lapbandstory.blogspot.com

About Me

2006-09-20T13:10:00.000+09:30

Personal Specs:

Male, 24, Caucasian - Italian Australian.
Dimensions: 180cm, (80kg 1995), (153kg 2004) - Top Heavy.
Conditions: Hypertension, Asthma, Insulin Resistance, Fatty Liver.
Drugs: Norvasc, Karvezide, Minax. Some Alcohol, Non-smoker.
Occupation: Programmer
Sport: None

Operation Details:

Date of Lap Banding Procedure: June 16, 2004.
Prosthetic: Swedish OTBECH by Johnson & Johnson.
Port Placement: Chest.
Performed at Flinders Private Hospital, Bedford Park, South Australia.
BP(Blood Pressure) - 144/90 (Medicated)

Gastric Banding Links

2006-09-19T18:12:00.000+09:30

http://www.columbiasurgery.org/divisions/obesity/surgical_lapband.html
- Good description of the surgery and good pictures of the prosthetic.
www.lapbandsurgery.com/faq_glossary.html
- Excellent Glossary.
http://www.3fatchicks.com/
- Great Community.
http://www.spotlighthealth.com/common/chat/ChatTrans.asp?m=1
- Fantastic Interviews with Surgeons.
http://lapbandjourney.blogspot.com
- Yay a sister site! - Alison is Blogging her Journey too. And she is an Aussie too.

If you have a Link - Click on Comments Below - and stick it in!

Week 42 - UPDATE!!

2005-05-10T10:22:00.000+09:30

- 26kg

Since posting last, my life has changed quite a bit. I no longer work as a programmer, as I purchased a small business that I'm operating. As I now work over 70 hours a week, I don't get to the computer much anymore.

My weight loss has halted - and I'm supposed to get another top-up in my band.
But I suppose I'm worried about the consequence - as my already rushed eating schedule can sometimes present digestion (or lack there of) problems.

In total I've chucked about 12 times - half of those times involved drinking after eating.

My Blood pressure is going good. I no longer take Beta Blockers, so I feel more energetic during the day.Sometimes I feel I can eat far too much - other times - I can only eat a bit - It depends on the consistency of the food and how well it passes through the Stoma.
I try to avoid pasta as it passes VERY WELL, whereas bread does not.

I still am forced to think about my band EVERY time I eat.

I still have a long way to go with the weight loss. My target is 100kg. But I haven't been focused on it in a while - which is why it has slowed.
I'm so impressed with the number of people coming to this site - and thanks for the comments!
I'll try to post more regularly.The reason I have time to post today - Is I'm home sick with Quinsy. - Glandular inflammation secondary to my tonsillitis. My butt hurts from the penicillin injections.

Week 16 - First Spew

2004-10-16T13:08:00.000+09:30

- 17kg

Weight loss is nice and slow - which is ok by me as long as it keeps coming off.
Week 15 nothing really happened so I didn't post.

Week 16 - I had a vomiting incident.
So, I'm driving to a mates place and I pull into a servo for some fuel. I spotted a sausage roll - and decided it will have to do for tea (even though I've been eating more healthy foods lately.)
So I’m back in my ride, and started eating the sausage roll while driving - I don't recall severely shoving it in my gob - but I think the texture was quite dry and very dense and after the 4th mouthful (half way through) I got discomfort - so I stopped chewing what was in my mouth and waited to see if i could feel the blockage pass through the stoma (yes I can sometimes feel the food pass, it's really cool) . Anyway the discomfort didn't subside. I pulled over to the side of the road. I walked around to the sidewalk where there was some shrubs and spat out what was in my mouth. And soon I was leaning on the car to prepare me for what I've feared since I was a child VOMIT!!!! - But there was no reaching - or spasms - just a worsening discomfort. I had to keep spitting out the saliva from my mouth. This went on for 5 mins. Then, suddenly - against my will, a SPEW!! - hahahaaa - It was actually pretty funny - because hundreds of motorists saw this poor guy suffering up against his sports car. The vomit was not acidic and didn't leave a foul taste. It was just food freshly swallowed. (YUK)
I know everyone thinks this is horrible experience - but I finally know now, by experience, how not to eat.

