Lisa_W

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I had been working on losing weight and eating right again.  It was working...I lost a total of 8 pounds by the end of July.  I was at 230.  Then, my son and his family came and i was cooking for them and baking and not telling myself, "no".  I haven't been on the scale since and I know I have put back on some of the weight.  My appt was change to the 17th of Sept and it gave me some extra time, but that hasn't mattered because I haven't used it.  So, here I am again reconfirming my start (and I will continue to do this as long as I live!) to keep going. 

I have joined water aerobics and just like swimming, it hasn't helped me lose weight but I know I have toned up somewhat.  I keep thinking about curves.  I know I would lose weight doing that program, but would I go?  I dont want a contract and waste my money, either.

Anyway, I am here and trying to get back on track. 

I'll be back!!

Well, I wish I could run the clock back to Feb 2009, but I can't.  My husband was laid off in March, 2009 and didn't find work until august of 2009 (thank goodness), but it involved me quitting my job and relocating.  I was all for it.  I wanted to quit and go back to school and get a new career.  I have enjoyed the time off, but am now just getting into school and during that time, I didn't have the regimine of breaks and no time to really eat whenever.  I was feeling good about myself and ate what I wanted, when I wanted and my "cast iron" pouch didn't object, I kept at it.  I have gained 17 pounds in 9 months!  It is horrible. 

The problems as I see them now looking back is that I didn't pay attention to how much or what I ate.  I didn't have easy access to my scale and believe it or not that matters!  If you can ignore the scale and your clothes are big enough you don't see that your body is changing.  It was when my shorts came out and were tight when before they just hung on my hips that I realized the error of my ways.  

Now, I am struggling to find my good habits again.  I have a doctor's appt in early september and I want to have a majority of this weight off. I believe the keys are going to be.  1.  Protein drinks (which I don't mind) 2. Journaling and 3. Exercise.  And I am resisting...and losing time everyday!

So, as of today, I weigh 235 when I was at 217.  I was so close to being under 200!  I can do this!!!!

Another thing that hurt me was I left my support system.  I didn't go on this site much or attend support groups.  I need to add that as a change to get back to:  4.  Support groups -

I continued to take my vitamins, drink my fluids and eat my protein.  But I added sugar, carbs and didn't exercise.  I want to blame and blame, but I need to drop it and move forward from this point on.  Call it a fresh start. 

So, I plan on being here more and reporting in to keep it honest and be honest with myself.  I won't go back.  Not ever!


 

I can't believe it has been over a year since I last wrote.  I am enjoying the new me, but have gotten sidetracked.  I have found I can eat more things.  Fit into more clothes and have never been so close to where I should be for my weight before.  I have decided instead of a goal of 150, I have changed it to 175 before my tummy tuck and "wing" removal.  Currently, I am bouncing between 215 and 212.  I was sick a couple of weeks ago and found that I wasn't hungry and got down to 208.  I WANT TO BE BELOW 200!   I haven't been there since 1984!!!  I can do this!  I need to eat the proper foods again, journal and exercise more regularly.  I am ready to do this and am looking forward to it.  My Dr. appt is on March 4th and I want to be below the 200# mark by then.  Also, my daughter is getting married in August or September and I want those 35 or so pounds off - I am anxiously waiting to get started.  I am still lacking energy from being sick and will probably start walking in short amount starting tomorrow. 
Keeping the faith - that's what I'm doing! 

Wow! It's been so long since I posted.  I had my 3 month check up in November.  I don't remember what my weight was then but as of today I have lost 87 pounds!  I set my goal to have lost 100 pounds in 6 months and I think I will make it!  The Holidays have been crazy.  Lots to do and I didn't keep track of my protein like I should have.  I have had my first labs done and will see the doctor next week to get the results.  Also, on October 5th, right before returning to work, I had what we (the doctor and I) thought was a kidney stone trying to pass.  He offered an ultra sound but I said no, it wasn't worth it.  The next day I felt better.  When I went in to see the doc in Nov, he said that the results came back negative for a kidney stone.  So then I was concerned.  I had a pelvic CT done on 12/24 and will get the results from that next week also.  I don't have a gall bladder anymore, so I am concerned about what that horrible pain was.  During the Holidays I found that I "could" eat alot of things.  Even things I wasn't supposed to.  I ate potato chips and dip, pumpkin pie, cherry pie, cookies, etc.  The went down great, stayed there, but boy did I get the belly rumblings which led to alot of gas and trips to the bathroom.  I guess your belly lets you know it was wrong one way or the other.  I got some sugar free candy for Christmas.  It is yummy!  But it gives me the belly rumbling too.  I am putting it away today.  Also, because of the extra carbs and sugars that I have been eating my weight loss has been at a standstill.  I am getting back on track and working hard to get the weight loss going again.  I still have more than 1/2 of my weight to loose.  My goal is to loose 205 pounds by my surgiversary next summer.  I know I can do it with a good exercise routine.  As it is now I am terrifically happy with the 87 pound loss as of now! I will post again after I get my results next week.

