a little update with photos on my progress post surgery

Hey guys just wanted to pop on and post a little update and post a couple of photos. I didn't want to post my before photo on FB because I don't want everyone seeing it but I will post it here for you guys.

So things are going good. I have lost 62 lbs in total. Still have more to go and was feeling a bit discouraged as the weight loss has slowed down. My surgeon said it was normal as I am nearly where I should be. The surgery would bring me down to 70 kg and I am now at 78 kg. The surgeon said I need to be patient as the last 10, 15 and sometimes for some people even 20 kgs are slow going but they do go. Patience is not one of my virtues. Anyway, had blood work done 3 weeks ago and all is basically perfect. The only levels that are slightly high or slightly low are those directly connected to the malabsoption but even those are barely over/under the line. The surgeon is very happy with the values. So, overall everything is moving along and things are good. I'll shut up now and post the pictures. The one in front of the cat tree is from today (april 22, 2013) and the other one which is outside was taken around the middle of October 2012. Thanks for looking and listening as always.

<3 Michelle


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You're looking good Michelle!:cool: Good for you!:D

Congratultions on your weight loss. Good luck for the next 8kilos

Congratulations on your wonderful progress! My niece had that surgery and it's a tough one.

Lookin' good, girl!!! Keep up the good work - it is so worth it in the end. :)

My son had lap-band surgery in Sept 2011 and lost 100 lbs in under 12 months. He looks great, feels great, and has kept the weight off too. His weight is right where it should be, and he looks like he did in high school - and he's 44 yrs old! ;)

You look great! So glad your health has improved with the loss! Congratulations!

That is awesome!! Great job! I know how hard losing weight is. But it's so rewarding to see the results. And it is discouraging when you stop losing as fast as you were. But I weigh myself each week and as long as I didn't gain weight I count that as success!

Well done! Has the diabetes gone completely, as well? Sounds like you are doing well, keeping on track.

Psst! It is ok to smile for the camera! ;)

Well done, Michelle! Excellent!

:love::love::love::love::love::love::love::love:

Yes, don;t give up hope, the last bit of weight will come off, it is just slower than you have become accustomed to!

Thanks for the update and pictures. You look great!!!:D I was also wondering if you are now diabetic free.

Thanks everyone for the wonderful comments and support. My PT family so ROCKS!!!

Sandie & Tracey, for your question about the diabetes...yes my diabetes is completely gone. I am 100% in the normal range. Normal is below 110 by the measures used here and when I had my blood work done last time it was 102. I have checked it on and off at home and even after eating a sweet or drinking fruit juice or regular pop and it is always in range now. Also my blood pressure and heart rate have returned to normal range so all is as it should be. The surgery did exactly what it set out to do and that was to bring my levels back to normal range to give me a healthier & longer life. The weight loss is a bonus. I walk 5-10 km everyday and have started to try running. I really don't like it much but I think once I get over that hurdle I will be good with it. I want to run as it will boost my metabolism and help with the last of the weight loss and then help me maintain.

Again thank you all for your support and kind, encouraging words. <3 you all.

Michelle

WOW!! You look fantastic!!

You look great! I've been discussing lap band with my doctor, it is a bit scary for me, was there anything scary or dangerous about it?

I applaud your conviction about getting healthier. The surgery seems to have worked in many good ways for you. Great job! Stay with it and you will have a new life.

Running can be very tough on the joints. If you run on soft surfaces it is easier on them. If I were recommending an exercise less tough it would be walking (fast) and for long distances. It may take longer than a quick run, but it is less stressful to the body.

Your photos looks great and you look at least 10 years younger in your second photo.

Here's to a healthier life, girl! :cool::cool::cool::cool:

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Originally Posted by caseysmom

You look great! I've been discussing lap band with my doctor, it is a bit scary for me, was there anything scary or dangerous about it?

