o2bthin

Too funny Steph! Especially the KY one! ROFL! I thought I'd try the breakfast test. I had about 3/4 cup of cornflakes with milk and 1/2 a peach with no problem. The peach went down tight and I followed it with coffee and it gugled and went down, so I'm going to call about getting another fill. The posting about NSV got me to thinking. Not clothes-related, but I have had so much more energy. I've been doing a lot of back to school shopping with my daughter, and normally my feet would give out on me, and I'd be popping motrin and wearing my orthotics and socks. I've been in my Sketcher mary janes, with no problems. As my mom would have said, make it a great day!

Chit chit CHIT!!!!!!!!! I can eat today....too much....restriction is gone. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

I haven't noticed any difference in my shoes. Most of my jeans are too roomy to be comfortable now especially in the legs...I hate legs in jeans that float. My pile of thrown off clothes is growing!:clap2: After trying on several pairs of 18's this week---I have shopped no less than 15 hours with my daughter who is entering high school---and finding that they zipped up but were very snug, and seeing the price tags.....I decided to get a pair of slip on jean leggings at Walmart. They are cheap and they will go the distance until I'm closer to the size of jeans I will wear when I am at goal. I didn't see myself as big unless I saw a pic of myself.....briefly before I tore it to shreds! :cry

Yep, that's just a helpful way of clueing the reps in that the lap band is definitely EXCLUDED as an experimental procedure.

I dunno Lady, I took a pic of myself when I started, and now with 30 pounds off, and I still have the belly out front and booty behind me, but I can see that overall I'm smaller. I'm looking forward to losing some of this bubble too. Hang in there.

My update is I can't seem to get a meal in. I'm still not past the protein part to try veggies. I can't seem to eat more than 3 bites of anything solid and then I want to pb it. I can eat yogurt, sf pudding, cottage cheese, etc., but no solids. I am chewing well. If I stop before the discomfort begins, it's about 3 bites worth, and then I am holding my breath that I don't slime. Then if it stays, it takes about 1 hour and then I'm hungry again. I'm going to go try to eat a few more bites of dinner now. I'm giving it time and trying to be patient. Congrats on your nice big fill Lisa!!

So......about that exercise challenge. I got in 10 min on my ET (eliptical trainer) before I pooped out....and was getting rained on. Hubby moved it back under cover but that was a good enough excuse to stop for the day. I don't know how to get a challenge going.....but I need some motivation people!

Toni, you must be very ashamed of yourself! :embarassed: Is this the craziest journey ever? My band only likes Werthers today. It sure didn't like the scrambled eggs I gave it this morning......caused me to slime for 2 hours and I didn't get hungry until 2:30. Then some yogurt made me slime until I burped out an airpocket. Hmmmm....wonder what my band will let me eat for dinner, maybe some broth. It's my TOM and I'm reading that can cause swelling, plus I think the rice crispie treats irritated me. I'm going to stick to liquids and mushies for a few days. Steph, your gurgle story was too much. I've been thinking about that all day. I'm sure it will happen to all of us. Kudos to the cute guy for handling himself so well! Missy, I'm so glad your hubby is doing better. Mvr, when can you get your next fill. I am reading the 10cc band thread and it seems the magic # is 6-8cc. Sometimes it takes a few days for a fill to "settle." I was glad to see you checking in.

I have 6.0 cc in my band now, and am trying to figure out what good restriction is. Last night I could eat whatever I wanted, and no fullness or slowing down. This morning, I ate 3 bites of soft scrambled eggs and was in pain for 3 hours. Maybe it's a matter of how much I'm willing to put up with. Is that pain what is considered "restriction" because it's staying in my pouch? If I chew well and eat slowly, it's still going to stay in my pouch, right...that's the idea isn't it? This afternoon I slimed on yogurt. I pb'd the slime, and then ate the rest of the yogurt with no problem. I think it may have been water I drank before I ate the yogurt caused an airpocket. Any input would be GREATLY appreciated....I mean GREATLY!!

Ugh, I have no idea what my restriction level is after my fill. If I could control myself maybe I could figure it out! I'm waiting for my nice soft beef veggie soup to heat up in the microwave and I take a bite of some rice crispie treats my daughter made....mmmm....good....I had another bite....and another. Then I started on my soup and two bites later start to slime. When will I learn?

