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We Keep Going And Going And Going And Going….

// August 30th, 2008 // No Comments » // Family, Lap Band and Weight Loss, Personal Updates, Pets

The man’s Dad will be here in about 4 hours.  We spent the WHOLE morning scrubbing and cleaning and dusting… yuck.  I will take tons of pictures of the kitties when they get here tonight though.

We raided Kara at lvl 68 on Thursday.. downed Maiden then it was too late.  Guild really has a hard time getting it started.

So I’ve been feeling like I could eat way too much lately.  I went to the Doctor yesterday for another fill.  After weighing me and seeing that I’m still losing weight, on top of the fact that I throw up at least twice a week from eating to fast, I was denied a fill.  Oh well… it’s nice to see my weight is still going down.  She said it was OKAY that I’m eating a bit more, as long as I’m not gorging myself and my numbers are still going down. 

I really got to starting tracking my calories again, but I get so distracted.  Also, if we go out to eat or something, it gets kind of tricky to track all of that.

I have a million assignments due on Tuesday for school.  More drama and rants there but I’m kinda on a time crunch.  TONS OF PICS of the kitties later!

So Full Of…

// July 28th, 2008 // No Comments » // Lap Band and Weight Loss, Personal Updates, Pets, School, Wedding

Deuce is doing alright.  He was doing awesome on Saturday with his fluids, meds, and food.  He’s still eating and drinking, but seems very lethargic.  I have a call into the vet, hopefully it gets better.

I’ve dropped some more weight.  This last fill was the money spot!  I eat and feel physically full very quickly.  I almost threw up on Saturday on some “walking taco” because I was eating it far too fast.  I have to slow down and focus yet.  But, working on it.  I can feel the weight melting off… speaking of…

Got a dress for that wedding this weekend and the man HATED it.  So, we went ahead and bought a new one.  *roll eyes*  I ended up getting a black one that’s gathered on the right.  We’re going for a spray tan on Thursday and I’m getting a haircut and a wax.  Up in Minneapolis there is a Star Wars exhibit at the science musuem that the man is pretty excited about seeing.

I can’t wait… not so much to go to the wedding but just to have a nice, long, 4 day weekend.  I took off Monday even though we’re back Sunday just to kind of recoup.  No homework this weekend (YAY!) as I had finals all day yesterday.

We have a meeting tonight with this lady from Premier Catering.  She’s going to take a look at the house and see if we can make it work.

Third Fill: A Whole New Stomach

// July 23rd, 2008 // No Comments » // Lap Band and Weight Loss

I got my third fill on Monday and it was far different than any other one I’ve experienced.  My feeling now versus like last week is the difference between night and day.

First off, when she did the fill (3cc to equal 10cc in a 14cc band) it felt like someone pulling on a draw string and tightening my stomach.  I never experienced that before.  Secondly, when she had me eat some jello afterwards, I could barely keep it down and I certainly couldn’t finish the lil personal container.

So, I’m on all liquids for a few days, but, I’m totally loving it.  I’m so not hungry, I’m like the ANTI-HUNGER machine at this point.  The man got me a ChicFilA milkshake yesterday (sometimes he rocks so hard it’s sick) and I took 1/2 of it or so, put some protein powder and milk in there, and got some calories in me.  Took me like 30 minutes to drink it or so.  Filled me to the brim.  I feel like I did post surgery (like week 1 and 2), which is awesome.  I do not expect this SUPER-TIGHT feeling to last very long. 

I expect my stomach will relax around Friday, but I am told the opening to my stomach is now the size of an eraser head.  I’m good with that.  I consumed a total of about 400 calories yesterday, and looking at the same amount for today.  This is having an affect on my energy level.  The man practically had to drag my carcass into bed last night at 10:30!  My body will adjust though, as it usually does.  Once I am not so tight, I will shoot for around 900 calories a day, which should help my energy level. 

Loving this fill so far, even though the extreme tightness causes some irritation and mmmmrgglllll gggrrrrrggggglllll at times. 

