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I am officially making a box of clothes that are TOO BIG for me and am NEVER going back to them.  You know you are losing weight when your underwear is even too big!!  TMI?? Maybe for you, but exciting for me! Ha!

My first fill was Thursday September 25.  I was really nervous and a bit neurotic about it.  But after being nervous about it, the visit went well. I was shocked and baffled by scales. I've read on the support sites how fickle scales can be, even digital ones. So I must have weighed myself before my appointment SIX times, with clothes, without, before and after my little lunch... I was truly neurotic. But when I got to the doc office and got on the BIG scale (not quite Biggest Loser size but it’s bigger than your average home scale),  I was 3 pounds LIGHTER than at home!! Hey! I'm taking that number!!  I did the whole silent, excited scream thing! J  My hubbie just grinned and said  “you can scream out loud you know!”  He was even excited for me!  Oh what a feeling!!

 

 

 My hubbie and I came home and adjusted our old dial scale accordingly and the digital weight watchers scale... well I don't know. It's always been a pain. After I got it home I realized you have to place your feet exactly on these 2 inch sensors to get your reading... so.. of course if the balls of your feet are not on the sensors just right your digital reading is off. As a result,  I've been weighing on both scales.

 

Anyways, back to my visit. I got just a small fill because I don't do well with bread already, which is good.  It  sits like a lump and I already had about 1cc  in my band from surgery placement. So I now have 2 cc of saline. I have been able to take my meds without a problem still. Which I am thankful for.  I am getting full a little bit more quickly.  That is the ultimate goal.  I did call this morning and scheduled another fill on October 9^th.  I still feel like I could use some more restriction.   My doc wants me to come in every 2 or 3 WEEKS for fills until its right. Part of why I chose him was because he is quite liberal with fills. Doesn't make you "work" for it as much as some surgeons, even in his own group. some docs will make you really work for it... IE: excercise baby!!  Which of course yes, we need. But I like the doc that is out to help us help ourselves to.

So bottom line.. ha!! I've lost a total of 40 pounds!! 23 since surgery date of August 12th! yeah!!  

Until next time, Thank you as always.  And may God’s Grace and Blessings be with you.

Michelle
Matthew 6:25-27 NIV

Do Not Worry

    ²⁵"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

 

List of Useful Books

Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding: Achieving Permanent Weight Loss with Minimally Invasive Surgery By Jessie Ahroni---Moderater of Smart Bandster Yahoo Group

 

 

The LAP-BAND Solution: A Partnership in Weight Loss

Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery: Over 140 Delicious Low-Fat High-Protein Recipes to Enjoy in the Weeks, Months and Years After Surgery

Lap-Band for Life

Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person

 

Why Do We Say Avoid Bread, Pasta, Rice, Potatoes And Other Starchy Foods?

Foremost is the mechanical problem associated with the consumption of these foods. They tend to constrict the opening between the upper and lower stomach or "get stuck" when the band is tight. Trying to eat bread and pasta
can lead to excessive vomiting which may lead to slippage of the band.

Not all carbohydrates are created equal. Soft white bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, and other starches are high glycemic index foods. The glycemic index measures the effects of equal quantities of different carbohydrates on blood sugar levels. These foods tend to raise blood sugar rapidly, leading
to the release of the hormone insulin. Many overweight people are resistant to insulin. The theory is that when you consume these foods, you end up with too much circulating insulin. This hormone promotes the storage of and inhibits the breakdown of fats. That is not what you are looking for when
you are trying to lose weight.

Carbohydrates including those found in cookies, cakes, crackers, potatoes, white bread, white pastas, and white rice have a high glycemic index and may result in hunger soon after their rapid digestion. Highly processed foods are essentially pre-digested and provide a burst of glucose into the blood stream after their consumption. Other examples of high glycemic index foods are bananas, carrots, squash, and parsnips. It's easier to avoid these foods if you just remove them from your environment.

Another problem with bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes is that most people put butter, sour cream, cheese, or gravy on these foods to make them taste good and people who are really serious about losing weight don't want to be eating much of those high-fat foods.

Non-starchy vegetables, many fruits and high-fiber whole-grain products tend to have a lower glycemic index. These are thought of as the "good" carbohydrates.

Foods that are low in glycemic load seem to increase satiety and contribute to maintaining more consistent blood glucose and insulin levels.

Time for another update. 

I am feeling great!
The weight is coming off slowly but surely, just like it's supposed to.  I'm having about the 1 pound-ish a week loss.  I kinda wish it was the 2 pounds a week but, hey, it's still in the "loss" column!!  So that's a plus..or a minus.. or whatever you want to call it!

