Going for Fill #3 Today

This afternoon I am going for my 3rd fill. I am very ready! Although I felt good restriction for a couple of months, I have feet like my band has gotten too loose now. I am hungry alot more often and it takes way more food to satisfy my hunger. I am still eating less than pre-surgery but it's more than I should be eating. I haven't been as careful with what I've been eating either. I have been eating some of the foods (crackers, cookies, etc) again. It seems like I just grab whatever I can get my hands on when I'm hungry. I hope this fill will give me the "kick in the butt" I need.

Have a blessed day!
Becky <><

A survey about my Lap-band experience

I saw this on another Lap-band blog I follow, Diz Banded. I had to give it a try...


1. How long have you been banded?
4 and 1/2 months ago
2. What was your highest pre-band weight? / Current weight now? / Total lost to date?
(gulp) 335 lbs (when I was 9 months pregnant with my second son, 10 years ago); my starting weight when I went for my first surgery visit was 294.7 lbs; my current weight is 243.2 lbs; total lost since start of surgery process is 51.5 lbs
3. What is your best “go-to” food to get in your protein?
Roast beef wrap (low-carb whole wheat tortilla, deli roast beef, slice of provolone cheese, horseradish sauce); Subway tuna salad with double meat - I can make 3 meals off of it
4. What is your favorite protein brand/shake?
Chocolate Low-carb Slimfast (although they just recalled them all)
5. What food do you miss the most now being post-band?
Coleslaw (my pre-band favorite food) - it is really about the only food so far that I can't tolerate at all
6. What is your favorite “mushy” food?
Chicken salad
7. What was your worst PB experience?
Haven't had any so far
8. What has been the hardest part of this journey so far for you?
Getting all new clothes; realizing how much of life I have been missing out on
9. What is your best NSV to date?
Seeing a friend that I haven't seen in over 20 years and she said "you look exactly the same as you did the last time I saw you..I was 15 when I saw her last
10. What is your top non-weight goal for your band? (top NSV maybe?)
Bike the Virginia Creeper Trail with my family
11. What is your goal weight or size?
I never even remember being in the size I am now (size 18/20)! I just want to feel and look healthy, whatever size that is
12. What band “rule” do you live by (i.e. don’t cheat on)?
Watching carbs, eating breakfast
13. What band “rule” do you not follow as much or aren’t so good at?
I really have starting drinking alot more coffee then I did pre-band; I really have gotten away from drinking too many cold drinks, the give me "band-freeze" - I haven't heard anybody else with that problem but cold drinks and ice cream and other frozen stuff bothers me
14. What is your goal “reward”?
I don't have one yet

One really important fact I have noticed, every banded-person's experience is extremely unique. Many can tolerate one thing while many others can't; I happen to do fine with the low-carb whole wheat tortillas, other may not. Alot of it seems like trial and error to see what works for you.

Also, I have been on a plateau for a month or so. I am now starting to get my appetite back, takes alot more to get me full and not staying full as long. I called and scheduled a fill for Dec 29.

May God bless you and your family!
Becky <><

Week 16 Post-op Update

I know I haven't posted in forever but I am still getting along pretty well. My weight today was 242.6. I have kinda stalled for a few weeks but last week I started exercising 30 minutes each weekday. I didn't exercise over the weekend - my weekends are usually extremely busy between work and church and being Mommy, etc, etc, etc. I have so much to post about...I have a huge list of non-scale victories (NSV) that I'll tell you about soon!

God Bless You!
Becky <><

12 Week Update

I haven't posted in a while. Not too much to say. My weight today was 246.0. I am supposed to go for a fill on a couple weeks but I am considering cancelling my appointment. I get full on a small amount of food (3/4 - 1 cup of food) and I stay full for several hours. My doctor had told me that was the criteria for knowing if I am restricted enough. I am not really having problems with any particular foods although I do shy away from breads. True confessions - I need to exercise more. But between homeschooling, working, chasing after the baby, keeping the house reasonably picked-up, and putting food on the table exercise seems to fall by the way-side. Oh well, I'll keep trying.

