Donna4545

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I started this at 331 lbs, and was 314 the day of surgery. Today I am hovering between 250 and 255. I haven't lost as rapidly as I would have liked but it's probably because I don't exercise. I have to change that. I'm very good with my eating and fluids, though. I used fatsecret.com to track calories for the first months, until I really internalized the rules/calories/portions. I go back to it if I feel I've gotten off track.

I started a size 28 on top and now I'm a 24. My bra went from 48D to 44C. On bottom I'm a size 22 jeans. My face has lost the double chin. I'm off my diabetes, triglyceride, and cholesterol meds. I can walk without being out of breath, and I feel more optimistic about life in general.

I don't have any food issues like lactose or egg intolerance--nothing really gives me trouble. I don't feel deprived at all in my eating, and the small portions are fine now that I'm used to it. Food bills are smaller--bonus! I've gotten more relaxed about carbs and have learned that I won't gain weight if I have 70 carbs a day instead of 30. I don't eat bread, pasta, or rice though. I do drink wine when I want.

At first I stressed over every pound on the scale. Now I've relaxed and concentrated on eating right and I trust the long term downward trend now. I used to fear it would all stop every time I stalled. Now I know my body will let the weight go, and I just need to keep eating right and start exercising.

I hope this is of help to someone. Btw my profile pic is "before"--I don't have a current one to put up.

My blog is www.gastricsleevefoodie.blogspot,com
Also, friend me at fatsecret.com a great site for food logging--and you can see your friends' logs.
I spend most of my time at verticalsleevetalk.com

I found out that I can eat more on my pre-op diet than I thought, so I'm over myself now, lol. Not being hungry all the time makes a huge difference. So my pre-op diet ended up looking like this:
Breakfast: Low carb protein shake
Lunch: Low carb protein shake
Snack: 1 cup salad with homemade viniagrette
Dinner: 1/2 cup non-carby vegetable and 4-6 oz lean meat
64 oz water

I can live with that for the next week. The first 5 days were really hard, but now that I've taken an interest in making the salad and dinner taste really good, the next week should be fine. I don't really crave anything--I guess I'm lucky there.

I'm still in denial about my surgery--I'll finally believe it's really going to happen when I'm on the table!

9 days until surgery and I am in diet hell. I get so hungry, especially between dinner and bed. But I'm doing it exactly like the doctor said. I don't know if I've lost any weight because I don't have a scale. Scales depress me. I find out what I weigh when I go to the doctor's office--so much less anxiety that way. I WILL do this.

My mom told a family friend about my surgery (thanks mom, NOT!) and I had to listen to all the horror stories that he had heard connected to RNY (I'm a sleever). Arrgh. I swear I am not telling anyone. I'll just say I'm on a diet!

It took 2 weeks from start to finish. I have insurance approval and a surgery date of 7/14/10. I'm still in shock!

I drove 100 miles to Bismarck for my day-long approval marathon. I met with the program coordinator, surgeon, nutritionist, and psychologist. I brought the required medical records. At the end of the day, when meeting with the coordinator, she said "You're not going to have a problem getting insurance approval". I couldn't believe it. I hope she's right.

It was an exhausting, emotional day. She did relieve one big fear that I had--that I would never eat anything that tasted good ever again. I'm quite a foodie, so this was very good news. I checked out some bariatric food websites and felt better afterwards. I have to mourn food loss, but not permanently--that makes all the difference.

If I get approval my only obstacle is logistical. I'm new to North Dakota and don't have any family here. I have to drive 100 miles to the hospital, and somehow not strain myself for 4 days after the surgery. I drive a stick so I can't drive home right away, they said it would hurt. Staying at a hotel near the hospital would cost about $500. I don't have income over the summer, only savings ( I'm a teacher). Any suggestions appreciated.

I tried this once before, but couldn't get insurance approval. Now I have a different job/insurance and I'm hoping that this will happen. The Bariatric program said a July surgery date was possible with approval. I want to get a gastric sleeve, to avoid vitamin deficiencies. I hope I will be able to lose the amount of weight that I want to--about 200 lbs. I have my first appt with the Bariatric Center in two weeks. I have to get medical records showing my weight 2007-2010. I hope my BMI isn't required to be 51 that whole time, as it wasn't--but it is now, and that's their eligibility threshold. I have BCBS.

I love good food-quality not quantity, and I fear that I won't be able to enjoy food after the surgery. I need more info on this.