I have finally gotten in the habit over the past few weeks of taking my vitamins on a daily regular basis like I really must and need to.  It was something I was supposed to be doing prior to the surgery but for some reason I just had this major block about forgetting to do it.  Then right after surgery, I was sooo sick those first 2 weeks that the vitamins just made it worse.  Especially on an empty stomach.  But now, I have a pretty scheduled time to take them.  I love those yummy chocolate Viactiv multi-vitamin and the calcium chews.  It gives me my chocolate fix each day and my daily supplements at the same time!  I have to admit the Coromega 3 fish oil is a bit --- ewww. But very necessary.  I just slurp it first followed by my tasty chew chaser! ha!  What ever tricks I need to make it work.  I really think the daily vitamin course is helping me feel better too.  Of course we all need daily vitamins in our busy, poor diet society even if you haven't had WLS.   I highly recommend it!

I still am amazed a the small amounts of food that I eat now.  It's also made me realize just how much I did eat before that I did not need.  All of that ON TOP of my health problems, I was a ticking time bomb.  Most mornings if I can even get breakfast in it's not even a half a bowl of one of those packets of instant weight control Quaker oatmeal.  Lunch is usually about 6 oz of tuna and I'm stuffed.  Then dinner-  high protien and veggie, just enough to be on a dessert size plate.  Boy do I know if I've eatten too much and I'm miserable.  I need to keep walking around and get it all moving around.  It's not fun.  My mouth may want it, but my tummy says No, No, No.       

I have found that bread, definitely is not my friend, as most bandsters have found.  A couple of bites are okay and I do mean TWO bites but that's it.  Pizza... thick crust..no way...    I'm still for the most part on what's considered softer foods--fish, soft fruits, cereals, cheeses, eggs, chicken-which I do suprisingly well on because alot of bandsters don't do well with chicken.  But I have found that because chewing is a huge requirement---I cut into tiny peices first and then don't have to chew quite as much.   I have not tried salad or red meats or pork.  I'm not a big red meat eater. So no big deal there.  But I would like to have a salad. 

I go in for my first fill next week, Thursday the 25th.  About that time I should be able to venture in to all the other food families.  One food at a time, kinda of like a toddler! ha!  I am kind of nervous about the fill.  I am hoping it will be a small one to start.  I am not having any problems with my food getting "stuck" and more importantly I can take all my medications with out anything getting stuck.  Some of my pills I can't crush or cut and that can be a challenge.  So I'm worried that I fill might change the medications going down.  On the plus side, I do sometimes feel like maybe I'm eating a little bit too much still or get hungry sooner than I want too.  Getting my fill would hopefully help that  and of course aide in lossing the weight a little bit more as well.   So we'll wait-ha, play on words- and see.


So, until next week or so, after my fill.  Be Happy, Be Healthy- in mind, body and spirit.  Please feel free to contact me with questions, comments, etc.  and as always thank you for the continuing love and support from my friends and family.
Blessings,
Michelle
Corinthians 6:19
"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?"

So I know it's been quite a while since I've been here.  Needless to say things have been a little bit rough since the surgery but I've finally gotten past the worst.  So here I am again.

 

My surgery was Tuesday August 12, 2008.  The surgery itself went very well. I had a rough time with recovery.  Most people bounce back fairly quickly but what at the same time I was still "within the norm" 

Week One Aug 12-18

I ended up very woozy, nauseous, and with the retching dry heaves.  Unfortunately I not the one that just..urp and it's done.  Nooo, I'm the one that is loud, long and literally gut wrenching that make everyone, even the dogs, turn tail and hide.  So, it pulls on FIVE of my incisions and my new little stomach.  This in turn caused muscle spasms.   For a week I could barely get down water and Gatorade.  Even ice and frozen Gatorade pops barely went down.  It was really the pits.  I was seriously having doubts by the end of that first week of "Oh, my gosh, what have I done to myself and gotten myself into" But I never told anyone, not even my husband.  My hubbie, my mom and kiddos were so supportive.  I didn't want to let them know I had doubts.  I knew they were concerned about me.  We'd already made an emergency trip to the doc about the problems and were keeping in touch with the nurses by phone.  I just kept telling myself that it would soon be over, it just a small little glitch, it will all be worth it.

 

What I experienced this first week could have been caused by a number of things, by themselves of a combination of.  I may have had a reaction to the barium swallow test that is preformed within hours of the surgery to make sure everything is properly in place.  This is very common.  My mom has had reactions.  It could have been caused by the swelling of the stomach itself from the surgery and the band.  This is very common.  This is why you only have liquids the first week or so.  You have to let the stomach heal and the swelling go down.  I may have just been "one of those patients" that this is just the way my body reacted to the band being in place especially because I do have AS which is a from of an auto-immune disorder and my body reacted to a "foreign" object in it.  And lastly, I did have some major stress factors/issues that were being dealt with during the time of my surgery and recovery. And one of the major instructions is to avoid stress.  As anyone knows who has tummy trouble, stress aggravates the stomach.  When you've had surgery on your stomach and you add stress to that…. you're going to have a problem. 

