Leigh N.
I'm a 37 year old mother of 3 and wife of 1 wonderful husband. I love life, but hate myself! I don't know if that makes sense or not, but there it is.
I have been trying to have surgery done for 2 years now, getting heavier every year. My insurance won't cover it (though if I were hooked on illegal drugs they'd help me!), so I've found another source to pay for it. Vocational Rehabilitation in my county is paying for it; I advise all who have crummy/no insurance to check your local listings! They're wonderful people to work with!
Well, I had lap band surgery on Jan 29, and came home on the 30th. How wonderful the band is! My first week follow-up showed I'd lost 24 pounds!!!!! Incredible!!! I'm feeling good, and can't wait to go back in 3 weeks to weigh again. I can now eat soft foods such as scrambled eggs, oatmeal, grits, etc. In fact, it's past lunchtime, so I'm gonna go eat something!
My 4 week check up and I've already lost 40 pounds! I'm so excited! I love this lap band!
4/1/03: Saturday was my 2 month anniversary. I wasn't going to weigh because I wanted to wait until after my monthly visitor, but there I was, and there was the scale, so I thought, "What the heck! I can always weigh again next week AFTERward". I was amazed that the scales reported a 60 pound loss---in 2 months! I love this lap-band, and would do it again in a heartbeat! I can't tell a lot of difference in my clothes; just that they're getting looser. When you've got a lot to lose, it takes a while to show a difference. But I'm not gonna get discouraged. I will prevail! I ride my stationary bike (with a WIDE seat and back) 30 mins/day, sometimes twice a day! I also ordered an Ab-Swing--can't believe I did that; they must've caught me in a weak moment! Anyway, will start using that as soon as it gets here, and update on how it works.
I'm LOVING this band!
4/28/03--Tomorrow is my 3 month anniversary, and I've lost 70 pounds! HOLYWHODATHUNKIT!!!!I'm still riding my bike each day, and am anxiously waiting for my ab-swing to get here so I can start on that as well! I'm feeling great: halved my blood-pressure medicine and have STOPPED my cpap machine all together! I've had a bit more difficulty this week eating more that I should, but I'm working through it. I will succeed, and when my hubby gets demobilized, maybe he won't recognize me! I'm LOVING this band!
4/29/03--Okay, it's only been a day, but I wanted to post on my "official" 3 month anniversary. I weighed today, and was a bit apprehensive about doing it since I'm on my cycle, but I did it anyway. I'm now down 73pounds! I'm no longer morbidly obese, just severely obese. Who ever thought I'd be so happy to be severely obese?!?!?
5/5/03--I rode the rides at 6-Flags! What an accomplishment! 75 pounds ago, I wouldn't have been able to fit on any of them, and this past weekend I rode everyting I wanted to!AND....I was wearing size 26 shorts when I did it! Down from a tight 36 in just 3 short months! Life is indeed getting better!
5/23/03--down 80 pounds now! I seem to be able to eat more than I should, but doc. Carroll wouldn't give me a fill because I've lost so much. He says we shouldn't mess with the band while it's doing its job. I guess I agree--it just means I need to be more diligent when I eat. I know, I know...I need to be doing that anyway! I LOVE this band!
5/25/03--hadn't weighed in a few days, now down 87 pounds! I"m at 280, and my sis and I are officially racing now. Though she hasn't had surgery, she decided to start losing when I reached her weight.
5/27/03--did something really stupid today-=-I weighed right after starting my period! WHat was I thinking?!?!?! The scale read 283. I KNEW not to do that, but I just couldn't seem to help myself. I'm gonna try not to weigh now until Thursday, my OFFICIAL 4 month anniversary. If it's back down to 280, I"ll just have to be happy with that. I was so hoping to be down 90 by my 4 month. funny how that changed---I originally told my mom I wanted to be down 80 for my 4 month. I guess it changed when I got so close to 90, but I"m just gonna have to try not to rush it! On another yucky note, We ate dinner at Hunan's tonight, a Chinese buffet. I ate an entire plate of food, and a few bites of dessert too! WHy do I do that? Why am I able to? I think I need a fill, but I know there's no hope as long as I"m losing, and I certainly don't want to stop losing! I"m just gonna try to relax and do what I know's right. With God's help, I CAN do this!
