davis7182
Hi, I am 20 years old i currently weigh 233 pounds and i have been overweight since i was about 8 years old. My weight steadily climbed as the years went by, it always bothered me but i just tried to over look it because i just figured one day i would be "skinny" or that it really wouldn't matter if i never lost weight. Boy was i wrong! The older i got the bigger a battle it was for me to fight, i was constantly down because as hard as i would try to lose weight, nothing would ever seem to work. As i moved into the work place i realized how important it is to look your best, and having my clients think that i actually know what is fashionable and just being comfortable with myself, period. I work as a colorist in a salon so it is essential that i look fashionable IT IS MY JOB! and i know that being this way isn't attractive...so i heard about the adjustible gastric banding procedure and i was SO excited because it seemed like this was would be so much better, i would NEVER have considered a bypass, it just seemed to much to it and it scared me. So as i started researching it I realized all of the health risk that are involved with being "morbidly obese" and more than anything that was the selling factor(i knew that i was at high risk already as many of the common diseases run in my family.) So I learned as much about the surgery as i could find. I found out who the best doctors were and i heard of Dr Lavin so i called and made an appointment...
02/13/03 My first appointment with Dr Lavin. Everyone in the office was so helpful. I talked to the guy that walks you into the room before you see the doctor ( i forgot is name) but he had just had the surgery done four weeks ago and he had already lost 27 pounds.(WOW) We went over all of my paper work with him, the Dr Lavin came in and we talked about the procedure, he put me at ease immediately. We went over all of the questions that i had, the he sent me to Marybeth to get all of the test set up. I was so excited because i feel like the surgery will be a turning point in my life and i can wait to see what my life will be like minus 111 pounds.
02/18/03 I went to the seminar today at Lake View in Mandeville
I got alot more specific information than i could find on the internet. We actually got to hold one of the lapbands and see how they work...incredible....I am so excited now...
02/24/03 I went for my lab work today. I cant wait until i get all of these test done so i can send in the information so i can get approved...ohmigosh i cant wait until i hear those words.."April, we have your approval!" I could cry now thinking about it so i know i will cry then...
03/03/03 I went for my sleep study last night at Sleep Solutions in Covington. They were SO friendly and helpful they made me feel like a queen even though i looked kinda crazy with all of those wires on me...LOL The sleep center was georgous! I would recommend them to anyone... My results were that i had a sleep disturbance, to where there was a partial blockage of air which caused my oxygen levels to drop and cause me to wake up. But it wasn't a full apnea. So i am glad that is over with...i was nervous about the test...one more to go!!
03/07/03 I finished my last test today WOO HOO! I did my psychological evaluation with Dr Peggy Smith in Zachary at the Zachary Psychology Center. They were very nice. We talked about the surgery and if i thought that the surgery would be magic that just take all of my problems away, i said no but i do think that it would take my one problem of obesity away, she just laughed. She was very pleasant. ( I think i could say other things about the test though! GOLLY that thing was long!)
03/07/03 Dr Lavin's office called back today and told me they had heard something back form the insurance company..(They left this message on my voicemail) I almost jumped out of my skin and could not call them back fast enough!( I have to admit i was a little scared because i thought it would be bad news). So I talked to Nicki and she said that the insurance company wanted all of my medical records from 2001, to rule out a pre-existing condition. (since i had just had this insurance policy for about 3 months) I do have a question though, Can they say it is a pre-existing condition even if it hasn't not been documented by my PCP that i was obese and i needed to lose weight? or can they just say that it is if they want to? Hopefully i will hear some good news soon! These next few days/weeks will be torture. I can't to hear them say i am approved and i can stop worrying about it.....I will let yall know as soon as i find out ANYTHING!!
03/20/03 I called the office again to see how things were going....i am soooo impatient....i talked to nicki and she said that she was away from her desk at the moment and she would have Beth call me back and let me know for sure what was going on...but as far as she remembered the papers had already been sent to the insurance company but they would call me back and let me know for sure.....so i wait some more......(i really don't like the waiting part, i mean if i knew that i was approved i could quit worrying about it....) well hopefully i will find out soon...talk to you later.....
03/21/03 Beth called me back this morning, she said that the papers were sent to the insurance on 03/14 so she would be calling them next week to see if everything went through or if they needed anything else, or if they have made a decision yet....so i am excited now...it is really happening now...but still i am nervous about next week and finding out if they have made a decision yet.....i will be praying.....
03/24/03 I GOT MY APPROVAL TODAY!!!! WOOOO HOOOOO i can't believe it ...losing weight as always been my dream and i always wanted it to happen but i really never believed that it would, it has always been so unattainable, but now it is just in my reach! I am soooo happy..... I haven't got my date yet. I have to go to my PCP to get my clearance, i will go on wednesday 03/26 and get them to fax the clearance and we will set up a date then.....OHMIGOSH! i feel like i have to pinch myself to make sure i am not dreaming....i will keep updated on what i find out...
03/25/03 I went to my PCP for my clearance...everything is a GO! I am so excited, i really haven't had time to be scared yet...but i think it is coming...i am nervous but sooo excited...I called beth today at the office and asked if they got my clearance through the fax and she said yes, that eileen should be calling me today or tomorrow...