 

Week Two Aug 19-25

I was liquids advancing into soft foods.  Let me tell you, mash potatoes never tasted so good!  I was still having problems with nausea and the retching up until about the one and half week point.  But after that, oh those mash potatoes!  And cream of potato soup! J  The small things.  I was finally able to do water and Gatorade more easily.  I also found another magic drink for me was herbal tea at night.  That warm herbal tea at night helped so much.  The first two weeks, you still have a lot of air and bloating from the surgery.  GASX strips made me ill, literally. But that herbal tea, Lemon, Chamomile, and Sleepy Time, they were heaven.   My tummy and all the incisions were still terribly tender and sleeping on my side with a super soft pillow (squishy) did help.  A heating pad also came in quite useful.  Too bad it was August but at least we had a window AC in our room so I could keep the room cool to compensate for sleeping with the heating pad all night. 

 

Week Three Aug 26-Sept 2

So here we are, week three.  I still love herbal teas.  Oh they are still a life saving, especially at night.  I've advanced to scrabbled eggs.  Okay.  They went down okay…chew, chew, chew.  I felt good.  One scrabbled egg.  I'm full!! Amazing!  Next time I try a little cheese to get some more protein.  That works too!  I try applesauce.  The next day some can peaches then some canned pears.  Mmm.  Fruit and protein.  Life is good!  And lots of water!!  I've always been a huge water drinking.  So that's not a problem getting in all my water.  I don't even miss my 2 or 3 a day Diet Lime Coke habit.  In fact it's been 2 months since I've had one.   I do try coffee in the AM with my morning paper-old habit.  I'm allowed with ½ a packet of Splenda and non-dairy powder creamer.  Awww.  Its mornings again. I have to be careful though.  Coffee in the AM makes me not hungry so that's not good and I need proteins.  In the midst of this week, we have to travel.  I was nervous.  We take my youngest up to Dallas for college.  We are in a hotel and eating out or in a school/college cafeteria for 3 days.  I'm very careful about my choices.  Salmon with dinner one night-soft fish, egg with breakfasts and fruit.  I did try pasta and veggie lasagna at lunch one day because that was the only choice. Did okay.  Good thing we walked around right after because it was a lump in my chest after.  My hubbie did comment that taking me out to eat was pointless because my meals were a waste, I eat so little.  I pointed out that we were traveling and I couldn't "take it home". He agreed.  But he's right to a point.  The hotel had my herbal tea!!! Yeah, helped a bunch at night for me!!  The walking and traveling made my tummy sore.  But I survived.  I spent the whole day after we got back home sleeping.  I was exhausted.  Of course with my back and spinal problems, that was a mess too. I did so well with the fish and stuff while traveling. I try some canned beef stew.  Yummy carrots!  Beef was okay going down… not sure if I was quite ready for it.  And I've tried chicken.  Most bandsters say chicken doesn't do well for them.  I've been okay with chicken and turkey then end of this week. 

 

Over all, I'm starting to feel more "normal" and I feel good.  I love my proteins, fruits and veggies.  And even with gaining not quite 2 pounds back during my Dallas trip-probably a lot of salt in the processed foods.  I've lost that 2 pounds plus one more. So all together I've lost 13 pounds since my surgery on the 12^th.

 

Now that my hubbie and I are empty nesters, the treadmill is in our son's room with a TV so I can get on that.  It does tend to trouble my back. But my goal is to try to 10 minutes 2x a day for now and build up slowly to get the strength back up in my spine.  I was doing aqua therapy and loved it.  It was the best thing for me and really worked.  We are working to get me back into to that.  But in the mean time.  I will do the walking on the treadmill.

 

Hopefully it won't be so long in between postings. Sorry this one was so long.

 

Thanks for all of the love and support.

 

Blessings,

Michelle

 OH, PS to my own blog! ha!
Week two another thing that was heaven sent... runny cream of wheat! I ate that for two weeks too! It really settled my tummy. :-)

just a quick note.  I've been really woozy, had the dry heaves last nite which was just awful.  I've been in touch with my nurse and doc's office today.  waiting to hear from them this afternoon. I"m hoping it's just that I'm having a lot of swelling.  but this too shall pass.  I'll let you know more later.  

I've got my bag packed, my surgery time was moved an hour later, but that's okay.  Looks like God might bless the day with some rain.  I'm sippig on a cup of beef broth.  And after I got over being hungry this AM for some odd reason.  I'm never hungry in the AM so I know it was nerves, the day was surpringly easy to have my liquid onlys today.  Making and watching the family eat spaghetti was a little bit of torture since I've wanted spaghetti for three weeks now but it was only fleeting.  I know I need to try and sleep but like before all of my other spinal surgeries and stuff, it's hard for me to get wound down.  Plus, hey, once they give me happy drugs tomorrow, oh cares! ;-)  so anyways.  I'm ready and excited for my journey.  I've got some "day before surgery" pic I'll post along with my "GOAL" outfit.  he hee... it's not one meant for the public though.  It's one for my hubbie and I.  But again, that's part of what this is all about.  Oh and another great website to check out... http://www.nutritiondata.com/

See you on the other side!~~ Michelle

Per my yahoo online support group......

