Lise The Loser's Weblog

lab-band dilation

lisetheloser — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 00:07:04 +0000

so – here’s a little more on what happened. back in January I was at the sundance film festival for work. and something got stuck. really stuck. to the point that i couldn’t even swallow my own spit. but i was at sundance. and there aren’t any band doctors in park city. so i was miserable. and i pushed it. and it was bad. so when i got back they tried to take out all of the fluid to see if the pouch (which should have been the size of a walnut but was now the size of a tangerine) would go back to normal….but it didn’t. he said it was lap-band dilation (continually overstretch your pouch by overeating, eating too fast, taking bites that are too big etc), you can cause your pouch to dilate or stretch out.) and my lapband was not the same. i did not have the same restriction. i could eat just about anything no matter how tight it my band was. so i waited – hoping it would go back. and waited. and ate. and waited. and ate. and gained. so then talked to the doctor again and decided to have him go “in” and move the band up a bit to make it the size of a walnut again. however, this would cost $12k. now – fortunately, my insurance should cover it this time – but as you all know, insurance takes a while. so i had to wait several months to get insurance approval. once it was approved, i had to wait to get a surgery date. all the while, gaining more weight….so here i am – at 178 lbs. when 6 months ago i was at 122. a size 4 to a current size 14. surgery was 2 days ago. they replaced the band b/c i thought as long as they are in there, why the heck not! but – now i have to go through the whole liquid/mushy stages again and wait a month for my first fill, etc. lesson learned – follow the rules. on a side note, my husband got his lap-band in march and has lost 40 lbs and is doing great. hope everyone is doing great. anyone else had this happen?

new lapband

lisetheloser — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 07:30:54 +0000

so….it’s been a while. my lapband broke. i got a new one on thursday. gained 45 lbs back in the meantime. will write more later if anyone is interested….but it’s been a struggle. here’s to round 2!

Got my restriction back!!!

lisetheloser — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:27:22 +0000

Went into NWWLS this morning and met with the ooh so fabulous Dr. Montgomery. He was fantastic. Listened and explained so much and the end result is that he put me back to where I have restriction and I’m soooo happy! Life is so good again. Now I just need to get those pesky 10 pounds off that I gained while I was unrestricted and I’ll be a happy camper again.

Has anyone in the Seattle area had a tummy tuck or breast lift? If so, any doctors you would recommend?

Can’t…stop…eating

lisetheloser — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:36:11 +0000

I am so not getting the “full” feeling. I keep eating and eating and eating. Ughhhhh. This is rediculous!

Being unfilled is HORRIBLE. Gained 7 lbs!

lisetheloser — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:15:34 +0000

It’s been 5 days since the took all of the saline out of my band b/c I got steak stuck in it. Well, they put 5 cc’s back in last monday but you wouldn’t know it b/c I have NO restriction. I’ve gained 7 lbs! Yesterday I had fish n chips for lunch, a butterfinger, an entire pint of ben n jerry’s chubby hubby, cookies, cheese…you name it – I ate it. So I tried to make an appointment today to get some more saline put in but they wouldn’t do it – said no more fill until this coming monday. At which time they will put in 2 cc’s – which will bring me up to 7…then I have to wait ANOTHER WEEK to get the additional 2 which would put me back to where I was (9cc’s in my 10cc band). I’m so frustrated. By that time I will probably gain back 20 lbs. I want to learn how to do fills myself so I don’t have to deal with this. Has anyone actually done a fill themself??? Lap-Band land is not a good place to be this week…

Gastric-Band Maker Reaches Out With YouTube Channel

lisetheloser — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:45:06 +0000

Check out this article about how Realize’s Ad Effort Is a First for DTC Marketing of a Medical Device

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — In the video, Viki, a middle-age blonde, tears up recounting her moment of truth: A couple of years ago she was so obese that she could not chase after her toddler to keep him from running into the street.

DTC device marketing is not new, but Ethicon’s YouTube effort is a first for a device. DTC device marketing is not new, but Ethicon’s YouTube effort is a first for a device.

If this sounds like a setup for a weight-loss ad, that’s because it is. But not for a diet shake, pill or plan. The video is for Ethicon Endo-Surgery’s Realize adjustable gastric band — a device placed around the stomach that restricts food intake. The video is on Realize Band’s branded YouTube channel.

“Video is such a powerful medium for people who are having this type of surgery,” said Mary Ann Belliveau, managing director of Google Health Vertical. “What the channel does is give the patients a home for this, so they can get a more thorough experience, specifically with the company and the brand.”