* * * * * *

Visitors to my site and others I know have expressed concerns with the amount of complication I've had as a result of the surgery. Let me address all of my complications.
**Spits, and Spews - were a result of not following the guidelines to eating. You should evaluate the food you're eating, eat tiny bites over a 30min period. (So why didn't I do that you ask yourself) - relax, chill, 90% of the time I'm really good at doing things properly - but I'm only human - and the consequences were noted.
**Reflux - Ok I actually think this had a variety of causes - but I have noticed a pattern. When I'm REALLY STRESSED about something - I believe it irritates my stomach. I don't know how or why, it's just a trend.
Like my first major reflux in week 11 - I had just abandoned someone I love.
And I had a single day of discomfort on Monday this week when I gave 2-weeks notice at work 11/10/2004.

Yep my life is upsidE down-umop 3pisdn

PJAD

Week 14 - Second Fill

2004-09-29T21:10:00.000+09:30

- 16 Kg

Well, as predicted the surgeon suggested an extra 0.5ml in the band. Now a total of 4.5ml of saline in the band. I can really notice the restriction.

I can still eat a meal - but depending what it is, I get bored of chewing and just give up and come back a little later for a couple more mouthfuls (even though you're not supposed to eat like that).
I can often feel the food pass through the Stoma. It is really weird. Sometimes there is a bit of pain if I haven't chewed properly or I eat something like biscuits - they just seem to become a cohesive ball of solid that blocks my thingy. I have nearly chucked a couple of times because of eating too fast.
Now is the time to take it REALLY careful. The modification to my stomach is now obvious to me.

My weight loss isn't a concern anymore. The 15kg I have lost already is great and I don't feel so MASSIVE anymore. Even though I'm still a bloody big guy.

But it is good to have a couple of girls take a second look as I walk into work. It's been a while since being noticed like that. I'm learning to wink and walk at the same time!! Pretty good for a male to be multi-tasking like that.

Ciao 4 now.

BTW - 1000 visitors to this site!!! WOO HOO.

Week 13 - Blood Pressure Update

2004-09-18T16:10:00.000+09:30

- 15kg

Well I lost that extra couple of kg's. I put that to extra exercise and reducing sugar drink intake.
My body is noticeably changing, and I am finally feeling some fitness. I still struggle to go longer than 25-30mins on the squash court (racket ball). But I'm playing with more intensity.

I tried to go off Beta-Blockers with the permission from my GP. But my Blood Pressure went from 140/83 to 150/90 just 2 days later. So we agreed to go back on them.

Beta Blockers are for the treatment of Hypertension and reduce your heart-rate. This makes it difficult to exercise as oxygen isn't being delivered to the muscles at an adequate rate during physical activity. Also general tiredness is a common problem with this drug.

I purchased a home Blood Pressure Monitor. And I have been monitoring it myself. It changes throughout the day - but that's normal. Also I think it reads lower than the one at the GP rooms. - Oh and it reads heaps lower on consecutive readings, say a few mins apart. If anyone knows why this is please leave an explanation on the TagBoard. That would be great!

Week 12.5 - Hungry again.

2004-09-07T22:10:00.000+09:30

- 13KG (+2Kg but my BMI was down to 39 from 47 ?!?!)

Yikes have I been eating!
I gobbled a Chilli Kransky, a 80g Packet of Twisties and a most of a
Schnitzel Roll during the day.
A can of Mountain Dew, a 375ml Strawberry Milk and a Glass of water.
And then I ate 3 slices of pizza for dinner and a 600ml Lift.

What a GUTS!!! And I can't believe it all went down - I'm so angry with myself.

DON'T DO THIS EVER - IT WAS STUPID AND DANGEROUS TO TEST THE LIMITS OF MY BAND LIKE THIS.

I put on some weight too - but my body fat reading was way down - (I got one of those special bathroom scales) - So it could be mostly fluid as I'm finally eating again following my reflux.

Ive been exercising HEAPS. Gym, squash & general frolicking.

