hlayne

So I haven't posted anything in months and months and I doubt anyone even remembers me, BUT.. my name was on the list so I decided to update. My Stats: Highest 261 Surgery 3/2/07 258 Current 3/17/08 168 I have been fighting with the same 4 lbs for 3-4 months and it made me feel better to come here and see that I'm not alone with the stalls in weight loss. I even started back to the gym a month ago and it didn't get rid of those horrible 4 lbs that keep going up and down! So.. I went through my kitchen and got rid of the foods that aren't good for me that I eat the most of. (I have several different foods that I don't allow myself to buy anymore just because I eat too much of them.) Anyway, I'm going to have to start over and measure my foods, eat Protein first, time myself so I don't eat for more than 20-30 mins (that is a HUGE issue with me), count calories and only eat 3 times a day. I think I'm going to start hanging around here on a more regular basis too because reading all the posts today really gave me inspiration to do better. I have been cheating for months and that's why I can't get out of the weight range I'm in and I'm admitting it!! :mad2:

I'm from Chattanooga. Dr Ponce in Dalton, GA is my surgeon.

I have this saved on my computer to share with people from time to time. It's a long read but it's really intresting. :confused: THE WATER CURE CAN MAKE YOU THIN! We can’t rave enough about the latest weight-loss breakthrough. It’s simple, safe and effective. This M.D.- devised technique has already worked wonders--three times faster than average--and without dieting. Before you read another word, go pour yourself a glass of water. WHY? Because what we’re about to tell you is going to make you very thirsty. At least that’s the reaction Chicago mom Amy Biank had when she first heard about a groundbreaking treatment for weight gain, fatigue and a host of other stubborn ailments ..... “At the time, I was getting out of bed in the morning and feeling old and heavy,” recalls the 54-year-old, who’d been steadily gaining weight since her early 40’s. “My joints ached. I would get overwhelmingly tired. I had hot flashes, mood swings, sinus headaches. I didn’t have the stamina to work out, and I had such strong cravings for foods like chocolate and bacon .... I just surrendered and said, ‘This is the way I’m going to be’”. But, in fact, it wasn’t the way she was going to be... Fast forward six weeks: Amy was shopping in the “fat ladies’ section at her favorite store and tried on a size 20 skirt. “It literally fell off,” she beams. The outfit she took home? A size 16. Now she’s in the 14s working toward a 12. Maybe “working” isn’t the right word because Amy has lost the weight, quadrupled her enerby, eliminated achy joints, beaten her allergies--simply by drinking water -- more specifically, by drinking a doctor-prescribed amount of water. That’s exactly what Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, M.D., affectionately known as “Dr Batman” around his practice in Falls Church, Virginia, tell his patients--who have lost up to 40+ pounds just by increasing their water intake. A recent survey found that while two out of three of us know doctors recommend drinking at least eight cups daily, only one in five actually drink that much. How much, do we drink? On average, a mere 4.6 cups a day. “This chronic shortage is the reason so many of us are sick, tired and overweight,” claims the expert, author of YOUR BODY’S MANY CRIES FOR WATER. “Humans are 75% water. More importantly, our brains--our control centers--are 85% water. Without adequate hydration, our metabolisms slow, energy levels drop, toxic waste becomes trapped, cells are deprived of vital oxygen and nutrients and so much more.” So why don’t we feel thirstier? “Studies show that as we get older, we experience a gradual loss of sensitivity to feelings of thirst,” says Dr. Batman. And for reasons not entirely understood, humans accept a dry mouth as the primary indicator of thirst. “Yet it is the last signal your body sends that it’s thirsty”, Here's one more installment on this subject:he adds, noting that earlier signs include sleepiness, achiness and hunger. Since so many of the systems that keep us slim are dependent on water, it only makes sense that when these systems falter, we get fat. That’s the bad news. The good news is that simply by following one simple water-drinking guideline, we can restore our body to peak health and leanness ...... HOW MUCH WATER DO YOU NEED TO DRINK TO LOSE WEIGHT? Dr. Batmanghelidj and the world-famous Mayo Clinic both offer the same easy formula for figuring out your body’s daily water requirements: take your weight and divide it in half. If, for example, you weigh 150 lbs., you need 75 oz. (nine to 10 glasses) daily. If you weigh 250 pounds, 125 oz. (15 to 16 glasses). Any time you perspire heavily for 30 minutes, add an extra 15 to 30 oz. Any time you drink a caffeinated beverage, add an extra 8 to 10 oz.! Is pure H2O the only liquid that counts? No, say experts. Any beverage without calories, caffeine, carbonation, artificial sweeteners, or sodium, such as herbal teas, bottled waters with fruit essence--also counts toward your daily quota. Meet your daily quota and your rewards will be many ............ EASY WAYS TO GET MORE WATER The idea of drinking 75 oz. of water each day may seem overwhelming at first, but these tricks make it easy ----- *Reaching for water first. Start taking water breaks instead of coffee breaks, sipping water instead of soda, and you automatically drink more. “In the past, I tried to drink more water in addition to all the Diet Coke, and it just didn’t work”, says Chicago mom Amy Blank. “But once I started making water my beverage of choice, my cravings for Diet Coke disappeared!” *Keeping lots of H2O where you can see it. That way you won’t forget.