momlambert

Thanks, Janine. I appreciate your condolences--it is a difficult time. I keep hearing about the need to eat more calories to lose weight and I just can't reconcile how that works with the band. Anyone?

Thank you all for your condolences and sweet words--you bring tears to my eyes. Thanks, OHJuli for noticing what the last six months have been for me and for uplifting me. We've all conquered some of our demons and ridden our own roller coasters these last six months, haven't we! How empowering is that??? Keep it up, Marchies! You guys look fantastic.

Thanks, Barb. Yes, I do!

Today is my six-month bandiversary and I'm having a bit of a hard time. The day after I was banded, my Dad was diagnosed with colon cancer. He died Friday and we had the funeral on Monday. It's so hard to lose your father--I loved him SO much. He was a great man. I spoke at the funeral and it went well so I'm grateful I had that opportunity to pay tribute to him. I think I've lost a little since I last updated my ticker but I'm waiting until I go to the dr. again, which is in 2 more weeks. Hopefully, I'll be in ONE-derland. As I mentioned before, I finally have a bit of restriction for the first time since surgery (after 8 fills I now have 3.3 cc in my 4 cc band). I was scheduled for a fill today but canceled because my eating has been so sporadic with my kids all here and everything that has been going on. I haven't cooked for 2 weeks or eaten on any kind of schedule so I'm not sure what this restriction is doing for me. I have pb'd a few times. I just need to pay more attention to small bites, eating slow, hunger level, and quantity before I get another fill. All in all, I'm happy with the band. I know if I hadn't had it during the past six months with my Dad and everything else going on (building a new home, selling two other homes, living with our daughter while we are homeless, etc., etc.) I would have gained more than the 20+ lbs. I've lost. I'm thrilled about that. I'm always encouraged by LBT and my fellow Marchies--keep up the good work. You guys look AMAZING! I'm hoping that now with my life settling down a little (we move into our new home on Oct. 12) and some restriction, I can settle into a routine and recommit to living with my band in a positive way. Good luck to everyone! Karen

Crabcake, the emails I get from LBT that notify me of a new message say: There may also be other replies, but you will not receive any more notifications until you visit the forum again. I've found that if I don't go into the site and read the new message, then I don't get any more notifications. It's good because sometimes I can't check in for awhile and I'd hate my inbox to be so jammed with every message that is posted. FYI. I hope that answers your question.

Sure! And if you don't make your goal, you'll probably have still done better than if you hadn't set it. Positive thinking and hard work will triumph--good luck!

I like sparkpeople.com. It's very user friendly and is fun--you get points toward a reward every time you log in and spin the dial, record your food, exercise, read their articles, etc. I've really enjoyed it. Of course, the reward is just a different colored squiggle on your log in page. They have message boards, too, but I haven't used them since this one keeps me plenty busy!

That is amazing--just amazing. Good job! You are a true success story. Thanks for sharing!

I hear ya, Cyndilou! That's EXACTLY what I do. I joined Curves last month and I weighed Monday on their scale and it balanced on 200 so I was thrilled but it just wouldn't let me go to 199. Of course, that was with my gym shoes on so MAYBE I'm in ONE-derful ONE-derland but I'll make sure I'm there before I really celebrate. It's exciting!

Great description, Kacee. Mine does a little more than "tap" my shoulder--we're talking of knife-stabbing pain there! Thanks for the smile.

Tracie, it sounds like you probably have the larger (10cc?) band. Those of us that start around 1 cc have the 4 cc band. I have heard about a substance that they sometimes add to stop or repair a leak in the tubing--I don't know if it's the same thing you are talking about. Good luck with your fill! I think mine is finally kicking in (I have 3.3 cc in a 4 cc band). I'm learning to live with it and figure out what I can eat and what restriction feels like before I start sliming. Maybe I'm a slow learner!

Hey fellow low bmi-ers! I'm just checking in, too. I have been on a plateau for about four months now (was banded 6 months ago) but I'm starting to feel like I might be losing this week. I had my 8th fill a week ago today (3.3 in a 4 cc band) and had my worst ever PB this morning--two bites of egg beaters and cheese and I slimed for an hour. Horrible. Yuck! I don't even know if it was a PB because there was nothing in my pouch--I had chewed so well that it didn't even seem like food came up. TMI. Anyway, it was SO painful it makes me scared to try egg beaters again. Or maybe it was eating soon after exercising. Or could it be "first-bite syndrome"? I guess trial and error is the only way to tell. Everyone is doing great! Welcome to the newbies--you have a very interesting journey ahead of you! Best of luck! Karen