All I know is that eating is an addiction - and at any chance, I'm at risk of abusing food. I guess why this band is good - but then again I still need to look after it.

Damn.

BTW no more sugar drinks.

Week 12 - Reflux Treatment

2004-09-04T16:03:00.000+09:30

-15kg

Ok - so I told the surgeon about the reaching and the discomfort. She had a box full of Esomeprazole Packs. Basically a 7 Day course to reduce the acidity level in the stomach to promote healing and recovery. - I took 1 pill at 5 pm, the next day I felt like a $million bucks.
Problem being, I got my appetite back. - There is a risk I might put on a bit of weight if I'm not careful.

What I've noticed is I can be satisfied with tiny meals if I eat real slow and get up and walk around before I complete my meal. If I just sit there and scoff it - I'll knock off over 200grams of food with ease. And depending on what consistency is, maybe more!
The point is with the band you don't get huge binge temptations - and you can't really "binge" anyway. If you do it you're not only endangering your surgery but you'll suffer pain straight away - check out my First Spit post.

So from a week of not eating much at all - to eating 3 small meals a day - I have to be extra careful from, this week onwards to keep my physical activity up and the meal quantities nice and small.

Also I've been going to the gym - and have noticed a huge increase in stamina and strength.
- oh and there is a new Brazilian Instructor! :D

Week 11 - Reflux

2004-08-28T16:03:00.000+09:30

-14 kg

Last week was shocking. I wasn't eating much because my stomach and esophogus were a bit sore following my dry reaching episode. I think it's been reflux all along. I will ask the Surgeon next Thursday.

But basically what happened, is I ate before bed 3 nights in a row. And the reflux got gradually worse.

I will ask the Doc how to manage it properly.

I feel OK now

Week 10.3 - Dry Reaching

2004-08-23T15:44:00.000+09:30

-13kgs - A little bit dehydrated, I think (Haven't been consuming much lately)

hmm.. I'm not sure if it was a psychosomatic response to some recent emotional trauma...
But I had acute fits of dry-reaching this morning. I nearly had to call an Ambulance.

I was having a shower and I was feeling gloomy so I decided to sing (as usual).
So I'm singing away. And I stopped - and said to myself: "how can you possibly sing at a time like this?" (Personal Issues).

I turned of the tap and immediately felt sick in my stomach. - I hadn't eaten since last night.
(Keep in mind I haven't chucked in 12 or 13 years)
I felt REALLY CROOK. I thought it would be wise to leave the slippery environment of the bathroom in case I passed-out. I sat on the bed facing the ensuite bathroom. - I stared at the shower drain hole - and then I lunged forward without control and reached several times. Nothing came out (of course).
This went on for seemingly an eternity. But in reality was probably about 20mins.

Week 10.2 - Regularity

2004-08-22T11:52:00.000+09:30

-13kg

OK I said I wasn't going to post about this again. - But I definitely believe there is a relationship between regularity and weight loss.

This topic has hit rock bottom.
I guess it was a result of writers block.

Week 10 - Laxatives

2004-08-19T19:01:00.000+09:30

- 12kgs

Ok so I haven't lost any weight this week.
I do believe that this is because I'm eating well during the day and quite poorly at night.

I have increased my exercise and weights. So maybe some of the weight could be attributed to extra muscle mass. Who knows?

Anyway I'm not too worried - I have an appointment with the surgeon in a couple of weeks - I think some more fluid in the band is a likely outcome from that visit.

OK - constipation. I got it. In fact I've pretty much had it since surgery.
So I went the pharmacy and got some fiber powder. This stuff wasn't very practical for me.
So now I got some tablet herbal laxative.

(I know what you guys are thinking - Is he for real??) Yes I'm openly talking about my bowel movements to the world.

Anyway, if I don't post about this topic again - assume everything is.... ah moving freely. ;-)

Week 9 - First Spit

2004-08-16T19:17:00.000+09:30

-12Kgs

OK - so meals are straight forward and small during the day - but at night I'm really hungry, and finding it hard not to graze like a cow.

And tonight my first punishment for not listening to my surgeon.
- Eat slow she says - eat slow. Yeah Yeah - I thought she was telling me this so I'd enjoy my meals more.