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I didn't have the lap band done. It was however the first thing we looked into. It is the least invasive. The procedure for the lap band takes about 20 minutes (mine took 4.5 hrs) and there are minimal risks. There are the basic risks like with any medical procedure. Lap band was invented by a doctor right here in Vicenza, Dr. Favretti. The biggest thing with the lap band is you need to be very strict with your diet. You need to stick with it and not waiver. It unfortunately has a very low success rate over the long term. Nearly 70% of patients have it removed and opt for something else such as gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, bilio-pancreatic diversion (this is what I had) within the first 5 years. For some it is a fantastic solution and works wonderfully. And if that is the case it is worth it as it is the simplest with the least complications etc. The lap band cuts nothing, has no sutures involved etc. It is a simple band that goes around the stomach which leaves just a small portion available for food and therefore makes you feel full much faster. The band can be removed at any time leaving only the indenture where it was placed and it can also be adjusted to suit your needs be it to make the stomach smaller or larger. It wasn't something for me. We did a lot of research and with the help of a surgeon decided what was best to do. Bilio-Pancreatic Diversion was the route I took. It is completely free diet with little to no real restrictions. Gastric Bypass, lap band and the others are restrictive diets some very restrictive and others more liberal. You need to go over everything and decide what is best for you and what is the most likely to succeed. :)

Thank you very much for the information, I am going to go to a class where they will discuss all of the options.

Oh My! What a difference!! Good for you! I personally know how hard it is to lose weight.... and keep it off. In my lifetime I've lost lots of weight many times and then gained it back. I also know about plateaus and how hard it is to work hard and see the scales remain the same. Dont give up; you're doing a wonderful job. I'm sure you feel better also.

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Originally Posted by sasvermont

I applaud your conviction about getting healthier. The surgery seems to have worked in many good ways for you. Great job! Stay with it and you will have a new life.

Running can be very tough on the joints. If you run on soft surfaces it is easier on them. If I were recommending an exercise less tough it would be walking (fast) and for long distances. It may take longer than a quick run, but it is less stressful to the body.

Your photos looks great and you look at least 10 years younger in your second photo.

Here's to a healthier life, girl! :cool::cool::cool::cool:

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I do active walking everyday. I walk anywhere from 5-10 km (3.2-6.4 miles)a day. I can do 3.2 miles in 40 minutes and all but a few minutes is fast. Hubby has a hard time keeping up when I walk fast and I am way shorter than him with a much shorter stride. I use a pedometer to make sure I get in atleast 30 minutes of active (fast) walking a day and to keep track of the calories I burn and the distance I walk. I talked to the doctor about running and he said it was ok. He said maybe a jog would be better than all out running and also it would be best if I did it in intervals so a few minutes jogging and then walk, few more minutes jogging then walk again and so on. I don't run on pavement. There are farmers fields behind my house and I do the old dirt roads so it is much easier on the joints. I don't think I will ever be a big time runner. I don't see me doing any marathons in my future. LOL I just want to give that extra boost to my metabolism to get it moving faster and help get the last of the weight off so I can maintain it for 6 months and then get my reconstructive surgeries.

Thanks for advice. It is much appreciated and thank you so much for the wonderful compliment. I was so worried I was going to look older not younger or even my age. I have always looked younger than my age so it is wonderful to hear. :D

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Originally Posted by caseysmom

Thank you very much for the information, I am going to go to a class where they will discuss all of the options.

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Good for you. It is a great idea to cover all the bases and know what options are available to you. :)