 First, you realize that even if you eat everything in your house it will not solve the problem. Second you have to figure out EXACTLY what you are feeling. Is it worry, anxiety, anger, sadness, exasperation? What is the feeling? Then figure out a better way to deal with that feeling. Here's my list of coping skills. You have to work on developing these.

Be realistic

Get perspective

Give up perfectionism

Meditate/Reflect/Think

Relax

Write in a journal

Visualize the process or the outcome

One thing at a time

Increase your physical activity

Eat healthy, make wise choices

Rest more, go to bed earlier

Share feelings, talk

Ask for love, support, guidance

Give in, be flexible

Go easy with the criticism of self and others

Get professional help

Not necessarily in that order. Add a few of your own techniques to that
list. Notice: eating is not on the list.

I got my surgery date!  August 12 at 10:30am at St.David's in Austin.

 

I 'm really excited and nervous.  My son called my from Alaska and was like "that's like tomorrow! Mom!"  no..two more weeks but it seems like tomorrow.  He's excited for me to be a happy healthy grandma/Nanny to his own son and second baby on the way.  Yes I have TWO grandbabies and thus my motivation!

 

I am excited and encouraged.  

 

Now I"m just waiting for my hubbie to get home from his business trip with the hurricane relief team so we can celebrate the date with a date!

 

I completed my 90 day program. Lost 11 pounds..yeah!  Got all my labs done and cleared the same day, saw Jerry the dietician at SWB ALL on July 15th.  I had to wait until yesterday July 24 to see Dr. Fass.  Which lasted all of about 2 minutes.  How are You, any questions, are you ready to do this, start the 2 week pre op diet, let's do this!! .....

 

Now I Have sat and waited by the phone like a love sick teenager all day waiting for the surgery scheduler to call me.  and, since it's 4:26pm on Friday afternoon.  The hopes of at least knowing my date this weekend are looking pretty slim.  I'm so bummed.  

 

I have to say the first day on this high protein diet is kinda tough.  i'm a carbs girl and the high fiber diet at least let me enjoy whole wheat carbs.  I don't know how those Atkins fools did it!  LOL!!  My hubbie's doing the diet with me to help me along and encourage me.  I just told him he HAS to come off of it in two weeks.  (yeah, he can lose a pound or two also but he lost 20 pounds on the fiber 90 day diet with me.. men)

 

So here I wait.....for my date.... ha! But, I'm sooooo close.  I've waited sooo long for this journey.

 

~~Chelle

So after reading many postings on the forums and my yahoo group that say not to weigh myself everyday and become obsessive about it.  I've tried to put that into practice even now.  I'm trying to view this 90 day program as a mental prep to my surgery and getting myself ready for all of the lifestyle changes.

I decided today to hop on the scale after about 4 or 5 days of not even looking at it.  Our is in our kitchen.. LOL!  yeah what an appropriate place for it.  I was amazed.  I've lost 6 pounds just by increasing my fiber.  There is something to be said about increasing Fiber intake.  It does make me "more full" and not want to snack as much.  It makes my head hunger easier to deal with.  And my hubbie has been amazing at helping find fiber-full things to eat.  Plus we are finally eating more fruits and veggies. 

The down side to this, if I lose more than 10% of my body weight by the end of the 90 day program, Medicare will pull the plug on the surgery.  They will say, Oh no, you can do it on your own.  Well.  I've been down this road, we all have.  I've lost as much as 40ish pounds on fat calories counting diets, etc. and done very well.  However, something always ends up inside me getting very tired of COUNTING everything, reading packages at the grocery store every trip.  And going back to wanting my yummy foods I love to cook and miss as a Southern girl....give me white gravy on anything and I am a happy camper!  A round happy camper! Who then turns into a round miserable camper.  See the problem?

So.  I'm excited and apprehensive at the same time.  I do know my aqua therapy is helping tremendously.  because I'm getting the much need therapy and exercise for my back and spine... another blog for my medical conditions... but Insurance will be bringing that to an end very soon. May 19th.  I totally bummed about that.  I am a water baby and always have loved being in the water and it's amazing what aqua therapy does and what you can do when you think you are otherwise limited.

But I will cross these bridges as I come to them.  In the meantime.  I went completely public on my myspace page and was overwhelmed and so warmed by the support and encouragement I received.  

So that was my week. Praying things will keep uplifting. Because truly without my Lord, I am nothing.