Laura_BC
You know, the usual...been fat since puberly..lost weight, gained more, lost weight, gained more, gave up, tried again, blahsay, blahsay.
October 10, 2006
I am struggling along. Since it is Ramadan and I can't eat or drink during daylight hours, I am starving when I get home and if I eat anything solid i tend to gobble it down and I have ended up pbing so I try to eat soft stuff and that means high calorie. I have been eating tuna and chicken salad with lots of mayo and ice cream and yogurt, mainly. I have lost 4 additional pounds but I know I will do better after Ramadan when I can get back to healthy eating and get another fill.
For the person who emailed me: advancedwls.com
September 27, 2006
I got my third fill two weeks ago and scheduled another for yesterday but didn't got because of Ramadan. I am having a problem eating and drinking enough during the hours when I am not fasting. I am more concerned about not drinking enough. Anyway, I posted about it in the Islam board here and on the main lap band board so I hope to get some ideas...or maybe I am just looking for empathy...I think the solution is going to be even less sleep than I am getting now so I can get up earlier to start drinking my water earlier.
About the fills--the first fill didn't hurt. The second fill was scary because the PA dug and dug around in there for what seemed like forever before he got it. The third fill hurt when he poked me, but it was over very quickly. I don't feel like my appeitie is "dimmed" as Jessie Ahroni says will happen, but I do have to eat slowly and chew thoroughly. I had a PB and it was not a pleasant experience...but it did reinforce the rules for me. I think I have finally taken off the 4 lbs I gained in the week after surgery, and perhaps even more. Just before Ramadan started I think I was finally getting a handle on how to work with this--even if I am not at the proper restriction. Anyway, too sleepy to write more now and have to get back to work...
August 31, 2006
Well, I am scheduled for my second fill today. I sure hope it makes a difference. Since surgery I have been hungry and although I've been trying to combat the emotional eating, it is often a losing battle. I don't know how people do so well with no restriction. I don't know how they can remain motivated when they have just gone through a major, life altering process to help them lose weight and then have no help from it. I know the band isn't magical and I have to do my part, but the band is also supposed to do its part and it just isn't, yet. I looked at a chart yesterday that shows stoma size thanks to a man on this site (Wendell) and the VG band (which I have) even at 4 cc's (which I currently have) is more open than the 9.75 band is when it is placed. That is really discouraging to me. I hope they put in a nice amount of saline today.
July 27, 2006
I went self-pay and I had surgery on July 17, 2006. I feel like I had every pre-op test under the sun (except the apnea testing) and I came through all with flying colors. My heart is good, my esophagus is good, my cholesterol is slightly high (total 212) but I have confidence that will come down with the weight loss and better eating. The surgery wasn't bad AT ALL. When I first woke up in the recovery room of the Surgery Center I felt a tad miserable--just everything on my body seemed to feel uncomfortable--my arms, my legs were uneasy and my neck was especially sore. That quickly went away and the only thing that was uncomfortable after that was my throat, I guess where they had the tube.
My recovery has been painless, really. I feel very fortunate. I was burping from right after surgery but I never had the gas pains so many people talk about. My incisions hurt a little on the third day out, mostly the port incision, but I put on some tight underwear and that helped that. And actually, it didn't "hurt" but just sorta burned a little. The next day it wasn't nearly as tender and now none of the incisions hurt. I just wish the steri-strips would fall off so I could get a better look at what is under there. I have been sleeping on my stomach with a soft pillow underneath to prop it up a little since the third or fourth day.
My only problem now is, I am SO HUNGRY and wish I could eat some solid food but I am still on liquids until July 31. I have had a few scary thoughts about the band such as how strange and awful to have done something that seems so drastic, but I quickly think about what the alternative is (staying morbidly obese and likely getting even huger) and how limiting being fat is and those thoughts quickly replace the "what have I done?" thoughts.
On the pre op diet I lost 25 lbs, so on the day of surgery I weighed 301. At my one week post-op visit I weighed 304--a gain of 3 lbs. I am not worrying about it. Everyone says this time is for healing, not losing weight. I know the weight loss will come.
Just now though, I am eating lots of high calorie, high fat liquids because I feel so deprived. I keep seeking satisfaction but it won't come because I cannot CHEW anyting. That may sound weird but it is true and took me a while to figure it out. I am feeling sorry for myself because it has been so long since I could actually eat. I know once I can eat something solid I will be able to stop seeking satisfaction and fulfillment and get down to business.
I will be following an Atkins-like diet until I get my first or however many fills it takes to get restriction. Atkins always worked for me the best and that way of eating keeps my hunger at bay.
Speaking of fills, I am afraid about getting a fill but especially afraid because my doctor doesn't do it under flouro. I can't afford to have them mess up my port, tube or band since I was self pay and cleaned out what was left of my 401k for this surgery.
By the way, I should mention here that my family and my husband have been so supportive. I love them all so much!
May 2006
I am so depressed. Here is my tale of woe. I am huge and so uncomfortable. I have never had any health problems (that I am aware of--I never go to the doctor--only the gyn and not as often as I should) but have been fat or battling the fat ever since I was about 10 years old. I have been on WW, Nutrisystem, Ionamin, phen-fen, Deal A Meal and Dr. Atkins. I have some success and then the usual--gain all back plus some. Most recently, last year, I lost about 40 lbs on Atkins. It truly was the "easiest" of all the things I have tried. I really believe a modified low carb plan is the way to go for lifelong health and weight control. I want the band and I want it now. One problem--my employer's insurance policy (MAMSI) has an exclusion. When I first started seeking information on the lap band surgery, I contacted my benefits administrator and they told me the MAMsi policy excluded WLS.
I eventually borrowed from my 401k and got the lap band surgery.