6/6/03---I think I've hit a plateau, but I'm not sure. I'm down to 276, but it seems to be stuck there! Actually, sometimes it's more--usually kicking the same 3 pounds around. It's kind of depressing, and I KNOW I need to stay away from the scales, but I can't seem to do it! I'm just gonna have to try! I want so badly to be a success at this, andam so afraid of failure. Yesterday, I didn't exercise, and that was the first time since I got my bike that I haven't exercised. I haven't been to the gym all week, and that's got me down as well. Once Patrick leaves again, I'll be able to get back in the swig of things. Maybe the weight'll start dropping again then.
6/20/03---FINALLY! It took a couple of weeks, but I'm down to 272 now, and my bmi is 36.9! I thought I'd NEVER get here! I'm so excited! Yesterday I was late for work because of the stupidest, funniest reason! I stepped out of the shower and spied a huge bag of clothes a friend had dropped off. The night before, I believed that none of them would fit, so I wasn't going to put myself through the humiliation. But curiosity got the better of me yesterday, and I just had to check! I dumped the bag out on my bed and starting sorting, sizing, and trying things on.....before I knew it, I was LATE! But I showed up at work wearing size 22 capris (okay, so they had elastic, which is the only way 22s will fit right now, but HEY! I'm on the way!
I LOVE this band!
6/27/03--GOD IS SO AWESOME!!!! I weighed today and was down a total of 101 pounds---and not quite 5 months out from surgery! Okay, just 2 days shy of 5 months, but STILL!!! I can't describe what I'm feeling right now---pure joy can't touch it! I danced happily naked around the bathroom after getting off the scale. Then danced some more in the shower. ohmygosh! 100 pounds in 5 months! I'd expected to lose quickly, but not quite this quickly. My first goal after surgery was to lose 80 pounds by my 6 month anniversary. Knowing the band is supposed to be a slower weight-loss, but also knowing I'd lose faster since I started out so big, I thought that might be an obtainable goal. I justhad NO idea. I LOVE this band! Oh, yeah, I haven't even had a fill yet!
7/17/03: Well, vacation/pms were both last week, which will probably prove to be a deadly combination! I was too chicken to weigh when I got home--I'm putting it off 'til Saturday a.m. Normally I weigh on Friday mornings, but I want to give myself at 4 trips to the gym before I step on the almighty scales. If I still weigh 265, which is what I weighed BEFORE vacation, I'll be happy. If I've gained, I guess I deserve it! YIKES!
7/29/03--6 MONTH ANNIVERSARY!!!! I'll start by saying that I still don't know how much damage I did on vacation, but it must've been alot. I lost 1 pound after stepping on the scales last week! Oh well....that's a total of only 4 pounds this month, but I can hang with that. Okay, folks, it's time for an update. Six months ago today I weighed 367 pounds. Today I weigh 262 (that's 105 pounds lost for those of us who are mathematically challenged). I'm thrilled with the weight loss, but thrilled more with the following:
1) Down from a tight 36 to a 22
2) My 26/28 workout shorts hang to my knees, while my 3x workout shirts hang to my elbows!
3) I can paint my toenails
4) I can run 3 minutes straight without passing out
5) I can buy clothes from most regular stores
6) I can get into the tiny bathroom at work without having to squeeze myself through the door (in fact, I don't touch anything now!)
These are just a few of the changes I've noticed. Of course, I now keep myself well-groomed and feel TONS better about myself. Even though I've still got 80+ pounds to lose, I no longer am embarrassed to be seen in public. This surgery has been such a blessing!
Hope everyone's doing well today!