I had a pb episode last night, but the stuck food wouldn't come up and I was afraid to pb more than slime, so I just dealt with it. I was out shopping with my daughter, walking around, sliming and gurgling. It took over an hour before the pain went away. It was the worst experience so far with the band. Dummy me had 3 bites of a Cinnabon. Probably the worst thing. Patty, I went to Dr. Ortiz. I live in NW Washington.

This is where I've been going. Northwest Fill Management providing affordable lap-band fills for weight loss surgery patients.

Me either Hotty. I've got 6.0 cc now and I can still eat without getting restriction. I'll give it some time to settle though. This fill feels differently though, burping is different. I wish I could get my mind off of it and onto other things. Getting good restriction is becoming my obsession and I'm starting to drive myself crazy. I think if you're getting stuck feelings, you have to take smaller bites and chew more. I'm starting to make an effort to only load my spoon 1/3. Patty I don't get a burning or choking feeling. I did have a lot of uncomfortable burping after my second fill though. Btw, I met two Kuri patients today when I got my fill.

I got my fill today. I need to get back on my eliptical trainer too. Anyone up for a workout challenge? Put me on the list for it.

Pippz, you look awesome. How much did you weigh before preop? How much did you weigh at surgery? Has your weight loss been consistent? sunlight, I'm just about where you are...started at 275, stuck at 246. We had our surgeries 2 days apart. What size band do you have? It's taking me a while to get a sweet spot. Good luck with your next fill. I'm doing the happy dance because I was able to schedule a fill for tomorrow. This one should do it I hope. I only have to travel about 1 1/2 hours too instead of the normal 3 each way including ferry time. Pamla, you are looking good! Take some more closer up. You guys don't want to see my pics, trust me.

It's true, each doctor seems to fill differently. If I went back to Dr. Ortiz, I would have had my fill under fluoro and it would be more precise. That was the tradeoff for finding a local place. My ARNP will only do 2 cc at a time. I told them I have the 10cc and felt nothing after the first fill, and little after the second. They just chuckled and said come back in a month.

Java, I have 4 cc in my 10 cc band. My weight loss on the cleansing diet I did last week leveled out at 4 pounds lost. I felt so much better not having any salt, so I'm trying to limit that this week. I have definitely lost the cravings for sugar like I used to have---I was a sugar addict. Now a small candy seems to satisfy and often it's too sweet. Fruit is much better. Back on the straight and narrow today for me.

Hey Danbo please don't beat yourself up, you're an inspiration to all of us!

Yup, I'm going for my 3rd fill! I'm scheduling it tomorrow. Who ever thought I'd need permission or validation? Ha! I ate tacos tonight, and could eat 3. Later I ate 2 more. That convinced me I had no restriction left. It disappeared. I love it when I had it though, it just didn't last. Most of the music I listen to is alt rock but I like folky artists like Sheryl Crow, Cranberries too and some bluesey Rhianna and Robin Thicke thrown in. But I'll be heirloom quilting a fussy customer's quilt on my longarm machine and I'll be rocking out to Disturbed or Three Days Grace! LOL When I work out, it's Timberlake or Eminem...something about beat. On the piano, all I play is classical or hymns. My taste is all over the place.

I went to the fair last night, starving! I had people at my house all day (studio tour) and couldn't get time to eat. Dh got me a corndog. I though I'd get a couple bites in....wrong!! The whole thing went down! Still hungry! Ate a scone....no problem! Ate some of dh's pulled pork. Had some fritter thing and some fried twinkie (first one for me and it was yummy!). Had a snow cone. Topped it off with a teriyaki skewer. Got home and ate 3 cookies. I chugged 2 bottles of water, no restriction. What the heck? One day I can't eat more than a bite and it gets stuck. Then I'm wide open, no restriction at all.

I didn't have to worry about eating all the 8 oz of chicken (actually my portion breast was 5.4 oz out of the pkg) because my dogs ate it, but I don't know that I could have. I think with any diet or recipe, you have to adjust for your restriction level. I am due for another 2 cc in my band, and at that time, I may only be limited to 1/2 cup of food. Right now, I can eat about 1 cup, unless I eat too fast or get the first bite thing. When I'm free-for-all eating, I can't control myself and forget about counting calories....I don't have time or the energy. I just eat what I want, healthy low carb and low fat, but a lot fits into that range, and I don't lose. I am lucky if I lose 1 pound a month, exercising all the while. I'm just the type of person that has to follow a diet to lose, plus exercise. I will probably have to low carb my entire life due to my diabetes and insulin resistance. That's just me. I don't recommend any diet to any person, I just tell you what's working for me. I'm still trying to figure this out and make it work for ME. I still am holding onto the dream that my band will do the work, tell me when not to eat more, tell me what foods won't work, make me feel full, content, never be hungry, lose my cravings.......

