TerriDoodle

You already know the answer to your own question. You just are too comfortable in "The Hole". Some day you will want to crawl out of the hole and decide that you don't want to fall in it again. Ever. Until then.... at least look around and journal about what it feels like to be in there....so you'll have something to look back on when you walk down that street again in the future.

I like the Boost Glucose Control drinks. They're not low-calorie at 190/8 oz, but they taste delish and have 16g protein. Good enough for me! I also grabbed some protein bars to try. South Beach Meal Replacement Bar, Cinnamon Creme is OK, not wonderful. I'm 1/2way through it and it's getting kinda yucky. LOTS of cinnamon.

Well, Andrea.... you will pretty much not have any choice but to slow down and have small meals! That's the beauty of it! And the adjustment is rather gradual so it's not an overnight thing you have to get used to. I remember thinking "there is no way I could ever do without chicken!".... but I am pretty restricted right now and am having problems with chicken....just like I knew I might ahead of time. But, it's not such a big deal as I thought it might be, mostly because EATING is not such a big deal anymore!! You can get satisfied on so little that if the chicken is sticking, you just move on to dark mean or the salad or your veggies and get full on that! For instance, I was just having some problems with my tuna salad ... so I ate as much as I could, took a break and now I'm having a Protein bar that was in my desk drawer and a peach. No big deal. I know it's hard to wrap your head around it, but honestly you won't be so obsessed about food as you are now. It just loses its luster. Hopefully, your new obsession will be exercise instead! It happens to many of us. You just wait and see! Good luck!

I recall feeling little sharp stabbing pains every once in a while up until 4 wks post op. It's probably nothing, but just remember not to do anything strenuous (like lifting or exercising) until your doc gives you the go ahead.

I guess I'm going to have to break down and start drinking a protein shake once a day. Yuck. With the limited amount of food I'm getting in, my protein intake is rarely above 40g. The good news is that all the bad stuff like cholesterol and sodium are also way below target amounts! I guess I'll go run to the store on my lunch hour and get some now. This tuna is NOT going down! Taking me 30 minutes to eat one lousy ounce...with a few Sun chips. I'm bored with it!

Have they filled you with Omnipaque or are you still with saline? I'm on Day 9 after my 3rd fill and the restriction is holding well.

Yep!! That's what I'm talking about! :paranoid Nuts are iffy for me too. Used to be one of my favorite snacks. Jenn, if you can't chug water then you must really be restricted! You will be wise to go very slowly while venturing into the world of solid foods. But remember that living on mushies is not the answer. They will pass thru your band quickly and defeat the purpose of having solid food stay in your pouch for hours. The answer is to.....yes, that's right....small bites, chew well, eat slowly. Or as Judy says, ......... I did see a post one time that now is making perfect sense to me: Every time you get a fill, the size of your bites you were taking should be cut in half.

Congratulations!! Yes, it's normal to feel 100 different emotions...been there, done that. But speaking from the other side I can tell you that you will LOVE your band!! The feeling of being in control is sooooo worth it.

You're hilarious, Ross!! Welcome to LBT! ....and major congratulations on your progress so far. 72# in 5 months is absolutely incredible!! I'm happy for you!!

Denise -- That is the cutest damn salad I ever saw!!! Sounds like a great recipe, too!

