Something I Should Have Done Years Ago! - Salt Lake City, UT

Lap Band surgery - so far so good! Just coming up on my 2 weeks post surgery and I'm down 24 lbs. and feeling great! I should have started this journey years ago. I'm 46 years old, in good health, 5'5 and started at 235 lbs. I did the "yo-yo" diets for years. Started with Phen-phen in my 20's, moved to weight watchers, cabbage soup diet, tried Meridia medication in my 30's and did HCG in my 40's. I was able to take weight off each time but inevitability gained all my weight back and more! Even with exercise it seemed like I could never keep my weight down to a healthy weight.

I started looking into surgery years ago but the cost was so expensive I didn't pursue further. My insurance did not cover the cost. As I started getting older, I realized the health issues that can occur with being overweight, I finally made the decision that my life and health was more important. I was pleasantly surprised the cost of the surgery had come down some - so I made my appointment and booked my surgery date.

I haven't been nauseated or sick at all. My first fill is in 4 days. I'm on the pureed diet now for another 18 days. I have noticed my stomach has started to feel "hungry" towards the end of the day. Which is normal I'm sure. I make sure to drink as much protein as I can (I found the Premier Protein shakes are the best). 30g per serving.

I will post more as I go. Just wanted to let everyone know I'm excited and glad I finally did the surgery. Looking forward to the change in my life and welcome the new me :)

So I'm still holding (as of today) down 24 lbs since my surgery 3 weeks ago. My 2 week appointment went well. Healing great and no nausea or stomach pains! Which is good....and something I was always worried about as I've read some people have been really sick after their surgeries.

I am finally able to sleep on my left side (something I haven't been able to do since the surgery because that side was so tender). I put a soft pillow under my side and it helps a lot.

I'm not too worried about my weight holding at 24 lbs, as my Dr. said I'm still in my healing stage and will be for the next few weeks. My next appointment is July 31st which will be 5 weeks post surgery. I'll update with weight and progress then.

I started mixing some fresh fruit along with a scoop of plain yogurt in with my protein shakes in a blender. Getting tired of just drinking the plain chocolate and plain vanilla shakes. That has helped a bunch (I have those in the morning). Still doing the puree diet for lunch and dinner. That has been a little challenging. I found a good "taco recipe" that isn't bad and really high in protein. I cook up ground turkey, blend in a can of re fried beans, taco seasoning mix and a spoon or two of sour cream. Puree that (add water as needed to thin out) - but it tastes like a chip dip only without the chips! I use that for lunch and dinners.

Still no regrets doing the surgery. I'm learning how to put more protein in my body along with eating SLOW and listening to my body.

Good luck to everyone out there wondering and making decisions on the surgery. I say YES to it :)

I went shopping over the weekend. Mostly because I wanted to try on clothes and see how I'm feeling about the weight I've lost. It's funny, because I can see a transformation in my face the most. However, my husband says he can see a difference in my legs. So it's nice to see & hear how people are starting to view my weight loss and where it can be seen the most.

I know I'm still in the beginning stages but it is a nice feeling to know I'm down some weight and starting to feel good myself. I try to look at my weight loss as "look at how much I'm down" rather than....."look at how much I still need to go".

I can say my stomach is taking the longest to heal. I sometimes feel my stomach looks bloated and "full". That is one thing I wanted to ask my Doctor on my next appointment, because I haven't seen a change in my stomach at all. I still feel like it's healing and I'm coming up on a month post surgery. I just still feel "big" in my tummy.

I found a new recipe (actually 2 new ones) that I really like and have been using for lunch & dinners. The first: 2 cans of chili in a blender (I use the one with meat and without). Ground turkey, 2 spoons of sour cream and blend in a mixer. Add milk to a creamy texture. It's actually quite good. I usually eat 1/2 to 3/4 cup for lunch.

The second: I love tofu! So I'm able to eat tofu as it's soft and easy to dissolve in your mouth. I get a pre-packaged sauce mix (I've been using a chicken honey glazed flavor) and cook in a saucepan. I let it sit overnight in the fridge so the tofu will take on the full flavor. I do the same about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup for dinner.

My energy level is good. Last week I struggled with energy issues. But that could also be with the heat and feeling tired. I try to do 10 mins on my elliptical machine at home at night after work. I don't push myself too hard...because...let's face it. I'm doing something by body hasn't done in years....which is try to get moving on a regular basis! I don't work out each night. Just when I feel like I can without pushing myself.

So I think when I checked the scale, I have gone down another 2 lbs since I last posted. I really think my body is still adjusting to the lower calorie intake.

Have a good week everyone - and I'll check in again!

So the fill I had a week ago was too much. I had 3cc's put in, and water wasn't able to pass through. Luckily, I was still in my Physician's office and he removed 1 cc which at the time (we thought) would be OK, however I had to go back 3 days later and have another 1/2 cc taken out. I experienced a sensation of something like.....when food gets caught going down and you feel a tight pain in your upper chest/throat area. It was really uncomfortable! It woke me up at night. It hurt just to swallow liquids. Lifting my arms up and stretching helped. But I couldn't get rid of that sensation for 1+ hour after I ate or drank. So I'm happy I had some taken out.

I'm finally under the 200 lbs mark on the scale! I just hit 198 today. Started at 235 lbs which means I'm down 37 lbs in just under 7 weeks. Still amazed at my weight loss and progress.

However, I have noticed a significant lack of energy in the evenings. I seem to do fine during the day at work and when I get home. But when 7:00pm comes around.....I feel pretty low on energy and fatigue sets in. I'm trying to take more food in (still pushing for a cup a meal) hoping that will help with my energy levels.

My husband and I went up to Park City, Utah for dinner Saturday night where the elevation is higher. I was told by my Physician I "could/possibly" experience a tight band with the higher elevation.....and I did for sure! I made a point to keep fully hydrated with liquids to help.

Oh, and speaking of liquids......I have found that I am no longer able to drink cold drinks (water, milk, protein shakes, etc.) as it makes my band feel tight. I did some research online and found several people suggested to drink liquids that are warm or room temp. This has helped me out tremendously! I'm not sure that everyone that is banded will experience this. But I am sure sensitive to cold drinks. It's uncomfortable.

Knock on wood - I've never experienced any nausea or vomiting! Still 100% positive and happy about doing the band.