I guess I haven't written in a really long time. I was reading Lori's post and figured I'd add an update! I am now 6 weeks post-op lap band. I have lost a total of 35.6 lbs and 34 inches. I had my first fill this past monday and had a 4.5 cc fill. Thank goodness because I was starving all the time! I make most of my updates on facebook. It is easy and interactive as I have friended a lot of bandsters. I need to post updated pictures...I'll get right on that.
NSVs: I was able to wear my black corset again AND my gey tuesday shirt! I missed those. =)
I have been loving the ViSalus protein/nutrition shakes and talking about them a lot on facebook just because it is on my mind a lot. I suck as a salesperson...I didn't become a distributor to make money...I did it because I believe in the product and I want to share it with everyone! It has made me feel so much better. I posted a note about it and my fibro in fb, maybe I should copy and paste that here....
(From my facebook note)
I was asked about my energy levels since starting the Vi-Shakes. I've added a lot of WLS people on here that do not know my history with FMS and CFS. I have severe fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome due to bad genetics in my spine that have caused 10 herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, spurring, and arthritis in my spine. I've had FMS for over 17 years. It started as chronic headaches when I was a pre-teen. Yes I've had headaches and pain every day and every night constantly for the past 17+ years. I wouldn't know what it is like not to have it. It does get a little worse every year and I just have to learn to adjust to whatever my pain level is. I've seen over 30 doctors, thereapists, specialists. I've been on tons of medications. I've done physical thereapy, aqua therapy, acupuncture, chiropractics, massage therapy...pretty much everything. I've tried natural supplements, done food allergy testing...and I have found nothing that even helps take the edge off...so I take nothing. If I am going to be in pain anyway I may as well not be messing up my internal organs with synthetic medications.
That was a brief history.... Keep in mind I'm extrememly stubborn and I hate letting anything control me... So I have been fighting this all of these years...once I grew old enough to put aside the depression of it all when I was in college (the first time..lol...since I'm working on my doctorate now, I've always been in college it seems! And since I teach college, I guess I really am always in a college! I love it!) I decided that if I'm going to be in pain anyway, I want to be the best me I can be so I can at least slow down the progression as long as possible. I refuse to sit back and not do anything. I do not want to be on disability. I LOVE MY JOB! =) The first time I lost the weight I came to a sudden stop at the end when I had a DVT and pulmonary embolism. I was out jogging by the crossing of 10th street and 252 with my baby in a stroller when I felt like I was having a sudden heart attack. This landed me in the hospital for about a week and started 6 months of going to the hospital for infusions/coumadin/blood draws every other day...I was a vegetarian at the time and at a lot of veggies high in vitamin K so I had to be on a lot of coumadin to compensate! Needless to say this whole process started me back to gaining...then I became pregnant with my second and went all the way back up. After my 2nd I lost 130 lbs following the weight watchers program and exercising like a crazy person. I was up to jogging 5 miles several times a week, working out 2 hours almost every day, weight lifting 2x a week with a personal trainer...and I blew out 3 more discs in my low back as a result. Weight lifting became almost impossible. Jogging is a huge no no. Anyway...this new pain set me on the path back up. And I have met with 3 back surgeons. One wanted to operate right away to replace several discs. One is a friend who operated on my dad and said that my back is too bad to do that right now, to wait as long as possible, and maybe artificial discs will get better in the future...the most recent one said that my back is way to degenerated to support surgery. So I figure at least getting to a goal weight will help take pressure off of my spine.
So here I am... losing weight for a third time. This journey started right when I turned 30 years old. I did not get back up to my highest thankfully! I decided to get the lap-band for the long term support of it. I know that after about a year of hard work it is really easy to lose motivation to continue. I'm hoping this band and the support team that comes with it will help me in the long-run. I know that I have to do the work myself. With no fill in the band I am most definitely doing all of this work myself!!
That brings me to the shakes. I knew I had to get comfy with protein shakes. Over the years I have tried many many many brands! Being on here and friending all sorts of WLS people brought the ViSalus shakes to my attention...I learned about them from a successful WLS mommy who is close to my same age and already at her goal who is still doing amazing things, being motivated to always be better, and is very inspiring! She sent me a sample and they tasted so good that I wanted more. I ordered my 2 shake a day shake up kit right away. I started having more ENERGY immediately! I hadn't been on caffeine in a month and I felt like I had more energy than ever! I did not drink them for 2 days and my energy fell over the holiday weekend. I came back home and back to the shakes and my energy perked right back up! ALSO I was able to exercise for 6 days before having a flare up day! This is a big deal because normally I would flare after ONE day of exercise. I kept feeling good so I'd exercise another day...then another...then another! Yesterday was my first flare day and it wasn't nearly as bad as normal. I believe that the quality of the protein and nutrient mix is helping to repair my crappy muscles. The nutrition is providing energy because it is easily processed and complimented with enzymes etc for max absorbtion.
My own personal increased energy and decreased pain led me to become a distributor because I want to share this stuff with everyone. I'm not a pressure salesperson...I am a terrible salesperson! I don't want to push anyone to do anything. I post a lot about this because it is helping ME. It is on my mind a lot bc it is helping me more than pain killers etc ever did. I haven't taken pain killers in over a week.
I have also never been able to sleep. I usually wake up every 30 minutes, never sleeping more than 2 hours at a time. I've been wearing this body media armband to track calores/steps/food/and sleep and 2 nights ago I actually slept 5 hours and 41 minutes straight without waking up!! If I can get a little less pain....more sleep...I will just keep feeling better.
So...THANK YOU to everyone that has been cheering me on! And to those of you that have asked me for advice etc...THANK YOU for looking to me for that! I am SO BLESSED to have you all and to share inspiration, success, trials and errors, ideas, everything. I have about 100 weight loss community people on here now...I didn't make a separate page because I am a pretty open person about everything and I just have all of my life on one page. I'll keep updating and sharing.... ONE DAY AT A TIME!!!!!! We will all get to our goals.
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Ok so that was the note. I'm still feeling more energy on the shakes. Today I felt decent enough to decorate the house for Halloween and organize a bit. I'm psyching up to teach 4 classes next quarter...I will be busy!! I'm excited for it, I LOVE MY JOB!!!! I'm still in awe of the fact that I get to teach college....and that it is possible to love your job so much! <3 <3 <3