Tracy, my first thought is that perhaps the pork chop was too dry. I have a very difficult time with beef (except filet :rolleyes) and white chicken...never tried pork but I would imagine the texture is somewhere in between those two. I find that I am eating fish at every opportunity as that is pretty reliable and keeps me full a LONG time. I don't like fish much, but tuna is a Godsend. If you are going to try pork again, I would go with teeny tiny bites....and I'm not kidding....like the size of a peanut. And...like Judy said....you've got to pace yourself. Especially when I'm eating a risky food, I take a bite and WAIT like a full minute to see if it's going to go down. I do that with about the first 3-4 bites before I can guage whether or not my level of restriction can really handle this particular food. Then I proceed with caution. This is a very strange behavior when I'm eating out with friends. Everyone's food comes and I take one tiny bite then wait....while they are shoveling it in like there's no tomorrow. (Nobody but family knows I'm banded.) They're like "Huh?? Don't you like your food??" Very awkward. When eating out I stay with very safe foods. Last night however, I kinda PB'd on quiche!!! I made the mistake of including a fairly big bite, as bandsters measure, of crust! I had to excuse myself to the restroom after 3 bites. As I tell my DH....Every day is different!! TracyKS - Glad you've got some restriction now...I think you'll be very pleased with the results. Just don't be surprised if you loosen up again in a couple of weeks. It'll be time to schedule another one!! My fills are free for the first year. Is this pretty much how everyone is or do some of you have to pay (either self pay or insurance)? Just curious. I think after the first year the fills are like $150. Worth every penny.

I've got a good one (and I've post it many times on this board): The voice in my head that was contantly nagging at me to do something about losing weight is finally SILENT! Yeah, i think it's a great thread, too...don't understand why more people aren't postiing on it. It doesn't make any difference if someone has already posted the same things that you were gonna say....it's YOUR list....for YOU to take inventory of YOUR improvements!! Go ahead...do it...it's fun! :eek:

Oh good!! I hope it helps you. I definitely notice a difference with just those 0.2cc, and I bet you will, too. keep me posted....now you've got me all curious!

Where is MDRAI? Michelle!! Come out come out wherever you are!

(((KAT))) I know you are worried sick to death, on top of being ill yourself. Your poor little family -- ya'll have sure been through the ringer and not done yet. Please post as you can about baby Kinsey... we are all thinking about you. Jenn - You are one hottie!!! I cannot believe the difference!!! That sweatshirt absolutely swallows you now! In that picture of your daughter....the girl sitting up in the background looks exactly like my daughter.... Freaky! Both of your kids are precious!

Absolutely! Getting my 3rd fill was a bit of a tough decision, too. I could have made do with the restriction that I had but I thought it could be a bit better. My 3rd fill was just 0.2cc! It doesn't take much to make a significant difference. Good luck & please let me know how you're doing!

The reason your pics are so big to begin with is because the resolution on your camera is set to "large format" or high resolution. You may want to adjust this before you take pictures that you know you'll only be viewing electronically. The only reason to take a large format picture is if you know you might want a hard copy in 8x10 or 11 x 14 size. Digital picture viewed on a screen only need a resolution of 90-200 dpi at most. I edit my pics in Power Point. Sorry I am not familiar with any other method. Here's how I do it: - In PPT, go to Insert, Picture, From File - When you get the desired picture on the slide, right click on the picture. - Go to Format Picture, then click the Compress button - Change the Resolution to Web/Screen - click OK - You may get a message about "compressing the image may affect the quality of your image...." click Apply - Then go to the picture and click and drag the corners to the size you want the photo -Then right click on the photo and do a "Save AsPicture" and save it wherever you want. I know Judy is good at it, too. Maybe she's got a suggestion.

"Feeling in control" -- Now THERE'S a good one!! That sure is a nice change, isn't it?

Oh, come on you guys!!! Surely there's a hundred stories out there!?

BYE LAURA!!! WE'LL BE THINKING OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAVE A BLAST!!!

I think I consumed 18# of sugar yesterday. It was everywhere!!! Cookies, cake, pie and ice cream! OY!!! :phanvan I just canNOT wait until Monday when my world returns to normal!!! June has been loads of fun, but not very good for my weight loss! Jenn.... I'm lost. What are you talking about here? And....what job? The pizza joint or did I miss something?? Thanks for the tip! I only 'go' about once every 5 days. I've always been like that but now seems to be a little worse. I did look up the drug info for Miralax (Patient Education - Drugs - Miralax) and found that it should only be taken for a max of 2 weeks, with a period of abstinence of 2-4 weeks....just FYI. Well, we already know you're crazy. I do suppose that you could have flushed your pouch when you drank....but what you ate was mushy anyway so wouldn't have hung around that long. I notice that when I drink anything with caffeine, lemon or artificial sugar that I get hungry faster. Hey....wait a minute. Everything I drink has one of those in it! Duh.

