100 Pounds Gone!

It has been a long time since  I have updated my blog. So much has happened since my last post!  As of yesterday, I have officially hit the 100 pounds lost mark!!  Woo Hoo!!! I still have about 50 pounds I would like to lose, but so far everything has gone great!


Before

Today

Update - October 22, 2012

Well, it's been a long time since I've made any updates.  As of today I have lost a total of 60 pounds. Yeah me!  The past few months have been pretty rough. I have had 2 additional surgeries not related to the Lap Band.  My gallbladder started acting up and I ended up having to have it removed in August.  And last week I developed appendicitis and had to have my appendix removed.  My belly looks like a connect-the-dots game now!  I told the surgeon who did the appendectomy that if he saw anything else in there that he thought could go to just take it out while he was in there.  He said I need to keep everything else that I have, so.... :)  Hopefully I am done with surgeries now.  Three since May is a little much!  Anyway, so far so good with the Lap Band.  I have not had another fill since I had to have some removed the last time, but I'm still losing weight so I'm not going to have another one unless I need it.  So, here I am, 60 pounds and counting.  I will really be celebrating when I hit the 100 pound mark, but that will be a little while yet.

Adjusting the Adjustment

Well, my adjustment on Monday was not so great.  I couldn't keep liquids down at all.  Every time I would try to take a sip it hurt like a big air bubble and a few minutes later would come right back up.  So, I called yesterday morning and they had me come right in and have .5 cc taken back out.  I am really bummed to have had to have anything removed, but I am SO happy I can drink again!  I had lost 5 pounds since Monday.  The nurse reminded me that this was due to dehydration and not actual weight loss, so not to be discouraged when that 5 pounds comes right back.  When they took the .5 cc out, the nurse said that this could mean that I'm getting close to my "sweet spot" where the band is tight enough.  BUT, she said it doesn't mean I won't be able to have anymore fills.  My body just did not tolerate a full cc this time and from now on they will only put in .5 at a time.  Feeling much better today!  Coffee tastes great this morning! :)

3 Months Post-Op

Well, it seems like a long time since I have given any updates.  As of right now I have lost 45 pounds.  The last month has been too easy eating and a very little weight loss.  I have been able to eat pretty "normal" meals and I guess I was enjoying that a little too much.  So, yesterday I went for my second band adjustment.  I have a 10cc band that is now filled with 4cc's of saline fluid.  Boy, is there huge difference!  It's 12:47 in the afternoon right now and I can hardly even drink.  I have been working on the same cup of coffee since 8:30 this morning.  I know that seems a little too tight, but I also know there is swelling after an adjustment.  The nurse told me to only drink liquids last night and to progress to mushy food today.  Well, I can pretty much guarantee there will be no mushy food for me today.  It's a struggle just trying to get a little liquid down.  Every sip feels like I have swallowed a massive air bubble.  I'm just going to try to wait it out.  After being on such a plateau for so long, I really want the weight loss to start again.  I would sure hate to have any fluid taken out of the band at this point, but if I'm still having this much trouble in a couple of days, I'm going to call the doctor.  Hopefully this is just swelling and I will feel better as soon as it goes down a bit. 

2 Months Post-Op

Well, it has been two months since I had the surgery and 3 1/2 weeks since my first band fill.  So far so good!  I have lost 42 pounds as of this morning.  Woo Hoo! I have passed one of the mini milestones I have set for myself by getting below a certain weight that I have not been below in over 10 years and it feels great! I am starting to feel better and can really tell a difference in my knees.  They don't ache as much and I can get up and down easier and go up and down steps MUCH easier. 42 pounds gone (hopefully) forever!  Yeah!!

Vacation - Rode a Roller Coaster!

Just came back from a 5 day family vacation.  It was a lot of fun, but HOT.  The high temperatures ranged from 105 - 109 the entire trip.  Whew!  We all had a really good time, though in spite of the heat.  I have found that after having my band tightened a little it is very difficult to eat most things.  So, I didn't overeat by any stretch of the imagination and walked what felt like 1000 miles - all good for the diet.  We went to Six Flags and I was able to ride a roller coaster for the first time in years!  I was so excited when that bar latched in front of me!  It has been so many years since I even attempted to ride amusement park rides.  I had forgotten what they felt like.  So, that was fabulous.  We also took in a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game and for the first time in years didn't have any trouble fitting into the seats.  It's amazing how such small things become so big when you haven't been able to do them for awhile. :)

First Fill

I have finally had my first fill!  Yeah!!  I went to the doctor yesterday.  I have lost 11 pounds since having the surgery, and 31 all together.  The 11 pounds has been hard!  But the nurse was very happy with my progress.  She said she wasn't surprised that it has been hard because the band had not had any fill in it and that it has all been me so far, not the band.  She put in 3cc's of saline to tighten the band a little and I can really tell the difference!  My band holds a total of 10cc's and she said most people don't need it filled to more than 6 or 7.  So, I guess it's almost half as tight as it will eventually be.  We shall see how the next month goes!  I go back for another fill in 3 to 4 weeks.