Kellyinpdx

I've been using Dr. O's protien Shake all week and it is delicious! I seem to be intolerant of Soy (it made my stomach hurt), but I'm also intolerant of all fruit, Grains and Dairy combined, Diary and Sugar combined.... good grief! But I love the protein shakes with milk. Seems to be the only thing that doesn't cause me problems.

Beverly, I've had the same problem. I've only lost 20 lbs since my surgery last June. I was talking to another patient who had her surgery the same day I did, and she mentioned my unhappiness to OCC, who immediately reached out to me. I'm flying down tomorrow to have revision surgery. I know how you feel about spending so much money on this and not getting any results, and then too have to pay for surgery, to fly down again, taking more time off work... but I looked at it this way. Since I have already invested so much, my only choice is to spend a little bit more in order to protect my investment, and ultimately my health. It took a lot of courage to do this to begin with. Gather up that courage, tell your husband to shut up and support you and then call Dr. So. Let me know if I can be of any support! - Kelly

Thanks Katie - I am struck that you lost 41 lbs in the first 3 months. You called it your free ride. I'm exercising and watching what I eat and the weight isn't budging. The whole idea of having the surgery is so I could live my life without being obsessed over how much food I was eating. I just want to eat healthy foods and just the appropriate amount. I am so sad and frustrated. This seems like yet another failure at trying to reclaim my body. Did anyone else experience hunger when you knew you shouldn't be?

I'm barely losing any weight at all. I am exercising, drinking water, eating small amounts of protein several times a day. The hunger is still my nemesis! After spending $8000 I was hoping for this tool of WLS to be sharper! I'm so discouraged. Has anyone ever followed up with OCC when they found things weren't working as planned and got the help/support that made the difference?

Glad to hear from you Donna. I know how disappointed you were! But October will be here before you know it, and in the meantime you can start making life changes that will help this next surgery be even more successful!!! I'm curious, did you have to pay more then you planned on? Was it expensive to have the band removed? Stay in touch! Kelly

Awesome Beverly!! I had my surgery a month before you and I've only lost 11 lbs post surgery! I think the difference is the walking. I'm not doing it, my schedule is a busy one and I really don't put in the extra effort. Although I did go for a brisk walk tonight and it felt great! As of this morning, I am down to 223 (from 249 decision weight), which has me more motivated to exercise, but it means changing my habits. Something I def need to work on!!! Congrats again and keep up the good work! Kelly

Hi Sandi, Congratulations on your success! Can you tell me what you're doing to make it work? I had my surgery a little over 5 weeks ago and I lost 10 lbs before the surgery and only 7 or 8 since (my weight is still fluctuating, so it's hard to tell exactly). I still feel hungry a lot, although I can't eat as much at one sitting that I used too. But I eat more often throughout the day. What surgery did you have? I'm really trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong... Thanks! Kelly

Hi All, Here is an update on my plication journey. I had the surgery on June 8th and everything went well. I hung out in my hotel room in TJ until the 10th and then spent a few days in San Diego. That was a little difficult because the diet that first week is so restrictive and it is hard to find broth at upscale restaurants!! So, I wouldn't recommend combining a San Diego vacation with the trip. Others have done it and have enjoyed their time. I just felt like I couldn't get my money's worth and rather had saved the money! The first 2 weeks, for me, were difficult. First,I was hungry all the time, starving! Dr. Miranda suggested that I start drinking the protein drinks before the recommendation. That helped with the hunger, but then I had sour stomach and I was so nauseous! Just the smell of things made me sick!! Dr. So suggested that I get some Malox, and that did the trick! Everything settled down. Now, if you are considering the surgery, please don't let this scare you. I contacted other people who had their surgery the same day I did and they had no problems at all!! I have always had a "weak stomach" and lived my life waking up nauseated! So it isn't really a surprise that this is the reaction I had. But I did what I was told, followed the Doctor's instructions and it all worked like they said it would! (That rarely happens with the doctors I see in the US!!) Strangely, the nausea that I had nearly every morning of my life is gone! Perhaps it's the change in the food I'm eating? Today, I eat a little every couple of hours. I'll have a protein shake for breakfast, a baby bell cheese (light) a couple of hours later, then a cup of yogurt around lunch and some tomato soup for dinner. I eat when I'm hungry, but I can't eat much before I'm full! It's like a dream come true. Today I went downtown for lunch with friends and had some Ethiopian food. Delicious! I ate very little, and then brought the rest home for dinner - where I have eaten too much (about half a plate) so now I'm really uncomfortable (Think gorging yourself during Thanksgiving dinner!). Next time I'll be much more mindful of how much I eat and make sure I don't eat more than I need. Another difference the surgery made for me? I have lost my desire for coffee!! Hello?? I live in Portland and I love my coffee!! Not anymore. It just doesn't appeal to me anymore! Think of all the calories that I'm saving from not using half & half!! "Yes" you ask, "but are you losing weight?" I've lost 20 lbs. Over the past 15 years, every day I stepped on the scale and it just kept creeping up! All the diets, all the weight loss programs, the personal trainers... the weight just kept going up. Not anymore. Now I step on the scale and it's creeping down!! It's like the last 15 years are rewinding!! I feel it most in my legs! I can cross them, they don't FEEL so big and heavy anymore! And I have this desire to strength train! I want my legs and arms to feel strong.. I NEED them to be strong! So... that's my journey so far.