WRONG

I got home and shoved about 4 or 5 Pizza Shapes (Dry Savory Biscuits) into my gob. - Chewed fairly well and swallowed. Got some bolognaise sauce out the fridge (mostly tomato) and had about 4 quick tablespoons (DON'T ASK ME WHY I DID THIS).

And before the last mouthful went down - BANG Something was wrong.
It wasn't pain as such, but it was very VERY uncomfortable. It felt like reflux with a vengeance. I spat out the food in my mouth and draped myself over the kitchen sink waiting for a spew. I couldn't swallow my spit - I just let it fall out of my mouth.
It was like someone had jammed a garden hose down my food pipe and turned it on full.
3 mins later in an instant the discomfort completely went away. 15 mins after that I cautiously ate tea.

Lesson Number 1 - I'm a dickhead.
Lesson Number 2 - Listen to your Surgeon.
Lesson Number 3 - Confidence makes people do stupid things.
Lesson Number 4 - It was a NASTY sensation that I don't EVER want to have happen again.

Week 8.6 - Ball Rolling - Again

2004-08-09T20:29:00.000+09:30

-11KG

I had to post - Cause I lost another kg - woo hoo!
- Yeah yeah - just a pee & a poo probably.

Anyway - Thank you for those of you who have started visiting my site - please leave comments - even if just to say hi.

Also my hit counter is broken - gone into some loop. Last reading was over 300k! WOW!?!
Somehow i busted it. Just like what what happens at work.

Oh - I'm finally getting some consistency with my eating habits. 130 - 150g of dense food.
Like meat, sushi, potato etc. I seem to be able to consume more when there is cream or gravy or something that is thinning the meal too much.

So because I wanna lose weight
- Small banana or 0.5 of a big one for breakfast
- 5 small sushi rolls - or 1.5 big ones for lunch
- Small Meat & Veg dinner.

And I'm not interested in snacks anymore. AMAZING.

I'm forcing myself to eat really slow - and start pausing between mouthfuls.
It was torture at first - but I'm really getting the hang of it now.

Week 8.5 - Blood Pressure Update

2004-08-07T23:42:00.000+09:30

During the week - someone took my BP on one of those automatic BP machines - you can get from the pharmacy. It read 135/80.

But today I had it done by my GP and it was 150/90.

Not really unusual as I had only taken my medication half an hour before I drove to the clinic to see him.

I would have expected a top number of 140 to 145. Oh well.

Week 8 - First Fill

2004-08-06T22:04:00.000+09:30

- 10 KGs

So there I was lying on my back getting the jab.
I have to say - I've had vaccinations that were more unpleasant.

Swift and.... just a little prick. Oh and some pressure on my chest as the needle penetrated the Special Gel on the Titanium Port. (Very weird sensation)

That night 3 small meatballs & pesto.
130 grams (I think) - Completely not hungry after dinner.

Me thinks this is gonna be a cheap food bill from now on.
Good.. I need to recoup some of that $75 a month medication bill I fork out for Hypertension.

With a bit of luck I may be able to drop some of those drugs off the menu. - We'll see what the GP has to say tomorrow.

Week 6 - 8

2004-08-06T21:50:00.000+09:30

-10KGs (no change)

YAY! I'm on solids.
And of course first stop HJ's (Burger King) - Jnr Whopper and half of the Regular Fries did the trick.

Lunches were - 6inch Subway, or a Aussie Meat Pie.

I emailed the surgeon telling her that I was getting through a considerable amount of food.
220 - 280g per meal.

She said chew well, eat slow and stop when you feel full.

hmmm..
chew well - yes
stop when full - yes
eat slow...... ahhh - ok ok this is really hard, and of course by contrast to my former vacuum self, yes it was slow - but it really should be slower.

I LOST NO WEIGHT DURING THIS PERIOD.

So I booked in to see my surgeon.

Week 1 - 6

2004-08-06T21:40:00.000+09:30

-10Kgs

By week six I had lost 10 KGs thanks to a mostly liquid diet. - This bit is really hard!

DON'T CHEAT.

