robbynnoel

((((((((((((((((((((((Shelby)))))))))))))))))))))))) OMG I love the new picture! You look amazing.

((((((((((((Kristi))))))))))))))) You are so not a dork. I didn't know what PB'ing was either. I honestly thought it had something to do with peanut butter. xo

(((((((((((((((((((Angie))))))))))))))))) Thank you so much for responding so quickly. I'm glad fills don't have the same knock out punch surgery does...phew! The gas has been gone a day or two now and last night I even rolled from my left side to my right side while sleeping (using my stomach instead of my back to turn) so I'm feeling physically wonderful. I'm able to get more calories in too because I'm not as fearful as I used to be about gas pain. I'm still a little dizzy but I'm getting better every day. I even had enough energy last night to cook for my family. They were very happy and getting sick of take out. I don't have any work contracts scheduled until after I'm on solid food, but I do have to get back to my normal self by Thursday. My daughter is graduating from high school so Thursday are all of her beauty appointments and a photo appointment, Friday is her graduation ceremony and Saturday is her blow out party. I'm going to keep the menu simple simple simple and ask for help if I'm not feeling up to it though. Sending you skinny vibes!

(((((((((((((((((Babe))))))))))))))))) Hugs. I can relate, totally relate. So much so, I put away my scale and just focused on following the guidelines of my doctor and letting my food journal numbers be my benchmark rather than the scale numbers. Do you have a favorite piece of clothing, something that is a smidge tight or that fits perfectly right now? If so, put it away for a month. Hang it on your bathroom door, just as you would your robe. On the first of July instead of weighing, try on the outfit. You'll feel more fullfilled because when we look at the scale, what we're really looking for is the feeling you get when something that was too tight fits perfectly or is a tad too loose. The other thing to do is to have a friend take your measurements. If you take your measurements once a month you'll see that your body is changing...even if it doesn't show on the scale. It's because 1 lb of lean muscle mass weighs the same amount as 1 lb of fat (obviously, a pound is a pound) but it takes up less "mass" or space for lack of a better term. Each day, regardless of what the scale says, your body is working and shrinking. I promise. xo

(((((((((((((((((((Angie)))))))))))))))))))) How exciting? How are you feeling? Does having a fill make you feel the way you did just after the surgery or are you up and ready to run run run afterwards. I look forward to hearing more skinny updates from you. xo

((((((((((((((((((((Christy)))))))))))))))))))) Thank you so much for your post. I've made it to day 11. Whoooohoooo half way. It's a miracle!

((((((((((((((((((((Vangirl)))))))))))))))))))))) I am feeling so much better. No gas for about two days...but I'm still dizzy. I'm just taking it easy and sipping sipping sipping all day. I did get gatoraide, that has helped too. I'm gradually starting to feel normal again. I am starting to think I'm not crazy for doing this. lol

(((((((((((((((((((Kristi)))))))))))))))))))) and ((((((((((((((((Bell Curve))))))))))))))))))) I so hear you! I had my surgery at the OCC. Dr. Miranda gave me instructions that said "If you can't drink it...don"t eat it." I haven't done this "yet" but since Campbells makes a drinkable soup (Soup at Hand) so I assume it's okay. Have either of you heated your apple juice for hot apple cider?

(((((((((((((((((((((Canadian Bandster)))))))))))))))))))) This is a great post! How exciting. You must feel awesome!

((((((((((((((((KSK)))))))))))))))))) I'm excited for you. I think now that the surgery is over and I'm still not sleeping I'm going to get an over the counter sleep aid. I hate the thought of that, but I know that if I get enough sleep, I'll feel 100% better. I'm so excited about your pending surgery. I can't wait to hear how you're doing and get skinny with you. xo

(((((((((((((((((Tootsie))))))))))))))))))) Thank you so much for confirming that. I strongly suspected that but it's good to have confirmation. I'm really going to work today on making sure as Jazzy says, I sip sip sip all day in small amounts to stay hydrated.

((((((((((((((((Lena)))))))))))))))) That is so wonderful to hear!

