Zip Tie

Does it ever weird you out to think that you have a big chunk of plastic in your stomach? My clinic has one of these models in the exam room, and it's hard to reconcile that with what's in my stomach. I have a long cord and like a plug in there? I'm kind of amazed that I can't feel it, knocking against stuff in my stomach.

This is the kind of stuff I think about.

3 Months, 30 Pounds

I don't have a lot of "before" full-body pictures. Because every time I ever saw one of myself, I hated it, and promptly deleted it. As you do. And when I went for my initial lap-band consultation in June, it never occurred to me that I might lose weight before surgery. So I didn't think to take photos until right before surgery.

So the only one I could find at my highest weight was taken in May. (It's wonky looking because I had to crop out a friend.) And I'm wearing the ubiquitous black, in order to disguise as much as possible, of course.

May 2012

By the time I got around to taking my "before" shots the night before surgery, I was already down 20lbs.

October 2012

The below photos were taken last night. -30lbs since surgery, -50lbs total.

January 2012

I'm actually wearing a different tank top and yoga pants in the last photos, because the others don't fit anymore. And I was really hoping to see the weight loss, but I don't. I almost didn't post these photos, because all I see is how much I have left, how much my stomach still sticks out, how big my arms still are. It's disappointing, and it kind of takes away the excitement from my "I've lost 50lbs!" moment.

I'm sure there will come a time when my photo comparisons will be a lot more dramatic, and I'm just going to have to keep working towards that day.

Stuck

So I've been losing pretty well in the two weeks since my last adjustment (6lbs in two weeks I think), but I've been getting stuck on something nearly every day. I've tried smaller bites, and chewing forever. My tighter band just doesn't seem to like some of the foods I was able to eat before. My husband says it makes meal times very dramatic.

I went in to have an unfill this morning. The nurse practitioner seemed to think I shouldn't be eating bread and tortillas anyway, and that lots of people have trouble with rice. Except, prior to this last fill, I didn't have much trouble eating anything. And that's always been what I want from my band. I don't want any foods to be off limits. I want to eat whatever I want, just less of it. I'm a control freak like that. P.S. She also thinks I should be eating 1/2 cup meals. If I did that, I'd be a snacking mofo. And if I'm losing weight eating more than that, what's the problem?

So I'm now down to 5.9 in my 10 cc band, which should hopefully take care of the stuck issue, without losing too much weight loss momentum.

Do you eat 1/2 cup meals? Do you have energy to get through your day like that? Do you eat a damn tortilla if you want to?

Three Months

Today marks 12 weeks since my lap band surgery. I've lost 27.8 lbs in those 12 weeks (plus 20 lbs pre-op). I'm hoping next week puts me at a 50 lb weight-loss, because then I'm going to take some updated photos to compare to the ones I took the night before surgery. Also, I wouldn't mind being able to say "I've lost 50 pounds!" Know what I mean?

This morning's weigh-in showed a 3 lb weight loss from last week. So I guess my most recent fill is doing the trick. I think I am staying full longer, though I still get hungry before meal time. And not just hungry, but HUNGRY. I guess I'm never going to be one of those people who just never feels hungry. I'm reluctant to have any more fill added, since this last one has me getting that stuck feeling pretty easily, if I don't remember to take small bites and chew, chew, chew.

Next week is lap band support group. I've only been to one meeting previously, but I intend to be a regular attender. Almost all of the other women in the group have been super successful with their weight loss, and I've decided maybe that's contagious. And if so? I want in on it. Has anyone else found that to be the case with their group?

Non-Scale Victories

1.) I started this little adventure wearing a size 24 jeans. I'm now down to a size 20, and they're starting to feel a little baggy.

2.) I can now shop at Old Navy stores, not just the online plus sizes.

3.) At my last doctor appointment, the nurse gave me a smaller size gown than usual. It didn't actually completely cover my ass, but I appreciate that she thought I could fit into it.

4.) And this one might be my favorite - crossed legs!

4th Fill

As of Wednesday, I now have 6.2 ml in my 10 cc band. Now that I'm back on solid food, I feel like I'm getting stuck more frequently. But it may just be that I haven't been chewing as well, or eating as slowly as I should, and I was just getting away with it before. Every fill makes it just a little harder to eat bread. Which makes me a little sad. Bread is one of the best things on earth.

I'm anxious to find out if this newest fill gets me to the magical green zone. I've heard so many banders say they never get hungry. I want that! I would kill to not feel hungry so often. And that crazy 0 to STARVING TO DEATH in no time at all? That stuff is insane. Makes me feel like I could eat a horse. And sometimes, I try!

Band Shenanigans

I reached my 40 lb total weight loss on the Friday before Christmas. For the two weeks after that, I didn't lose an ounce. For two whole weeks. I blame cookies. And maybe fudge. And vacation.
Then, last week, I lost 3 lbs in three days. What the hell is up with that?

Sometimes, my band is a flake.

Confession

I’ve been a lurker for months. I’ve read hundreds of blog entries, and sometimes entire blog archives, in my quest to find out as much as humanly possible about the weird piece of silicone I paid to have inserted into my stomach. There were many times that I wanted to comment on entries, to ask questions, offer encouragement or opinions. But I didn’t want to comment with my existing blogger account. I’m one of those people who’s not entirely “out” in my real life. I’ve chosen to tell only close friends and family (and my mother took care of telling the rest of the family). It was such a personal decision that I’m not willing to discuss with everyone in the world, especially some random idiot at the office.

I’m still not comfortable posting my current weight, starting weight, etc. Even my husband doesn’t know that information. I admire all of you who are willing to post before and after photos, and to document your progress in such detail. It’s so helpful for prospective and current bandsters to see how different the journey can be from person to person.

So, I have a separate online identity for this blog. One day, maybe I’ll merge the two, but I’m not there yet.

 

The New Kid

Oh look! It’s another lap band blogger! Do we really need another one of those? Well, yeah. I’ve really enjoyed reading all the other lap band blogs, while I was preparing to have surgery, while going through the horrible post-op liquid diet, the boring mushie phase, and now that I’m recovered. But I never found a blogger in Austin, so I was lacking the perspective of someone who’s dealing with the same struggles, unique to an Austin lap band patient. Mainly: Salt Lick potato salad, Kerbey Lane queso, Sugar Mama’s cupcakes, and Alamo Drafthouse pizza.

I was banded October 26, 2012 at Turning Point Surgery Center in San Antonio. I lost 20 lbs prior to surgery, and have lost 22 lbs since. I currently have 5.7 ml in my 10cc band. Hoping for another fill next week, as I am sadly, not yet in the green zone.

I’m learning new things every day, like exercising isn’t that bad once you get started, that eating like a 5 year-old (or with one) is not fun to enter into MyFitnessPal, and that flour tortillas are seldom my friend.