Kristina921's Journey

[Kristina921]

Well, the other Kristina suggested that I start my own progress thread. I am being banded at 7:30 tomorrow morning 03/14/08! So here goes...

I have been overweight pretty much since I hit puberty. The weight really started to come on by the time I was 16. I saw a doctor at that time and was told I had a hormonal imbalance (my cycles stopped). Flash forward 7 or so years and hubby and I decided to start a family. Well....it didn't happen the way we planned. I did get pregnant but it ended in miscarriage. I went to the doctor and was finally diagnosed with PCOS. I think I developed it when I was a teenager but most doctors didn't know much about it yet. I was so glad to have a name for my symptoms. 7 more years, 3 more miscarriages and more weight gain...here I am now.

I would love to say that my condition was solely to blame for my weight but it's not. I love food...Food is my friend, food has never let me down, food is always there for me. Well, last year I decided that I had to make a choice. I could choose to be fat and never be a mother or I could choose to finally do something about it. Which brings me to where I am now...I have cried so many times, dissapointed in myself after each failed diet...I would tell myself - Why do I continue to eat when I know that it may mean that I will never have a baby? I had to decide what was more important. Me and my health.

I am 30 years old and I have a wonderful, supportive husband named Matt. We live just outside Charlotte, NC (transplanted NY'ers). We have 3 dogs and 2 cats. Our animals are our children, haha. I figured I better hurry up, lose weight and have a baby so we won't feel the need to keep getting more pets lol.