Got stuck – had all fluid taken out. :(

lisetheloser — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:20:57 +0000

Last night (yes – at 9pm on the 4th of July) I had to have all the fluid taken out of my band. All day I was feeling ill – like a horrible stomach ache…well – I thought it might have been constipation – so I took a laxitive – but that didn’t help. So then I began to think that it might have had something to do w/ this piece of steak I ate last night. I was having a horrible time keeping anything down so I decided to bite the bullet and call the emergency lap-band doc. She was so nice – and actually had me come to her house in Seattle for an unfill! I swear – Northwest Weight Loss Surgery is the BEST! I feel SOOOOO much better – I was actually worried I might get dehydrated like last time this happened. So now I have no restriction. But I’m going to control my eating until I can get filled again. Ooh – she didn’t want to put the fluid back in b/c she said my stomach is probably swollen from being stuck so to come in next week and they will put the saline back. I just hope that they don’t put it back in like last time which took about 3 visits b/c now that I’m paying about $150/fill (it’s been over a year since my band) that could get pricy! Ahhhh – the life of a bandster!

Next Step – the tummy tuck & boob lift

lisetheloser — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 13:48:40 +0000

In a month or two, I’m going to start looking into tummy tuck & boob lift surgeons in the seattle area. Anyone who has had good results, I’m all ears to surgeons. Although I may look fine in clothes, I still have excess skin on my mid-section and my breasts are another story. Would also consider going to mexico – any advice?

96 lbs down…before and after photos

lisetheloser — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 02:43:08 +0000

So it’s been a year and 3 months. Here are some before photos and some photos my husband took today. Pretty big difference…wouldn’t you say!

Whidbey Island and Cancun!

lisetheloser — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:35:26 +0000

It’s that time of year – heading to Whidbey Island today for the weekend and then in a week from monday going to Cancun for 2 weeks!!! Super excited. Anyone else been? How was it in Cancun with the lap-band? Am a bit nervous about getting sick from the water or something and not being able to find a place to do an unfill…any advice?

Government considers plan to pay for lap-band surgery

lisetheloser — Thu, 21 May 2009 16:25:58 +0000

Interesting article about how the Australian government may help finance lap-band surgery…when will that follow in the states?!?!

Government considers plan to pay for lap-band surgery
In a significant change in federal policy the morbidly obese would immediately qualify for surgery.

A parliamentary inquiry is expected to report in the next week on the need for making bariatric surgery – popularly known as lap band surgery – widely available for those deemed to be unable to lose weight through other means.

The scheme would cut waiting lists and provide support services such as nutritionists and mental health experts.

It is expected the taxpayer would finance the scheme.

Got Lasik Yesterday…and now I can see!!!

lisetheloser — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:26:27 +0000

Lasik was a success…I can see!!! I was texting on the way home from the surgery…ooh yes. No pain – very simple. I highly recommend it. I go in for my post-op checkup in a few hours. The actual procedure was just fine – a little discomfort from the thing they use to keep your eyes open but no pain at all. Now I’m completely fine and can see really well – a bit blurry but that should go away soon. Some photos below from the experience! Enjoy!

Right after surgery - celebrating!

funny glasses I had to wear last night

Eating Carbs for the flavor…then spitting the food out

lisetheloser — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:00:59 +0000

So honestly – how many of you banders do it? You know what I mean…eating a no-no lap-band food … such as pizza, pasta, nachos….oooh my! And then after you’ve chewed to your hearts content, spit the food out because you know if you swallow it, it will just come back up? I’ve been doing that – but only in the safety of my home. I want to know if this is just a weird thing that just I’m doing or if there are other banders that can relate.

In other news, I’m getting LASIK eye surgery to correct my vision today at 11am PST! Eeek. I’m going to Pacific Cataract and Lasik Institute in Bellevue, WA. Very nervous. Extremely nervous. I’ve had to wear glasses for the past 2 weeks v. contacts so my eyes will “go back to their normal shape”. See photo below.

Lise with glasses

Also have been tracking my steps via this cool pedometer that the folks from HealthVault sent me after reading my blog post about their cool weight tracking application – which rocks and is totally free. I realized that I’m not walking as much as I should be – only about 4,000 steps a day v. the recommended 8-10,000. But it sure was a nice gift from the HealthVault folks!

Microsoft HealthVault Weight-Loss Journal

lisetheloser — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:14:33 +0000

Have any of you checked out this super cool FREE tool on the Microsoft HealthVault site? It’s a custom meal plan & weight-loss tracking journal. All you have to do is sign-up for a free Microsoft HealthVault account and you get access to this and a ton of other really amazing resources – bmi calculators, exercise trackers, health record management….soooo super cool!

microsoft healthvault

Flinstone Vitamins & Breast Milk

lisetheloser — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 19:54:06 +0000

I stopped taking my vitamins (flinstones) b/c i got tired of the taste and i heard on tv that they contain breast milk…or something like that. ok…probably not, but something like the minerals in breast milk. ewwwwwwww!!! anyone know of a chewable that isn’t horrible tasting? tried Costco generic. Ewwww.

