Me and my battle with the bulge (Gastric Band)

[magicbeans]

u got a fab attitude tam. the weight loss is biggest in liquid stage...as u tk very little calories. im sure u will have a major loss again but if its not as massive as ur last few (which have been phenomenal) its still fab and better then what we were doing pre op huh!!

potato yumm! i guess with ryvita its still sharp and hard so could stick? i dont know...im 2 weeks behind u!

Maura the Paul mckenna diet was like that...chew chew chew... put me off crisps! my main love in life! haha

 

[Mandy hassam]

really loving this site.felt a bit teary this mornig. dont no why probably realisation of the whole enormity of the road ahead.im well up for it, my husband has been fab. just wondered if anyone else felt daunted by it all?

 

[Mandy hassam]

hey maura. so you having your op next week? im one week post op and already feeling on the mend. hope your not too worried, any questions that i can answer just ask.

 

[Mandy hassam]

tam, how do i get a ticker?

 

[magicbeans]

hi mandy! i had my op on the 14th!! so we are one day apart!!

go to Graphical Tickers and Trackers: Weight Loss, Trying To Conceive, Pregnancy...

 

[Maura]

hey maura. so you having your op next week? im one week post op and already feeling on the mend. hope your not too worried, any questions that i can answer just ask.

hi mandy its 6 days to my op :cry:you could say i am slightly nervous to say the least:needhug:. i fly out to belguim on tue, op on wed. yikes.... really hope my wee heart can get thru, it keeps fluttering at the thought of it lol

 

[The Chopster]

I am sure you will be fine. Think of why you are doing this {{{ hugs}}}

 

[Tamgredan]

Its really normal to be weepy before you op as yes, its a massive decision you are making in your life - everybody goes through this and i suppose if you are paying for it yourself, its a little bit harder as that cash could pay for many things you need in your life.

 

[Tamgredan]

REFLECTION

Ive been thinking this week about my journey so far and i am really pleased with myself.

Im just over 2 weeks post op and on the mushy stage

1) I do get hungry (stomach really growls at me when it needs food, its very loud and can be emabrrasing when in meetings BUT i like it as im not used to hearing it) but its different hunger from before. When i used to get hungry i would go into a bad mood as i needed food and i would feel shaky. I dont get like this now.

2) Chewing. This is something that comes like 2nd nature to you. In the past when i got hungry i would wolf the food down as soon as possible to stop the hungry pangs, but now i know i cant as my fear of being sick is always in my sub consious. Last night i had fish pie which is very soft, but i found myself chewing each bite about 30 times before swallowing it. After a few bites i can feel im getting fuller at the moment, it just comes to you.

3) Fluids. I really wish i could gulp down a drink, especially in this hot weather but i learned last week that its a no no with the band as i suffered for drinking too fast. Yes its a right pain in the butt and on a good day im only managing 750ml, but according to my provider this is fine. If i was to aim for the 2 litres per day, i would be permenantly sipping all day.

4) Water works are fine, im going for #1 about 4 times per day. #2 are about every 3 days.

Am i pleased i had the band? Yes i am! It really fascinates me how little im eating at the moment and how easy ive adapted to:
*eating only when hungry
*chewing slowly
*taking my time when eating
*stopping when full

Everything feels 'normal' to me now.

I know in a few weeks my appetite may come back but im keeping a close eye on my portions and as soon as i start to creep up i'll start my food diary and sort out my 1st fill.

Overall, the band is not on my mind all day every day, i only think about it when i get hungry really.
Everyone seems to have forgotten ive had it done as the questions have stopped.

No regrets!

 

[Maura]

youre doing really well Tam. keep the good work up and the positive attitude is shining through xx

 

[magicbeans]

nice post there Tam.... u have done so well at changing so many of the bad habits we all have and appreciate all the fine details (wee and poos!!) .... does help

 

[Tamgredan]

1.5lbs gone this week!

Pleased with that as its been my 1st week on mushies and i was expecting a complete stall.

Overall this week ive done quite a bit of exercise but i can definately do some more. Food wise, its not been all healthy stuff, so next week im going to try cutting back on calories and using reduced fat stuff instead of full fat. Im still not managing 1000 calories per day but i need to get into the habit now of eating more healthier.