Hi Lynn, What I would suggest first is to track your calories on FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal or Calorie Counter, Diet Tracking, Food Journal, Nutrition Facts at The Daily Plate for a few days. You may be simply eating too many calories! I just had my 3rd fill a week ago and I can eat just about anything as long as I chew real well, but I sure can't get much in! For instance, this afternoon I had about 2 oz. of hamburger and 3 tbsp of potato salad and 3/4 c. of salad. I was so stuffed I had to go for a walk! Now, I KNOW I've got good restriction because I get so full so easily ....and I stay satisfied for at least 3 hours. Any more I'd be PBing all the time. Any less and I'd be eating twice that much and getting hungry within 2 hours. Solid food is the most satisfying. I hope that helps.

YESSSSS!!!!!!! It WILL change your life!! And aren't you glad about that!!? Lunasa, there IS something wrong....but it's the kind of thing that doesn't show up in your blood! If he found anemia, wouldn't you take iron or whatever else he prescribed? This is no different. It's not a matter of character, girl! It's simply an imbalance.....and you will feel SOOOOOO much better!! I can't wait to watch you bloom! You made my day!

((Tracy)) I am so sorry. I feel your sadness. You are such a sweetheart and you deserve a great man. DBF does sound like a wonderful man in all other regards but that's a small consolation sometimes, I'm sure. Have you ever broached the subject of counseling? Has he ever discussed it with his doctor? Surely it must tear him up inside. I have the opposite problem of being a bit 'frigid' (ew! I hate that word!) but it is getting a little better as I lose weight. My point is, I understand how some of these guys must feel.... I'm sure they wish they were different but just don't have a freakin' clue how to fix it. Because first they have to 'own it', admit that they have a problem, and verbalize the desire to make remedies. That's a LOT to ask of a MAN! I certainly can visualize how everytime you bring it up that he automatically gets defensive, rather than just admitting it and asking for patience and help while he tries to figure it out. So I'm just thinking that maybe a book will help you break thru that barrier in some way....some suggestions on how to deal with the male ego and their unique way of thinking and feeling. I do hope you can find a way to get close to him again -- ya'll sound like a great couple in all other regards. -- XOXO

(((Jenn))) We were posting at the same time. I am so sorry you're having one of those days. Sounds like classic PMS to me! Is it? If not, I'm sure it's some type of hormonal thing associated with losing weight combined with the mixed up emotions about dbf. Take comfort in knowing that it will pass in a couple of days. The day off from the gym will probably help a lot. Maybe have something a little more substantial today....like some oatmeal or cream of wheat, or make yourself a nice smoothie. Had DBF been out of touch and now he's back? It sure sounds like a roller coaster with you guys. I was on one like that for 4 years and never thought I'd get off. And you've been at it for 17??? That's exhausting in itself and I feel for you. I kept this taped to my mirror at home and on my desk at work.... it helped me understand my struggle. Maybe it will help you too: Life in 6 Chapters I walk down the street... there is a hole in the street. I fall into the hole... but I do not know I am in it. Finally I see the hole and try to get out. It takes a long time to get out of the hole. I walk down the same street.. the hole is still there... I see the hole. I fall into the hole again.... but I recognize where I am, and I want to be out of the hole. It still takes a long time to get out of the hole. I walk down the same street... the hole is still there... I see the hole and still fall into the hole again... it has become familiar.. But I have learned how to get out of the hole and.. Get out of the hole much quicker. I walk down the same street... the hole is always going to be there in this street. I see the hole..... and recognize it.. and think fondly of it.. but I think I don't want to be in the hole again. But I walk directly toward the hole and fall in again. I get out immediately. I walk down the same street... the hole hasn't moved... I like the looks of the hole Yet I remember I don't want to be in the hole... I remember the feelings in the hole.. I veer away... I walk around the hole and continue on my way. I go for a walk.... I walk down a different street. -- Unknown