If you do slip - tell your surgeon. I personally did allow the viscosity of my liquids to increase - but I quickly reminded myself of the inconvenience surgery was - and I didn't really want to go through it again due to my own negligence. - So I went back to the thin liquids as directed.

The Operation

2004-08-06T20:39:00.000+09:30

My GP suggested Banding when I inquired about Gastric Bypass.
The benefits to me were obvious - so I arranged to meet the Surgeon/Consultant.
I waited over 2 months to see her for the first consultation.

Although I agreed to the procedure, I always kept in my mind that I could back out at any time.
(Even though that may have breeched some papers I signed)

Anyway - I went through with it because I couldn't come up with a better solution to my Hypertension problem, which was fast becoming untreatable - as the drugs just couldn't keep it down.

I must admit - there were many medical expenses along the way that caught me by surprise -
Endoscopy, Ultrasounds, Consultations, Anaesthetist Bills etc.

The surgery is pretty scary - even though it's keyhole.
Oh, and it's hurts for a couple of weeks afterwards too.

Be prepared to be jabbed with blood thinners at your stay at the hospital.
And be prepared to have a good part of your remaining dignity taken away as gorgeous young student nurses get the full effect of your flubber guts as they dress your wounds.

Most disturbing part of the whole thing was the operating theatre. God-bless those humorous anaesthetists though. There is something kind of sadistic about injecting Novocain into bods all day long isn't there?

Oh - and have a chat to some other patients - I spoke with a terminally ill man with Liver Cancer. Kind of puts a little more perspective into life when you come across people that have expiry dates.

Previous Diets (ATKINS)

2004-08-05T12:52:00.000+09:30

Like most big people - I tried MANY diets.
Most were really bad - and I was really hungry and dissatisfied with the food that was allowed.

I suppose that's why the Atkins diet appealed to me so much. The Low-Carb diet is a scientific revelation. I lost over 25kg in 18months (2001), and I was eating heaps too!

I ate everything except - Bread, Rice, Pasta, Sugar & Starch.

BUT...

When I started working full-time, I didn't have the time to prepare my own meals daily.
And that's where this diet gets unstuck.
As soon as your carbs get over 30grams a day - the weight will pile on.
That's because the Carbs then become the energy source - and the proteins & fats will just get stored.

So in a way the Atkins diet didn't fail me, just my ability to follow it in the long term.

SO...

My analysis is this:
If you follow the Atkins diet properly and strictly - then you will lose weight.
If you don't follow the guidelines - your health will suffer. Your liver may even suffer.
I put all my previous weight on and MORE!

Dealing with Negativity

2000-08-11T21:38:00.000+09:30

Here is a post I left on alt.support.diet (Aug 11, 2004)

In response to continual negativity about WLS by a serial know-all - I was driven to respond:

Hey Mogroot,
I realize you have a serious power complex, however stop posting suggestive nonsense. Saying: "WLS survivors" implying there is a significant fatality risk for Lapbanding is a load of ......! If you think you are so smart 'Dr 50lbs this 500Kcals that' - Then DO YOUR HOMEWORK ON THE STATISTICS BEFORE YOU OPEN YOUR TRAP! Fatalities in the same time span are FAR greater in the Morbid patients that don't choose Lapband surgery.
Your crummy maths RE: 'energy vs. lbs' is flawed anyway. Why don't you look up the word metabolism? And then come back to the group and explain why cows get FAT eating FAT FREE grass. And why some guzzle-guts can down 2kgs of food in a day, with no exercising & no diseases stay STANDARD WEIGHT???
Your particular body, Mogroot, is probably in fine working order - which is why your weight responded in proportion to what you were eating and the energy you were burning. Stop talking for the masses (excuse the pun) and give your opinions a reality check - Because, Metabolic syndrome is: Insulin resistance, Hyperinsulinism, Fatty Liver, Diabetes & Hypertension LINKED.
Reason? UNKNOWN. Cure? UNKNOWN. Treatment? MANY. Your solutions are old-school. Rethink the problem. It's not just mathematics. It's biology, it's chemistry.
And now a lesson on psychology - Get a head check.

PJAD.
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