Below my goal of 140!

lisetheloser — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:01:05 +0000

This morning I weighed myself (as I do every morning) and I’m below my goal of 140…I’m down to 139.8!!! Took over a year but I finally did it…those last few pounds took about 5 months! So yes – it can be done – I did it!

Link to Free Weight Loss Tracker

lisetheloser — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:47:25 +0000

Since I’ve been getting so many requests for my weight loss tracker, I’ve decided to post it here for you to download. It’s an excel doc. Enjoy!

Lise’s Free Weight Loss Tracker (in microsoft excel)

Just got sick

lisetheloser — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:24:23 +0000

from a trader joe’s turkey meatball. Cut up real small. With Ketchup. How often do you get sick…even if it’s been a year since surgery? I would say I’m an average of once/day. Is that abnormal? You tell me!

Everything is Dandy!

lisetheloser — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:34:24 +0000

Doing great. Loving Life. Living the dream!!!

Food Poisoning & The Band

lisetheloser — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:39:48 +0000

So – about 2 weeks ago I got food poisoning. Which sucks. But with the lapband – it super sucks. The thing is, I didn’t know I had food poisoning because I also had the stomach flu at the same time…but, when I got to the point where I NEEDED to throw up, but couldn’t…and called NWWLS b/c I was foaming at the mouth b/c I felt like I needed to throw up but couldn’t, they said “sounds like food poisoning – you need to come in NOW”. So – I went in and they took all of the fluid out of my band and boy did I throw up. And I forgot what stomach acid “tasted” like until then. Ewwwww. I was so dehydrated that they had to hook me up to an IV and get 2 bags of fluid. It was not fun. To say the least.

Then, I thought the next day I would be able to get all of the saline back in my band…but nope – now, a couple weeks later and I’m still only at 8.4cc’s (I was previously at 9.4cc’s). I guess that they have to slowly put the saline back in v. putting it all back in at once which is super annoying b/c I hardly have any restriction. Ugh. I can eat rice. I can eat pasta. I can eat crackers. I want my restriction back!!!!

I’m Still Alive!

lisetheloser — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 01:47:10 +0000

Today I went in for a mini fill in what must be 2 months and the “filler” had a bunch of sticky notes on my file that said “start blogging again”. I guess a bunch of patients at NWWLS have been asking the nurses to let me know to keep blogging – so I had to go home today and post.

Yes – I’m still alive but was in a bad car accident almost 3 months ago. Erik & I were hit by a guy who went through a red light going about 50 mile/hour. My neck/back/shoulders are totally messed up so I’m in constant pain. The only thing that helps is going to Physical & Massage therapy. But – luckily I was not at my starting weight since being in pain and carrying around all of that extra weight would not have been fun. So far I’m down 82 lbs and I only have 7 more to go! Some pictures below. So how are all of you?

Quick Update!

lisetheloser — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:06:04 +0000

New photo to share from this past weekend! Down 55.6 lbs – going in for another fill tomorrow. So far so good…nothing too exciting going on around here. Heading to Erik’s reunion in two weeks!

A couple of updated photos

lisetheloser — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 22:57:38 +0000

I can actually say I’m beginning to look “normal”. A “tight” size 12 now. 177.6 lbs. Yeahhh!!! Photos taken 3 days ago (on July 3rd).

and a video of erik doing a little dance…just because!

No longer “obese”!

lisetheloser — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 13:12:03 +0000

Now that my BMI is 29.7 I’m out of the “obese” category and into the “overweight” category!!! Yeahhh – who would have thought I would be soooo happy to be overweight! Check it out:

45.4 lbs down in 3.5 months!

lisetheloser — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:09:24 +0000

Down a total of 45.4 lbs (yes, that .4 does matter!). It’s been 3 months and 14 days since my surgery. Weight loss has slowed down in the past few weeks but I have a feeling it’s going to slow down considerably going forward. Here is my updated weight loss chart and stats:

Minimum Weight: 183.6 lb
Maximum Weight: 230 lb
Beginning Weight: 229 lb
Ending Weight: 183.6 lb
Average Weight: 203.47 lb
Average Weekly Change: -2.89 lb

My obsession with beans

lisetheloser — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:42:56 +0000

Lately I’ve had an obsession with beans…chili, baked beans…you name it. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m too tight and beans are easier eat since they are “mushier”..but where you find beans, you’ll find me. My typical day has consisted of the following:

Breakfast: tall non-fat mocha from Starbucks
Lunch: about 2-3 oz of baked beans
Dinner: 1/4 of a chicken breast with barbecue sauce
Desert: 1/2 of a slimfast shake (frappucino style, of course)

And there you have it. Nothing fancy…nothing exciting. But it works.

