GAGRYL45

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Greetings, I haven't posted in a while but I still read the board about once a week. I can remember when I  was so obsessed with this forum and would literally spend hours each day on it. My 6 month anniversay was 6/20 /08.  I had surgery on Dec 20th with Dr Alvarez in Mexico.  I am down 62 lbs which equates to 74% of my estimated weight loss.  I have another 24 to go before I am at goal. The time has really flown by.  I never had any complications, always felt good, just a few foamies in the beginning and feelings of  items being stuck  but I learned to control that by eating slower.  My mind still has issues with food.  I still put way too much food on my plate knowing I can only eat about 1/6th of it but I'm getting better at gauging how much I really should be eating. I find that I eat more at work (about once every hour) than I do at home on weekends when i forget to eat at all. I've gone from a tight 18/20 to size 14's and 12's. size 2x tops to plain old Large. My BMI has dropped from 38.9 to 28.9 still obese but I'm almost to the healthy rangeyet I still feel big.  
My sleep apnea has disappeared as well as stress incontinence.  My cholesterol is still high but my doctor thinks that is hereditary,we'll just have to keep checking that.  I'll have my a1c levels tested next month but I suspect my diabetes is gone as well however I do check my blood levels occasionally and they are always in normal range.  I have not taken my meds since the surgery. I have always taken my vitamins and started on b12 about 6 weeks out.  I've never lost any hair although I did get my hair cut about 6 weeks ago.  It reflects the new me (lighter and more contemporary).  
I've taken up hula hooping and it's fun. I'm also getting ready to enroll in that belly dancing class I have wanted to take for a while. Initially I worked out for the first 5 months but my membership expired in May and I've been lazy but I'm going to start back to walking TODAY. I dont have much excess skin except around my stomach but I dont think I'll even need plastic surgery for that but the next 24 lbs will tell. The doctor said my little flab on my arms was normal for a woman my age.  My incisons are just tiny scars. Most people tell me I  look so much longer now.  I always thought I was good looking and just a little heavy but boy when I look at my pictures from summer of last year and compare them with my most current pictures I can see a big difference. I was in denial.  My head even shrunk LOL. I have finally given all my old clothes away and NEVER want to be that size again.  I have soooooooo much more energy and those daily naps I used  to take are just a thing of the pass. I am thankful that I was able to afford this surgery even though it meant putting my stomach on lay-a-way for the next 5 years.  It was certainly worth it.  It's hard to comprehend that I even had the surgery, seems like the weight just melted off. I have had a few stalls, one that even lasted about 4 weeks but the issue has always been an increase in carbs and less protein.. I've been eating like someone on maintainence but I'm getting back on track to lose these last few pounds.  I've been able to eat whatever I wanted but only a little of it.  To anyone considering the surgery I say do your homework but you will find 
it worth it.  Your quality of life will be so much better and you will never regret it.

Check out my profile for before and after pictures. 

I am 4 months out and feeling quite lovely.  My weight loss has fluctuated between 54 and 56 lbs for the past month but I know why.  I have been eating any and everything I want,not exercising  so I obviously will not have a problem maintaining once I get to goal..  It's time toget back on track tomorrow and get to goal and get this nonsense over with.  I am trying lose another 5 lbs next week and get down to 180.. I may have to change my goal weight. I am currently 186, in a size 14 and some size 12 skirts, large top.  I have hips and breast that obviously were not just fat cuz they're not disappearing. I have a naturally large and curvaseous figure. I wanted to get down to140 but I realize I will look like a crack addict so 155-165 may be more realistic but we will just have to wait and see. I had bloodwork drawn last month and they advised my cholesterol went up so I'm laying off the shrimp for now and have restarted my lipitor.  They didnt check my a1c levels so I am making an appointment to actually see the doctor and make sure all my levels are tested when they take blood again. My sister is scheduled for surgery with Dr Alvarez next month and we are so excited. She has numerous helath issues and the surgey will definitely helpher. 

i'M 1 week shy of my 3 month anniversary and I'm down 41 pounds since surgery and a total of 51 since last May. I feel great, exercise 2-3 times a week but need to step it up a bit. I pretty much eat whatever I want but in very limited amounts. Try to make sure I get my protein in first, then veggies and sometimes sneak in some sweets.  Last week i went to dollar tree and purchased a large box of sugar babies and ate it in 2 1/2 days and still lost weight.  this sleeve is amazing.  I've found out i love to hula hoop and still remember how to do it well (after 30 years). i'm going to sports authority today and purchase a weighted hoop. it's good for your waistline. i'm also gonna take back my size 14 skirt ipurchased at kohls and get a size 12 :). the 14 is too big.  i'm almost at my halfway goal but i just take it 5 lbs at a time.  My next goal is 45 pounds. Men are starting to try and prolong conversations, complete strangers are winking at me and I of course laugh. Seems strange cuz I know they would not have winked 50 lbs ago  I'm going to Miami next month and havent seen the family since August so they will be in for a big shock.  I was told I look 10 years younger and many have commented that I dont even look like my old self but I'm still me.   The inner hasnt changed at all. I'll take pictures next week and try and post for my 3 month update.