God bless!

10 Weeks Post-op Update

Howdy! I finally got to see the 240's!!! Things are about the same around here. I still am getting full pretty quickly and stay that way for several hours. The only problem is that I seem to go from "full and not even thinking about food" to "starving and got to have something right now" in a heartbeat. I try and keep some items handy for those times. Still eating lots of roast beef roll-ups (see previous post). I haven't had any episodes of PBing (productive burping) that I have heard about from other bandsters. I have had an uncomfortable feeling after eating certain foods (usually foods I shouldn't have been eating anyway). I also have noticed that I get that uncomfortable feeling sometimes when I eat popscicles to fast (duh! what was I thinking!). It's like having brain-freeze in your chest/stomach/esophogus. I hope you can use some of the info I have shared.

God bless!
Becky <><

Weigh-in - 9 weeks post-op

Today's weigh-in was 250.4 pounds. Darn scale can't give me the satisfation of seeing the 240's yet :-) I am doing well since my 2nd fill last week. I feel some restriction and am feeling full longer.

Have a great week!
God bless!
Becky <><

2nd Fill - 8 Weeks Post-op

I am 8 weeks post-op now. Feeling pretty good. I saw the scale move in the wrong direction since my last post but when I went to the doctor yesterday for my 2 month post-op I weighed 255.0 pounds. That was a 10 pound weight loss in the 4 weeks since my 1st fill. He was very please. My totals are 40 pound weight loss altogether - 30 of those pounds have been lost since my lap-band surgery on 7/27. I have been doing ok. My hunger varies alot. Some days I actully could "forget to eat", I just am not hungry at all and then other days it's all I can do to not graze all day, I am very hungry all day. I try and roll with the punches, regardless of my hunger level. Either way, I still am following my doctor's instructions. I try to eat 3 meals and 2-3 snacks. Also, I let my hunger dictate how much I am eating.

Here's an example:
Breakfast (8am) - Roast beef roll-up (1 low-carb whole wheat tortila, a slice of cheese, 1/2 serving deli roast beef, and some horseradish sauce), coffee with milk and splenda
Snack - yogurt (sometimes I don't eat a snack now)
Lunch - Roast beef roll-up, fruit or veggies
Snack - Few bites of chicken salad; If I can get out of the house between 2-4 I like to go to Sonic and get an unsweet peach or raspberry flavored tea - I love that stuff
Dinner - very small serving of whatever I cook for my family - I now put my food on a tiny dessert plate
Snack - varies, depends on how hungry I am and whats available; yogurt, roast beef, chicken salad

In the beginning I was really into eating homemade chicken salad. Now I can't get enough of those roast beef roll-ups.

God bless!
Becky <><

Week 6 Weigh-in and Update

Today's weight was 254.8 pounds. That was 1.6 pound gain. Of course it's always disappointing when I have to post a gain but I know, in regard to eating, I can't eat much less than I already am. I am eating 3 small meals a day plus 2-3 snacks each day. All meals and snacks are mostly protein. My carb intake is so much less than before surgery! I find that the most amazing part because is that I don't crave pasta, breads, cookies, etc. That has always been a stumbling block for me since I really don't like a lot of meats. A few observations this week have been that I have more hungry (probably related to TOM) and, although it doesn't require a lot of food to satisfy my hunger, I am not staying full very long, maybe 2 hours or so. I haven't had much trouble yet with getting food "stuck". I have been chewing, chewing, and chewing every bite of food though. I thought to myself that it is more like chewing gum than eating food sometimes :-)

Some food I have enjoyed this week (each in small quantities):
Deli roast beef dipped in horsey sauce
Sugar free, fat free pudding with lite cool whip
Homemade chili
Homemade chicken salad
Homemade egg salad
Lettuce salad (chew, chew, chew)
Grilled hamburgers (need lots of condiments to dip in and no roll)

I have been doing better with getting fluids in but not so good with exercise. I need to remember to turn my OCD tendencies off and remember that I am a work in progress.

