Michelle M.

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I am finally losing weight again!  I should break 170 very soon, I can't believe it.  I was looking at my before picture, and I have really, really come a long way...

Ye gods, but this is frustrating.  I hope I'll start to lose weight again, soon.  

 

BUT if I don't I need to remember that even 2 tenths of a pound loss in a month is STILL A LOSS!!! 

 

So there. 

We have a new fill tech.. a nurse practitioner.  I like her, she is really nice, and did my un-fill under the x-ray or whatever machine that is.  I needed an un fill, i really did, but I think she took out too much, because I have gained a pound and am feeling pretty bad about that.  Last month I lost 8 pounds (course, I couldn't eat anything, was constantly throwing up and was losing hair and slept all the time because I was starving, but oh well!).  So, I'm trying to keep it in perspective.  I've lost over 60 pounds.  If my body needs to take a month and slow down, even gain a pound, then that is what we'll do.

Since my surgery, I've gone down about 60 pounds, I've gone from a size 22-24 to a size 16 in most things (I'm pretty tall, 5-8).  I wear a size 12 in Land's End jeans!  I know their sizes are wonky, but it still feels great.  I went from a 2X in shirts & dresses to a regular ol' Large.  Most of my shoes are too loose.  I had to buy new underwear.  Things look good!  I get complimented all the time, my skin is popping into shape and I might avoid plastic surgery, which is GREAT.  So, I'm NOT complaining any more!  Life is good!

I am now down to 185 pounds.  I can't believe it.  That is officially my pre-pregnancy weight, but I had worked my large butt off to get that small just so I could get pregnant.    My typical set-point was about 210 - 220 pounds. 

I remember weighing 172 pounds in graduate school, and 150 as an undergrad when I was 21, which was the last time I felt good about my body.  BOTH of those *temporary* weights were the result of insane dieting, the 150 being after 6 months of Nutri-System and the other doing Susan Power and her "fat makes you fat" diet & insane workout twice-a-day regimen.  I never thought I'd see those weights again, and perhaps I'm counting my chickens before they hatch, but those numbers are now in sight for me, and feel do-able..  I mean, I've lost 60 pounds in 7 months.  What is another 35 pounds, huh?  Even if I take another 7 months to take off the 35 pounds, I'll still be there.  And this time, I'll get to stay there, forever. 

I'm feeling pretty good about my band these days! 

I have officially lost 50 pounds since my surgery.  I am wearing size 16 pants and feel pretty great about it!  I have 25 pounds to go to get to Dr Malley's goal for me, at which time we'll re-evaluate my goals.  

I am 22 and a half weeks out from my surgery.  So I guess you could say that I'm averaging 2 pounds a week.  However, I went on a 10 day cruise and gained 5 pounds.  There have been several weeks where I have lost 3-4 pounds in a week, and several weeks where I have lost less than a pound.  It is maddening, but it is all working out.

I would like to wear a size 8 or 12.  That would be fabulous!  But I need to keep in mind that I am not my dress size.  I'll still have responsibilities, I'll still have to keep working and doing what I do;  being a size 8 does NOT equal retirement.  So, keep your perspective, woman! 

I MET MY GOAL 2 WEEKS EARLY!  My goal was to break 200 lbs, and I did it, I did it, I did it!  YEA ME!!!!

OMG, I puke all the time.  Jeez.  
Well, not ALL the time, just when I eat like a stupid person.
SMALL BITES!  SLOW!
Nuff said.

I got my third fill today.  He only put in 3/4 cc's, which is just fine with me, as I'm feeling the restriction when I drink water.  Sucker is S - l - o - o - w.  I'm going to do liquids only today and tomorrow.  I just seem to have better luck not getting stuck when I do that, even though Dr Malley didn't seem concerned.  I guess we all respond differently.
I asked him about my goal weight today, and he said that according to the charts, 130 - 160, which struck him as too light.  He told me, get to 170 and then we'll see how you feel.  I like it that he takes a wait and see approach.  Goals need to be dynamic.  That said, I need to have a doctor approved goal!  I told him that I hoped to be under 200 lbs by Thanksgiving, and he looked at my chart and said that he thought that was do-able.  I'm pretty excited, in a calm sort of way. 

I can never find this when I want it, so I'm posting it here.  I have a small AP band (APS).

Allergan/Inamed has a new band in the US called the AP band.
AP stands for Advanced Platform.

There are a couple of differences in this band and the previous ones:

1. Cuff - the cuff on the AP band is 360 degrees around, as opposed to about 300 degrees on the prior bands (there was no cuff around the buckle on the old ones)
2. Cuff length - the cuff on the AP band is 18mm longer/taller than on the previous bands, so the surface area in contact with the stomach is much greater, hopefully increasing the speed of weight loss and maybe reducing the risk of slips
3. Cuff volume - the AP small holds 10cc, the AP large holds 14cc
Note that we do not believe that AP patients will lose MORE weight, just possibly faster. So those of you with the older models, it would definitely not be to your benefit to think about having your band swapped out! 
·         They are either APS (small, 10cc) or APL (large, 14cc). 
·         They are considered by some to be "the next generation in AGBs". 
·         They are considered less likely to cause blockage or obstruction than other AGP types. 
·         They are considered less likely to slip than other AGP types. 
·         They are considered to be less likely to cause band erosion than other AGP types. 
·         Like the VG band it is "Omniform" technology - i.e. the balloon has ribs or baffles and the band itself is curved. 
·         The AP has more of a 360 inflation around the stomach as opposed to the 10cm or 9.75cm (4cc) bands, which have more like 260 or 280 degrees inflation (the rest being the buckle), and the VG which has more like 280 or 300. It is understood that this was simply an upgrade to the existing band to make it easier and less traumatic to remove.
·         The silicone material is much softer than other AGP types. 
·        They are more concentric (rounded) when inflated than other AGB types. 
·         The balloon is pleated to 'grip' the stomach better. 
·         The balloon goes all the way around the inner surface of the band, rather than missing a piece at the locking mechanism. 
·         The balloon is wider.  
·         They have an easier release mechanism to remove the band if need be. 
·         They have the locking mechanism isolated from the stomach. 
·         AP type bands have been FDA approved for the US, but will not be available until the summer at the earliest. 
·         We understand that there are NO plans at this time to discontinue any of the bands Allergan already makes. They still plan to manufacture and offer the 10cm and the 9.75cm (the 4cc) bands as well as the VG band. 
·         new : AP ( Advanced Platform )
·         APS ( small) 
·         APL ( large )

Here is the story of my first fill. 

It was later than the dr usually schedules them, as we went on a cruise (yea!) and he didnt' think it was a good idea to give me a fill before I left for 3 weeks.  So, my first fill was on August 22.  He hit it right away and gave me 3.5 cc's in my AP band.  I drank my water--slowly!--and went home.  The kids were nervous around the doc.  Must be that durn white coat! Dr Malley was sweet about it, though.  Also, the giga-mirror he has in the exam room was good for distracting the very dynamic duo.

I pb's on mushy peas 2 nights later and went back to liquids.  Then 4 days later, I pb'd on a chicken gyro.  That's the bad news.  The good news is that I've lost about 5 lbs in a week, and am officially lighter than I was before we went on the cruise.  Yippee!!!