Happy New Year, 
I havent posted in a while but I am back to the real world and it keeps me busy.  When I'm not busy playing chaffuer with my youngest or selling Avon I'm trying to catch up on my rest. I am down 28 pounds at 6 weeks out and have about 64 more to lose before I get to goal.  I immediately went into a stall  for about 2 weeks when I started solids then started dropping 2 lbs a week. I started going back to the gym but I damaged my knee at home trying to jog on the treadmill (what was I thinking)  I'm letting it heal then will also add walking around the parking lot at work on both my breaks as well as go to the gym 3 times a week.  I've gone from a tight 18-20 to a very loose 14/16. Dont have any $$ for new clothes so I'll just keep wearing what fits over and over for the next few weeks.  I'll be in "onederland in about a week so I'm excited about that.  I've been experimenting with all sorts of foods and some work wonderfully and some dont but I'm not experiencing any real hunger.  We had icecream and cake at work this week. I had a very very small amount and it went down too easy that it scared me so I'm gonna stay away from that.  I see how easy it is to get back into old habits and of course prohibited foods go down too easy. I dont post much but I do try and read the site at least once most days.  I feel great but I never felt bad before so it really doesnt feel like anything was done but once I start eating, that old restriction kicks in.  I'm still not always stopping when I know I should and ultimately pay the price (foamies, throwing up) .  I am going to have my bloodwork drawn later this month and stopped taking my meds for high cholesterol and diabetes 1 week after surgery. I hope my labwork is good enough to stay off them.  
I could NEVER have lost the weight I have in such a short period of time without this surgery and it feels so good because I know it will continue and even though I may gain 5-10 back during my lifetime, I will never be the size I started as. 

I'm 5 days out and feel so good it's scary.  The surgery went extremely well.  Dr A said I was his star patient.  No complications and no pain.  I was sleeping on my stomach by the 3rd day.  I'm trying to take it easy but it's hard when you feel so good.  No hunger to speak of just in my head.  i'm on clear liquids and am eating all sorts of broth.  Purchased won ton soup, chicken noodle soup and vegetable soup from Target, Subway and Chinese Restuarant, skimmed the broth off and drank them down.  They were so good.  I tried the Swanson's broth and the smell was awful.  I've cooked greens for today and put the excess juice in a bowl and it was sooooo good.  I also put some unflavored whey powder from GNC in fruit punch and i coudnt taste the difference.  I'm losing about 1 pound a day.  I still like to read cook books and i dont get hungry looking at the pictures.  It's weird.  Maybe I'll become a caterer I'm going to see my PCP on Friday and take the report Dr A sends back.  The kids are all home and I couldnt be happier.

Today is December 19th and I  will catch a flight this morning to San Antonio and go to Mexico tomorrow morning for my surgery.  It has been a roller coaster ride and I cannot wait until it's over.  Everything has been taken care of, arrangements made for the children but Idont know if I am ready.. Had a scare yesterday,pain in my chest all day so I went to the dr last night around 6p for an ekg and chest xray.  My dr was going off duty so i had someone who was totally unfamilar with the surgery and not at all approving of it.  She needed a perm and some surgery herself. Everything was fine but I had a condition called chrondritis which is inflammation of the lining behind the ribcage.  I didnt have time to get a prescription filled today so she gave me shot in the but which was soooooooooo painful.  It was liquid ibuprofen.   The heifer wanted to give me a shot of insulin even though I have never taken insulin in my life.  I would not let her and advised her my regular physician had taken me off all meds since sunday due to the surgery. She asked me where was the surgery and when I said Mexico that big head of hers whipped up so quickly, she then proceeded to ask me if the procedure was FDA approved.  I confidently advised her it was not and was ready to tell her I wasnt asking for her permission or opinion. I just needed to know if I was having a heart attack?????? I am feeling fine this morning even though my daughter who is going with me called to say she cant locate her passport.   She eventually found it.  I hope she makes her flight.  

I'll post when I get back........

Whew, I am tired.  I  set up my appointment for surgery with Dr Alvaez's office today and the excitement has worn me out.  I will be having surgery on Dec 20th and my oldest daughter Shauna is going with me.  She is in grad school and fluent in spanish so she will be a big help.  Our relationship is very close for a mother and daughter and I just love her so.  She was against me having the surgery intially but she did her research and agreed it would work, not that it would matter because I was still gonna get the surgery. 


When I was intially delayed for approval for the lapband I knew something good was gonna come out of it but I just didnt know what it was.  I was always interested in the sleeve but insurance wouldnt cover and  I certainly coudnt afford it. After Aetna said I had to jump through more hoops I said to myself that I would have the surgery I felt was really better for me regardless of their decision.  I  did more research on the sleeve and was determined to have it. I applied to capital one for financing which was approved but the interest rate was just too high. Then I decided to get a home equity loan which came with a lower interst rate so now my stomach will be on lay a way for 5 years

I'm just so happy that I will finally be able to come off my medication for the diabetes and cholesterol.  The first thing I want to do when I am healed is to enroll in the belly dancing class and actually perform during one of their amatuer nights.

Bummer, called Aetna and request has been denied. I'll have to wait for the letter from them before I can go any further

Yesterday I had my last visit with the nutritionist and she submitted her paperwork to the surgeons office. I received a voice mail from the surgeons office advising they have everything and are ready to submit my paperwork. they advised it sometimes takes Aetna anywhere from 4-6 wks for approval. I am hoping to hear from them much sooner, like maybe next week. I cant wait to have the surgery and get some of this weight off .  I wake up nauseous every morning from the diabetes and feel that way several times a day.

It's Friday and on my way home the surgeons office called to advise they finally got my paperwork from the PCP. I have 1 more visit with the nutritionist on Sept 17th and my visit to the Pulmonary Dr on August 28th.I also need to get my letter of medical clearnce from the PCP. The surgeons office advised she will submit my paperwork to AETNA after final report from the nutritionist. I cant wait and will be glad to hear/see those words "YOU'RE APPROVED"