Whoops...I forgot to mention. 8. Returning to work. In addition to the cooking show which isn't my job because I don't get paid it's just more of a volunteer position to bring programming to a small cable station I'm a computer consultant. I didn't schedule any contracts because I'm getting ready to move in a few weeks and relocate so it was a good time to just take a break. However, I was suppossed to shoot a cooking show episode last Tuesday. Five days afer surgery. I spoke with my producer on Sunday and we decided to forgo the shoot and postpone it for a few weeks. I would have been able to have done it next Tuesday I'm sure but I share the show with my cousin and she is leaving for Hawaii shortly and we didn't want to shoot too close to her vacation. I do know that many people who were banded with me did return to work after several days.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((Tracey)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Amen!

(((((((((((((((((((((Hugs Everyone))))))))))))))))))))) I wanted to just post how my week has been. I was banded a week ago at the OCC. My first week banded has been interesting. Lots of things I never expected. 1. I am not hungry. Not at all. In addition, I have no desire to chew. Then again, I did give up gum several months ago. 2. Mental hunger....now that's a different story. I should qualify this by saying that I am surrounded by stimuli because I have a cooking show, so it's my job to study food...aka I watch the food channel several hours a day. In fact, I work up about 3 am the morning we were going to be discharged and watched the food network in my room for about 4 hours while everyone else slept. So back to mental hunger, despite being surrounded by stimuli mental hunger hasn't been uncontrollable at all. I'm not going to lie and try to come off as if I've never wanted to taste something but it's not something that's hard to get past. I also find that the longer I'm on my post op diet, the less I think about food. Weird, you'd think it would be the opposite. 3. The pain. I haven't been comfortable ever moment I've been home but I will say that the pain is on a scale of 1 to 10, a .5. I know it's there when it hits, but it's just a nuisance at this point. Kind of a low, dull pain in the top of my left chest. Other bandsters describe it as shoulder pain. I have learned something about my body and the gas pain. If I don't take princess sips forget it. The pain comes immediately even if I've only gained an ounce or two. If I take princess sips, I seem to be able to take about 5 in a row without putting my glass down. If I try to take up to 10, the pain hits immediately. If I'm taking a sip or two at a time and putting my glass down after a certain amount of time I hiccup once. I've learned that a small hiccup means one thing. GAS IS COMING...FAST...STOP WHAT EVERY YOU ARE DOING...NOW. So that's what I am doing now. I used to try to push through, I've learned that pushing through doesn't make you a hero...it's far better to wimp out. 4. Feeling Light Headed. About 5 days in, I started to feel light headed. I was not prepared to get so far and then all of asudden feel ill and weak. Today my husband made me a 28 ounce protein shake for breakfast. (Who was he kidding?) I drank a couple of ounces for breakfast and stopped when I hiccuped. I put the rest in the fridge. My daughter and I then went to a Mother Daughter Brunch which was also a benefit for her school. I put on the jeans I wore on the plane down for the surgery which fit me perfectly the day of the surgery, and I wore a bra for the first time since the surgery as well. It's also the first time I put on my jeans. Holy smokes...now I know what it looks like when jeans fit. (My husband insisted he thought they looked too big, but I think that's what jeans are supposed to look like honestly. I am about 225 lbs today (I'm not weighing so I could be off by a pound or two). Obviously I'm no thin by any standards, but believe it or not, wearning my jeans today, there were no LINES on my body. No buldges, no fat roll overs. It was "sobering" for lack of a better term to see what I looked like when my clothes fit. I don't think I've worn clothes that have fit in years. lol Anyway at the brunch I ordered an iced tea and vegetable soup. I asked the waiter to strain it before serving it to me. I had 5 or six spoonfulls (princess sips...3 per spoonful) and about 10 slips of the iced tea. I hada hiccup (that's when I made the connection). I stopped, pushed the food away and spent the rest of the brunch just talking with the other moms. I felt like I was on the Biggest Loser when they do the food temptation. But trust me, watching 30 girls, k-8 eat whatever junk they want isn't appealing...they don't know what appealing is. Blek. Chocolate syrup on gummy bears. Blek blek blek. These kids just don't know what's "good". hehehe 5. Last night. Okay. I'm not going to lie. Last night was horrible horrible horrible. I haven't been sleeping (I don't normally sleep well so that's not unusual). I was dizzy, fuzzy and just miserable. Even dizzy when I was lying down. The room was spinning. I honestly said to myself, "Am I crazy? Is this really worth it?" (See number 4.) It didn't take long to get my answer. 6. Intimacy. My husband is happy. He had to wait a week, but he was a good sport. 7. I'm feeling much better today now that I've learned to listen to my body. xo Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