Wow!  I can't believe that I have made it so far.  I can remember when I was whining about the protein shakes and pouting that I'd never make it back to eat food again.  Well, here it is!  Yesterday I went in to my check up, which I had been looking forward to, but I had some monsterous back pain on one side which turned out to be a kidney stone!  I couldn't believe it!  Well, they gave me some wonderful drugs and I got to "forget the pain".    (As of today, 10/6/07, it seems to have passed and I am feeling good, just tired).

And then, we discussed a few things.  I have lost 32 pounds since surgery, which makes my total loss of about 49 pounds.  I have 6 more pounds to loose to get out of the 300's!  YEAH!  That day will be my red letter day.  After that, go down 20 more and that will be the weight I was when I got married in 1999.  And 20 more would be the weight my husband met me; and 20 more would be the lowest weight I would have been since 1997.  After that.....it's uncharted territories!  Yahoo!  won't be long now.  I think that everyday while I'm walking.  It is now fun to get on the scale.  Well, I digress.....

And also, I can "eat what you like, within reason"...yeah, like I can really eat anything, but I know what she meant.  Now, adding vegetables, I seem to be losing protein count and am needing to adjust my eating.  Today, after 3 meals, I have only had 33 grams of protein.  In order to make it today, I'm going to have a 25 calorie protein shake.  Darn it!  

As soon as I can figure out how to load my pictures from my new camera onto my computer, I will update some of my pictures.  That may take me a while.  Well, I'll post again later.  Have a wonderful October!

Hello everyone!

I am feeling more and more human each day.  I don't have much pain in my belly area any more and am down to 1 bandaid (from where the tube was removed) and a small gauze patch where that hole is healing.  It is now to 1.5 cm deep and is healing nicely.

I have been learning to eat food again.  You can't believe how delicious food is even if it has been pureed.  Sunday, however, I made a mistake and learned what it is to having an irritated pouch.  My husband and I bbq'd chicken and beef kabobs.  I took a piece of beef, pureed it with beef broth and made it thin enough to eat.  After I seasoned it, I tasted it.  It was wonderful!  Unfortunately, my stomach started cramping almost immediately.  I stopped eating and the cramps went away.  I kept eating until I started cramping and they were hard!  It was awful.  No nausea or vomiting, just cramping.  I finally called the doctor and he said I had irritated my pouch.  It would work itself out.  It took 3 days before the cramping went away entirely.  It will be a long time before I eat beef again!  

Later on, after my pouch was feeling better, my husband took me to the first restaurant for fast food!  I got a side of pinto beans and cheese!  It was wonderful!  I felt like I was part of the world again!  LOL

Now, I have been adding more and more foods.  Trying them slowly to test the "pouch".  I have learned to "listen" better to the signs of my pouch rejecting stuff I swallow!  I have lost a total of 39.5 pounds.  Since I started eating I haven't noticed any weight loss which is concerning but I'm not going to worry about that right now.  My main focal point is healing up properly and getting in all of my protein.

Well, I'm off to read the forum information.  Lots of great stuff there.  Have a blessed day!

It's been two weeks.  What a journey!  I went in for laproscopic roux-en-y gastric bypass.  Unfortunately, I had open gall bladder surgery in the early 90's and the scar tissue there caused my doctor to change in mid-surgery to an "open" procedure.  I now have another scar that runs from my sternum to my belly button.  I came out of the surgery just fine - obviously a little sore - and alot of staples!  I laughed with my husband and said I had a Franken Belly now.  And once, home, I noticed that my doctor didn't even match up my gall bladder scar which crossed over my incision!  We laughed over that one too.  