Yes, Janine, the possibilities ARE endless! Good for you--what a great NSV. Everyone is doing awesome--keep it up! It's just so inspiring to me to see your victories. I'm actually feeling restriction for basically the first time. I had my 8th fill a week ago tomorrow and am now at 3.3 in my 4 band. The downside is that I had 2 slime/pb episodes in the last 4 days but I'm learning. The upside is that I HAVE RESTRICTION! Woohoo. Now I just need to learn to chew chew chew and take m & m-sized bites. The band is really doing it's behavior modification job for me on those two counts. I'm doing Curves and just joined their diet class so we'll see how that goes. I'm ready to start losing (I have been ready for six months, of course, but now I'm ready to start with some help via restriction). Good luck to everyone--keep up the great work. Karen

Welcome to Bandland, Nance! Congrats on the surgery and good luck on your road to recovery. Walk and walk and the gas will dissipate more quickly. Good luck!

Welcome, Diana. Good for you for taking control of your weight and your life. It's a journey--good luck to you! Let us know when your are scheduled. Thanks for posting!

hehe. Yes, it will be interesting to see what the experts order. I was thinking of soup but that's not a very good alternative either, according to my dr. Maybe I'll have to go just to observe!

Hi fellow Utahans! I just got a message from Vivienne at Dr. Hansen's office announcing the next dinner group time and location. Anyone and everyone is invited--you don't have to be a patient of South Valley Surgical. I haven't gone to one yet and am not sure I can make my way clear to go this month but here is the info if anyone is interested. Let me know! If I know that some of you might be there I will try harder to get there. Here are the details: "We will meet at the Olive Garden in Murray. The address is 6305 S. State St. and it is in the SW parking lot of Fashion Place Mall. The phone # is 269-8138. This is for Monday, Sept. 17th at 6:00 p.m."

Congrats on your date, Jill--it will be here before you know it! Can't wait to hear all the details. Keep us posted, Karen

I am SO with you on this. I am also "discouraged and feel like this is just another diet that is a bust." I have my 8th fill scheduled for next week but will call this morning to see if they have any cancellations today and can fit me in. I now have 3.1 cc in my 4 cc band. Once in awhile I feel restriction but usually when I eat too fast--never when I eat too much. I can eat everything and anything and lots of it, as long as I chew a lot. I'm coming up on 6 months and have only lost 21 lbs.--almost all of that the first 2 months. Argh!

Good luck, Nance! We"ll be watching for you on the other side!

That's what I'm hoping, Dacer! I've had seven fills and have very little restriction. Next week I go for my 8th fill--I'm hopeful! Good luck to both of us!

Name.............Chall. Start Wt......Current......Chall. Goal......To Go losingjusme..........273.....................273. .............238.............35 faithmd................303.....................303 ..............283.............20 mpalen.................229.....................229 ..............200.............29 want2beme...........225.....................225... ............195............30 mcgreen...............236.................... 236. .............210.............26 wombat712...........179.................... 179... ...........155.............24 Suzzzie. ...............346.....................346........ . .....315............31 Chris_NJ................284.....................28 4 ..............250...........34 Cherrybomb...........311.....................311.. .............291...........20 legster..................261......... ...........261................235...........26 Desertbunnee.........232.....................207.. .............180...........27 areellady...............232.....................23 2................212..........20 sweethot143..........197......................197.. ..............175..........22 gweniper...............253......................253................223..........30 Jeni 85..................237......................237.... ............207.........30 dacer123...............243......................243.................223.........20 momlambert..........207......................207.................185.........22 Great challenge--let's do it!

Try this link: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f73/abbreviations-what-they-mean-7959/

Check out this link: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f73/abbreviations-what-they-mean-7959/ PB is different than vomiting because there are no stomach fluids mixed with the food. It's just the food coming up from your pouch and looks just like what you swallowed. The sliming comes first and means you better go to the bathroom. I think the slime is your body trying to lubricate the food to go down but once I start sliming I cough once and my pouch empties into the toilet. People have different experiences. For some it's really painful and they can't eat for a day or so but it's not like that for me--however, I've only PB'd twice and I don't have adequate restriction yet so I'm no authority. But this is just my take on PB'ing and sliming. Good luck on your journey!

My doctor's list is very different than Sunshines' list, Charlene, so you might want to check with the clinic or the nurses to get his specific list (unless I missed something and you are going to the same Dr.). I had to have clear liquids for 10 days, other liquids for about a week (can't remember exactly), then mushies (that's when I could grind up meat and have mashed potatoes, cottage cheese, applesauce, etc.) and then, finally after almost 6 weeks after surgery I could progress to solids. Man, those aren't fond memories--that was tough. Good luck to you!