8/19/03--down a couple more pounds, for a total of 115! Wow! Whodathunkit?!?! I go to my surgeon next monday for a checkup and am anxious to see what he thinks. I'm pretty sure I won't get a fill. I re-read the important chapter in Sugar Busters last week, and that seemed to put me back on track. 10 pounds in less than a month so far---how did that happen? I guess the workouts are helping as well. It's neat to see the muscle definition starting to sprout! I told some co-workers today that if they didn't behave (they were cutting up) I'd have to sit on them while I'm still big enough to do some damage! My mini-goal is to be 250 or less by the doc's appt next week. Don't know if I'll make it, but I'll be okay if I don't. 10 pounds in a month is plenty! My next goal is to be overweight (220 pounds) by Thanksgiving. According to fitday.com, I'll have to lose 2.4 pounds per week, so I don't know if it's doable, but I'm gonna give it a shot!
8/29/03---7 month anniversary! Down 118 pounds now--(weight 249)seem to be averaging about 2 pounds per week. I ate like nobody's business this morning--western omelet, whole wheat toast, and hashbrowns w/onions & cheese from Huddle House. Patrick was home and we worked out before breakfast, and afterwards I felt like I could eat the neighborhood! Maybe it'll be allright, though. I'm so happy with my weight loss so far, and pray that it'll continue. Patrick has lost 20 pounds himself; together we weight less than 500 pounds! yippee!!!
9/29/03---Okay! Hard to believe it's been 8 months to the day when my first coherent thought was "What have I done???!?". I"ve come a long way,baby, and I'm a little more than halfway there! How I WISH I'd measured myself before being banded, but I just couldn't face the reality. So I measure myself in this way: I started out wearing a tight 36; today I bought size 18s! Okay, they're a bit tight in the waist, but YA'LL! They fit enough that I can wear them! Wow! I just realized I'm (literally) half the woman I used to be! LOL!
I've lost 121 pounds, and the weight has stopped coming off. Well, not stopped completely---I lost 3 pounds this month. I'm going for my first fill Oct 13, so maybe it'll start falling off again.Weight aside, I feel terrific! I (try to) get to the gym 4-5 days/week, doing aerobics daily and strength-training every other day. Some days I just don't feel like doing it, but I know if I don't I'll be the mom from hell. I no longer worry if chairs will hold my weight, even though I still weigh 246 pounds. I can even buy a ladder that will hold my weight. These are things "normal sized" people don't even think about---have NEVER thought about! My hubby's lost weight too (20 pounds)so together we weigh less than 500 pounds. We can now sleep on an inflatable bed without worrying if it's gonna pop!
Had I NOT had this surgery, I'm pretty sure I'd be at least 450
pounds by now due to stress (hubby's been activated since Feb, but he's still stateside so has seen my skinnier self). I would
probably be a total recluse living off of disability. I certainly
wouldn't be going to football games or anywhere else that I'd feel an embarrasment to my kids.
Of course, I'm no longer on bp pills or the cpap, either. This
surgery has saved my life in more ways than one. Now I'm LIVING--
not just existing!
10/29/03--Well, 9 months now, and I'm down 128 pounds. The weight has certainly slowed down. I've started Wellbutrin to try to help curb my emotional eating. It worked great the first 2 weeks, which is when I lost the 7 pounds this month. I've lost nothing since then. I know it's because of my emotional stuff---Patrick left for Afghanistan Monday and as much as I thought I was prepared, I just wasn't. Tonight I overate at a Chinese restaurant, even though it hurt to do so. It boggles the mind to think that I would take physical pain just to try to block the emotional pain! I'm working on myself, though, and I'll not let this beat me! I'm determined to reach goal weight before Patrick returns(which shouldn't be too hard if they keep him the full year)!I've only got 59 more that I WANT to lose---I'd like to get down to 180; though if I dropped below that I wouldn't be disappointed. I just need to find another outlet for my loneliness---I should get off my lazy butt and clean the house instead of eating everything in it! I will prevail, though. I'm so thankful for this surgery!
