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This past Thursday I had my second fill.  I was REALLY hoping that Dr. Sudan could do it in the office rather than having to go over to Radiology.  I made an appointment for the office and then 45 minutes later in Radiology in case.  Well Dr. Sudan got the fill done in the office on the first try.  I was soooo excited.  I didn't have any problems from that at all.  

Since the fill, I have really noticed that I can feel how tight it is.  I really have to watch how big of a bite I take, how much I chew it, and how quickly I eat it.  I wasn't doing that Friday night or Saturday morning and boy did I feel it.  It really hurt in my chest about an inch or so below the incision in the middle underneath my bra line.  I am grateful that I figured out what the problem was fairly quickly.

Prior to the fill I had been on a plateau for just over a month with the same pound or two weight loss and gain.  Since the fill I have already lost an additional 5.5 pounds as of this morning.  I am happy with it but I hope that the weight loss continues even at a slow pace.

I also have taken my 4 month pictures.  Perhaps I'll get them on my profile soon.

Today is three months since my surgery.  I had my follow with Dr. Sudan.  He feels that things are going well.  I have only lost .5 pounds since my adjustment (on the scale there).  I feel like I am eating less/not able to eat as much as I could before the fill.  For this reason, Dr. Sudan did not want to do another fill.  He was afraid that I would get sick and not be able to keep liquids and foods down.  Should I need one prior to my next appointment I am to call.  My next appointment is on 05/28/07.  Officially on my 3 months I am down 32.5 pounds.  I have been as much as 35 down but my weight has been see sawing up and down.  I guess we'll see what happens.  I forgot to bring my camera tonight so I'll have to take pictures tomorrow or over the weekend.

...since my first adjustment.  I can tell that it has worked some.  I feel like I am not able to eat as much food as I could before (quantity).  I am grateful for that.  I haven't lost much but like I said it has only been two weeks.  Right now my problems are 1) getting up off my butt to get some exercise and 2) choosing the right foods to not only get in the nutrients that I should be getting but also those without the fat and sugar that I shouldn't be having.  I am down 2.5 pounds since my fill, however my weight has gone up and down but I have not weighed as much as I did that morning.  I must admit though that I have been within a half pound of that weight.  Then again I do think that I am only talking 2.5 pounds.  Its not like I am gaining 10 pounds and taking off 7 and then putting on more.  I do think that even though it is such a little weight that I am going up and down, I am still gaining a little bit.  I am not happy with this.  

So, starting tomorrow I am going to make a conscious effort to get more physical activity and to start making better choices with my food.  I NEED to work my tool better.

The good thing is that I can see the difference in the weight that I have lost and I am feeling good about myself.  For this, I am happy.

Wednesday, Jan 23 I went in to see Dr. Sudan for my first fill.  He doesn't normally do fills this soon after surgery with the thought that your body needs to heal and adjust to the band.  I did explain to him that I had lost any weight in a few weeks but also felt that I could eat much more than I should and faster than I should.  He agreed to do the fill.  So anyway I went in.  He felt that he could feel the end of the port and could do it in the office.  After trying several attempts and uncomfortable minutes of the needle being pushed around he decided that he couldn't get it and that I needed to come back and do it under fluero.  Needless to say I was not all that happy.

Surprisingly I did get in yesterday to have the fill under fluero.  I was kind of nervous with all the big machines around.  This time Dr. Sudan got the right spot right away.  He mentioned that my port is slightly turned, which he attributed to losing weight quicker on one side than the other.  I felt like I was going to be sick though.  I didn't and was able to keep down water.  It was the same feeling as I had after surgery.  I wasn't sure if it was just the feeling of saline in there or if I was really going to be sick.  I did feel kind of nauseated as well.  I was told that I should have liquids the rest of the day and depending on how I felt to graduate to mushy stuff and then back to regular foods.  Throughout the day I was soooooo hungry.  By the time I got home from work and getting gas I thought I was going to die of hunger.  I decided to make some runny mashed potatoes which I also tolerated fine.

I guess it (the fill) is already working as I was 221.5 yesterday morning and 218 this morning.  Yayyyyy.

Well this week has been pretty good.  I was sick last weekend and didn't feel all that well again Tuesday.  As I said in my previous posting I didn't think it was band related.  Well Wednesday I went for my 6 week post-op visit (which was actually at 7 weeks because I didn't have the gas money to get there last week).  He thinks that all is going well.  I don't recall what my starting weight and Wednesday weight were at his office.  On my home scale I am down to 220.5.  I am totally psyched about this.  I haven't weighed this little in years.  Anyway the surgeon thought that my weight loss was good so far and that I didn't need an adjustment yet.  If I need one prior to my 3 month follow up to just call and make an appointment.  Other than this I have just been busy with work and doing this for the neighborhood association that I am president of.  I am looking forward to lunch tomorrow and hopefully meeting some more fellow OH members.