Wounds are really healing well, the only time i ever feel my port is when i lay down on it. I would say im pretty much back to normal 100%.

Yesterday i bought a pair of size 24 shorts from asda, its been months since i bought from asda as the size 24 didnt used to fit. What more impressive is that i actually wore them with a vest top and went out all day and felt confident to wear them.
I also done my hair and make-up really nice which on a weekend is unheard of for me.

On Tuesday ive got to go to a graduate assessment day as my company takes on graduates and put them on a real good scheme. Ill be spending all day and all night at a fancy hotel and of course ill have to eat there.
Lunch time im sure they serve a cold salad, so ill just aim for the potato salad and other soft stuff, and for dinner, everybody will be chatting so much that my slow eating will go un-noticed, so ill find something on the menu i can have. Ill check the menu out later and if there is nothing, ill pre-order soup or something. Not bothered by it really.

Im going to try scrambled eggs this morning with some tomato sauce, i hope it goes down ok. I have noticed this week, that if i try and eat in the mornings my band is tight and everything feels very wierd going down and its a little uncomfortable. Not sure if is my band or because its TOTM. Ill find out for sure next week.
On that front, my TOTM has not been painfull at all this week like it usually is, it must be down to not eating so much crap. Ive not even had heartburn since the op, so it just goes to show the volume and variety of foods i was having was causing me grief.

Off for another big walk today, i say big but its about 3 miles but once again its mainly uphill.

 

[Maura]

good girl Tam. you are doing so well. pleased that you feel back to normal (apart from your port). loads of things running through my head but will put in into my own diary... keep in touch xx

 

[magicbeans]

well done on the 1.5 lb weight loss takes u to a stone and a half off now!

 

[Mandy hassam]

wewll done tam, keep it up. next stop of the peg clothes..

 

[Tamgredan]

Im not loosing weight!

Im a once a week weigh in person, but the last few days i have felt like ive not lost weight so jumped on the scales this morning and im still the same as sunday.
I done loads of walking but i do feel like im eating too much, when really im not.
Yesterday i was out on company business all day and i ate:-
B - Cup of tea
L - cubed piece of chicken, 1 bite of fish and 3 bites of broccolli. Followed by 2 coffees
D - 4 tablespoons of Sea bass, tablespoon of courgettes and 2 small bites of potato followed by 1 teaspoon of panacotta.
Im eating really slow.
Im chewing very well
Im not snacking

The only thing that is probably missing is my water intake. Im stuggling to get enough which i have mentioned before. Yesterday i only went to the loo 3 times.
I need to get more fluid in me, so im going to have a slimfast for breakfast, soup for lunch and a mushy-type evening meal to see if this helps.

Im not worried about this yet, im just fustrated. Lots of people say you stall when you get onto mushies, but its hard to accept as you are eating so little in comparison to before the band, unyet the scales dont move.

Tonight i start back on night shift, which is good because my planned routine can start. When i finish work im going to get on my wii fit or if its light enough ill go for a walk. I can also walk around the whole site a few times.

Lets hope something shifts by sunday weigh in!

 

[magicbeans]

im a once a day weigher in...and since thursday last week to monday the weight was the same. has come down a teeeeny bit last few days but not a great deal...think our bodies are just resisting the change....look at ur overall loss! very impressive

 

[suepat10]

Hi

Wow, your diary is really inspiring to this newbie!

At this stage I know next to nowt about bands/bypasses etc BUT I know with weightloss plans (slimming world, weightwatchers etc) there are times your body goes in to 'panic mode' when it realises you are taking less in and it tries to hang on to whatever it can for a while.

Maybe that's what's happening here? xx

 

[Tamgredan]

Yeah i know you are all right and i know this from past experiences and thats why im okay about it BUT its sooooo fustrating.
Next Thursday ill be 1 month post op so ill be taking my measurements. I know ive lost from face, neck and back but the belly isnt budging.
Already been to the loo 3 times today so hopefully this will help.

 

[katiebaby]

As Sue says, your diary is inspiring and very detailed, especially regarding op day.

I wouldn't worry about weight stalling I am on 3 yoghurts and a pint of milk a day and still managed to put on a pound one day, I lost it the next day, but still .