7 week weigh in

When I stepped on the scale I was a little disappointed to see that I had only lost .8 lb.  I wasn't surprised since I had two fairly big weight losses (2lbs and over is big loss for me).  Then as I was writing this post I realized that I had lost 1.8lbs.  Math was never my strong suit.  LOL.  It's amazing how much my mood improved with that pound.  Sad to say since we all agree we shouldn't let our weight affect our mood, but unfortunately it happens. 

Highest weight before lap band surgery on 7/9/2010:  278 lbs

Weight before pre-op diet for sleeve:                           255 lbs

Weight day of sleeve surgery 5/1/15:                           248.2 lbs

Weight Last Week:                                                       231.8 lbs Today:                                                                           230.0 lbs

Weight loss for the week:                                                 1.8 lbs

Total weight loss since sleeve surgery                           18.2  lbs

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Weigh in and Lapband vs the Sleeve

Another great week.

Highest weight before lap band surgery on 7/9/2010:  278 lbs

Weight before pre-op diet for sleeve:                           255 lbs

Weight day of sleeve surgery 5/1/15:                           248.2 lbs

Weight Last Week:                                                       234.2 lbs Today:                                                                           231.8 lbs

Weight loss for the week:                                                2.4 lbs

Total weight loss since sleeve surgery                           16.4  lbs

I was trying to think back to how I was feeling a month out after getting banded in 2010.  Then I thought - I don't have to remember - I can go back to my blog and read about it.  Duh!  I thought this might be helpful for someone who is trying to decide between the band and the sleeve.  Please know that everybody is different and this was just my experience. 


LapBand:  I had my band surgery on July 9th, 2010.  My surgery was about an hour.  I came out of anesthesia fine, felt a slight pressure on my chest, but the feeling went away quickly.  My surgery was at 10 am and I was discharged at 3 pm.  Only took one day of serious pain meds then moved to tylenol.  Took a week off of work.  I told everybody about the surgery.


Sleeve Surgery:  I had my sleeve surgery on May 1st, 2015.  Surgery took about 90 minutes to remove band and do sleeve.  Doctor said I had a lot of scar tissue and wasn't surprised I had issues.  I came out of anesthesia fine, felt a heavy pressure on my chest and if I hadn't expected it, I would have been really scared.  Feeling came and went for about 2 days.  Probably gas.  I was in my room by 2 pm..  One night's stay was required so I was discharged the next day around 4pm.  The hospital stay mainly sucked because I was hooked to an IV and heart rate machine, so moving around was difficult.  And the bed was very uncomfortable.  But the nurses were very nice.  I took a week off of work, but if I hadn't been able to work from home the 2nd week, I probably would have needed a 2nd week.  Only told my husband, kids and 1 close friend.


Lapband:  There is something called "bandster hell" which means you don't have enough restriction and can pretty much eat anything.  When you have band surgery, most physicians don't give you a fill right away.  Some people feel a little restriction because you have some natural restriction from swelling from the surgery.  However, I was not one of them.  I went to Ocean City for vacation 3 weeks after surgery and could eat whatever I wanted.  I had my first fill on August 17th and did feel some restriction, but my experience with the band is that it was more about not being able to eat certain things then feeing full.  For the first 6 months I had to go to the doctor every month to try to get the right restriction level.  The fill process isn't terrible, but it's not pleasant.  They give you a shot in your stomach to numb it, then they take a needle that has fluid in it and put it in your stomach to insert fluid into your port.  It doesn't hurt, but it's uncomfortable.  Then you have to drink water to see what level of restriction you have.  It's kind of weird trying to sit up with a needle poking in you and drinking while trying to figure out the level of restriction. 


Sleeve:  I had to go for a week post-up appointment.  Then a month.  And then I have a 3 month appointment scheduled.   Appointments are just to check my progress and see if I'm having any issues.  A lot more pleasant than the appointments I had with the band to get fills.  The progression of liquids to puree to soft food to regular food is pretty much the same between the band and the sleeve.  Recovery time took longer with the sleeve than the band., but for me it wasn't due to pain.  It was more about being so tired because of not eating many calories.  But the thing is that I don't want to eat.  It really is true when people say that you have to remind yourself to eat. Almost 6 weeks out from surgery, I have to consciously make sure I get in my protein and in doing that I feel satisfied


In a nutshell, I am so happy that I got the sleeve and it is so much better than my experience with the band.

First goal met!

I am so excited!!!  I've met my first goal which was to get lower than the lowest weight I reached with the band.  I am .8 under that number. 

Below are my stats:


Highest weight before lap band surgery on 7/9/2010:  278 lbs
Weight before pre-op diet for sleeve:                           255 lbs
Weight day of sleeve surgery:                                      248.2 lbs
Weight Last Week:                                                       238 lbsWeight Today:                                                                    234.2 lbs
Weight loss for the week:                                             3.8 lbs
Total weight loss since surgery                                     14  lbs


So this just goes to show what a couple of wise bloggers told me - if I keep doing the right things the scale will show it.  14 lbs in a little over a month.  I'll take that!


I think I may have given the impression that I'm a bit of a worry wart.  The problem is that I was so optimistic about the band and so hopeful that it was the answer for me, but it turned out to be a huge disappointment.  It's hard not to be a little gun shy with the sleeve.  I was nervous because everybody was talking about how they had to remind themselves to eat and didn't think about food, but that's not what I was feeling  During the 2nd week after surgery, all I could think about was eating.   Once I was able to start eating some real food, I'd get full quickly and then forget about food completely.  I am now among the group that has to remind myself to eat in order to get in my protein.  I hope it lasts because it is an awesome feeling not to have food control me. 


Okay.  Next goal is to get in the 220s.  I haven't been that low in 7 years!