((((((((((((((((((((((Lena)))))))))))))))))))))) Thank you for finding this. I'm a little worried about my incisions but they look fine. It's always good to know what to look for. xo

((((((((((((((((((((((Alia)))))))))))))))))))))))))) Hugs to you. I can absolutely relate to your post. My original surgeon choice was a San Francisco based surgeon. He had a surgery price and then a maintenance price. For instance, his surgery price (cash) was $7,500 and then fills for 5 years were $7,500. (Fills for 1 year were $6,000 so I knew I was better of with a 5 year contract). Well things went wrong, lots of out of pocket expenses, including an appointment with a therapist oh and his initial fee wasn't part of the $7,500 so let's call it $1,000 in out of pocket expenses. Anyway, not to make this another long story, but things went wrong and I didn't feel comfortable anymore. Here's the difference with Dr. Ortiz. He doesn't charge the fill maintenance fee...instead he changes for each fill individually. I ended up getting lucky (because of this board) and I was referred to a doctor who will take Dr. Ortiz's patients for fills and charge a price per fill. Since I'm moving cross country in a few weeks, this was critical to my success. As Dr. Miranda says "Make it happen". xo

((((((((((((((((((((((((Sabrina)))))))))))))))))))))) Hugs to you. I heard from Dr. Miranda (I think) that if you're not into exercise you can buy a pedometer and make sure you hit 10,000 steps each day. Easy peasy. xo

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Tracey)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Hugs. I'm glad you got home safe. Thank you again so much for inviting to your room and talking to me before my surgery. Meeting you and Lena really helped me feel calm and relaxed. I can only consume an ounce or two of liquid at a time, or I get a pain in my upper left chest. I'm just trying to stay hydrated and take princess sips. How are you?

(((((((((((((((Ashley)))))))))))))))))) I don't have an answer for you since I am newly banded but I wanted to congradulate you on your loss!

(((((((((((((((((((((((Kristi)))))))))))))))))))))))))) That is so awesome! This is going to be a silly question, but I didn't schedule an appointment to have my stiches removed. Yikes. Who was your doctor? How are you feeling now that you're on solid foods?

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Hugs Everyone)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Thank you for your comments. All food for thought. OA does a once a month weigh in and I am still a member of ww so that is a once a week weigh. I'm going to weigh after the pre op and then at weight watchers while I wait for my first fill, but I'm not going to weigh at home, I'll weigh at weight watchers on their scale. Happy Friday!

(((((((((((((((((Canadian Bandster)))))))))))))))) It's fab that everything went well! How many nights did you spend in the hospital? You must feel like a new woman.

((((((((((((((((Lisa))))))))))))))))) I'm doing okay. My OCC paper work said I could start milks as early as day 4 and creamy soups as early as day 6. I haven't "yet" but mentally I'm getting close. I keep my beverages in expresso mugs and just keep telling myself "Princess Sips". I've been able to sleep on my right side 2 days ago and my left side last night. I'm feeling better and better. I think the hardest stretch will be when I have introduced myself to milk and creamy soups and there is nothing else to introduce into the program until the 21 days are over. xo

(((((((((((((((Irish)))))))))))))) http://www.realizeband.com/dtcf/pages/compare-lap-band.htm Good point. I honestly thought I had a lapband because my original doctor gave me a login to the lapand website (cool site btw) but that does explain why Dr. Ortiz wasn't in the drop down menu to report I had my surgery. This is an interesting link.