Oh I almost forgot...I sent my mom Christmas pictures and she replied back today that they were good pictures and I looked "so skinny!"  Wow I can't believe she said that.  She wasn't really for the surgery to begin with.  So for her to say that is a big step.

Ok yesterday and into the night were bad.  I have had the worst upset stomach and diarrhea I have ever had.  I swear I have been in the bathroom over half the day since about 2.  I am not sure if I ate something that didn't agree with me, if I ate too fast, if I ate bites to big, or what.  What I did eat I have had several times since my surgery so I don't think that it was a food that my new stomach doesn't like.  Then again I could be wrong.  I also think I saw part of an onion...at least I hope it was an not something from inside.  I could also hear my stomach girgling like there is no tomorrow.  All I know is that this better stop soon.  I am now walking funny if you catch my drift.  Thank god I don't feel like I need to puke or anything like that.  That totally grosses me out.

AHHHH this bites.  This is also my first time not feeling good since surgery.

This totally sucks because I didn't get to go to a bridal show like I wanted to do today.  I was not feeling up to it.  I was sure that I was going to get sick again at any moment.  I was really looking forward to it.  Mostly I was looking for ideas and possible free stuff.  It would have been awesome to win something and not had to pay for it.  Oh well.

I'm doing pretty good.  I am down 30.5 pounds since 11/21/07.  I have graduated to the next stage in food.  My problem is that now that I am allowed to have additional foods, I want to eat like I used to eat.  I want to have a steak.  I want to have pizza.  I want to have breadsticks.  I want French Fries.  I want a Blizzard from Dairy Queen.  I want a big chocolate bar.  Basically I want all the bad things that I was eating prior to surgery.  This will be a test for me.  I need to figure out how I can still enjoy some things, while making other things healthier.  Example...I love making pizza burgers at home (english muffin, sauce, pepperoni, onions, green pepper, cheese).  How can I make this healthier?  One issue is that some people can't handle bread after surgery.  I am not really sure if I can.  I have had a couple bites from a biscuit of Mike's (from KFC).  I think that's it though.  I am kind of afraid of trying it.  I haven't gotten sick yet and I really don't want to ever.  As for making the pizza burger healthier, it was suggested to have turkey pepperoni.  I am not sure that I would like that.  It doesn't sound good and I know I am picky.  I guess I could just not have the pepperoni and just have the veggies and cheese.  That seems kind of bland though.  Anyway things like this are my problem.  I am afraid of falling back into my "comfortable" food habits.  

Speaking of "comfortable," I am stressed lately.  I used to eat to help reduce the stress.  I know I can't do that.  I said something to that effect to my mom and she was like "Oh no you can't do that."  (kinda bitchy like)  I told her that I knew I couldn't not only because of the rules but because my stomach can't hold it and I don't want to get sick.  She didn't really listen to me.  Irritating.  So I need to find new ways to let out my stress.  I was told to exercise.  Well that's always been a problem of mine.  I can never seem to get my big ol' butt up and do it.  I know I really need to now that I've had surgery but it is hard, not only to change my ways but because I don't like to exercise and people don't want to do things they don't like to do.

I guess that's it for tonight as I seem to be rambling.

Well I finally figured out how to combine my 4 pictures from each month into one.  I uploaded the pictures from the morning of surgery and from 1 month out.  I can see the difference already!  Yayyy!

I am so excited.  I met my first mini goal...to get to 225 pounds.  I have lost a total of 28 pounds so far. 

Well I am about 3.5 weeks out from my surgery.  All is going really good.  I have been about 27 pounds down for several days.  At first I was kind of disappointed but apparently what everyone says is true...if you aren't losing pounds you are losing inches.  I knew my jeans were baggy in the legs and in the butt but they weren't very loose in the waist and was hoping to wait for a couple weeks to go buy new ones (well new for me but used from Goodwill).  Friday morning I put them on and holy crap they were HUGE!  They were about 3 inches from my waist.  I couldn't believe it.  I don't know if they were getting bigger through the whole week and I just didn't notice it or what.  Unfortunately I didn't have a belt to hold them up.  I've never worn a belt in my whole life.  These jeans were Levi's size 22.  I tried on various brands from size 18-22.  I tried on a Levi's size 20 and they fit in the waist but were too big in the legs and butt.  I finally found a pair from Gloria Vanderbilt (I had no clue they made jeans too!  I have perfume from them) in a size 18!  I couldn't believe it.  This is a small victory for me.  Yayyy.

On a side note...Mike brought me my Christmas gift from him.  He always does this.  He can't really keep a secret lol.  Oh well.  My gift is awesome.  He got me an Ipod Shuffle.  Its great.  I'm listening to it now.  It will be so neat to bring to work.  It will definiately make my day go faster.  Thanks again honey I love it and you!