I have a friend in New York that just has the sleeve gastrectomy done. It is a restrictive diet and she is doing well so far. They told her that they don't do the bilio-pancreatic diversion because it is too invasive. It may be the most invasive but it is the most successful with the lowest rate of complications and deaths. Bilio-pancreatic diversion is a surgery they don't do for everyone. The unfortunate thing for my friend is that around the 5 year mark she will have to go in and have the sleeve 'converted' to a bypass. That means a second surgery. Once someone has the bilio-pancreatic diversion done...that's it. You won't have to get anything else done. The thing is...all of the procedures from the lap-band to the Gastric Bypass depends not only depends on the surgery but also on the persons ability to follow the diet they need to follow. I am very fortunate that once my new digestive system is fully functional (1 year) there is nothing I can't eat. Of course there are always foods that certain people can't digest even after the 1 year. I get to start trying with pasta and veggies soon to see what goes and what doesn't. The only real issues for me right now are rice & peas. I die with cramps and bloating with those 2 things because my system has a really hard time processing them but everything else is fine. Anyway, once I get going on this stuff I have a tendency to get off topic and go on and on. Sorry about that. If you have any questions let me know. I have the inventor the Lap-Band right here, just 15-20 minutes from my house and my surgeon is the head of the team of the inventor of the Bilio-Pancreatic Diversion. He was taught by the inventor. Also, I can get first had information from Prof. (Dr.) Scopinaro (inventor of the BPD) at any time as he is a friend of the family. :)

Good luck and let us know what the verdict is.

Wow, Michelle you look so beautiful!! Congratulations :D:love:

Well done - and you look great! :) You know, it's more likely that the weight will stay off if you lose it slower, so don't worry about that.

I've heard that walking fast is as good, and in some cases better, than running. Keep it up! :cool:

I went for my physical today my bp and weight are worse than ever. My doctor scheduled me for the class for the lap band and I am hoping other options as well. If my bp isn't lower by next week I go on meds, it needs to be in check for surgery anyway.

I am really excited its time for me to do something. Michelle this is all from reading your thread!

Congratulations on the weight loss---you look great. Keep up the good work, it's really worth it to stay healthy.

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Originally Posted by caseysmom

I went for my physical today my bp and weight are worse than ever. My doctor scheduled me for the class for the lap band and I am hoping other options as well. If my bp isn't lower by next week I go on meds, it needs to be in check for surgery anyway.

I am really excited its time for me to do something. Michelle this is all from reading your thread!

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So proud of you. It is a hard and scary step to take but often a necessary one. You are doing a great thing for yourself and your health. I'm here for you if you have any questions or just want to let off some frustration or just talk. :-)

WOW you look fantastic,awesome, you must be feeling heathier and fitter now.:)

Not to steal your thread but i had my first weight loss surgery class. My insurance (kaiser) covers gastric bypass, sleeve, and lap band. Sounds like they do more gastric bypass than any of the others. Only problem is when healthcare laws change on January 1, 2014 they are not sure if it will still be covered. I am doing things as fast as I can to get it done this year.

My blood pressure is high so have to go on meds for that we are starting with water pills. My cholesteral and glucose were all good thanks god. Once I do my mammogram tomorrow my doc will schedule me with the surgeon. I am also paying to get a resting metabolic rate test which will basically tell you how many calories your body burns a day.

I am starting to drink lots of water and eat better and I already feel better. The worse part will be cutting out coffee at first. I had to go in for blood with no coffee felt like a walking zombie.

When I did my blood work and stress test pre-surgery I also had to go caffeine free. Can I suggest if at all possible steering away from the sleeve. The sleeve starts to fail around year five and you will end up having to get another surgery (usually gastric bypass). If you decide the more invasive route go gastric bypass if you can. The sleeve has the most stitches off all these surgery and the highest rate of sepsis occurring. It is the one that has the most likelihood of a stitch letting go within the first 48-72 hours which is the most crucial time as the stomach needs upto 72 hours to seal itself off again where it was cut. And besides that it kinda defeats the purpose in my opinion to get the sleeve if 5 years later you have to go get the bypass done anyway. I figure if you have to get it done anyway why do surgeries when you can do one. Keep us uptodate on your progress and let us know your decisions. :-)

Michelle, you do look great! I am glad you are making lifestyle changes as well.

I am a member of a compulsive overeaters page on FB (private group) and I read stories about several people there - and friends and relatives of theirs - who have surgery (usually the band) and manage to gain weight back since they don't change their eating. One person was reported to have said "I have to eat soft food" and had an ice cream sundae!