Of course, during the 5 days that I had to stay in the hospital, I wondered several times, had I done the right thing?  I realized it was over and done with and I was on my way no matter what.  The first few days were crazy.  My mind was clamoring for all kinds of food - even stuff I hadn't thought about in years.  After the first week it went away.

Once I was home, I was beginning to feel very sorry for myself.  I had a drainage tube out of my belly, staples, soreness that required people to help me on and off furniture.  I couldn't even clean myself after going to the bathroom!  One week after surgery, the doctor removed my staples.  I was happy.  I still had the tube in, but it is scheduled to be removed in another week or so.  At the end of removing my staples, the doctor noticed that a part of my insicion hadn't healed closed.  There was a 1 inch section that was open and about 7cm deep!  It then required a home nurse to come in and change the bandage everyday.  Thank God for good insurance!  However, it was still a co-pay of $25 a day!  If it took 4 weeks that would be nearly $1k!  Again, I was feeling a bit sorry for myself.

Now, a week later, my "wound" healed to 5cm and doing more and more each day - AND  with a 15 pound weight loss since surgery, I am beginning to feel differently.  It won't be long before I will be in a different size of clothes!  That will feel so good! 
 
Tomorrow I go to the doctor to check my "wound" and make sure I am healing ok.  I am really looking forward to it as my weigh in last week showed a gain! Even if it was only ounces - it was still a gain!  My legs were so swollen from the IV's they were giving me.  I thought they would blow up!  Now, they have gone down and I am now losing weight.  

My next complaint - and I know you have all been there - the protein shakes.  My doctor keeps telling me it's ONLY 3 weeks.  God!  I drank these shakes twice a day during the last 6 months and they were fine.  Now I find them gross!  I guess the difference is that I could still chew food!  
Well - I'm done complaining.  I am on my way and I will make the best of this that I can.  It's a new lease on life and I want to join the crowd!  Have a great day everybody! 

I can't believe it's only 9 days to go!  I have been wallowing around waiting for the six months to go by.  It's actually been 7 months!  I can't believe it!  I have been browsing this site for over an hour and thoroughly checking it out.  I have found questions to ask that I hadn't thought of and things to take to the hospital.  Foods to stock up.  Thank you to everyone who helped with those lists!  They are wonderful!  I am so excited.  I have pretty much put it out of my mind what my goals are after the surgery because it was so far off.  Now it's here.  I am in shock.  My nieces have been here for two weeks and have kept me busy and unfocused.  I have this one week to myself (with my husband) and I plan on sucking up every minute that I can for myself and our relationship before surgery in preparation and mindset.  I am making lists and stocking up even for things that I won't be able to get done after my surgery.  Obviously I am a planner and list maker!  LOL....  On Sunday before my surgery, my mother and father are coming.  Mom says she wants to take care of me for the first few days.  Sounds like I won't be doing a whole lot.  Reading, sleeping, card playing, movie watching, etc.  I am so looking forward to the first few months and seeing my weight drop.  I don't even care that I wouldn't be able to eat certain foods again.  That has been my largest concern.  They don't matter now.  Well, I'm off to explore some more.  Thanks for being there all of you guys.  Your shared journeys help me along!

Well, the date's been set!  I have been sweating the weight loss of the 17 pounds the dr asked me to lose and today at weigh in I lost 19!  Ya hoo!

So, my surgery date is set for August 21st - less than a month away.  As long as insurance comes through which the dr doesn't see any reason why it won't - it will be my turn to get the surgery done!  I am both excited and scared about this!  I want it to work and know I will continue to need support.  I am making many friends that have had either the RxY or the lap-band.  Well, just thought I'd share!  I'll post something again soon before the date!

I feel very sad.... I am having a hard time losing the weight that has been requested of me to lose before surgery.  I was asked to lose 17 pounds.  That seems like nothing, right?  Wrong!  It seems like 100 pounds to me.  I have added walking to my regimine of about 3 times a week and going further each time.  I have lost 4 pounds, gained 4 pounds, lost 4 and so on....  I need to weigh in and I am scared.  I should probably weigh myself each day or so.  I am trying hard to stick to my plan and lose the weight since I know that July or August (hoping to be my surgery date) will be here faster than I know!  I should probably talk with some of you guys for support.  Well, I'll let you know how the weigh-in goes!