bamagirlee

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Yep, I'm talking about my band. I cannot  believe it's been so long since I updated my profile and blog. I'm down about 100 lbs since the very beginning of my WL journey, and about 82 since my surgery. I'm still in love with my band!
Last week I had a consult for PS. I should know within a month or so if the insurance removal of my huge, ugly panni. To my surprise the Dr said I really didn't need a LBL, and even though my thighs are HORRIBLE I have to say that I'm glad that i'll only be under anesthesia for 3+ hours as opposed to 6+ that it would take for a LBL. I'm praying that the approval will be granted first time around instead of having to appeal. I went in armed with my own date stamped digital photos of periodic rashes and 'under-belly' sores, current lab report, proof of when I went to acute care for treatment, even a digital pic of the RX cream I use as needed.  Hopefully that is all they will need. We'll soon see!    

Did any of you wonder in the back of your mind...or out loud....WILL THE BAND REALLY WORK FOR ME???

I hit the 75lb mark and I have been reflecting over the past 10 months and leading up to surgery. I was such a food addict that I was totally out of control.
*Very rarely did I ever eat because I was hungry, I would always eat to keep from getting hungry.
* I ate to cover up feelings and emotions and hurts. Since August of last year I'm seeing a wonderful counselor who helps to give me tools to deal with those emotions. Recently I've had a lot of stress in my life and I have not even thought of turning to food.
*I had stopped going out and doing some of the activities I had always enjoyed because it took so much effort and energy. Now, I'm outta here at the drop of a hat!
*For the first time this spring I actually worked in my yard. You'd have to know me to understand the miracle that is!
*I'm a cheap date now, cuz I don't eat alot! :)

Am I a success story in the making?? YOU BET!

Are you contemplating the band wondering WHAT IF IT DONT WORK FOR ME???. I have just one question for you.....What if it does? Phyllis

It's a different type of Independence Day for me today. It's the first year of my life that I feel an Independence from a food addiction. Am I still addicted? Oh you bet! However, I now have a tool that allows me to think with my head and not my stomach and emotions. I still have days and even weeks that I fight the tempations but they become fewer. The last 8 weeks has been especially difficult as my scales have not moved at all. I wasn't binging, eating a lot of bad things, eating a lot of calories or anything I thought would cause this. It just happens sometimes. I did, however, take a step back and realized there were improvements I could make and areas that maybe I'd become lazy in. So, I began adding everything I eat to fitday.com again, I started making SURE I got all my water and all my protein and I started walking more regularly again. The scales did move and now I'm down three more lbs, for a total of .... drum roll please.... 63 lbs! My goal is 75 lbs in one year. Sometimes the process is painfully slow however what I'm eating now is comfortable, in other words I don't feel like I'm dieting or depriving myself. So I can do this forever, a good feeling! 
It's also an Independece of being able to go into the store and buy clothes without worry of not finding anything big enough. And they actually look ok on me. I'm beginning to see a smaller me sometimes.
I have struggled so much with loneliness lately. I think it all goes together...before food was my friend, my comfort and now my band will no longer allow me to eat for comfort. So, when I get those emotional 'ickies' I don't have that comfort like I used to. I have substitued walking a couple of times. It was out of sheer determination a couple of times too. It was like I had to very quickly get dressed and go walking to walk out all those emotions. Kathy (counselor) says I don't need to 'replace' the comfort of food with something else, but I need to deal with the feelings that make me want to eat. Thats hard but I'm trying. It all goes back to loneliness and the more I delve into my feelings and emotions I've been  lonely pretty much all my life...for the most part anyway. My pride does not allow me to easily drop my guard, therefore I'm not the easiest person to get close to. Sharing my struggles with anyone except for Kathy is like pulling teeth...literally! I'll get there though, I know I will! Look how far I've come already! 

Significant Victories:
*as of last week No More BP meds!! And so far my BP has remained normal
*last blood work shows cholesterol continueing to go down
*triglycerides and blood sugar are completely normal! (no meds!)
*last night walking I passed an injured lady and a really old man :) 

Has it really been 3 months since I've posted? Time flies when you're having fun  . I'm now down 60 lbs and have been stuck here for a few weeks.  I know it will move soon but UGH! Life in general is easier now. I didn't realize how much more energy LIFE took being so heavy. I'm only half way to where I need to be so I'm expecting it to get better and better as time goes on.  I saw Dr J last week (PCP) and he is going to allow me to come off my BP med as soon as I finish up what I have on hand. He asked that I just monitor it with the cuff I have here at home then call him if it starts going back up. 
I'm now going to the Y or walking 3-4 days a week and loving it! Walking has become such a relaxing thing for me. The gym is still a chore but I am increasing my MPH on the treadmill after the workout. I really have not lost a lot of weight over the past few months however my body has changed, I must be loosing inches. I need to call the surgeons office and get them to fax me my measurements pre-op. I do know that some of the clothes I bought for the cruise are getting too big now.  
Yesterday I went to Six Flags for my surgeons bariatric reunion. It was so hot but I did just fine! 60 lbs ago I would have been completely miserable! It kinda sucked walking around there by myself however it was fun once I got to the pavillion. 
I'm so thankful for OH and the Bama Board. It's amazing how close you can get to people you meet on the internet. We had a blast on the cruise in Feb and I have been to one of the dinners in Montgomery. I love you guys!!    

