE Thursday 9/11/08 @ 2:00pm
4- BLOODWORK- DONE Thursday 9/11/08 @ 8:30am
5- PRIMARY CARE- DONE Thursday 9/11/08 @ 11:00am
6- RECORDS-  DONE Thursday 9/11/08 3:30pm (need to get my records released from my Lapband doctor)
7- RADIOLOGIST- DONE Thursday 9/11/08 @ 9:45am
8- CARDIOLOGIST- Thursday 9/11/08 and Monday 9/15/08

After all of those appointments are completed, I will be a nervous wreck waiting for approval!!!

I'll keep everyone posted!!!

August 29, 2007
I have had an exciting 24 hours!!  
1- I went to Old Navy last night to pick up a few things for Labor Day Weekend cause I am going away for the weekend.  For YEARS, everytime I walk in there, I go to the size 20 jeans.  I always get soooo frustrated when they don't go past my thighs.  I am a 20 in other stores, just not in their jeans!  As usual I grabbed a pair and headed to the fitting room.  To my SHOCK, the 20's not only fit, but had a HUGE gap in the back!!  I couldn't believe it.  I went out and grabbed the 18's and they fit like a glove.  I still can't believe it!  I didn't buy them because I really don't need jeans right now, but can't wait for the day I do!!  I grabbed 2 XXL t-shirts.  I didn't try them on because I knew they would fit.  I put one on today, and WISH I got the XL.  I am psyched!!
2- Today I went for my fill!  Well, I feel like a celebrity when I walk in my doctors office.  I have been there for years and have developed a relationship with a lot of the girls who work there.  We talked and talked and they couldn't believe how good I look!  It was only a month since I was there.  I got on the scale and dropped 10 pounds this month!  WOO HOO!  If I hopefully can continue this, then I could lose 30 and not 20 for the Thanksgiving challenge! I would be more than thrilled!  I also am now filled to 3cc in my 4cc band!
3-Ah, the gym!  I don't know how I feel about it!  I have a pal from here who we have a weekly weigh-in and just support one another in general.  I was gonna AGAIN skip the gym last night.  I promised him that I would go so I felt I was letting him down if I didn't go...so I went!  I am soooo glad!  I walked 3 miles on the treadmill and did 5 minutes on that damn eliptical machine!  It took me 58 minutes to walk 3 miles, so I have to work on that.  I felt sooo good last night.  I decided I will go 5 days a week!
Thank you to everyone on here who has been so supportive.  I now know I will get to my goal with a little determintation!!