Tammy S.

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8/13/07 Pensacola Beach My grandson, Poot
7-31-07 Day of Surgery 06/03/07 at 230 poundsThe 1st picture is 6-3-07 day of VGS 2nd picture is 7-31-07 8 weeks out




6 weeks out Me and my brother Frank 7/15/07

7 weeks out 7/23/07...Me and my new niece Crimson, my brother Franks new baby girl.
Weight Loss Tracker

10/21/07   162   size 5 to 7 

08/13/07 182
08/03/07 185
07/31/07 188
07/17/07 190
07/12/07 192.5 From a size 24 to a 12
07/02/07 197 Onderland and my Birthday, Happy Birthday to me!
06/27/07 200 Onderland.. I haven't seen you in 20 years.
06/20/07 202
06/15/07 206
06/04/07 230 Day of Surgery
05/31/07 228
05/15/07 224
05/08/07 220 Got off Phentermine
04/23/07 228
04/17/07 234
04/08/07 237
03/13/07 247
03/08/07 249 Increased Phentermine strength
02/22/07 253
02/14/07 262
02/01/07 268 Started Phentermine

My thoughts on Food and what I am doing and eating:
My day starts around 4:30 am I have 2 cups of coffee with splenda and 2 teaspoons of regular coffee mate cream and my vitamines ( 2 flinstone gummies, B complex with folic acit, prevacid). Around 9:30 I usually eat 1 oz of beef jerky or 2 egg white omlet wit 2 slices bacon for lunch (noon) I eat 1/2 of a small chilli with cheese, around 3 I finish off the chilli, at 6pm I eat 1/2 grilled chicken breast and steamed carrots or grilled fish (salmon with lemon is my favorite) with some type of veggies steamed and a little fresh fruit (I'm on a watermellon kick right now) I also take 2 more gummy vitamines (just because they are good and my Doc reccomends them) and around 9pm I eat about 1 oz of beef jerky or some type of nuts 1/4 - 1/2 cup(usually sunflower seads or almonds - raw not roasted) something to put in my stomach that is high on protein and that requires digestion. This keeps my metabolism working all night so I burn calories in my sleep. I ride my bike for 35 minutes a day which equals to about 12 miles (18 - 24 mph) and burnd 1000 - 1200 calories. How ever many calories I take in in a dayis how many I work off. I feel like I am in a stall most of the time because my scales don't move every day but I am loosing inches really good and I get rewarded with a few pounds every week or so. I also try my best to get at least 64 oz of water before I swich to diet green tea or any other flavoried drink. The only exception is my coffee which I have to have because my days are so long. I also work a very strenious job. I am a paramedic on an ambulance so I am lifting, pulling, pushing and moving all day long. I avoid as many refined carbs as possible, no bread, pasta, rice potatoes, corn and such. Now I do ocassionally if I have to or if I want it I will get a Jr burger and eat about 1/2 of it for a change. I also bought these ketone strips at Wal Mart. You pee on the end of them and it tells you if your body is in ketoacidosis. Weather you are burning stored body sugar or the sugar you are taking in. It keeps me honest. The darker the strip turns the more weight I loose.


Meat suggestions I use:
boiled shrimp
steamed crab
wendys chilli with cheese for the extra protein
grilled chicken
grilled or broiled fish - salmon, red fish, catfish, talipia all are good but I put lemon and butter on them
lean hambutger meat
steak
beef jerky

I can eat about 2 oz of any one of them and about 2 oz of soft veggies ( I use fresh as much as possible without preservatives or processing )

I don't count calories or fat grams or anything.


9/22/07
Well not much has changed since I last updated except I am in a size 8 to 10 depending on the brand. I feel great and am looking forward to plastics to remove excess skin. My weight is still going down but it has slowed. I am now at 170 pounds. I initially wanted to go to 135 but I think that is too much for my build. I am very muscular due to the work I do and I will probably not look right at 135 pounds. I am happy where I am but 150 sounds nice too. I have lots of loose skin in my thighs and arms. I also need to firm up my butt some. I would have never in a million years would have thought my butt would go away, but it did and fast. O well, I'm lovin my sleeve and my results!

