The Bear Rants - Page 2 - ThinnerTimes

bigbearjeff · 09-01-2007, 08:32 AM

Fitday.com very cool. I had not seen that before. I have been using a paper journal, but that may be easier than lugging around a laptop and a journal. I walk 1.5 miles in the morning and 1.5 miles in the evening. I have been doing that for two months. One thing that is really nice is my surgeon group has a 3 month after surgery workout program at the Local YMCA. The three month membership is provided with the surgery. I am pretty excited about that.

Paige, I am curious how long it took you to reach your goal and have you had a heard time maintaining?

also, where are those before and after pictures! I am amazed by what I have seen.

Well I gotta close for now. I have a dog show to attend to today.

Jeff

329//220

I_love_Hello Kitty · 09-01-2007, 09:24 AM

Jeff,
There are varying opinions on how/who to tell about this surgery. Many people shout it from the rooftops...others like me tell no one. I've told very few people. The reason is.... I don't know where this journey is taking me...and I don't want to hear any negativity.

My best friend said "Are you sure you want to do this...don't you just want to try Jenny Craig???" Her heart is in a good place...but she's a size 4 and has never had to diet in her life. Most people who are not MO don't understand that we probably know more about dieting and nutrition than anyone else. We've weighed, measured, restricted our food in every way possible...but we are food addicts...at least I know I am. I had my surgery 2.5 weeks ago and if I didn't KNOW somethings would make me sick...the head hunger would have driven me to go off program already...the begining is hard.

I decided I didn't want anyone saying to me "can't you just exercise a little more"...or why don't you just do weight watchers...or give me that disdainful look while thinking how weak I am and that they can't believe I had to resort to this.

In the long run it will be hard...no doubt...this is NO easy way out.

We will still have to count calories...and keep up our exercise. Take the first 6 months to retrain yourself. Get the sugar out of your system. Learn to eat lots of protein. Learn not to rely on fast foods...learn to drink water all day..and once you retrain yourself...keep yourself in check and don't let the bad habits seep back in. That's my plan. I know a year out it will get harder...but I am hoping to use this first 6 months as a time to re-teach myself new habits. It will be work. But I plan on working the tool...and I don't need any one watching me and waiting for me to fail...so I am going to be successful...I need to beileve that...and no one needs to know why or how I did it.

Gina in NY · 09-01-2007, 10:45 AM

One of the techs who was helping me to get up and walk after my surgery, said, "You don't look big enough for this surgery". It had already been done! What an idiot...

paige52 · 09-01-2007, 06:27 PM

I reached goal at 8 months.... I have also had enough complications without anyway to resolve them except a reversal... so that's beign scheduled as I type....

I am in fact not only under goal gut underweight.... 5' 4' nd I weight 115. I can't seem to stop losing weight no matter how I eat or what i take in.

I get frustrated when i see people on this board talk aout how they "know" it's not a magic bullet... yet so many of them are unrealistic about what having this surgery means and do "really" expect it to be the magic bullet....

That's sad because they are ultimately the ones who fail... that's why the "old timers" are rarely here.... after a few years they drift. Not all but many.

My surgeon is doing almost as many revisions as she is new surgeries.... for guess what? That's right weight regain... She even trained in a new procedure to do less invasive revision, that don't require going in Lap or Open to make recovery easier...

Why am I hounding you? I'm not really you just seem reasonable and have real answers and I like that. Thank you by the way for sharing your changes on a way to a new lifestyle and not just another diet...

Toony · 09-01-2007, 06:33 PM

When I visited a lap band support group, there was a man there well over 400 pounds. He'd had the band for a year, and it was filled to max... he said, "They put this thing in me, now they have to make it work!"

He was dead serious...

I doubt he'd be successful with bypass either... totally without a clue.

There are no magic bullets... unless the hypothetical one to the HEAD!
--toony

Debz · 09-01-2007, 09:24 PM

The day before my surgery, an acquaintance said to me, " Oh, you're not big enough for that surgery". And before I even thought about what I was saying, I replied, "Well, my insurance company doesn't think so, and they're way nosier than you are". I didn't realize I was being rude until it was out....really I was just being honest.

But if you think about it, it's true. Our insurance companies are so restrictive and would love any chance to deny...if they say yes, then obviously we qualify.
As time passes, I'm trying to give people the benefit of the doubt and just chalk stuff they say up to ignorance rather than stupidity, but some people make that so hard.

paige52 · 09-01-2007, 10:00 PM

Not sure I agree with the insurance comment.

I'm amazed at some of the people getting approved... only 85 pounds to lose and no comorbids or someone that is bi-polar? how do they pass the pysch eval? It's incredible to me...

Someone on this board (don't remember where I read it) actually coached a pre-op on how to fake high blood pressure so they could quailfy for this surgery... I was floored and speechless which believe me doesn't happen often..

Sorry i hijack the thread Jeff

On the issue of people telling us we don't look big enough to have this surgery... MYOB is what I woudl have said

Debz · 09-03-2007, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paige52

Not sure I agree with the insurance comment.

I'm amazed at some of the people getting approved... only 85 pounds to lose and no comorbids or someone that is bi-polar? how do they pass the pysch eval? It's incredible to me...

Someone on this board (don't remember where I read it) actually coached a pre-op on how to fake high blood pressure so they could quailfy for this surgery... I was floored and speechless which believe me doesn't happen often..

Sorry i hijack the thread Jeff

On the issue of people telling us we don't look big enough to have this surgery... MYOB is what I woudl have said

Ok, Paige, point well taken. But since most of the people I have said this too haven't the research behind them or the background we have, is it still OK if I use my smart alack line?