Becky <><

Weigh-in 5 weeks Post-op

Since I had my fill last Wednesday the weight has virtually "melted" off. My weigh-in today was 253.2 pounds! I followed my doctor's diet regime for after each fill: on the day of your fill you have clear liquids the rest of the day and the next day then gradually advance to full liquids (don't have to be clear liquids), on the 4th day after your fill you start on soft foods for a couple days then you go back to eating your regular food.

Probably 95% of the time I am still not hungry and I end up eating just because I know I have to at some point. I am eating 3 small meals and 2-3 snacks if I need them. OK, true confession: I have been practically living on homemade chicken salad. I am not a big meat or egg eater. My mom lives nearby and she makes the best chicken salad. During the soft food stage of post-op and post-fill I ate about 1/3 cup of chicken salad for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Whenever possibly I try to eat some of whatever I make for my family for supper. I have been eating yogurt and drinking V8 juice and crystal light while I am at work. I really liked the greek yogurt - it tastes great and it's high in protein.

My favorite treat is: Sonic's unsweet flavored (iced) tea with either peach or raspberry flavor added. If I can get there during "Happy Hour" (2-4pm) they are 1/2 price and I sip on that all day. According to the Sonic website, the peach and raspberry flavor are both sugar-free.

I haven't done much in the way of exercise since my fill. The day after my fill I developed an absess on my upper arm that has been extremely painful. It is very slowly improving and now the pain is much less. Praise God!

I know this is getting to be a very long post but: I need to tell you about the mental/emotional "awakening" I have been going through in the last week. Now that I am feeling better and feeling much better, I am having to face the fact of how much I have let things fall to the wayside. Not only housework wise but mainly in taking care of myself. I am seeing that I have stopped wearing makeup, wearing jewelry (except my wedding and mother's rings), buying new clothes (even bras and underwear), or doing anything else that women usually do. Many of my clothes had stains, small holes, and/or were shapeless (stretchy, put it on cause it's loose and is comfy type stuff). My husband joked the other day that I am becoming more like I used to be early on in our relationship (we have been together 20 years and married for 17 of those). I have started caring about myself again gradually.

Well, I hope something here will help/inspire/Bless you!

To God be the glory in all things!
Becky <><

1st Fill Done and Update

I didn't post last Monday's weigh-in. It was 264. I was happy with that. I feel great! I had my first fill on Wednesday. It went well. No problems. When I came home I had to start back with clear liquids, then full liquids, then soft/mushies, then regular food. I lost alot of weight all at once when I had to go back on clear liquids. Today I weighed in at 257!

3rd Week Post-Op Update

Today I weighed-in at 266.0 pounds. That is a 0.4 pound gain from last week. Although it would have been great to have had a loss this week, I have followed my doctor's orders and have resisted temptation all week. The temptation I have had this week is kind of strange. I haven't been tempted to eat junk food or comfort food, etc. What has been tempting is pushing the limits of my soft/mushies phase of the diet from my doctor (in regard to the consistency of the food). I wish I had some more specific ideas on what to eat at this stage. Alot of the ideas I have found are either high in carbs or foods that I just don't like. I have been eating small amounts of chicken salad, sugar free fat free pudding and jello, V-8 juice, and yogurt. I have still been drinking protein shakes at least once a day. I have also been drinking lots of crystal light. I ordered this book today, Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery: Over 140 Delicious Low-Fat High-Protein Recipes to Enjoy in the Weeks, Months and Years After Surgery. I had gotten it from the library several months ago and it looked like exactly what I need. I have been exercising alot this week too. I have been walking and going to strength training classes. I feel great and people are starting to notice the weight loss.

God Bless!
Becky <><

Week 2 Post-Op

I am feeling great! My clothes are starting to feel lose, a little. My weight this morning was 265.6 pounds. I have started adding some soft foods into my diet (yogurt, pudding, mashed potatoes). Even though I thought it would be great to start to eat "regular foods" again instead of liquids, I find much more temptation now. I have found myself wanting to push the limits as to what would allowed on a soft diet.