I am down 45 lbs now...I might lose a few more, but that's up to my body. Three meals a day, one snack, no junk, and healthy balanced food choices. I also have been walking with a group for over a year, 3 times a week, one hour each walk. Sometimes we go a little over that, but that's a bonus!

caseysmom, best of luck!:)

Candace, I am proud of you! losing that much weight is a big accomplishment!!! The Lap-band is super restrictive and the fail rate is HUGE!!! The will power and conviction of someone who can do well with it is out of this world. I never could have done it. I for sure would have ended up a statistic in the failed category. My friend from the US who just had the sleeve done a bit more than a month ago is just now going on her semi solid diet. She is was on a soft food diet for a month and she too did the ice cream thing. She has always been a 'bad food' eater. She ended up having to reschedule her surgery twice because she had gained back some of the weight she had to lose to have the surgery. I actually found it pretty easy to change my diet. I don't really ever crave sweets or things like that. When I get cravings it is for things like fried chicken LOL and I can have that all day long. The fact that I don't absorb the fat and cholesterol is an awesome bonus!!!

Keep up the good work hun. You too are doing great!!!

((((HUGS))))

:love: Michelle

Michelle - I think the fail rate is high with the lap band, because people think that the procedure is some kind of magic bullet, and they can just continue to eat as they always did. As I said, my son had it done over 18 months ago and lost 100 pounds and has kept it off. He isn't restricted to any particular diet - he can eat what he wants and what he can tolerate - and his body will tell him real quick if it can't tolerate it, or if he eats just one bite too much. Some other people that he knows that have had the procedure just continue to stuff in as much as they can, and then wonder why they aren't getting the results they expected. Of course you can overeat and stretch the stomach back out! - and that's what these people are doing and also not having the band tightened as needed. Half the battle is psychological - you have to wrap your brain around the idea that there is some work involved, and if you aren't going to work at it, you might just as well not go thru the procedure in the first place.

I have NO stomach since I had what was left of it removed back in 2000 because of medical issues, so I know what it's like for anyone who goes thru any of these weight loss procedures. I wish I could gain some weight!!! - if I can keep at 100 pounds, I consider that good. I have the same issues - I eat what I can tolerate and pay for it if I eat one bite too much. It takes some getting used to - either my way or by choice - but you can live a very normal life even tho your insides might be somewhat abnormal! :(

Keep up the good work - and happy eating!.

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Originally Posted by pomtzu

Michelle - I think the fail rate is high with the lap band, because people think that the procedure is some kind of magic bullet, and they can just continue to eat as they always did. As I said, my son had it done over 18 months ago and lost 100 pounds and has kept it off. He isn't restricted to any particular diet - he can eat what he wants and what he can tolerate - and his body will tell him real quick if it can't tolerate it, or if he eats just one bite too much. Some other people that he knows that have had the procedure just continue to stuff in as much as they can, and then wonder why they aren't getting the results they expected. Of course you can overeat and stretch the stomach back out! - and that's what these people are doing and also not having the band tightened as needed. Half the battle is psychological - you have to wrap your brain around the idea that there is some work involved, and if you aren't going to work at it, you might just as well not go thru the procedure in the first place.

I have NO stomach since I had what was left of it removed back in 2000 because of medical issues, so I know what it's like for anyone who goes thru any of these weight loss procedures. I wish I could gain some weight!!! - if I can keep at 100 pounds, I consider that good. I have the same issues - I eat what I can tolerate and pay for it if I eat one bite too much. It takes some getting used to - either my way or by choice - but you can live a very normal life even tho your insides might be somewhat abnormal! :(

Keep up the good work - and happy eating!.

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You hit the nail on the head, none of the surgerys are a magic pill, they all take tons of work. The teacher that spoke to us said lap band is not as quick but has more long term success because it is slower. I think of course it depends on the person and how ready they are. The stomach can stretch out again, you have one do over and if you blow it you blow it. You can graze all day and you will not keep the weight off. I want to live to spend time with my grandkids and I want some energy to be able to enjoy them, I can hardly tie my own shoes and I am fed up with that.

Pom...I have some weight I would be willing to give you!