08/04/07
I feel great. I am now in a size 10 in Levis jeans and medium shirt. My blood pressure is running 112/68 as an average with no meds, which is excellent (pre surgery it was out of control on several BP Meds). I am so happy. Have I told you "I LOVE MY SLEEVE?" 07/12/07 I don't know what to say except I feel great and I have gone from a size 24 when this all began to a size 12 now. My 12's are a little tight but a 14 is to big. I am so happy with my decision at this point, and I would highly recommend it to anyone. I am off of all Blood pressure meds and cholesterol meds. I still take my prevacid just for precaution but I really don't have any GURD to complain about.6/25/07Well, I guess I better update. I feel pretty great. I am having a little pain in m left side that I am told is internal stitches dissolving and causing a pulling sensation. It feels like a burning or tearing pain that takes your breath away, but it only happens when I turn a certain way or sit up from a laying position and I use my stomach muscles. The pain is not in my stomach though. It is under my rib cage on the left side. Go figure... Other than that I feel extremely good. I noticed my knees and ankles do not hurt anymore, My feet do not swell like they did and I haven't taken any blood pressure medicine since surgery. I am able to get in all of my water and I can get in my protein if I make good food choices, but I don't make the right choices all the time. My weight loss in the 1st 6 days was excellent, but I hit a 2 week stall and now I am loosing again, but it is very little and slow going. I think I need to add some fiber to my diet cause I don't think I poop enough, about 1 time a week and it ain't much at all. I have dropped from a size 18 day of surgery to a 14 which is big on me and my butt is starting to disappear, I never thought that would happen. I am loving my decision and would do it all over again, any day!!!6/10/07I am 100% Myself. No pain, no nausea, normal strength, NO BP MEDS!!!!!, I can't express how good I feel. I can't wait to go back to Dr. Hargroder and see how much weight I have lost. I feel smaller in my skin but I am still a little bloated feeling in my upper stomach. My clothes are a little looser but just a little. I feel so much better than I did before I had surgery. I feel like I have more energy, but I think I am sleeping better. I know that sounds funny since it has only been 6 days, but I do. Thank God for allowing me this opportunity! 6/3/07OOOOOOOOOO counting in hours now....... SSSSCCCCRRRREEEEAAAAAMMMMM!!!! Sounds like I'm at the fair, Everybody scream. Well off to church, Thank you God!

Tammy 

6/2/2007

OH MY GOSH!!!!!, Look at that. It is June 2nd......Less than 2 days!!!! Its almost here!!!!! How do you scream on the Internet??????? SCREAM !!!!!!!!Did that work, HEHEHEHEHEHEHE I'm so EXCITED!!!!!

Tammy 

5/29/2007

I'm in my hotel room at the Days Inn in Denham Springs, (I don't recommend it at all) trying to sleep, but I'm so excited I can't stand it. I have a sleeve sister - Lauren. Her surgery got bumped up and were having identical sleeves less than a day apart. YEA ! I also have to have my gall bladder out too though. Well, I have pre op in the morning at Vista Surgical Center. Don't know what I am in for but I really don't care. I have been waiting for this for so long, I really don't care what they do to me. Stick, probe whatever......HEHEHEHEHE   Wish me and my new sister luck! We are going for it! God Bless!

  Tammy

5/24/2007

I have a date!!!!  You can't see it but I have a cheezy grin on my face... I am so excited. I went to the support group last night and met the greatest group of people. I was so amazed. It is so funny, thoughts that have ran through my mind most of my life, that I thought were only mine....were spoken out loud by the others that were there. It was so strange. You know how we hate to go places sometimes because you know you will be the biggest person there, or you hate to go out and eat by your self because you know ever one will be staring at you, thinking she don't need that. And being looked over because of your size for jobs ect... It was really neat. We talked about successes, slow downs and milestones. Everyone was so positive. Everyone wanted everyone else to succeed. It was none of that I'm better than you or I'll beat you. It was... this is what worked for me and lets see if it will help you too. What will make a difference for you. Lets do it together. Call on me if I can be of any help.Things like that. It was truly a great experience. I go for pre op next wed and I can't wait...not because of pro op but because of support group wed. night. It was so great meeting all of you at group. Just please excuse my crazy husband. He has no cooth, he is a true nut. Tammy

5/17/2007

Well, I just got news from Sue at Dr. Bellanger's. Not sure how to take it but it is very, very upsetting to me. Dr Bellanger is now refusing to do my sleeve and gallbladder at the same time. He says the risk of infection is too great. In all the research I have done, I have found it is common for Dr's to do both at the same time when there is a history of gallbladder disease. Same as repairing a hernia or other issues you may come up with. When I was in for my consultation I was talking to Dr. Hargroder's nurse said Dr H does it all the time and it wouldn't or shouldn't be a problem. I wonder if I can change to Dr. Hargroder. I really do not want to have to have 2 surgeries. And I really do not want anyone at the clinic upset with me. If I understand the risks, and am willing to take the chance, shouldn't it be partly my decision. Multiple surgeries also increase the risk of infection and even death....... Anytime you are dealing with being intubated and put under you have a risk that is far greater than an infection. That makes no sense at all. Has anyone else run into this before? It kind of makes me feel he isn't sure of himself, or that may be me just being upset and my mind running a little crazy. I was told he was very conservative. Tammy