“The first two weeks, I put eight bottles out on a shelf, and I knew I had to finish them by the end of the day,” says Amy. *Adding a twist. Water doesn’t have to be boring “Try bottled waters flavored with fruit essence. Or squeeze lemon or lime into chilled tap water. “Sometimes I add a tablespoon of peach nectar,” says Amy. “Or I’ll take an herbal tea bag and pour the water on top of it,” *Keeping it cool. Each night, put some water bottles in the freezer. Take one or two with you to work and enjoy an icy treat in the midafternoon. Also a great idea if you’re going to the beach. SURPRISING REASONS DRINKING H20 MELTS FAT Water makes your metabolism burn calories 3% faster. During a study at the University of Utah, test subjects who were just slightly dehydrated saw a 3% drop in their resting metabolism. And since the calories we burn when we’re sitting still account for the majority of calories burned each day, a 3% drop is enough to cause a pound of weight gain every six months. ........................ Water fights fatigue-induced hunger. Studies have shown that the more tired we feel, the more we eat. That’s why folks who work the night shift tend to pack on extra pounds. But by drinking water, you can prevent the weariness that leads to overeating. “There is amazing new evidence that when water passes through our cell membranes, it creates energy independent of food--a sort of hydroelectric power,” says the expert. ......................... Water helps the digestive system operate more efficiently, so you have fewer cravings. The more water we have in our systems, the more efficiently our enzymes can break down and extract nutrients from food, explains Dr. Batman. The more nutrients you extract from the food you eat, the fewer cravings you’ll have. ........................ Water replaces beverages proven to cause weight gain. It probably comes as no surprise that substituting water for sugary drinks saves you lots of calories. But what you might not know is that calories we drink are much more likely to end up as fat: one study found volunteers who ate an extra 450 calories unconsciously compensated at later meals and didn’t gain weight: those who drank an extra 450 calories (the amount in one large cola) didn’t compensate and gained weight. “The great thing about water is that if you drink too much, the excess is simply excreted--it is never stored as fat,” notes Dr. Batman. What about no-cal beverages like diet sodas, coffee and tea? “They aren’t stored as fat per se, but they trigger fat storage,” he says. “Caffeine is a diuretic, so you drink it, thinking you’re satisfying your thirst, when actually you are further dehydrating your body. In my opinion, rising obesity rates--especially among children--are directly linked to our increased consumption of caffeinated beverages.” Artificial sweeteners make the problem worse: “When digested, aspartame is broken down into chemicals that reduce blood sugar available to our brains,” explains the pro. “When this happens, we become hungry.” Sweetness alone can cause the body to anticipate a new supply of sugar--so when sweetness hits your tongue, it begins to store circulating blood sugar in fat cells. “I never realized how much more I ate when I was drinking coffee and diet sodas until I stopped,” says Amy. “I still have them occasionally, but when I do, I make sure to have extra water.” Bonnie Siegler BONUS: 5 WAYS WATER ACTS LIKE MEDICINE When it comes to water’s benefits, losing weight and gaining energy are just the tip of the iceberg. Researchers now believe that ordinary tap water helps reduce the risk of kidney stones, urinary tract and bladder cancer and possibly even colon cancer. There is also evidence, says Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, M.D., Author of YOUR BODY’ MANY CRIES FOR WATER, that .... 1. It prevents the common cold. Moisture in your throat holds the antibodies that fight off viruses. If you’re even slightly dehydrated, this natural protection disappears. 2. It controls migraines. Without plenty of water, you’re more likely to have an attack. 3. It helps lower “bad” cholesterol. When you’re dehydrated, your blood becomes thick and acidic and can cause damage to arterial walls. Levels of LDL cholesterol rise in response to coat the arterial walls. 4. It may cure asthma. When you’re not getting enough water, your body produces more histamine, which regulates how often your bronchial muscles contract. Drinking water decreases production of histamine, keeping breathing steady. 5. It soothes arthritis pain. Water in the cartilage of your joints acts as a lubricant. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here's one more installment on this subject: quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why Drinking Water Really is the Key to Weight Loss by Maia Appleby Don’t roll your eyes! The potion for losing that excess body fat is all around you. It covers two thirds of the planet. If you eat right and exercise at the intensity, frequency and duration proper for you, but still can’t get rid of a little paunch here and there, you’re probably just not drinking enough water. No need to get defensive. You’re actually quite normal. Most people don’t drink enough water. Most people are also carrying around a few more pounds than they would be if they did drink enough water. If you can’t seem to get that weight off, try drowning your sorrows in nature’s magical weight-loss mineral. It works, and here’s why: “What