Thanks for the article Lindsay. I went to a WLS seminar in Portland before my surgery at OCC. The surgeon said that he believes we are 10 years away from finding the drug that will cure or prevent obesity. I still feel hungry, although I can't eat as much as before. I was hoping that I would be one of those patients whose appetite was removed. Oh well.

Hi CMK- I had my surgery Jun 8th (did I meet you there?) and so far I haven't really wanted to eat. I feel nauseous much of the time, so food just doesn't look appetizing to me at all. My son is visiting and he bought a bunch of junk food - Pizza, Pizza bites, Doritos, etc. - and it all just looks gross to me. I went through a period where I was starving. I couldn't seem to get enough to drink. But then I realized that my old habits were playing in. I would go way too long without eating or drinking and then could only drink a little because of the restriction and felt constantly hungry. I adjusted and now I am drinking first thing in the morning and again at lunch and dinner. I'm trying not to allow too much time to go between meals. Kelly

I had the plication. But I think I'm figuring out what I am doing wrong. First, I went on vacation right after, so my "diet" was difficult to stabilize. Second, now that I am home, I don't have supplies in the house. My habit before this was to not have food in the house, but to go out to eat when I was hungry. What would happen is that I would be so busy, it would be too long before I ate and then I would over eat. I'm doing the same thing now, and it isn't working. I went this afternoon grocery shopping and on the way home I drank an Odwalla protein drink. Because I'm hungry I drank almost the whole thing! Now I feel sick and nauseous and I have heart burn. This surgery is going to teach me to eat more often and to not allow myself to get hungry and then gorge!

Thanks Erica. It doesn't feel like head hunger. It is in my stomach. Plus I am really really REALLY irritable and I have a hard time thinking at all. I went to Jamba Juice and got a high protein smoothie in plain frozen yogurt with 2 oz of soy milk. I get filled up pretty quickly, but like I said, within an hour I have hunger pains again. This is really very miserable. I wish there was an answer.

Hi Folks, I had my surgery a week ago today and I have to say the biggest issue is that I'm STARVING! I called Dr. Miranda and she had me start with the drinkable yogurt and protein shakes. But within an hour of my "meal" I'm so fricken hungry I can't think. I thought that this surgery was going to remove the overwhelming hunger, but it has increased it. Did / does anyone else have this problem? How did you deal with it? Kelly

Hi Bluebear! The US doesn't do Plication either, so we have all had our surgery by Dr. Ortiz in Mexico. I just had mine 7 days ago. My problem is that I am STARVING! The hunger is overwhelming. I drink water, I get in the protein shakes and yogurt drinks, but within an hour I'm starving again. Do you have that? I wouldn't expect that you would have a bowel movement like what you are used too because you are on liquids. No real food for your system to process. I made the mistake of drinking apple juice without diluting it first - it caused what Dr. Ortiz said was rapid transit (explosive diarrhea). Not fun considering I was strolling around a resort in San Diego at the time!

Hi Sivad, I'm flying down tomorrow for gastric plication. I did a lot of research and the plication has the least complications. I was almost 30 when I started gaining weight so I know how you feel. The bottom line is you are the one that has to live. Period. With or without the surgery. You have to look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself what you want out of your life. If diet and exercise were all that it took, we wouldn't be spending billions of dollars on the weight loss industry and still be getting fatter. Read every page on here. Google and look for information off of this site. Look up You Tube videos. Then make the decision for yourself. No one else lives in your body but you. Good luck!! Kelly

Hi ALL - I for one, am glad that you guys still post and try to support us newbies. It's like any support group, sometimes you are supportive and other times you are the one in need of support. You never know if you might be the one that has just the right words to help a person out, or if someone is going to offer you just the right words you need to hear. Just like any other support group, people come and people go, but the ones that stay are the backbone and they encourage new members along the way. So thank you all for being here and posting and updating your status!

I'll look for you!

Hi Everyone!! Ok... I leave tomorrow morning for San Diego & then TJ. I've slowly shared with family and friends what I'm doing and for the most part everyone has been very supportive. Some have had a few qualms about a surgery in Mexico, but mostly they trust that I have done my research and am doing what is right for me! And I am! Today is my birthday. This coming year I will be losing all this weight that has been holding me back, I will graduate with my MBA and who knows? Maybe I'll even fall in love (this time with someone who loves me back!) See you on the flip side! Kelly

I'm in Portland. Let's here it for the Northwest!! Woot Woot!

I had this same question Donna. I hope someone answers! Kelly

Hi Theresa! Thank you for your feedback! My son is going to meet me in San Diego a few days after the surgery (he's in the military and is not allowed in Tijuana, otherwise he wanted to be with me for the surgery). We are going to visit friends and family in San Diego for a few more days and then come back to Portland. I hope I'm not being overly ambitious, but from what I have read, people are back to normal functions within a few days (other than heartburn, nausea, etc). What do you think? Is it silly of me to plan a vacation around this????

Wow, the hair loss thing is an issue. I have a lot of hair and only went through hair loss when my Thyroid burned out. But once I got on medication and adjusted my diet it all grew back. Are you hungry at all? Were you able to function normally within a few days of the surgery? -Kelly

Thanks for the feedback Marie. I wonder what the hair loss is about? Do you think it is from a lack of nutrition? -Kelly