My friend typed up this diet, I think she just put the general rules of dieting in there....then she put the rules for the 4-day diet. I'm not sure of that, but that's what me thinks!

o2bthin - question about the diet... it says to have most calories in breakfast and lunch, and yet you're only eating a grapefruit for breakfast? Thats not many calories?? I know, that makes no sense to me either. I just drink one large cup of coffee in the morning, and maybe an iced sugar free coffee in the afternoon, that's it. I guess you could have iced tea in place of it or regular tea. It must be the caffeine boosting your metabolism. Good luck Steph! All I can tell you guys is it works. You have to eat everything though! The first day was awful, it's gotten a little better every day. The dang dog ate my chicken breast last night! I was so excited about that chicken too...it's a HUGE portion. I microwaved it and cut it into chunks and had about 2 bites until I got the first bite syndrome, so I went upstairs to the puter, and dd came home and let the dogs in....I went back for my dinner and it was gone...dog licking his chops! Grrrr! I'm drinking low sodium V-8 for the tomato juice. Hotty, I have *no idea why I used that word! LOL

Btw, I've been steaming the celery until it's soft. I haven't done any hamburger, just chicken and tuna. I do have the powdered creamer in my coffee too. Nobody is going to make me drink black coffee!

Okay, this is THE DIET. I don't know where it came from, but it's working for me. Anyone want to join me? Today is my day #3 and then I'm going to repeat it. LOL on the prune juice...you'll see what I mean. GENERAL RULES WHEN DIETING 2 glasses water in the am as you get up; 1 glass of water before each meal; and 2 glasses of water when you go to bed. Drink more off and on during day. Eat most calories at breakfast and lunch. Supper should be light. Front end loading means digestion occurs during day when you are active. Visualize your proportion size before serving it up onto your plate. Get up and leave the table as soon as you have finished. If after 20 minutes you are still hungry come back and top off. THIS 4-DAY DIET Drink minimum of 7 – 12 cups of water a day You can repeat 2 times in a row and then break for 1-2 weeks and repeat or go ahead with your regular diet. All food is boiled, steamed, baked, broiled, or grilled. No oil, salt, bread, potatoes, rice, starches, alcohol Only white vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, chili pepper, black pepper, and dried herbs to season food. No snaking No substitutes except 3 oz tuna in water, 4-6 oz. Salmon, or chicken in place of beef. ALL BREAKFASTS Minimum 1 cup coffee or tea – no sugar, sugar substitutes, cream, or milk ½ grapefruit Day One Lunch · 2 hard boiled eggs · ½ cup green string beans, steamed or boiled · ½ cup squash (zucchini or butternut) steamed or boiled · 1 cup low sodium tomato juice Dinner 1 4-6 oz hamburger – baked or broiled (on additives) ½ cup green string beans 1 small apple Day Two Lunch ½ cup celery ½ cup green string beans steamed or boiled ½ cup fresh tomatoes (not juice) ½ cup cantaloupe Dinner Baked or broiled chicken breast 6-8 oz – no skin ½ cup butternut squash or zucchini steamed or boiled ½ cup fresh tomatoes Day Three Lunch · 2 hard boiled eggs · ½ cup green string beans, steamed or boiled · ½ cup squash (zucchini or butternut) steamed or boiled · 1 cup low sodium tomato juice Dinner 1 6-8 oz steak broiled or baked (or substitute tuna, salmon, or chicken) 1 cup stew tomatoes (stew or poach your own – don’t use canned because of all the preservatives/additives 1 small apple Day Four Lunch 1 cup celery (uncooked)· ½ cup squash (zucchini or butternut) steamed or boiled 1 small apple 1-cup prune juice (unsweetened – no preservatives if possible) Dinner 1 4-6 oz hamburger – baked or broiled (on additives) ½ cup fresh raw tomatoes 2 cup prune juice (unsweetened – no preservatives if possible)