on Earth is 'metabolism', anyway?” People use the term all the time, but ask them what it means and you’ll get all kinds of answers. Merriam Webster defines it as, “The process by which a substance is handled in the body.” A little vague, but that’s really all it means. There are many forms of metabolism going on in your body right now, but the one everyone is talking about it the metabolism of fat. This is actually something that the liver does when it converts stored fat to energy. The liver has other functions, but this is one of its main jobs. Unfortunately, another of the liver’s duties is to pick up the slack for the kidneys, which need plenty of water to work properly. If the kidneys are water-deprived, the liver has to do their work along with its own, lowering its total productivity. It then can’t metabolize fat as quickly or efficiently as it could when the kidneys were pulling their own weight. If you allow this to happen, not only are you being unfair to your liver, but you’re also setting yourself up to store fat. “I’ve tried it and I couldn’t stand it!” The problem is that, though many decide to increase their water intake, very few stick with it. It’s understandable. During the first few days of drinking more water than your body is accustomed to, you’re running to the bathroom constantly. This can be very discouraging, and it can certainly interfere with an otherwise normal day at work. It seems that the water is coming out just as fast as it’s going in, and many people decide that their new hydration habit is fruitless. Do take heed, though. What is really happening is that your body is flushing itself of the water it has been storing throughout all those years of “survival mode”. It takes a while, but this is a beautiful thing happening to you. As you continue to give your body all the water it could ask for, it gets rid of what it doesn’t need. It gets rid of the water it was holding onto in your ankles and your hips and thighs, maybe even around your belly. You are excreting much more than you realize. Your body figures it doesn’t need to save these stores anymore; it’s trusting that the water will keep coming, and if it does, eventually, the flushing (of both the body and the potty) will cease, allowing the human to return to a normal life. It’s true. This is called the “breakthrough point.” One recent finding, as irresponsible as it may be, that caffeine increases the body’s fat-burning potential has many people loading up on coffee before going to the gym. This finding may hold some degree of truth in it, but caffeine is, in essence, a diuretic, and diuretics dehydrate. Caffeine may increase the heart rate, causing a few more calories to be burned, but this is at the expense of the muscles, which need water to function properly. This isn’t doing your heart any favors, either. It’s already working hard enough during your workout. Never mix caffeine and exercise. In fact, your best bet is to stay away from caffeine all together. It’s a big bully that pushes your friend water out of your system. Water is the best beauty treatment. You’ve heard this since high school, and it’s true. Water will do wonders for your looks! It flushes out impurities in your skin, leaving you with a clear, glowing complexion. It also makes your skin look younger. Skin that is becoming saggy, either due to aging or weight loss, plumps up very nicely when the skin cells are hydrated. In addition, it improves muscle tone. You can lift weights until you’re blue in the face, but if your muscles are suffering from a drought, you won’t notice a pleasant difference in your appearance. Muscles that have all the water they need contract more easily, making your workout more effective, and you’ll look much nicer than if you had flabby muscles under sagging skin. “Eight glasses a day? Are you kidding?!” It’s really not that much. Eight 8-ounce glasses amount to about two quarts of water. This is okay for the average person, but if you’re overweight, you should drink another eight ounces for every 25 pounds of excess weight you carry. You should also up this if you live in a hot climate or exercise very intensely. This water consumption should be spread out throughout the day. It’s not healthy at all to drink too much water at one time. Try to pick three or four times a day when you can have a big glass of water, and then sip in between. Don’t let yourself get thirsty. If you feel thirsty, you’re already becoming dehydrated. Drink when you’re not thirsty yet. Do you think water is yucky? Drinking other fluids will certainly help hydrate your body, but the extra calories, sugar, additives and whatever else aren’t what you need. Try a slice of lemon or lime in the glass, or if you really think you hate water, try a flavored water. Just make sure you read the labels. Remember that you’re going to be consuming a lot of this fluid. It’s probably a good idea to stop drinking water a good three hours before you go to bed. You know why. “How cold should it be?” This is debatable. Most experts lean toward cold water, because the stomach absorbs it more quickly. There is also some evidence that cold water might enhance fat burning. On the other hand, warmer water is easier to drink in large quantities, and you might drink more of it without even realizing it. Do whatever suits you, here. Just drink it! When you drink all the water you need, you will very quickly notice a decrease in your appetite, possibly even on the first day! If you're serious about becoming leaner and healthier, drinking water is an absolute must. If you're doing everything else right and still not seeing results, this might just be the missing link.