03/26/03 EILEEN CALLED!!! she went through with all of dr lavins first availables and then we worked on trying to figure all of the pre-op testing out. I was going to go to lakeview medical but my insurance doesn't cover it so i will be going to new orleans...i guess it isn't really that bad, not much further...at least the insurance will cover it....my out of network fees are 3,000. so now i have to figure where i will put that from...So my date is Friday April 11, 2003. I am so ready, it is definately a dream come true....i can't wait to see results...so my date is two weeks away tomorrow....OMG!
03/31/03 well time is going fast but at the same time slow....I am starting to get very nervous....i mean i found the part on the site about the memorials of people who died...and frankly i am a little worried....so needless to say i am a nervous wreck...i mean i know everything will be fine...i don't have any health problems except for being overweight...so i just keep going over it in my head, trying to put some logic to it and know EVERYTHING i can find...lol i know all about the technical part of the surgery...but i want to know how other people dealt with the surgery (lap-band) and what i could do to make my complication rated lower...also if the complication rate is higher or lower...if anyone has any advice for my jitters please help! i would really appreciate it....i will check in later.... april
04/02/03 i went to the pre op class today, i really had a good time i got to meet alot of people that are scheduled around the same time as me...Laura was out instructor...she went over what we would have to follow after the surgery and how everything would be...the procedure and the recovery...i got to ask alot of questions so i am starting to feel alot better about the surgery...i was a nervous wreck and i thought that i would really lose my mind before the surgery...lol....so i am excited...i can't wait..especially for the time off...i need a vacation...lol well i go to the doctor tomorrow for my last visit with dr lavin before the surgery...i hope i have lost something i will be very discouraged if i go tomorrow and i have gained....well i gotta go for now i will let yall know about tomorrow....
04/03/03 well i went and i lost 2 whole pounds! (i know i shouldn't talk of such big numbers!) but at least i lost i was worried i would gain....dr lavin was great, we went over the procedure again and we talked about all of my questions and concerns so now i feel a WHOLE lot better...i can't wait until the surgery...i am tired of worrying about it...i still get scared if i think about it too much...(my main fear is of a pulmonary embolism...my best friend in high school died of one after she was in a wreck and she broke both femurs..i know that people are a high risk of that especially with a break...but it still terrifies me...) dr lavin said that he has only had one person to have one and she didn't die just had to take some medicine...so i feel confident in his ability...just my own quirks i guess...i know to reduce the risk i need to drink lots of water and excercise so i am doing that now....and also before the surgery they will give me a shot of heprin (sp?) so i will be praying and i have alot of people praying for me...well i will go for now...........april
04/06/03 tomorrow is my birthday!! i will be 21. woo hoo! My computer is down at my house (my monitor is broken) so dell is supposed to send me a new monitor in the next few days...so hopeful i will post again before the surgery...if not i will post again post op! i can't beleive how fast all of this has happend but i am so excited i am ready to start living my life!
04/09/03 i went to new orleans for my pre op stuff... everything went good...i am not really nervous anymore... i have a calm about the surgery... i know everything will be ok... well two days to go....
04/11/03 the day! i got to the hopsital at about 10am my surgery was scheduled for 12:30 we checked in and waited and waited and finally asked someone and they call the nurses desk and i was sent out to get ready for surgery...the nurses said they had been looking for me and had just called my house lookign for me...i was in the waiting room the whole time! lol anyway the dude that checked me in didnt' tell them i was there...so i went back they got everything going...before i knew it was was in the operating room just getting my "drugs" hehe all i remember is that my eyes went cross then i was gone...when i woke up in recovery...i was doing good sore but good.... i was taken to my room and i dozed and watched tv... everyone took great care of me...i got up 2 or 3 times to go to the bathroom everytime got easier...
04/12/03 i went home the ride wasn't bad..they gave me some medicine right before i left...so i was doing good i had the most trouble sitting down getting up wasn't as bad because i could use my legs... i didn't sleep in the bed...i slept propped on pillows on the chaise lounge...was really comfortable...
04/13-15/03 i am doing great....i am still sore...mostly my stomach and back muscles...i am getting around good i can't wait untill i am not sore and everything is normal again...on the brighter side....i have lost 10 pounds! woo hoo....
04/21/03 Happy Easter Everyone! I am doing 150% better i am so glad i can move faster! LOL i am still sore but i can deal with it because it isn't that bad. I am eating some normal foods not i can have yogurt,pudding,scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes...etc i am doing great...i have lost about 14 pounds...i can't wait until my first fill...i can't really tell now that i am full when i eat so i just stop after a little bit because i don't wanna get sick...i am going back to work tomorrow i think that will be good at least i won't be at home bored and thinking about food...i am sooo glad i had the surgery i can't wait until i have lost all of my weight...my friend told me saturday that she is getting married and she wants me to be one of her brides maids! I am excited about it because the wedding is next April and i will be one year post op and hopefully lost all if not most of my weight...i think i will join one of the local gyms next month ...maybe that will make my progress faster...i wonder what i will look like....well i guess i will go i will write again soon!