May 17th 2007

Well it’s been a while since I've been here so I better update. I will be having surgery in June, hopefully the 1st week, but no exact date yet. I will be going to Dr. Ballenger in Baton Rouge and I will be having the sleeve. His price is the same as most places in Mexico and he is close to home. I am having severe gall bladder problems right now and I have been told it is because of the rapid weight loss that I have had over the last few months while doing the 6 month weight loss program (Phentermine) that insurance requires. It is so funny, they make you do 6 month program and it drops you below the BMI marker and you are now disqualified for insurance approval, knowing all the while when you get off the diet pills in the program you will gain it all over again. I will still be paying for the surgery myself, but since I had started the 6 month program and it is working I just kept going. I only have 3 months left that I can go and get the pills so hopefully this is a good jump start on my future. Prayers to all.  Tammy

March 13, 2007

Here I go again, I have done messed up. I started calling and talking to a few other Doctors (and assistants) and I like them all, how do you choose. I was approved for my loan thanks to my daddy cosigning for me and now I need to figure out which way and where to go.  There are so many people out there that just love there bands but I don't personally know any one of them. I work with 3 people that have had RNY. They have mixed feelings about there experiences. Some would do it again and some wouldn't. I've even seen posts about the gastric sleeve and it was actually recommended to me by one of the doctors, but I just don't know what to do. Please give me some advice. I'm praying God will lay it on my heart which way to go.March 3, 2007I have applied for financing for my WLS but I don't have high hopes because I have had some credit problems a few years ago when I had cancer. It has caused me many problems in financing my home and other things. I figured nothing ventured, nothing gained, so I tried. Anyway I still want to use Dr. Rumbaut or Dr. Kelly.  Dr. Kelly is less expensive but it seems Dr. Rumbaut is more experienced. I will keep everyone up to date. God Bless us all! Well Dr. Rambaut's assistant sent me the cost estimates and he is several thousand dollars more than most of the others I have looked into in Mexico. For RNY with him I was quoted $14,600 plus I pay for the hotel for 7 days after surgery and the round trip flight to Monterrey and back home. It also says the cost may be more depending on if you have had previous abdominal surgery. I have had other abdominal surgeries. Tubal, exploitation surgery, and hysterectomy. The total will be just a little less than what you can have the RNY at Weight Loss Surgical Center in Baton Rouge, LA. They quoted me 18,500 as a cash price and they are close to home. I don't know what to do now. Why can't this be easy? Oh well......Have a great day!

Feb. 27, 2007

After reading so much great stuff on Dr. Roberto Rumbaut at the Obesity Surgery Center in Monterrey, Mexico.  I think he is the man for me. This is subject to change. It has several times over the last month. I was leaning towards Dr Kelly until I started reading so many things on Dr. Rumbaut. The one constant is that I want this surgery bad.  I am tired of being fat and tired of my knees hurting so bad all the time. Now all I have to do is work my butt off to save the money.   No pun intended.  Late last night I requested information from his office on the cost of RNY and I hope to hear from them today.  Keep me in your prayers and I will do the same.God Bless

Jan. 31, 2007

Hi, My name is Tammy and I have been married for 26 years to a great guy. We have 3 daughters, 2 son-n-laws and a sweet (most of the time) grandson. I am here to find out some information, get advice and help in my struggle to obtain my health back. I am a Paramedic and have been in emergency medicine for 15 years. I love helping others.I started gaining my weight with my 1st pregnancy, 24 years ago and every year since I have gained a little more each year. Now that little more is alot more. My Health is getting bad. I have tried every diet out there and the only thing that helped in a temporary way was redux. I gained it all back once I got off the redux plus a little more. I know my story sounds just like so many others out there.Anyway, I have no insurance so I will have to pay for my surgery. If anyone has any advice, please let me have it.  I have been looking into having surgery in Mexico because of the cost but I am afraid not knowing the conditions ECT. I am not afraid of the surgery and would have it today if given the opportunity.  It is a shame that WLS can help so many people but it is so expensive. Our wonderful country has so much money to send every where to rebuild this and help out here and there but I can't find any help financially to improve my health and continue to work so I can pay more taxes. LOLNice to meet all of you!

God Bless

Tammy