I hiccup a lot after I eat, I also burp a lot while I'm eating. I dunno why, but every time I go to the doc he says everything looks great so I suppose it's not causing any damage. I've always read that if your band slips you'll know it because you'll be able to eat a large amount of food again like before you were banded.

I was groggy, they actually told me go back to sleep for another hour, so I did. When I woke up again, my throat was SUPER dry so they brought me water and I was afraid to drink it, then they brought me ice chips.

So my doc was scheduling my fills once a month for a while because he was filling my band very slowly because I had a reaction to a larger fill. Anyway, after my last fill they basically told me to just call for an adjustment when I felt I needed one. Well about 3 weeks after, I felt like I needed one, but I waited until 2 months. I go in on Monday. I waited just because I didn't think I should still be going once a month..or at least that's the way it sounded like it was going to be. At night time, I can eat a pretty good amount of food, probably almost 1.5 cups. Anyway, the question really is, how do you know when you need a fill? One day I woke up and I didn't feel nearly as restricted as I had been feeling. It was just all of a sudden. I still feel more restriction early in the day, but then later in the day I can eat more than I should.

I don't know how much is in my band. My surgeon won't tell me because he doesn't want me comparing myself to anyone. All I know is I get small fills every time because my stomach is sensative. Clara, I can eat more later in the day too, but how do I know when I'm able to eat too much. How much can you eat at the time of the day when you can eat the most?

I had been losing about 10 lbs a month, but in the past 5 weeks or so, I've lost about 4 lbs total. My weight keeps going up and down two or three lbs.

OMG I not only still have my fat clothes, well I still wear them. I am still wearing size 24 pants when I can fit into a 16. I was only banded in March and I just can't get it into my head yet that I don' t need to wear that stuff anymore. It's so mental for me. I mean...it hasn't been that long since I HAD to wear that stuff! Someone slap me.

This is exactly what I do. If I'm chewing up something and I can just tell it's too chewey or tough to go down very well, I'll spit what's left of it out.

Oh!! I love those! I can help with the nutrition info...at the store I go to they sell them in separate cups and in two packs, and the two packs have the info on them. Except I haven't found a two pack of the honey bbq salmon, just the singles, but they are really good..... This is for the plain tuna and plain salmon.... 1 tuna cup / 2.7ozs 80 cals Protein 18g 1 salmon cup / 2.7ozs 80cals 14g protein Carbs are 0 on both I buy these allll the time.

OMG, I didn't understand what sliming was either until I started doing it, then it was like a lightbulb went on "OH that makes sense!" Hahaha. Anyway, the way I'd describe it is just salavating forEVER, I have to get a spit cup sometimes because if you swallow it, it'll probably come back up. It usually happens after I eat too fast, so I guess there's too much in my stomach at once, and if you swallow, then it just puts more in your stomach and up it comes! Anyway, PB is "productive burp"... or throwing up. I don't so much PB as just cough once or twice and it comes up, I guess some people probably burp and it comes up. Someone else could probably explain it all better than me.

I'm jealous. I can't have anything cold. But if you can, then go for it.

You guys are great! I'm doing much better now. I think I might be one who shouldn't eat for a few hours after I get up. That makes me sad because I know it's healthy to have breakfast, but I can have a protein shake and it seems to be alright. I stayed on liquids for 24 hours after my problems, then I had some super runny mashed potatoes and then later scrambled eggs and everything went down fine. Going to stay on the mushies today and if everything goes ok try something solid tomorrow. The 3 PBs in one day was probably due to me not letting things heal, I looked through all my reading material from my doc and didn't see anything about having to do that. Didn't actually see anything about vomiting at all....I'm sure he'd rather me not PB (I'd rather not do it either!), but since it's obviously going to happen sometimes, I wish I had had some kind of instructions for it. I am soooo glad I have you guys to help with that!