Thanks for reading if you got this far! I look forward to knowing you all in my journey to the new me. I am waiting for hubby to get home so I can take some before pics!

~~~Kristina~~~

[kristina]

i have enjoyed getting to know you these past couple of weeks...and i am so very happy for you! and proud of your already 8 pound weight loss! you're going to do great!!! i cannot wait to hear from you tommorow..you're in my prayers girl!

[Neal R.]

Thanks for sharing and best of luck tomorrow. Let us know how your doing when you feel up to it :)

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

Hi Kristina.. and best of luck tomorrow with your surgery.. this is the bestest place in the world for support and information (I'm sure you already know this).. hope you have a speedy recovery and come back and let us know how you're doing..

[Patrick]

Kristina; good luck with your surgery, we will be praying for you. We will be waiting for your first post-surgery report.

[WildAlaskaG'ma]

Kristina, Thanks for sharing your story. I"m sending up prayers that your surgery goes well, your recovery is uneventful, and you enjoy a most successful journey to the new you.

Prayers & hugs, Judy

[officegirlblues]

Kristina,
Wishing you nothing but the best today. I know everything will go wonderfully and can't wait to hear about your experience! Please let us know as soon as your able how you're doing.

[ginabobina]

Praying for you right now!! Hope you're starting to come around in recovery right now.

I can so identify with your story... I was a healthy weight until college and I started gaining and stopped having periods. It took 10 years before I was diagnosed with PCOS right after I got married. We don't have children yet and want to start a family so much - it is one of the reasons I had the surgery - to lose enough weight to try to get pregnant AND to be able to keep up with kids once I have them! You'll find lots of us on here are hoping to have Band babies!!

Do you take Glucophage? Taken during the first trimester, it significantly lowers the risk of miscarriage for those with PCOS... lowers it to the rate of everyone else. I'm so sorry you've had to go through losing babies - I can't imagine worse heartbreak than losing a child at any time. It was soon after I got married that I found out about the PCOS and was told it would be difficult for me to get pregnant and I would have a high likelihood of first trimester miscarriage - it took a long time to get over that news. I feel so much more positive now that I understand more about it and know my options. Here's to having Band babies!!

[chattykathywlc]

I hope today goes well and that you feel well soon. Good luck also with your weight loss and getting healthy! Anxiously awaiting when you tell us your prego!!!

[Kristina921]

Hello all! I posted on my other thread but wanted to record here how great I feel! Surgery was a breeze and I am home! Not pain really and everything went really smooth :)

Ginabobina - I do take 1500 mg of metformin a day, it hasn't helped with the mc's but hopefully it will in the future! It's nice to read your story and it's nice to know that someone knows exactly what I've been thorugh.

Thank you all for the well wishes! Hopefully this thread will be filled some some wonderful updates!

[rhythmband]

Kristina,
Glad to hear that your surgery went well!!!:flowerysmile: I am thinking of you and keep us all up to date with your progress!!!

[bananajana]

Congrats Kristina :) I am so proud of you! Heck I am proud of everyone, including myself! I was just banded on 3/6/08.. It's nice to know people's stories.. It really helps to connect.. And I am soooo glad to hear that you have a wonderful husband :) Hope you are on a quick road to recovery.. Take care :)

[kristina]

:welcome:praise God you're okay!


hooooraayyy!!!! :bravo:
i am so happy for you girl!!!!!!!
kristina is a bandster...
kristina is a bandster...
kristina is a bandster!!!:yeah_baby::you_rock::clap3::yahoo::hug ::whoo:

[Kristina921]

Today is going really good! I still need help getting in and out of bed though hehe...Been sipping and walking, the gas is pretty much gone. Tummy is still really tender and sore.I managed to get down a protein shake so I feel good about that. My doctor does 3 days of clear/full liquids and then Tuesday I can start mushies :) I'm not hungry at all yet so I am loving that. I did want to get some protein down though.

[kristina]

kristina since your right here on it, what is the difference between liquids before and liquids right now?

[Kristina921]

The liquids for my surgeon are the same as the pre-op diet...I am sure every surgeon is different. Day 1-3 after the surgery is full / clear liquids like creamy soups with no chunks, protein shakes, jello, pudding, smooth yogurt...Day of surgery was clear liquids...water, broth etc.

[503-250]

Welcome to Band Land, now start the bandster dance....

Walk sip sip walk sip sip....

[mimi r]

Kristina:
I'm SO glad you are doing well. WELCOME TO BANDLAND!!!! Girl, you are in for a Wild Ride! We are here with you. You have gotten good advice from others, but PLEASE, just keep us posted.

All our love, prayers, & :tinkerbell:happy thoughts are with you,
Phyllis

[Kristina921]

Going to try and attach a before picture...This is from September on vacation. I am about the same size give or take a few lbs :) Don't mind my face lol, I was all sweating from snorkeling and walking around Grand Cayman!
4251

[officegirlblues]

Hey, Kristina! How's it going? I was just reading your posts and boy you are lucky! I'm just now getting on mushies and its been 14 days! LOL. Yeah, every dr. is different. I hope everything is going well for you.

[Shellster]

Kristina,
Congratulations on crossing over to bandland! You are going to do great, I just know it! Keep us posted on how you're doing and if you have questions feel free to call me girl!

Shell

[Kristina921]

Well, to make a long story short, my band was too tight. It irritated my stomach so badly that it cause a hole. I had the band removed by emergency surgery last week. I spent a week and a half in the hospital and now am home with a drain in the stomach and a home health nurse to hook me up to iv nutrition every night. It's been a long month but I am glad it's over. I want to get back to a normal life without pain 24 hours a day. I'm very sad that the lap band didn't work for me but I am glad that the pain is gone. It was a hard lesson to learn.

[redgrldj]

Well, to make a long story short, my band was too tight. It irritated my stomach so badly that it cause a hole. I had the band removed by emergency surgery last week. I spent a week and a half in the hospital and now am home with a drain in the stomach and a home health nurse to hook me up to iv nutrition every night. It's been a long month but I am glad it's over. I want to get back to a normal life without pain 24 hours a day. I'm very sad that the lap band didn't work for me but I am glad that the pain is gone. It was a hard lesson to learn.


OMG I am so sorry to hear this.. I hope you get better soon..

[kristina]

:hug:oh kristina honey-i am so very sorry!!! you have been through so much already...whats the next step on your road to recovery? i was wondering what happened to you girl...you will totally be in my prayers...keep your head up...we are here for u, band or no band.:grouphug:

[Nick N Ava's Grammy]

Hugssss for you Kristina.. I'm so sorry this happened to you as well.. hope you feel better soon .. healing prayers coming your way also.

[Shellster]

Kristina,
I've been keeping tabs on you through Jess. I hate to hear that you've had so much trouble. I was telling her that I suppose none of us know how our body will react to something foreign in it. I'm just glad that you're okay! Please keep us posted...and stay around no matter what! We love ya and banded or not, we're all here to support one another.

[Tricia K.]

I'm sorry to hear about your troubles with the band. I hope you recover very quickly.

[MoOrLess]

Kristina...I'm so sorry to hear about your band removal. HUGS! Hang in there and keep coming here - we are here to support you with or without a band.

[WildAlaskaG'ma]

So, so sorry to hear about your situation. That's a horrible thing. Glad you're finally pain-free. :grouphug: ,,, Here's hugs from all of your B2G friends.