Things No One Told Me About Lap Band

// July 11th, 2008 // No Comments » // Lap Band and Weight Loss, Personal Updates

Here are some items that I wish I knew about Lap Band and no one told me…

• Everyone says your food choices are important.  Well, duh.  This is stressed by saying ice cream and cakes and such will go down fine, stay away from them, blah blah blah.  I don’t think the importance of food choices was stressed enough.  For example, for dinner, if you have a piece of chicken and veggies versus a piece of chicken and rice, this makes all the difference in the world.  Sometimes a ~200-400 calories difference!  I can’t eat the rice, veggies, and a piece of chicken.  I must opt for the veggies and the chicken, no rice in order to keep losing weight.  Little things like this go on throughout the whole day.  I ate a cookie yesterday… sure, it was one serving and it gave me the filling I needed to get to my next mean… however, I could have had that same filling “full” feeling from some grapes or an orange.  Lil things… I wish I knew about these up front.

• Fills are sooooo gradual.  From 2weeks out of surgery till about 2 months, you got your will power and just about nothing else.  I expected more than this… I dunno if I thought I was going to be different or what… but it’s really hard until you get filled to where you need to be.

• Tracking every calorie is important in the beginning, until you see that your fill is leaving you where you want to be.  How will you know if you’re at the right place if you can’t see at a glance exactly what is in the stuff you’re eating.  We all have problems controlling our eating, or we wouldn’t have gotten banded it in the first place.  Tracking helps keep that in checked.

• This is not a magic button.  This is not like bypass.  This is not the easy way.  This is not the simple way out.  It’s a tool.  Nothing more… willpower and self-discipline MUST be there.  I can’t stress this enough.

Exactly 2 Months Post Surgery: An Audit of the Band

// July 8th, 2008 // No Comments » // Lap Band and Weight Loss

I seem to be kind of an odd case. Don’t assume my situation is/will be identical to yours, by any means. Here’s the story…

Week 1 and 2 post band were the best. SOOOO tight, so not-hungry, and losing weight like crazy. From Week 3 until yesterday (the beginning of Week 8), I was miserable. I believe this is what so many bandsters call bandster hell. It wasn’t painful, wasn’t awkward, it was just… well… not there. I wasn’t tight, wasn’t full, and put back on 3 pounds in that period. I was hungry all the time.

On June the 5^th at 1:40PM (3 days shy of 1 month post-op), my first fill was attempted. For 20 minutes, I was poked and prodded at. My port was inaccessible due to swelling from my surgery. I was devastated. And hungry.

On June the 19^th at 3:20PM (6 weeks post-op), I had a 2cc fill in a primed, but not filled, 14cc band. This had no effect whatsoever on my appetite. I bled like a stuck pug for about 2 hours after the fill and it was a 6 or 7 on a pain scale of 1-10. I was not happy.

Yesterday, July the 7^th at 2:40PM (1 day shy of 8 weeks post-op), I had a 3cc fill to bring me to a total of 5cc in a 14cc band. Today, I feel less hungry. I am not where I want to be (back in that Week 1 and 2 kind of tight feeling), but, it takes less to fill me up now and I stay full much longer. I am scheduled for another fill on July the 21^st, where we will move to 8cc.

As of this point, I have not thrown up, I have not PBed, I have had no pain whatsoever, and I have not had any gas since Week 3. I am eating what I like to eat. Healthy food that tastes yummy in moderation. From Week 3 until today, I was extremely depressed and discouraged about the band. ALMOST, not quite, but ALMOST wishing I had bypass. Now, I love the band again. The difference of a lil fluid, huh?

My food staples: Turkey burgers, broccoli and cauliflower with parmesan cheese, sliced roast turkey (deli style), cheese sticks, salad, oatmeal, Wyler’s 0 calorie water flavor packs, and 100 calorie snack packs.

Food I’ve eaten with no problem that I shouldn’t have eaten: Pizza, Hamburgers, Chicken Fingers, Graham Crackers, Biscotti, Flat Bread, and Pretzels.

In one way, I’m glad I can still eat these foods socially and when the cravings are bad. The new moderation of this fill will help me even when I do eat those foods to limit my in take.

My point of this post is to document my experiences. If you are feeling the depressed, discouraged, hating-the-band feeling post-surgery for no other reason than it’s “not working,” as I did, it gets better. It’s still going to take me self-control and moderation, but today, it’s much easier than it has been since Week 1 or 2. It will only get better once I get to my goal fluid of 8cc.

Good luck bandsters/future bandsters!