WOW how amazingly fast this past 6 months has gone by! I am feeling great and am down 51 lbs. I thought I'd never get to the 50 mark but I finally did and there is no stoppin' me now!
I had a check up with Dr J yesterday and he was very pleased with my weight loss. He said I looked great too,even said my face looked small which really meant a lot to me. Ive been worried that no matter how much weight I loose my face/chin will look that same. 

I've had some significant victories over these past 6 months:

**cholesterol is down 
**tryglicerides are now NORMAL!
**have not taken glucophage since surgery
**one month ago I cut my Effexor XR dosage in half
**yesterday doc cut my BP medicine in half
**I now have a regular monthly cycle, first time in over 20 yrs
**started at size 24W and am down to 18W. I even have one pair of dress pants thats XL. WOW!
**I'm now walking three days a week and working out three days a week.

Needless to say I'm happy with my band. :) 

Wow..didn't realize it had been so long since I had posted. I'm officially 5 months and 7 days out of surgery and am down a whopping 49 lbs!! The weight loss for the past 6 weeks has been pretty slow but I'm not discouraged. My third fill gave me just over 4cc and very little restriction for the entire month. On Jan 31th I went for my 4th fill and I now have 6 cc and great restriction! I've dropped 4 lbs since then and I'm creeping up on the 50 lb mark. This is a biggie for me because 50 lbs is where I have stopped so many times before. This is different though, I now have an awesome tool to help me! I also am about to start an excersice program again. Yep..I finally joined the YMCA. I've been procrastinating long enough. I'm mentally and physically ready to do this. I will go next week for my physical evaluation and to learn the machines and porgrams they offer. 
I just returned from the best vacation I've ever had...a cruise to Cozumel with my Bama Board family! These folks will never know how much they mean to me. It's amazing how people who are not blood reletives can mean so much to each other. My roommate Tammy is now one of my best buds..we have a lot in common and got along so well. I'm so thankful for a new lifelong friend! Tammy and I walked the stairs instead of taking the elevator most times. I would never have been able to do that without my band and weight loss. Even with all the wonderful food on the cruise I managed to loose 2 lbs! WoooHooo for all the walking!
As soon as i make the 50 lb mark I'll post the big victory!  

Well it appears I did worse this Thanksgiving weekend than I thought. I actually binged Friday night, went back to emotional eating! YIKES. At least I was aware enough to recognize it and I got back on track yesterday (Saturday). The scales yesterday said I was up to 254. That was a real bummer. I was under 250 for a few days a week or two ago but then all at once I started getting really really hungry! I'm battling that and will get my 2nd fill Wednesday. Not a moment too soon! I was down to 253 this morning and hopefully lower tomorrow. Yesterday I drank over 100 oz of water and today around 80 oz. I'm trying to detox from all the Thanksgiving carbs. This hungry is really driving me crazy though. It's an uphill battle right now. 
I went to my second Columbus support group meeting last week. It's a good group of people and I'm looking forward to the dinner and bowling Christmas party next week. The Bama Board Christmas party is next Saturday. I'm looking forward to seeing all my dear friends from there! It's so nice to have the energy to participate in everything I want to these days. I am enjoying the hockey games like crazy! 

Happy Thanksgiving! Yes I ate more than I should have but no I didn't overdo it and didn't eat NEARLY as much as I would pre-surgery. I'm getting my 2nd fill next Wednesday and I'm soooo ready! I did really great for three weeks. Not real hungry at all, no cravings, not hungry between meals but oh boy now it's KATY BAR THE DOOR! I feel as though I could eat as much as I used to and then some. I'm still hovering around 250 so I have not gained anything but I certainly have not lost anything either. I'm feeling like TOM is coming up so that may be some of the hunger issues as well. Karen and Michael are here and we are all going to the hockey game tonight. It will be fun. We had a wonderful lunch at Moms. She did it up right this thanksgiving! I'm feeling really great these days. SO much energy it's unbelievable. I really need to get back to the gym but so far I have not made myself.

Well here I am over 6 weeks out, first fill behind me and I'm going great! So far this surgery has been the greatest thing I've ever done for myself. I'm down to 253 as of this morning and there is no stopping me now! My fill was this past Wednesday so I'm still trying to figure out if I have restriction or if I just have swelling from the fill. Today is my first day eating again so it will take me a few days to figure it out. I have another appointment on November 29th so even if I don't have good restriction now I don't have to wait long for another fill.
I'm a happy camper. :)

My Post on OH from Oct 27th, 2006
 The Cottonmouth's first hockey game was tonight and YES WE WON!!! WoooHoooo

During most of last year's season I was dating this man who got me completely hooked on our local hockey team. Part of the fun was to eat there because the food is really good...but not really healthy. I would either have chicken fingers & fries or Pizza. Then sometimes I'd top it off with a funnel cake after the 2nd period.

Well as you can guess tonight was a challenge. I dealt with the emotional part of being there alone instead of with him, the smell of all the good food, and to top it off I had to buy my own ticket this time! 

AS IF that wasn't enough, right before the game started this family came and sat down beside me and they each had a huge slice of the lucious pizza! I was like...OH MY GOODNESS!! I almost knocked the little boy over the head and took his but I figured his Daddy could run faster than me so I thought I better not. At the end of the first period they were headed for nachos and popcorn so I got up and found another seat in another section! I settled on some Starbucks decaff and took it to my new seat and I was happy as a hopping frog.

Tonight I can proudly say I gave temptation a black eye and I showed myself that I can muster up the willpower when I need to. The feeling of that accomplishment is better than any pizza I've ever tasted before in my life!