I was tightened on Wednesday morning. That afternoon I had 3 sips of orange juice and PBed... although I don't think this was a PB it was more like wretching awefulness to me. That night I did fine, liquids the rest of the night. Thursday I did ok, liquids all day and I had one scrambled egg before I went to bed. Well today, I started the day with a protein shake (about 2 hours after I got up), I only had maybe 4 or 5 sips and it came back up. Liquids for a few hours, then a little bit ago I tried some chicken salad (it's on my mushies list), and it came up, only THIS TIME....there was a little bit of red in it, I hate to say it was blood but I'm guessing it was. When my doctor does fills, he uses the machine, whatever it's called, that lets you watch the fluid go in, so since he just saw my band Wednesday I don't see how I could have a slip. Maybe I'm too tight, can that cause a little blood? It's Friday night and I'm wondering if I can at least wait until Monday to call the doctor's office... but I don't want to be having problems with my band, I've done soooo good so far. I hadn't vomited at all since I was banded in March until this last fill. Any advice? Help!

<p>Thank you for all the replies. I'm just going to stay on liquids until Monday then call my doctor. If the band loosens up after a few days I'll probably be ok, because at one point I did keep a little scrambled egg down, but I'm still going to see what the doc says. <img src="http://www.LapBandTalk.com/images/smilies/happy.gif" border="0" alt="" title="" smilieid="60" class="inlineimg" /> Not having a problem with water! <img src="http://www.LapBandTalk.com/images/smilies/happy.gif" border="0" alt="" title="" smilieid="60" class="inlineimg" /></p> Oh and it is close to that time of month...I'll just see what happens Monday

I don't have the answers to those questions, I've never had this problem, so I didn't know how to handle it. Didn't know to be on liquids the remainder of the day if I PB. After I got a fill I got instructions to be on clear liquids that day, full liquids the next then mushy. I had chicken salad because it's on my mushies list and it was the third day, which to me, ment I should have mushies. So after a PB stop all liquids for 6 hours including water? Also, like I said, I don't think PB even describes it, it there was coughing and a horrible feeling. I always though PB sounded kinda easy, like you just kinda have some food come up when you burp, soooo not what's going on with me so far.

I live in East TN, in Chattanooga. My dr, Dr Ponce, has an office in Chattanooga and in Dalton, GA...about 20 mins away. He's been great, I don't know anything about if he does after care for those who have gone out of country...but he is great, so it wouldn't hurt to give them a call and ask. Gastric Band Institute - Chattanooga, Tennessee - The LAPBAND® Procedure

Just thought I'd share my experience yesterday and see if maybe this has happened to anyone else. I went for my second fill yesterday. My first fill seemed normal, had no problems at all. Yesterday, for my second, I kept getting sick while they were doing the fill, they had to have me lay down several times because I felt sick and well, I don't know how much my dr ended up putting in, because he doesn't tell his patients how much of a fill they have....but he did say that with me, apparently they will have to take it really slow. So normally he will do a fill every 6 weeks, but I'm supposed to go back Monday for another one. I felt a little sick for a few hours after I left the dr office too. I feel perfectly fine today. I dunno what happened.

I was nausious and started having cold sweats, I felt like I was going to throw up but I didn't. My appointment was just when I woke up, I hadn't eaten anything, but the dr made my appt monday for a different time of day so hopefully that'll help. I work at night and sleep in the day and my appt was at 2pm when I usually don't get up until 3 or 4, so Monday I'm going in at 9am before I go to sleep. My doc did say that it was probably just irritating my stomach because I had just woken up so hopefully going in before I go to bed will work. I feel a little more restriction so I think he did add a little. Like you said, I hope it was just a fluke...or because I had just woken up....one of those reasons would be great.

I voted "other" because my dr actually won't tell me how much of a fill I get. He said it's just enough for me, and he doesn't want me to compare myself to others. I wanted to know, but I guess I'm ok with his answer..lol.

I had asked my dr about the pb and bananas because I was all ready to make a smoothie with that kinda stuff and I was told no. Something about them being sticky so they don't go down as well. I can have them when I'm back on regular foods, but just saying this might be the bowling ball feeling you mentioned.

Ew! I have the nasty taste too! I wish it would go away. Blegh! Guess I'll have it at least another week and a half til regular foods for it to be gone.

I'm having that problem so far...I made a Soup...cut the recipe in half...it still lasted me 4 days. It was a good soup. :eek: Hopefully we'll just get use to making really small portions!

Yah I ordered Better Than Boullion off a website cause of whoever had said it had so much protein. I got three kinds too. I was not happy when I got it and it had barely any. But on the plus side...it tastes great!