04/24/03 well i have lost about 15 pounds ..so i am doing good i am learnign that in the first month i shouldn't be focused on weight loss but more on recovery...i have been having other problems with depression....i don't know what is wrong..all that i have found said that it is prob. the anesthesia because it messes with your hormones....i don't know but going back to work has been difficult because of this...i will definately be glad when i am over what ever it is....anyway tomorrow is two weeks! woo hoo....i want to try to lose at least 20 pounds by my 5 week post op visit...i think that is possible...anyway i am glad that i had the surgery...i'll check in later
06/26/03 i am sorry it has been so long since i have posted...i have been busy...i started school i am going to college again to be a nurse i am so excited! i have been doing good with my weighloss of course it is slower than i would like but at least it is going down istead of up...i am now down 24.5 pounds woo hoo! i had problems in the beginning because i really didn't realize the things that i needed to change and i was just more or less doing my thing however i wanted...but i realized i was not focusing on the important things...like water and protein and exercising...i have never realized how hard it is to change old habits...i knew what i needed to be doing but i was having trouble just doing it....i had one fill on 05/15/03 and i really couldn't tell any difference in how much i could eat... so i made another appointment for 06/12/03 i got a small ajustment and i can definately tell a difference now...i get full quicker...so i am at 1.5cc's i am still trying to decide if i think it is tight enough or if i need more ...so i am going to watch it for about two weeks and see...i will let yall know more stats later!
07/08/03 hey guys i am still hanging in there with the last fill i had...things are going good...i am now at -27.5 i have been having trouble with making the right choices...i have been eating whatever...i know that my weightloss would be faster if i would be good...also i have been having trouble with water and protein...i am back in school..so all of my attention has been going to that and i have been putting other things off...so now i am going to try to focus on doing better...i my go back next month to get adjusted again...i will post later...
07/27/2003 i haven't gone to get another fill, but i am considering it now...so i am trying to wait and make it on my own...i am now down to 199! no more 200's i cain't believe it! so my total loss is 34.5 pounds...i have started doing better with the protein and water...i started doing the south beach diet because i think it follows what my diet should be now anyway...it seems to be going good...i haven't been exercising much ( i know bad girl...) i have been really busy with school and work...this semester is almost over (1 1/2 weeks i will be gald for the break even though i only get two weeks off) i may go in on my break and get an adjustment...i really wanted to wait until i got to my mini goal of 180 before i went back in but i don't what to spend alot of time making it hard on myself when i could just go ahead and get an adjustment..so i guess i will think about it...well i have to go and finish my homework...i'll be in touch...
09/16/03 hi just wanted to check in and let everyone know how things are going for me. My total loss is now at 45 pounds! i am excited about it and i am only 10 lbs from my mini goal...i will be six months post op next month so my goal is to hit my mini goal next month...well i did go and get another adjustment on august 5 th so i am now at 2cc's everything is going great...will keep in touch !
09/25/03 well i got on the scales tonight and i am now 185 woo hoo! i don't ever remember weighing 185 not even in high school..i am definately excited! i have been doing good with stopping when i am satisfied, this week...so hopefully it is something that i have finally learned...lol anyway i am doing better with exercise...so hopefully that will get the rest off faster...i will update soon...bye
12/22/03 well alot has happend since i wrote last...i went and got another adjustment now i am at 2.5 cc's so i really can tell a difference...i have had a few run-in's with food getting stuck...but i am learning...things have definately slowed down since the holidays i suppose so i really am trying to get on the ball again...my weight now is 178..which is awesome...i got all crazy with finals this semester and got out of exercising...so my goal is to just focus on doing better after the first of the year...with a new start...:D so four of my friends/family are having or either considering the surgery so i am very excited to have someone around that is going through the same things so hopefully everything will work out for them...alrighty then i will talk to yall later...HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
04/21/06 OMG how time flies. I cant believe i have updated in so long. I have had alot going on in my life. First i guess i got married! I met my husband online at christianmingle.com He was from Memphis so we talked for awhile and started meeting in Jackson Mississippi. Well he eventually moved down and we were married August 31,2004. In May of 2005 i had my band un-filled. I feel like i needed a break from it all because i wasnt really being good. I had started drinking with my meals. I felt good at the weight i was at and i thought that since my husband and i were working out so much together i would be fine. Well we ended up buying a house and moving to Memphis and our schedules got all crazy, eating bad food, not working out and i gained... So currently i am at 205... I am just sick at myself for letting this happen. But i have gone back to dr lavin and had my band readjusted we had a few mix ups but now we have found a good level. SO today is the first day of starting over!!! DH and i are trying to have a baby and that makes me a little concerned if it is the best decision right now. I know i need to lose weight before we get pregnant. So i guess right now i am just winging it. IF it happens then it does, so in the mean time i am gonna work on being good and losing some weight! My goals are 1. Drink 64oz water a day 2. Eat healthier, focus on protein. 3. ABSOLUTELY NO drinking with meals!! (this is my hard one!) 4. Cut down on sugary drinks (ie sweet tea) 5. EXERCISE!