That's all for now!
God bless!

1 Week Post-Op Weigh-In

I am 1 week post-op today. My weight this morning is 268.8. That makes a loss of 13.6 pounds since my surgery. I am thrilled!

Sunday Night

I went back to work this weekend - yes, it was probably a little early but I felt up to it. I work as a part-time evening shift nursing home LPN. I also homeschool my 2 oldest children (my youngest is only 16 months old, so I don't "officially" homeschool her yet :-)).

This weekend I felt fine while I was at work but pretty tired by the time I got home. I did take my pain medicine after I got home from work last night and tonight. My incisions are healing well. Even though I am on a liquid diet, I haven't been too hungry. Here's a list of some of the liquids I have been having:

• Hot tea
• Decaf unsweet tea with splenda (we have this at work)
• Mocha Cappachino - 10 gms of protein in 8 oz and it tastes wonderful!
• Protein Shake made with 1 scoop Body Fortress protein powder, 8 oz skim milk, 1/2 a frozen banana or 2-3 frozen strawberries
• Low Carb Slim Fast (ready to drink cans) - I take these to work - 20 gm of protein per can
• V-8 juice
• Crystal Light or other sugar free drinks like that
• Tomato soup mixed with skim milk
• Homemade corn chowder (thanks Mom!) - pureed
• Canned chicken noodle soup - pureed
• Sugar free popscicles
• Sugar free jello
• Homemade chicken soup - pureed

I will post a one week post-op weigh-in tomorrow. I go back for my post-op appointment with my doctor on Wednesday.

God bless!
Becky<><

Weigh-In This AM

I was so suprised today! I got on the scale and it read 272.0. That is down over 10 pounds since Monday morning before surgery! Although I know my weight loss will slow down once I am taking more in, I am so thankful for a big loss so far. One of the big reasons (other than weight loss) for me having this surgery is that I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome with Insulin Resistance. The insulin resistance was really effecting my ability to concentrate and always made me feel "fuzzy". I have noticed that even over the past day or so that I am feeling "clearer". Praise God!

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever. Psalm 30:11-12

A Few Days Post-Op

It's been a few days now, each day I have felt a little stronger and less sore. I have just been taking the pain medicine at bedtime. I drove today (short distance) and also went to the park and walked about 20 minutes at a pretty slow pace. As far as my appetite, I have been getting a little hungry at times. My surgeon's diet is: clear liquids the evening of the surgery, then 2 weeks of full liquids (including 2 protein shakes per day), and then 2 weeks of mushy/soft foods. I am a few days into the full liquid stage. Today was the first day I was able to even come close to getting the amount of fluids I am supposed to have. I am down several pounds since the surgery. I'll post tomorrow with my AM weight. All in all, I feel good - just a little sore when I have to pick something off the floor or if something bumps into my belly. My incisions have Derma-bond adhesive on them. They seem to be healing well.

May God bless you!

Day After Surgery

I have been up and around today. Not too tired but still a little sore. I'm moving around slowly. Trying to get my fluids in. I have NO appetite yet - but I know it will back soon. Drank 1/2 of a protein shake today plus about 32 ounces of other fluids (chicken noodle soup broth, crystal light, jello). Walked around the house and out to the mailbox today.

Surgery Day

I got my lap-band in yesterday. Everything went well. I had some soreness but nothing unbearable. I was pretty wiped-out by the time we got home.

Before we left for the hospital, I checked my weight and it was 282.4. That's down 10 pounds from when I started my pre-op weight loss.

I tolerated clear liquids well after I got home from surgery. If I total up my sips, I drank about 6 ounces of apple juice, 4 ounces of broth from chicken noodle soup and a bunch of ice chips.

I slept pretty well (all things considered). I got out my big body pillow I had from when I was pregnant. It helped alot.

10 More Days!!!

I will be having Lap-Band surgery on July 27th. I've created this blog to keep track of my progress. I've got alot of weight to lose but I am determined to be successful with this!