Shopping at Target: Down 4 sizes!

lisetheloser — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 18:45:11 +0000

Just returned from a trip to Target…and boy was I shocked to fit into a size 14 pants! Especially when I was a size 22 just 3 months ago. Wow. Wow. Wow!

I purchased the following items for just over $100:

Xhilaration® Sigrid Buckle Flats – Black ($19.99)

Mossimo® Deirdre Jet-Heel Pumps – Black ($24.99)

Merona® Printed Cardigan – Big Money Green/ White ($22.99)

Merona® Shirtdress – Blue/ White Stripe ($6.98…gotta love clearance!)

Merona® Chino Trousers – Bonjour Brown ($22.99)

Mossimo® Black: Sheer Print Square-Neck Tee – Brown ($12.99)

and one other tee that I couldn’t find on the Target site to show you a picture of. And – a current photo of yours truly!

So sorry I’ve been missing in action lately. Been super busy with work, Whidbey Island, etc. No excuses, though. Weight has been coming off at a fantastic rate – no slowing down yet. I’m still at about 2.5 lbs loss per week…give or take.

We have Erik’s 20 year reunion coming up in a little under two months so I’m looking forward to wearing something nice to that.

How is the weight loss coming with all of you???

Too much fill

lisetheloser — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 02:33:34 +0000

I went in to NWWLS today for a small fill. It’s been 11 lbs since my last fill (about a month) and I was starting to feel more hunger than I had in the past month. I had them put in 0.4 of a cc. But – I think that may have been too much. I just kacked up steak for dinner. Ugh. I’ll give it another day to see if it “settles” but if not, I’ll be having my first “unfill”. Right now I’m at 8.0 cc’s and down 38.6 lbs.

Memorial Day Weekend on Whidbey Island

lisetheloser — Wed, 28 May 2008 01:39:43 +0000

Not only did we relax in Langley, but we also took day-trips to Coupeville and Port Townsend! Coupeville is a town about 30 minutes north on Whidbey Island. Very cute with a lot of fun stores.

We went to the Dog House Tavern in Langley and Erik had chili while I had baked beans. Notice how much I could eat. Plus, see how much of my iced tea I could drink before I ate (and you know the rules, no drinking after you start eating)!

Erik’s Chili

My Beans

My Tea

Me waiting in the car for Erik to come out

Roasting dogs & mushrooms on the beach

Ms Robbie – this is for you!

On the way to Port Townsend (a 35 minute ferry ride from Whidbey)

Port Townsend

Back at the cabin…

Page chewing on her “Flossie”

My feet

A wonderful 4 day weekend!

Bariatric Surgery Support Tips

lisetheloser — Wed, 28 May 2008 01:19:24 +0000

From the New Jersey Bariatric Center

Learn About the Surgical Procedure: Just as patients research and learn about what changes their bodies will undergo, it’s important for family members to do the same. Understanding the journey your family member is about to take will help you guide, coach and offer support throughout the process.
Respect Patients New Eating Habits: Your family member’s eating habits are going to change drastically immediately after weight loss surgery. Be respectful of their weight loss goal, don’t bring “treats” to the hospital after surgery, don’t encourage them to finish their plate when their full and try to refrain from tempting them with food – “a little bite won’t hurt you” – or inadvertently sabotaging their efforts, i.e. giving them a box of chocolates as a gift.
Don’t Blame the Patient: Over and over again patients remark that many of the toughest times during weight loss is when the family sits together at the dinner table. In many cases, the person who’s in charge of feeding the family is the patient, and the family overall sees a difference in the type of food now served that can be frustrating for family members. Fried chicken becomes grilled chicken, an ice cream treat is not a fruit treat. These little changes can cause bickering, squabbling and even heated debates at the dinner table. Try to stay away from responses such as “You chose this not me” or ‘Don’t punish me for your decisions,” stay calm, count to 10 before you respond, and find a solution that works for both parties.
Prepare for the Dynamics of the Relationship to Change: Was this your friend who you always went out for ice cream sundaes with when times got tough? Was your family member always a little shy due to her/his weight causing them to shrink from attention? As the weight comes off, prepare for the dynamics of the relationship to change. Instead of bonding over food or taking your joint frustrations out with food, find a new activity to enjoy together that doesn’t involve food – join a gym, take a class or start a book club. And understand your family member is still the person you’ve always known and loved, they’re not changing on you – you’re seeing a new confident side of them that’s always been there but that they were uncomfortable expressing when they were carrying the extra weight.
Compliment Success, Offer Encouragement During Setbacks: And finally, don’t forget to compliment your family member on the successes they’ve achieved, and offer encouragement during the more challenging times.